I just finished watching episode fifteen of this series, and I’ve got too many thoughts about this series and I don’t feel like waiting for this series to end to share them. It’s just too much of a shame to see that a series that I once loved for its witty humour degraded so much in only two months. The first seven episodes of Itazura na Kiss, where Irie and Kotoko were both into high-school. My favourite moment was that kiss in episode 7. Strangely enough, as soon as the two hit university and started to develop, the problems began piling up and this series went South.
It’s a shame, since this series did manage to avoid the standard pitfall for such a series: it’s nice to see the characters develop, and Irie and Kotoko realize what they want to do later. The two of them becoming a couple of a doctor and a nurse may be a bit conservative (that wedding also came way too fast), but then again, this may feel awkward because I’ve watched too much anime, which seems to hate modern conservatism like this.
The smaller problem in this series are of course annoying, like the horrible Engrish (I can understand how Irie’s English is bad, but people who are supposedly English yet again speak with a horrible accent. I really wonder, in these days of outsourcing, why nobody got the idea to hire a bunch of English voice-actors to fill in for the English parts…). The inconsistent animation at times is also rather grating, especially in that new ED. It feels like a bunch of entirely different people made it.
But the biggest problem is that the writers suddenly seem to have given up… it’s strange, but their wit that made me fall in love with the first few episodes is entirely gone now. One thing I liked about these first few episodes is the fast transition from funny to dramatic, when either Kotoko or Irie’s pranks went a bit too far, for example. That’s what made that drama work. Ever since university, the creators seemed to have increased the drama in this series, but the problem is that… they just can’t write decent drama.
For the past eight episodes, the creators just kept throwing love-rivals and random illnesses at our couple, as an attempt to test their relationship. I mean, come on, think of something bloody different! Have a bit of faith in your characters. They’re funny as they are, without these contrived plot-twist. The creators keep hanging at the boring parts and skip the potentially interesting parts. I mean, that sex-scene really came from nowhere. There was no build-up, absolutely nothing, even though it was supposed to be a moment to bring Kotoko and Irie closer together…
I think that indeed the big mistake of the creators, was that during the development of the characters, they never developed their characters, or built up for that matter. There’s hardly any foreshadowing, storylines aren’t wrapped up properly, there is such a thing as getting over your love… why hasn’t that black-haired tennis-woman whose name I forgot found herself a new guy? This series hardly feels connected at all, and it feels like the writers are struggling to find something interesting for their main characters to do.
I’m really trying to like these romantic comedies, but they really make it harder and harder by continuing to disappoint me. I really hope that this series finds its groove back in its final third, because I genuinely liked this series when it first started. It feels like nearly every one of these love comedies I watch gets dull as it goes on and loses inspiration. I believe that the only pure love comedies that I genuinely liked so far are the ones who added something extra, so that they weren’t just about the adventures of a brand new couple. Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge had lots of gothic horror references and bishounen-parodies; Moyashimon had its references to bacteria and in Umisho we got to see the chronicles of a local swimming-club. They may feel like plot-devices, but at least they provide the creators with enough inspiration to keep their series interesting until the end.
Actually, the part that I like most in the manga is after they married each other anyway. But well, if you look for humour in latter episodes , I don’t think you will find much to make you feel better. I love the after marriage arc because it tends to be more dramatic and shows how Kotoko works hard as a nurse to be with Irie and how Irie does many things for her even if he doesn’t show it right out. If you expect it to be more funny , it would not. But warm-hearted?, yes. I also got bored to death by Shoujo manga nowadays too, but Itazurana kiss is something I can read it again and again with smile. But I never like Yamato Nadeshiko, it never makes me laugh, even a little. So it depends on what you want from this anime later on, I guess. I will agree though that the animation so far has been so inconsistent with graphics that sometimes I can’t stand to watch further , the manga is much better in building atmosphere somehow. And I think you shouldn’t mind about English thing, it’s like that in every anime anyway, better think of it as one of funny? factor >_>
Though I have to admit that some of these series repeat themselves a bit, I enjoy watching the obstacles that the main couple has to overcome. Yes, sometimes the love-rivals come out of nowhere and their schemes to separate the main characters are exaggerated, but what would it be of romantic comedies without this kind of difficulties?
