I’ll be blunt – I really, really, really, really, really, didn’t find that funny. I mean like, almost none of it. I know we’re only two episodes in but that’s a bad sign. I do preach patience with seinen romcoms, and I know this one has a lot of fans. But frankly I fail to see the charm in it at this stage. And that whole thing with the vice-principal was just incredibly gross and stupid. Are there fans who actually thought that bit worked?
If this weren’t a seinen, I’d probably drop it cold turkey right now and never spare it another thought. Or if it weren’t a series that some people whose opinions I respect seem to think is pretty good. As is I feel like I have to give Kimi no koto ga Dai Dai Dai Dai Daisuki na 100-nin no Kanojo one more shot at it next week, which I will. But when comedy so totally misses the mark for you as this did for me, it’s hard to imagine a real turnaround. There was at least some stuff in the premiere I laughed at – I don’t think I so much as cracked a smile once during this episode.
Comedy is a funny thing, no pun intended. It sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t, and it’s not always possible to say why. That can be frustrating – there’s obviously something in this series that gave it the reputation it has, and I’d like to understand what that is. But you can’t approach comedy as entertainment via scientific means – it’s alchemy, if anything. All you can do is react, and it’s impossible to fool yourself. Given that, I’m not feeling much optimism where 100 Girlfriends is concerned.
ruicarlov
October 16, 2023 at 10:44 pmWell, that’s comedy for you. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. For me, I was afraid I’d wake up people with my laughing. Not the vice-principal part, but the rooftop scenes were gold. I just felt the comedic timing was on point, and I was never really sure what would go wrong, only that it would.
Simone
October 16, 2023 at 11:14 pmNah, the vice principal isn’t a particularly beloved bit of comedy from the fandom either I’d say. There are a few other misses of the sort strewn throughout the story though most of the content I’d say is far more wholesome and innocuous. That said, if you didn’t find funny the whole song and dance with the attempts to kiss, then that’s a lot more representative of the style of humour of the manga and if it doesn’t work for you then that may be it. Next episode you should see a bit more of the series’ romance angle as the new girl has a pretty cute and sweet intro if I don’t remember wrong, so the zaniness should be dialled down to go a bit more into heartfelt mode.
L0ken
October 17, 2023 at 12:30 amI mean that’s totally fair, since 2nd chapter that this episode adapts is one of my least liked. Anime is such a passionate adaptation they made Vice Principal (which appears quite rarely in the series) like, 10 times more creepier and extra the in the manga, I guess it should evoke horror-comedy, hence they literally made her spider crawl like some abomination. Next episode show have a different tone from first two, so I at least would recommend and be interested to hear your thoughts about it.
Anyway your impressions is a valid perspective and I find it totally fine if you often not follow or “don’t get” popular or praised series as other do , people have their own taste and to be completely frank, I often not find series you cover as compelling or interesting either. As example I guess you may sort of experienced the same with last season Sukinako, having a particular need to convince people to stick around with it due to being a source reader and feeling like it gets better. While I also up to date with the manga and experienced the good parts, the Sukinako is still merely in okay territory and I couldn’t imagine writing this detailed impressions on each episode like you did. In the end, my opinions of it didn’t change much. It just how people experience creative mediums, everything is really subjective, we can only guess what are the works that resonates with us, especially if we talk about comedy subgenre.
Guardian Enzo
October 17, 2023 at 6:57 amIt is what it is. Alchemy, like I said. I will give it one more week to win me over, stranger things (though not much) have happened.
L0ken
October 17, 2023 at 4:54 pmWhile we at this topic, I remember you wanted to check one more episode of Undead Unluck, haven’t seen your 2nd impression post, I take it you dropped it already?
Guardian Enzo
October 17, 2023 at 11:16 pmEffectively. People tell me it eventually gets good but I can’t take weeks more of what it is now.
Simone
October 18, 2023 at 5:50 amLong story short is, if you’re turned off by Andy’s behavior towards Fuuko, then it should be over already. If you don’t care for the manic energy, overabundance of blood and general feel of high octane violence with a relatively light tone, then that’s kind of the essence of the series and you can dip out safely. Next week is the first big fight and then I assume in one or two episodes the big reveal about the nature of the setting and the true end goal of the series.