Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata

My premiere "otaku" anime. Lots of shows put otaku culture, or even more specifically the creative process of otaku culture, at their center. This is probably the one that best pits that culture against "normal" culture in an honest and endearing way. The romance triangle with the creators is funny, emotional, and not at all weakly developed. However, what takes the cake is the character of Kato and her relationship with the MC. I've never encountered a funnier character. She is the dry sass and cold reality to the MC's passionate and often over-the-top railings about the requirements of moe. However, she's more than just a straight man calling out a creepy nerd. She actually rarely if ever puts down the MC's hobbies, and works generally as his rock during the grueling production timeline as the show goes on. And that's the hidden beauty of this anime. Beneath a gloriously funny clash between normal and otaku culture, or even the sometimes awkward sometimes heroic mix of romance/friendship among fellow creators, there is a story about devotion and care that sneaks up on you and then never lets go of your attention. Watch this show.

Story: 9 Art: 7 Sound: 7 Character: 7 Enjoyment: 8 Overall: 8 A story of a high-school Otaku who dreams of making a dating sim. It's pretty good, honestly, I don't really know what could be done better within this genre about young artists/creators. The show's main theme (my profile outlines my grading criteria) seems to be of the aspirations of the MC, Tomoya Aki, who wants to share an experience he had with the world. Throughout the show, that experience changes as the relationship between Tomoya and the girl he met by chance grows. The theme is pretty consistent, but it changes to meet the needs of the story as the story changes, which is a good thing. You shouldn't have a goal that gets fulfilled to easily be the basis for an entire story. Books like The Lord of the Rings didn't even get the, "Hey, let's go throw this ring into that volcano," goal until around halfway through book one. When, once they got it, the goal seemed like an impossible task due to its scale. Most of the characters have some backstory, but they are, for the most part, pretty one-track. Towards the middle, this sorta seems to feel like a harem anime, but I think that path was avoided primarily because the girls all have reasons - besides being with the MC - to hand around with him and all but one have been friends with the MC for at least half a year. Overall, the story is really good for the limitations it has. It's a slice of life, we're not going to get a large-scale anything. The characters aren't bad, but could definitely be better (I'm tired, I don't really want to go into detail) And finally, there was a lot of humor. Oh also, there are plenty of times in which you wouldn't want your mom to walk in.

Yes, another harem to the list! But what a way to stage it! The male protagonist has some issues about 3D world and totally love 2D world, and the best way to prove it? To design a "piece" of 2D world to share it with the 3D world! Aki Tomoya wants to make his own date game to share his love for 2D, but not just a game, THE BEST DATE GAME EVER MADE, and for that to be acomplished he needs THE BEST HEROINE OF ALL GAMES! Just a little problem...he lacks all the skills needed to make a game, he can`t write a decent prologue, can`t draw even a straight line, doesn`t have any model role for his "heroine" This is when the female protagonists make their entrance! Kasumigaoka Utaha: A sharp tongue and sadist minded girl who is actually one of the best novel writers out there, she knows Tomoya from before but they seem to share something else than just friendship... Sawamura Spencer Eriri: She`s a popular doujinshi artist with all the skills Tomoya needs for his game! Eriri is Tomoya`s childhood friend and she is aware that she has to use this to acomplish her objective, to be the one who ends up with Tomoya at the end of the route! Although this status also gives her a hard time because of the feared "friend zone" Katou Megumi: The heroine makes her entrance! Megumi meets Tomoya the way he always dreamed about...at the top of a hill with sakura flowers raining all over the place...just a little problem, Megumi doesn`t act like a heroine should act! She`s expressionless, doesn`t get any atention (because she don`t want it), she`s a plain normal girl who just met Tomoya by coincidence...actually they`re on the same class but Tomoya never paid atention to her...until now! But from the moment they "met" Tomoya knows that she is the heroine he needs for his game, and he won`t let her escape at any cost! If Megumi is not the heroine she should be, then Tomoya will have to transform her into the best heroine in the history of games! Hyoudou Michiru: You seriously can`t think of a date game without music! And that`s where our final female protagonist make her entrance! Michiru is Tomoya`s cousin, but she acts a little too "over affective" with Tomoya causing a LOT of misundestandings. She doesn`t like Tomoya`s otaku role but he needs her the most right now because she`s the leader of a band called Icy Tail and Tomoya has set his eyes on having Michiru playing the music for the game! We follow the story of all this characters on their way to make Tomoya`s dream come true but of course nothing is that easy, so we`ll see a lot of misundestandings and even some jokes about other harem series, this series also makes jokes about it`s own genre (as if the protagonists know they`re on an anime) I totally recomend it if you want to have a good time and mostly laughs about even the simplest things.

