Love doesn’t always look like what you see in the movies, sometimes it’s like this anime

I normally don’t gravitate to romantic anime, but this had me hooked from episode one. I was glued to the socially awkward, yet helpful and boorish, protagonist named Gouda Takeo who is, by societal standards, not attractive and trying to find love. With an unexcitable best friend who is incredibly attractive to the girls whom are protagonist’s type, the pair is nothing short of bromance goals. One day, Gouda saves a high school girl from a groper on a train, and falls in love with her the next day when she comes by to thank him. Unfortunately, because he’s been let down by girls who like his best friend instead of him, he believes that she must have fallen instead for his best friend with model-like good looks. With this in mind, he follows the same pattern as usual and does his best to play matchmaker for his friend, until he realizes that it was him she had her eyes on the entire time.

For everything that other women didn’t like about him, she loves. There are others that surround the main couple, who don’t quite understand how or why they work, or even the attraction the young girl, Rinko Yamato, has for the Gouda. She’s not easily swayed by other’s negative thoughts and the two go throughout the series persevering against several other ups and downs with winning and bubbly personalities.

This series was such a nice surprise. The only unfortunate part about it was that I didn’t watch it sooner. The show is a lighthearted comedy with even though their romance being the front and center of the entire series, I didn’t mind it. As I became more and more consumed with the series it even had my shonen-loving fiancé join me and watch it, having it hit a bit close to home. Even though Gouda had a very friendly and welcoming demeanor, and helped everyone he could, there were times where you know his looks got to him. Gouda was okay with his looks, but he understood that he did not look like his best friend. It wasn’t until Yamato who was actually attracted to him, started to show him as well as the audience that you should embrace your looks; that you can beauty in everything you see even if others don’t. Everyone is attractive in their own ways, even if society doesn’t say so.  

Is there a series that caught you by surprise? Let me know in the comments below