Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko!

Total waste of time. I only finished it cuz i was promised a surprise ending but there is nothing like it. I love romance and comedy but i can't find even one reson to like this sht. Tomo is crazy and need to see psychiatrist about her anger issues, Jun is gay pretending not to be one. The only worthy character is Misuzu but her alone can't save this failure. During the whole show both main characters show no character development, i got sick cuz of their shouting and crying non stop, their "love" started with no logical reason, all out of sudden. Actually there is no logic in thsi anime at all.

You know the expression of 'being friend zoned'? Tomo got the friend zone treatment after confessing to her crush, Junichirou Kubota. While Tomo wants him to see her as a girl, he only sees her as a friend. And to be honest, there's a rather justifiable reason for that. For you see, Tomo represents the definition of a tomboy, but she's a girl. The title of the anime is exactly what it sounds like. Tomo Aizawa is a girl, at least literally. The depressing fact from her point of view is that Jun always sees her as a guy. Based on the 4-koma, the series primarily takes on a romantic comedy approach of storytelling, with numerous gags and humorous moments. The fan service is not something you should not considered about as the anime is treated with lighthearted care. The anime's biggest goal is letting the audience and Jun realize that Tomo is actually a girl, not a tomboy that everyone sees her to be. I'm not too familiar with the author but as I mentioned before, viewers shouldn't worry much about fan service despite their history of working on hentai. What they should worry about is whether Tomo will finally get together with Jun or be stuck in the friend zone forever. Watching the show also taught me that first impressions are imperative with Tomo's innocent confession. Quite frankly, I'm not a big fan of romantic comedies where it takes an entire season to see whether a couple becomes real or not. However, I let this anime slip through because it's the very premise of the show and every episode brings together new scenarios and narratives about the cast. There are also moment when Jun reacts to Tomo's figure such as the classic beach episode or even gets jealous when other guys pay attention to her. To put it simply, this anime will test everyone's patience, including Tomo herself. Thankfully, you don't need to just wait to see our two childhood friends gets together along the way. The anime serves more as a the 'journey is more important than the destination', as the story covers Jun, Tomo, and their friends' relationships. While Jun and Tomo are the obvious superstars, we shouldn't forget about Carol and Misuzu either. The anime makes their roles prominent enough that they influence the anime, not just being extras. For instance, Misuzu had a history with Jun including being his boyfriend for a short period. Carol serves as a modern day rival against Tomo, at least from her perspective. The anime makes it clear that Tomo wants Jun's attention so when other girls enters his life, hilarity ensures. With childhood romance themes, one thing to be aware is the characters' pasts. Jun, Tomo, and Misuzu gets their background stories and compared to the present, their characters hasn't undergone much change. The only major difference now is how Tomo wants to be more feminine. Misuzu sometimes offer advice but it's ultimately up to Tomo to put her plans into action. This anime adapts a plot in sitcom-like format that has characters go to various places (ex. beach, school plays, festivals) for their opportunties. Let's face it, for a romance to work, it needs opportunities. And for Tomo, she needs to take those opportunities to heart to get Jun to notice her as a girl, not a tomboy. If there's actually one other character to pay attention to, it would be Misuzu. She's a more complicated character than the rest of the cast, not just because of her history with Jun, but also her motivations. Emotionally distant and cold towards others, she is Tomo's best friend. Unquestionably, she is the most manipulative in the anime, although not for malevolent reasons. It appears that she just doesn't want to lose Tomo as a friend if she truly becomes Jun's girlfriend. But don't worry, the anime doesn't get too deep into Misuzu's plans. She still has her wingman moments and isn't evil, although more manipulative than any other character in the show. But at the root of the anime, Misuzu brings in the most excitement because how unpredictable she is. Romance feels like a game to her. I believe if there were more characters like Misuzu in this show, the story would get much more complicated. Either way, she's a breakout character to keep a keen eye on. For what's worth, it's refreshing that the author created a diverse range cast to entertain the fans. While Lay-Duce hasn't been a mainstream studio that made everlasting impressions from their portfolio, I can confidentally say that this is their most impressive one yet. Character designs are crafted with vibrant colors and expressions that makes sense. Their cartoony reactions are amplified often during moments of anxiety or surprise. Tomo is the biggest culprit because of her crush on Jun. We shouldn't look away from Misuzu though as she always has that devilish look of mischievousness. But perhaps most noticably is the way they dress up Tomo in various episodes. It feels as if the anime wants to experiment on how much she can look like a girl, and to me, that is nothing short than entertaining. (ex. putting on a dress or a wig) Finally, the decorative theme songs will catch your eye especially upon your first viewing. Tomo-chan Is A Girl! is the type of anime that its fanbase wanted to see an anime for a long time and it finally happened. This was not a matter of not 'if but when'. And that time is now. We have a series here that entertains fans from day one and stayed true to its premise throughout the duration of its run. Although it didnt't adapt the source material at fullest, it worked its magic to craft a colorful cast of characters and story. Yes, Tomo-chan is a A Girl! is a recommendable show. And yes, Tomo is definitely a girl. Jun just needs to accept it.