Don't let the title turn you off. It grabbed my attention but the plot is actually about creating a game...a dating sim sure but so much goes into that dating sim. You need the writing, art, music, directing, coding, it's all very interesting to see what these characters come up with. It's almost like a representation of the actual industry is like but within an anime with teenagers. Then use the dating sim romance as a platform to introduce the real romance, you can kind of ship where ever you want but I never felt the need, the mc isn't really interested as he only cares about the game and uses everything as inspiration. I feel bad for Megumi but Utaha Kasumigaoka is the best character of this anime, I love her character, all the little details with her are just incredible, she's gotta be in my top 3 anime girls for sure. Eriri is kind of weird to be honest but I respect that she's the childhood friend. That leaves one last girl and it's the cousin, Michiru which we don't see much of and is used as a potential interest but again the mc isn't interested and in fact finds her annoying. Overall the characters carry this, the whole dating sim game idea is nice to play around in, you have rivals, it's pretty well put together that way.

Welcome to another Robert's Too Late Review! Today we are going to be covering both Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata and Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata flat as they share what I would consider a single plotline. Read the synopsis, beware spoilers, and if you want to go in blind, I saw give it a few episodes and decide if the humor is there for you, so recommended with reservations. Will the circle make the RTRL wall (and a geometric mess?) Read on! Story: 6 This is the story of a hardcore nerd guy wanting to make the ultimate dating sim. In his attempts to do this, he recruits a very popular up and coming author (who also happens to be from his school) a top notch artist (also a classmate) and, according to him, fate brings him together with the perfect heroine on the street one day (who also happens to be a classmate, one that he doesn't even remember) and with him as director, Blessing Software is formed. Later his cousin, the musician is brought in and the circle is complete. They work hard, make a great game, and deal with the aftermath of what they should do next. I wanted to give the story so much higher of a score, like an 8, because it does many elements well. Yet at the same time, it throws in overblown to the point of being silly rivals and hints repeatedly at romances that never occur. The nerdy is spot on, the main guy's reactions are all humorous if over the top, but so many missed marks cause me to score the story lower. Art: 7 The series looks good, and I found no flaws in the animation or colors save one: Eriri's 'vampire' tooth. Part of the time she has a single tooth hanging down and that's fine, but other times its flesh colored and just irks me to no end. However I do like the eyes, with the double circles in them, and the lines are all clean and the animation flows smoothly. Sound: 6 I don't find much music of any kind I don't enjoy, but none of the openings or endings for this series did it for me. They just are boring and not ear catching whatsoever. The main guy, while being a otaku, does far too much yelling for my tastes. However I do praise Megumi's voice actress because she seems utterly unflappable, never once overreacting to anything. Not deadpan, not uninterested, just very bland, which fits her character perfectly. Character: 6 Another section I wanted to score much higher than I did. There was a lot of potential to be had, and little to none used. For a harem-styled show, the girls spend more time fighting each other than trying to out-woo the male. Both old childhood friend Eriri and new friend Utaha seem to be intensely interested in a romantic relationship, but for the most part ignore the main man in favor of trading barbs with each other. Every blue moon there are movements where one of the two might be making moves on the guy but it always turns out to completely game related and not romantic at all. I don't even think the guy would know what to do if romance was thrown his way! There is even a female musician brought in at the end of the first season that is very voluptuous and even seems to have a thing for our main man, but nothing comes of it. In fact at one point he asks her will she do it with him (meaning score the game) and she thinks he's asking for sex, weighs the pros and cons, and agrees! That's about as close to actual harem type antic we get. She never really moves on him much like that again. The best female character is the 'boring' one who besides being the model for main heroine, doesn't seem to have much purpose in the circle at all. She later does learn some scripting and helps some, but for the most part she just takes up space. Yet with her unflappable demeanor she's a bit of a comedic foil to everyone else and their zany personalities. It is hinted that the main guy and her might develop a romantic relationship in seriousness, but that thread is never followed either. The guy is so otaku he hurts, to the point of being embarrassing. He does have his moments when he shines, but he has just as many cringeworthy fanboy moments as well. A more measured take of the passions of otakus or the like could have been a real benefit. The two bickering girls appear to have an arc at the end, but don't. The rival appears to be against our main, but end in the end isnt. It's very paint by numbers. I've said before knowing the end doesn't have to be a bad thing if you enjoy getting there. I could have enjoyed it so much more if not for so many fumbles. Enjoyment: 7 The Enjoyment and Overall scores might seem a bit high, but I did have a good time watching the guy nerd out, as I'm a nerd myself. Your mileage might vary. I applaud they decided to do a harem without insane over the top sex references (looking at you Akeno with your finger sucking) but they left out enough to make it kind of pointless. I kept wanting the relationships to develop more, but instead we get a single flat note. Yet the humor between the nerd and the non-nerds was funny, and I will admit to laughing here and there. So try a few episodes before deciding. If your nerd game is strong, you might enjoy the antics presented. If you don't understand things like buying special editions of games or why figurines are so cool (touch my Saber figure and I *will* cut you!) then you likely won't get this show. Otherwise, geek out my friends. Reserved thumbs up. Sadly no RTRL wall entries for this one.

