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vexcrest_113 's review for:
Komi Can't Communicate, Vol. 1
by Tomohito Oda
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I went into this with no information about the story except the basic idea that the titular character has anxiety. With that one fact in mind, I went in expecting a potentially heartwarming slice-of-life about a guy helping a socially awkward girl earn 100 friends and develop a healthy sense of self-esteem.
Maybe the protagonist and Komi would have romantic chemistry, maybe not.
Those were the only expectations I had.
I am disappointed.
While this does maintain the expected plot of a boy helping a socially awkward girl make 100 friends, the manga otherwise gives its focus to unexpectedly perverse "jokes" and characters that give incredibly weird vibes. I'm talking about fanservice. This is a fanservice manga.
Why is this a fanservice manga?
High school children make multiple statements about how incredibly horny they are, how they would do dirty things for the protagonist if he asked, how they want to be slaves to Komi, etc. Complete with overtly sexual facial expressions to really drive their points home and make me as uncomfortable as they can.
This is genuinely unnecessary and adds nothing to the story or the characters. It only occurs for cheap fanservice that will only be appealing to creeps who jerk off to teenage girls or other gender ambiguous underage characters.
"Gender ambiguous," of course, specifically refers to Osana, a confusing character who, in my opinion, comes across as more than a little transphobic in presentation. Their gender is intentionally left vague, which is not a problem, but this trait is described as them being "pathologically dishonest" and is meant to convey that they are a liar and perhaps even manipulative. Furthermore, this character is the most guilty of sexual fanservice, which, when keeping their unique gender identity in mind, seems fetishy.
And even beyond that, they're just a bad friend, honestly?
A very unlikeable main character to have.
That's all to say that this was an unpleasant read.
I actually really like Komi herself. As someone with diagnosed anxiety, I can easily relate to Komi's overdramatic thought process that overcomplicates basic social scenarios and causes her to stress out. It's cute to see her confront her fears and make progress. If the manga were exclusively about that, I would enjoy it, but the manga has other, less wholesome ideas.
Maybe the protagonist and Komi would have romantic chemistry, maybe not.
Those were the only expectations I had.
I am disappointed.
While this does maintain the expected plot of a boy helping a socially awkward girl make 100 friends, the manga otherwise gives its focus to unexpectedly perverse "jokes" and characters that give incredibly weird vibes. I'm talking about fanservice. This is a fanservice manga.
Why is this a fanservice manga?
High school children make multiple statements about how incredibly horny they are, how they would do dirty things for the protagonist if he asked, how they want to be slaves to Komi, etc. Complete with overtly sexual facial expressions to really drive their points home and make me as uncomfortable as they can.
This is genuinely unnecessary and adds nothing to the story or the characters. It only occurs for cheap fanservice that will only be appealing to creeps who jerk off to teenage girls or other gender ambiguous underage characters.
"Gender ambiguous," of course, specifically refers to Osana, a confusing character who, in my opinion, comes across as more than a little transphobic in presentation. Their gender is intentionally left vague, which is not a problem, but this trait is described as them being "pathologically dishonest" and is meant to convey that they are a liar and perhaps even manipulative. Furthermore, this character is the most guilty of sexual fanservice, which, when keeping their unique gender identity in mind, seems fetishy.
And even beyond that, they're just a bad friend, honestly?
A very unlikeable main character to have.
That's all to say that this was an unpleasant read.
I actually really like Komi herself. As someone with diagnosed anxiety, I can easily relate to Komi's overdramatic thought process that overcomplicates basic social scenarios and causes her to stress out. It's cute to see her confront her fears and make progress. If the manga were exclusively about that, I would enjoy it, but the manga has other, less wholesome ideas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Bullying, Sexual content, Transphobia, Toxic friendship
Minor: Fatphobia, Sexual harassment