I haven’t seen Itazura na Kiss so I can’t have an opinion, but if you want to watch a romantic comedy with a great balance between humour, drama and love, you MUST watch Hana Yori Dango. It’s overwhelmingly addictive.
I think you’re weird to think the first half of the series being witty. To me it’s really all more of the same.
I agree with pretty much everything you say. This show suffers from some -horrible- pacing. I wasn’t feeling any chemistry at all between the two main characters and then all of a sudden they’re married. Wtf?
“that wedding also came way too fast”
Yeah, tell me about it. I thought they were going to start dating, not get married.
For me, the point were the main couple, and thus this series, stopped being cute was when I realized Kotoko had “loved” Irie for 5 entire years. Sheesh.
I watched the first episode and knew it was going to be horrible (even the Taiwanese live action had me more interested).
The only romantic comedy that has really impressed me is Lovely Complex. I honestly think you should watch it if you haven’t yet because not only is the humor fresh from beginning to end, so is the storyline. c:
wtf? Why are you insulting the script writers? Not like they came up with the series. =/
I agree with Kay, we have to realize that the story comes from manga, a very long manga series, no surprice it has problems with timings and pacing. Maybe it would have been better to alter the story a bit to fit the anime better, the manga is more than 15 years old and it shows. Sometimes, feels like parts of the (humour) story are missing. And about the english voice actors, I think is a standard in the industry (film, tv, etc), to have non native speakers do this foreign language parts, specially in the US. I find it funny.
I think I’m up to Episode 12, so…marriage already? Sex scene? But yeah, I’ve noticed a decline ever since Episode 7 as well, but even then, I haven’t been too impressed by this show.
I have to really disagree here. Because for once, we have a series that skips time liberally instead of being stuck on one storyline or timeperiod as if it’s getting handcuffed.
I would normally dislike meaningless timeskips and I do agree that they might have skipped on some of the jucier stuff that COULD have happened, but I think it’s perfectly fine.
I guess it can rub *some* people the wrong way, but I don’t think that kind of vehement putdown really makes sense. Especially whilst I’m enjoying it so much in comparison.
uh… the new ED actually features the ORIGINAL versions of kotoko and naoki, which people who have read the manga would know. i actually liked the new ED because it gave me a sense of nostalgia of the the old manga art. or maybe that’s just me staying faithful to the origins of the anime. 🙂 of course, i’m not saying the quality of animation didn’t suck in the anime big time.
but i really think you should cut the anime timeline some slack. it’s skipped A LOT of mundane stuff from the manga, and to fit high school-university-working/married life into 26 episodes is simply no mean feat. heck hana yori dango spent 52 episodes and STILL couldn’t get past high school.
I completly agree with you. The spark and the wit that got me hooked at the start has long since gone. I never read the original manga so I can’t compare, but yeah, the marrige came a bit quick.
And there is apparantly going to be more drama and less humour? Urgh….
What annoyed me the most is the discontinuity between episodes. At the end of an episode they will make some sort of small step forward, and by the next episode their relationship is just as fractured as it has always been. I haven’t read the manga, to is possible I am missing subtle details, but was the intention of the series to so no lasting change in Irie’s character from episodes 5-20?
I have to say, i’ve loved watching every moment of this. I understand were you’re going. This is like the 4th anime (manga) i’ve seen and actually finished. So of course I have different opinions. But, they show such a strong love story. For example, Vampire Night, it was a great love story, just it shows ‘vampires’ as in mythical creatures. This, on the other hand, it shows reality. A girl’s passion, a man’s change in life. They grow together and really brings you closer. Keep watching and you’ll see, even though he is cold hearted, he is still in love with her. However, in some parts of the series, I wish they changed some parts, to make it have an edge. To bring more excitment, like you said. They should show, atleast in one part of that, that he actually loves her. Which he sort of shows, but not enough. Also, Kotoko should stop saying Irie-Kun, it’s kibnd of annoying! She should be able to stand up for herself, and choose life for herself, without always asking him! Without getting treated so coldy by him!
And Yes! He learnt how to love, be happy, be sad and be jealous. Why doesn’t he learn how to be nice! Sheesh!
But anyways, i know how much it can get annoying, but you’ve got to love it! The story, the idea of their love. You can’t find anything better that shows love than this! It just needs more improvements! Watch on if you haven’t already and then say what it is like. Mail me back if you need to!
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