Writing this review might be a little weird because I came into this expecting what the genres said that they were: Comedy, Ecchi, Harem, Romance and School. Instead what I took away was: Comedy and School. Watching this anime made me relive all of the previous anime that I have either watched. Whether it be the trash romance, trash ecchi or whatever, it was nice to recollect what the majority of people say on shows. Either mentioning the overused protagonists making fun the show itself or the anime industry as a whole. I felt as if this show did a great job delivering that. In short, I would only recommend this show to those who have watched a good amount of anime and heres why. The story and the characters are not that bad. Its about a guy trying to create the best romance game that he can but I felt as if the plot was moving way too slow. However, I do admit that each of the characters were unique in the sense of their personalities, not their looks. For some reason Eriri reminded me of Taiga from Toradora and Utaha looked like Yukinoshita. Maybe I'm just being too critical here but this kind of let me down a little bit because their personalities were spot on. Regarding the comedy that this show had, I think that was by far the best part of this show. I was literally laughing at some parts of the show and the part where they played the theme song from that specific show (see episode 12) was awesome. Also not to mention that Megumi was a really nice main character as well. Purposely done plain, I thought that she was the best main character out of all of them. The art and the sound were honestly just up to par with everything. I didn't notice anything that was really bad but I didn't notice anything that was jaw-dropping. However, like I said before the amount of enjoyment that I got out of Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata was a decent amount. It was almost to the point where I felt the HUGE amount of potential that this one had. The only flaw that this anime had is that its not really for newcomers. Newcomers to anime can't really watch this because they won't even understand some of the jokes. I think that as you start to watch more and more anime, you start to see that there are certain things that happen in sports anime, or in romance anime. There might even be some that are in every single anime. However, once you start to understand some of these similarities between the animes, the comedy in this anime is perfect. In short: I recommend this anime to those who have already watched a decent amount of anime already, as if you do, the experience will be a lot better. :)

I wasn't quite sure at first, but pretty quickly this series sucked me into it's grasp. It's almost a double-take where there are two "plotlines" going on at one time. There's the basic "were gonna make a dating sim" plotline, however there's also the overarching meta commentary on the industry and tropes as a whole. I hate the word "deconstruction" and I don't think it applies here either. Rather, I think this series is one long joke about the nature of fans, otaku culture, and the hardships of small publishers who have to take what they can get to make their dream project come true. The characters all fit standard tropes (with the exception of the main heroin), yet are also subverted often which is a running theme of the show. More and more childhood friends show up to be misleading, tsundere tropes almost never actually work, yandere vibes are played to be literally creepy, and the most boring character actually comes to be the one who's close to groundbreaking. I don't want to write something that implies you need to be "smart" to watch this. It wears all of its jokes and commentary on its sleeve. However, it presented it in such a fascinating and often downright hilarious way that I couldn't help but enjoy it. From awkward fourth-wall breaking to snapshots that intentionally look straight out of a dating sim, this show definitely knew the tone it was trying to set. If you're looking for some story with tons of "meaning" and "progression" you probably will want to avoid this. There's a bit of movement, but nothing really major from this first season as far as I can tell. Yet if you're looking for something that's pure fun, fanservice, and interesting dialogue, it's worth the pickup. I can't wait to watch and write a review for Season 2, and I hope it doesn't disappoint.

I really regret not watching this series immediately. Like anime is a rare one, a relic. Story wise it's not too mainstream. It's about an otaku who have a "Red String of Fate" moment and decided to make story (Visual Novel) about it. But the comedy/joke is very good. The art reminds me of Baka to Test. But a certain MC is a illustrator and the CG they make is just soooo good. I played a lot of VN and when I see that CG. I'm in awe. There is nothing really worth mention about the sound. Character... This one amaze me. Most of the character have a templates like 'twin tail tsundere', 'long black hair beautiful famous girl', 'high passion otaku'. But each of them were given more traits so I don't feel 'ughhh again with this kind of character'. I have to give a special section for the true Main Heroine. Megumi Kato. Like the whole basically revolves around her...no, The whole anime is for her. She is the mostt well done 'boring heroine' I have ever seen. She don't have any kind of special feature, her voice is super flat, she show no emotion on her face. In fact the anime know that she is a boring realistic/tsukkomi character. But you can tell how well done she is. With no facial/voice expression you feel it what the creator wants to deliver.

Comedy, Ecchi, Harem, Romance, School. This combination of tags is seen frequently, and it usually doesn't mean good news. Oversaturated fanservice, recycled tropes, and a lack of plot movement is typically what these shows bring to the table. But Saekano is different, and instead satirizes these qualities to deliver some top-notch comedy. Story: 8/10 Like other harem shows, there is admittedly a lack of plot progression, so it's important to go into Saekano knowing the story is far from being over, and that sequels are necessary. To treat the first season as self-contained would be an injustice. As such, the story is more focused on the relationships between the characters rather than the actual making of their game. The first season is therefore mostly introduction and set-up for (hopefully) later seasons. Much of the show is the protagonist convincing the other characters to join his circle, which turns out to be quite a difficult task, considering he has complicated histories with all of them. Even after they agree to aid him in his endeavors, it's clear they have their own romance-related reasons for doing so. Can the protagonist truly unite the characters? Hopefully we'll find out. Art: 8/10 Not fantastic art, but definitely good enough. Sound: 9/10 I loved the OP and ED, and thought the quirky soundtracks were appropriate for the comedy. Character: 9/10 Really the highlight of the show. As a satire, this show employs the generic tropes we see in harem: the childhood friend, the tsundere, the slightly incestual cousin etc. But by satirizing these tropes, it brings out unexpected scenes and presents scenarios that show just how ridiculous they can be. This ridicule of tropes is most clearly seen in the "main heroine" Megumi Kato. She is the complete opposite of what you'd expect in harem shows; she is neither the overconfident top beauty tsundere, nor the embarrassed shy clumsy unknown classmate. She is average at nearly everything, and she's closer to people in real life than in anime: she has things she doesn't care for, which she will express, but she will also work hard for things she wants to succeed in. She doesn't have some tear-jerking backstory, and the protagonist doesn't need to "rescue" her. Admittedly, since the other female characters are parodies of their respective tropes, the show does sometimes just falls back on them instead of trying to do something unique. This balance of being generic while making fun of being generic is hard to achieve, and even though Saekano doesn't do it perfectly, it does do it well. Enjoyment: 9/10 I love satirical comedy, so this show was fantastic to watch from beginning to end. If that type of humor isn't your cup of tea, I'd recommend not watching it, because the humor is its main selling point. Overall: 9/10 My rating is probably slightly inflated, because it's hard to review comedy objectively. If you're not gonna laugh at the jokes, you will not enjoy the show. But if you want a comedy harem show that parodies itself, Saekano will give you something unique.

This review contains light spoilers: Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata has your typical RomCom harem set up...but is there more than meets the eye? I certainly think so. Enter Tomaya Aki an Otaku down to the very core that has a confrontation only seen in fairy tales. In order to capture this moment eternally he makes it his sole mission to make the best Visual Novel that anyone has ever gotten their hands on joined by his gang of a tsundere, kuudere, and his blank canvas of a main heroine. Story/Character: I'm going to go ahead and start this break down with what I easily enjoyed the most. Branching off of the vague description of the characters I gave prior if you have seen shows such as OreImo this group of characters may not seem that unique at first glance. However, I was pleased to see that over the course of the show we were delivered with detailed back stories for each character and how they tie back to the main giving them more incentive to reach the final goal. The set up of their development really leaves you in a pinch trying to choose your favorite The story over I felt was very clever and it reminded me why I love anime and the otaku culture so much. Seeing Megumi develop as a otaku herself brought back nostalgic memories from High School sharing my favorite animes and introducing more than one friend into a culture that soon became a big part of their lives. Art/Sound: The art for this anime is very vibrant and appealing to look at. I never found myself at a loss of what was happening on screen and many scenes were accented with a unique filter. All of the small details that referenced different anime made the overall environment fun. The sound for this one is something I can't say drew me in, but it certainly didn't have any major faults. The highlight of the music was definitely a shout out to a certain famous anime at the end but I will leave that for your viewing pleasure! Overall: If you are a fan of animes like OreImo, Oregairu, or Toradora I am positive you will fall in love with this anime. From beginning to end it consistently delivered interesting episodes and left the next season open for some intense character developments and more light hearted fun!

I have been searching for something that actually grabs me, something that I don't feel the need to skip through because it's too slow, or just not interesting. I have been doing the latter part of that sentence for the past month or so, trying out all types of genres. I can finally say that I found one that was enjoyable at last. The story progressed slowly at the beginning, but then was expedited near the end and felt somewhat rushed. There were a few parts of the story that I didn't like, but everyone has their own reasons for criticism. Anyways, if the pace of the story was more consistent, I would have rated the story higher than a 7/10. My favorite part of the anime was the art. It had semblances to Your Lie in April and the Bakemonogatari series. I rated it a 9/10. I enjoy the art styles used throughout the episodes. The sound was well fitting. I especially liked some of the music choices at the end of the anime, I won't get into it, because somehow that might be considered a spoiler. I rated this aspect an 8/10. Character development through the story could have been better, but it was definitely not something I, or anyone else for that matter, should complain about. I really liked seeing the progression of Meguri throughout the anime. There were, of course, the general characters such as the 'deres, but come on, each anime needs a few of those. For all of this, 7/10. As I stated in the first section, I really did enjoy the anime. It was captivating in its own way, and I really liked that. There were a few points that made me actually laugh out loud, like when they, I don't know if this accurately describes it, but, broke the 4th wall. It happened a few times, and every time made me chuckle. 8/10 on the enjoyment scale. I'm not going to write a long section on the overall. I stated everything I believe needed to be stated in the above sections, so this should be short. I think anyone who appreciates manga/doujin/games would appreciate this show. I am definitely excited to see the second season and if you chose to watch this, I hope you enjoy it as well. Overall, I rate it at a 7/10.

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata, also known as "How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend," is more than just a harem anime; it's a delightful tale of otaku passion, romantic dilemmas, and the challenges of creative collaboration. With its beautifully drawn characters, heartwarming moments, and clever humor, Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata is a must-watch for anyone who loves anime, especially those who appreciate the nuances of otaku culture. A Harem of Beautifully Drawn and Talented Experts At the heart of the story is Tomoya Aki, an unassuming high school student with a deep-seated passion for anime and visual novels. Inspired by a chance encounter with a mysterious girl, he embarks on the ambitious project of creating his own visual novel, aiming to capture the essence of the 'plain heroine.' Along the way, Tomoya assembles a motley crew of talented individuals, each with their own quirks and expertise. There's Eriri Spencer Sawamura, a programming prodigy with a sharp tongue and a penchant for teasing Tomoya; Utaha Kasumi, a charismatic and enigmatic writer who harbors a secret crush on him; and Megumi Kato, the epitome of an 'ordinary girl' who gradually blossoms under Tomoya's guidance. The Art of Decision-Making and Team Management Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata is not just about romantic entanglements; it also delves into the intricacies of team management and decision-making. As Tomoya and his team navigate the creative process, they face disagreements, deadlines, and the ever-present pressure to produce a masterpiece. Yet, amidst the chaos, they forge bonds of friendship and mutual respect, learning to appreciate each other's unique talents and perspectives. Doujin's Point of View: A Glimpse into Japanese Otaku Culture Beyond the romantic entanglements and creative endeavors, Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata offers a glimpse into the lives of doujin creators, shedding light on their motivations, struggles, and contributions to Japanese culture. The anime acknowledges the challenges faced by doujin artists in balancing their passion with the demands of everyday life, providing a relatable and inspiring portrayal of their dedication and perseverance. A Delightful Combination of Audio, Animation, and Colorful Visuals Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata is a visual treat, with its vibrant colors, fluid animation, and expressive character designs. The anime's soundtrack is equally impressive, featuring catchy opening and ending themes, as well as a well-composed background score that perfectly complements the mood and tone of each scene. Story: 9/10 Visual: 10/10 Detailed: 9/10 Characters: 10/10 Emotions: 7/10 Smoothness: 5/10 OP/ED: 7/10 Audio: 8/10 Originals: 9/10 Intense: 8/10 Uniqueness: 6/10 Fun/Laughter: 8/10 NSFW: 3/10 Boring/Idling: 2/10 Recommendation: A Must-Watch for Anime Enthusiasts In conclusion, Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata is a must-watch for anime enthusiasts seeking a refreshing take on the harem genre. With its engaging characters, heartwarming moments, clever humor, and insightful exploration of otaku culture, the anime provides a delightful escape into the world of romantic comedies, creative pursuits, and the challenges of team management. Whether you're a seasoned anime fan or a newcomer to the genre, Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata is guaranteed to leave a lasting impression.

{[This review contains minor spoilers.]} So first of all, as someone who generally dislikes romance anime I am writing my first review on MAL for this movie because it is the first of this genre to have tugged at my heartstrings and make me genuinely like the characters. Secondly, this review will kind of be a review for the entire series because I thought it'd be better to review it entirely instead of giving a review for each season and movie. [Story]: 8 The story kicks off on a sunny spring day with cherry blossom petals dancing in the air when Tomoya (the MC) picks up a hat blown off by the wind for a girl standing on top of a hill. This is what spurs Tomoya to create a dating sim, as described by the synopsis based on this encounter. However, as Tomoya later finds out, the girl, Megumi, is as ordinary as one gets and then some more, completely different than his imagination. So, with the help of the artist Eriri and the writer Utaha-senpai, the group begins to create their game while at the same time trying to turn Megumi into a heroine more fitting of a dating sim. The show has very little fanservice (except for the OVAs) and is not your typical romance built on a plethora of cliches. Sure you have your tsundere childhood friend and the sort but I'm talking more about what happens in the show. In that regard I think the show is executed very well and, if I can put it this way very "smooth". The connectivity of the dialogue and the scenes runs smoothly into each other without being overly forced. The dialogues fit with the mood and personality of the characters and also the atmosphere of the room. The scenarios make sense and fit and doesn't leave the watchers wondering why it's happening. The many challenges the group faces as they make their game are tough but realistic and will feel rewarding at the end of it all. Same with the relationship between the characters, as they face challenges together, fight against each other and eventually reconcile with each other, it is all very emotional and thought provoking. Oh except for episode nine in season one with Eriri which brought out different kinda of emotions in me. The anime has its fair share of serious moments but there are also light comedic moments like misunderstandings and fourth wall breaks which are refreshing and keeps the story digestible. The romance, in my opinion is amazing. The relationship between the MC and the girl he eventually ends up with (yes the MC actually ends up with a girl) develops nicely and meaningfully. The ending (as in the movie) left me very satisfied, but that could be biased as my (and many others) ship successfully sailed, but the conclusions with each character was pretty good. One of the main complaints with the series is that the ending (again, the movie) feels rushed and doesn't nicely wrap up the relationship with the other characters, but I feel that with the length of a movie the studio did a nice job. They prioritised developing the relationship with the MC and the main girl to give it an amazing conclusion to the romance. Yes, perhaps a third season would have been better to finish up some of the side characters like Izumi and Michiru but I'm not complaining. [Art]: 9 The art is amazing. End of. There is nothing to complain about, the character designs, although nothing new were solid and overall the colours just fit. The animations are also fluid with no choppy movements. I respect that the studio tries to give the background life and they did a good and bad job in parts. In season one there are many moments where the studio uses CGI to have the background characters move and give it life (like the scene where MC and Megumi are resting in the shopping mall) but sometimes it stands out like a sore thumb and just looks bad. They did a good job like with the clumsy waitress in the cafe that the circle usually goes to and the barista who suspects Tomoya and Iori of BL lol. It's just a small detail but, again it gives the background life. [Sound]: 8 I don't usually pay much attention to the music or soundtracks and most of the OP and ED sound the same to me (sorry I'm so uncultured teehee), but I do notice when a good OST gives me goosebumps during fight scenes or romantic scenes. The soundtracks here are good and it helped make the final confession scene (in the movie) beautiful. Overall it just fit but none that stood out to me as out of this world. All the VA's captured the character's personality and expressions well. Personally I loved Megumi's monotonous voice and her voices when she got emotional. [Characters]: 8 Characters are amazing. Megumi is best waifu. I'll fight you. She's the one that made me realize I don't love busty, lustful, ara ara senpais but instead I love quiet, kawaii, silently hard-working girls who can nonchalantly stroll into my house with her own set of keys and make me dinner while I be my usual weebu and pull an all nighter playing games together. And also beautiful yes but personality first and foremost. But seriously I don't think I liked any other girl in any other anime better than her. "Insert Bronn I...I'd love her meme". You could say the MC is your typical wimpy, kind MC that doesn't notice all the girls around him love him but I don't mind him. I don't know what it is about this particular MC but his manner in which he speaks and acts around the girls are refreshing. Maybe because he's a hardcore otaku who looks down on love with 3D girls but you won't see the common annoying MC who gets flustered when just about anything happens to him with a girl. Also he chooses a girl at the end so that's something. The other main characters are more your norm like the tsundere childhood friend, posh on the outside but secretly a famous ero doujin artist. A beautiful long, black-haired ara ara harsh but actually kind senpai. Nothing wrong with them, nicely written characters. The supporting characters are also decent and help with the story but there's really nothing to write about. [Enjoyment]: 9 Overall really enjoyed. As far as the romance genre goes this is one of the best ones for me. It has its serious and emotional moments but at the same time it's really easy to watch. Should definitely give this a go if you are a romance fan. Even if you're not that big of a fan like me it is still good. The first season is more slice of life and the anime actually replicates a realistic representation of the life of creators in the japanese industry for dating sims and doujin for example. In short this is not your typical cliched, fanservice but rather a more serious (mature?) romance. The story actually has a goal instead of just high schoolers encountering endless amounts of ecchi moments. [Overall]: 8.4

Quick Thoughts: The premise was kinda interesting, but unfortunately not much was done with it. Story: The story follows Tomoya as he assembles his dream team for creating a dating sim. The season could be split into 4 parts, with one part dedicated to each of the other four members. My main issue with this format is with the first part being dedicated to Megumi. Given the title of the anime, the first few episodes led me to think this anime would be about her development, but it ended up playing out like any other harem. The pacing was fine though. Team members were introduced and developed at a steady rate. The comedy was hit-or-miss, mostly miss. A lot of the jokes are one of the characters acting in a tropey way, and then another characters pointing it out. It's as if they're trying to pass it off as parody, but it doesn't work because the characters aren't much deeper than the tropes they're parodying. Fanservice is also large part of this show's comedy. It's used sparingly in the first half of the season, but it ramps pretty heavily, with it being heavily overused in last few episodes. This season ended fine; seems like most of the exposition is out of way and now they can actually focus on making their game. Art/Sound: I though the art style was appealing overall; Not very unique, but it got the job done. It was cool how they would change the outlines from black to other colors depending on the mood of the scene. Animation was decent overall. There were scenes with some seemingly unnecessary cgi, but that was the only issue. Voice acting was solid. Not familiar with all the VA's, but I thought the choices for Utaha and Tomoya were fitting. The background music was fairly generic from what I remember. There was a cover of an old anime OP that I thought was neat though. Character: The main cast was basic overall. Like I mentioned, they embody a lot of tried and true tropes like the tsundere, or childhood friend, but they don't add anything unique. It's part of what made it hard to take any dramatic moments seriously. It made the lighthearted, comedic moments predictable as well. The only character interesting was Megumi. There was potential for her to play a unique role, but that development is pushed aside for generic harem hijinks. She played a good foil though, to a mostly otaku based group. None of the side characters were memorable; they were generally just plot devices for developing melodrama. Enjoyment: I didn't find Saekano that enjoyable, but I think if your looking specifically for harem anime, you might be able to appreciate their attempt at something different. It'll be memorable for its premise, but what actually transpired is forgettable.

No Spoilers Review This show is like falling in love.. Before you say " Well, that's an over exaggeration " Let me show you the truth. You know the feeling when you're enjoying a new show so immensely you wish it never ends and when you think about its ending and living without it you feel your chest tightness.. For me, that's an amazing feeling just like falling in love with someone. It doesn't matter if its a medium or human being if it can make you feel such a pure emotions its amazing nonetheless. This show is just like that.. First season is the hook that will catch you and the second season is the punch. I hope you'll like it as much as I did. Enjoy the Show.

(Mainly focused on the last 5 episodes in order to give people ideas about what they can expect.) When this show is good, it's really, really good, but it goes ice-cold for long stretches. Characterization: When he's going over the top for the sake of “comedy”, the main male character is obnoxious. I won't bother with his name. I can't remember his name. He's a generic main male character. Dark-haired with glasses, not completely social adept, it's a little hypocritical of me, but I stand by my assessment. Whether that's meant to be relatable or not, I still suffered from secondhand cringe when watching him in motion. Sawamura (the blonde) is excellent if a bit cliché, and Kasumigaoka (the long, dark-haired one) is fun enough to watch in action. Kato (the bland, sweet one) is serviceable. Honestly, the main male character should have jettisoned, his desire to make a game given to Kato, and then the story worked from there. It's like they waffled between harem anime and cute-girl anime, so they decided to split the difference and they fell right into a chasm of boredom. Sound: Terrible Soundtrack. This show has one of the worst soundtracks I have ever heard with only the credits song even vaguely sticking in my head. At one point, I was struggling to remember if it even played music. There was no engagement to keep the viewer hooked until the last few episodes when the musician finally showed up. A good soundtrack is like a good offensive line in football, everybody overlooks it, but it's going to be very hard for a show to be engaging and entertaining without it. I, personally, place a premium on a good soundtrack. It's why I give more slack towards a show like Guilty Crown. Even when it tries to use music effectively, like in the opening 30 seconds to Episode 9, the track chosen just reminds me of Bakemonogatari or Nisemonogatari. Said attempt is then shot in the ass with a scene transition and attempted meta so jarring that if it were a pair of knees, it would have torn both ACLs. What's even more jarring in regards to the soundtrack is that it spends part of Episode 10 discussing how important a good soundtrack is. …. The visuals are passable, as they are quite technically sound. When A-1 isn't shoving references to its other works in your face. It's like they decided to save the visual budget by plastering posters of their other works all over the place. SEE OUR OTHER WORK! SEE OUR OTHER WORK! Quick advertisement, and we can save animation time. It does make the world feel realistic, but marketing campaigns are not be-all, end-all. There's no action sequences so the animation can focus on minuscule details in the frames to bring it all together. There are some artistic colorization choices in certain still frames that tell the viewer in that “This is supposed to be a key psychological moment in the story” but my investment in the main male character is usually so honestly negative that I barely cared. In conclusion, the more anime you've seen before, especially in these genres (harem, high-school, slice-of-life, etc.), the less likely you are to enjoy it. A veteran won't be missing anything, but somebody looking to explore the genre can easily find reasons to watch. It doesn't fully commit the meta aspect, but haphazardly throws it in. Though I do recommend watching a different anime in Gurren Lagann beforehand, (unlike me).

Honestly, I didn't expect much at all from this anime. It starts of pretty bland and obvious, has some nice jokes that'll make you giggle, the MC gives you the occasional cringe, but the characters are getting readily more established while not coming off too strong in their own traits first. The Art is good, the sound as well, sometimes too static though, but the best thing about this anime is the script of the episodes. Some situations are established in a extremely forced and overly quick manner, which is very enjoyable. (Refer to the school gate introducing a new character, etc.) The best thing about this anime is the kind of "plot twist" late in the 10th episode, which dramatically boosted my rating of this anime. Really did not expect that one.

Well im gonna start from the story: *Im not gonna be naming the characters cuz idk :'v* The story is about an Otaku who suddenly decided to make a game because he was inspired inspired by a certain girl he meets. and so...... He decided to gather up some members for the making of the game. His game circle consists of a hentai doujin artist that takes the role of his childhood friend and the one who is in charge of the visuals. The next member is a quite famous Light Novelist who is the Top student of their school, she is the one in charge for the plot-line or the story of their game. Their third member is a band musician which is the MC's cousin, of course her role is the one who deals with the BGM and other music related stuff in their game. And lastly of course, the reason behind all of this and the inspiration for game making thing is his takes the role of his classmate who doesnt stand out that much. Hence the start of all of this rendezvous. All in all the story isn't really that much special if you ask me, i mean Dense Main character, Tsundere chlidhood friend, Cool and smart senpai etc. It have the elements of a generic Harem-Romance story in an anime. The art is quite pleasing to the eyes since its quite detailed. The opening of the anime is also good and really sets the mood of the series. As for the character, everyone of them portrays a generic main heroine character but their characteristics is quite amusing to watch and also a good laugh. Over all there's nothing really much special about this anime but if you're just searching for passing time, this is really worth a try.

well, this show started on a poor and clichéd premise with promise of harem and a usual anime "plot" . however it built on it quiet well; establishing good character interactions that moves the plot forward. as for the characters themselves, they don't seem one dimensional and have some layers to them ( well except megumi. guess there are always exceptions in every thing. for most of the show she was just a blank canvas) the show is entertaining for most parts and i don't feel like it was a waste of my time. the drawbacks as aforementioned can be pointed to its premise ( but it just might be me as someone else who isn't tired of harem cliches will have a different opinion)

A ridiculous plot, a ridiculous idea, a ridiculously average looking main character, this anime is definitely not for everyone, certainly not newbies. It's about a good for nothing Otaku, trying to produce a dating simulator game, you know, the kind where you gotta "persuade" a 2D girl into dating you, it sounds silly, but actually lots of work is needed such as art / sound / scripting / story/ etc.. You have to be somewhat already in the moe culture, if you liked "shoujo-tachi wa kouya wo mezasu" you will love this, cause it feels like it's that anime but WAY better, the fanservice is nice and overall you will enjoy yourself if you're already an Otaku.