Tomo-Chan caught me by surprise. I’m not normally into the muscular mommy dommy waifu vibe so came into this with low expectations, but boy was I blown out of the water with how good this show is. Takahashi Rie puts in one of her most memorable performances to date and this will go down as the best romance show of Winter 2023. Tomo-chan’s story is not the most original, on the surface at least. Childhood friends who are both oblivious to each other’s feelings, grow up, reach puberty and start noticing each other as members of the opposite sex. What makes this one stand out is that Tomo is a cute tom boy who has essentially acted and dressed like a boy her whole life. Now she wants to be seen as a girl by her best friend. The wide range of antics she got up to over the course of the season to make that wish come true was hilarious. The character interactions in this are top notch, genuinely some of the funniest comedy I have seen in an anime as well. What makes things even better is the supporting characters. Carol and Misuzu are amazing and I would not blame anyone for having them in their top waifus list. Genuinely hilarious characters who are also amazing friends, supporting Tomo the entire way. I particularly loved seeing Misuzu who is a massive tsundere, begin to shed that icy exterior and open up as the show went on. Her gradual friendship with Carol was so sweet and almost as good as any romantic development for me. Carol, the token american blonde, provides so many comedic moments, but while she comes off as a massive airhead, she’s really a thoughtful and concerned friend. I think the best part of this show is that there’s more to all these characters than meets the eye. Whether it’s Tomo’s tomboyish appearance which masks a typical cute teenage girl, Misuzu’s dark tsundere exterior which masks a caring and doting friend, etc., the show does a surprisingly good job of showing the complexities of people. I am a big proponent of short and succinct stories that get everything across without dragging plot lines out and this show did just that. Being based off a 4-koma manga helps a lot with the directness of the story. The characters all get satisfactory ends to their stories and it really left nothing to be desired. Lay-duce did an awesome job with pacing and art in the show, really looks bright and beautiful. Animation is solid, no complaints. The voice acting was honestly my favourite artistic aspect of the show. Takahashi Rie in particular blew me away. I am admittedly not a fan of most of her roles, character wise, but lately she’s been on a role. Voicing two of my faves from this season in Tomo and Ririha from Ooyukiumi no Kaina. Traditionally, she’s done more soft spoken feminine characters, but seeing her handle boisterous Tomo really gave me even more respect for her range. Misuzu and Carol’s seiyuus are great too and add a lot to their scenes. Tomo-Chan is a really fun watch. If you’re looking for comedy, romance, slice of life type stuff, this is the one. If you have limited time and can only check out one romance show this season, this is it. You won’t regret it. Tomo-Chan gets a very easy 10/10.

Tomo-chan is a Girl is a very hit or miss romcom in my opinion, with its louder style of comedy, and while being a bit repetitive at times, it worked for me. It has a rocky start in the romance aspect, and the comedy was definitely what made this show a decent one. It’s pretty goofy and episodic, while having Tomo and Junichiro’s relationship slowly build. It sadly falls into the category of a show where the side characters shine the most, with Carol and Misuzu carrying the show on their back, but they were so entertaining that it saved the show. It’s a comedy reliant on punchlines, and if you like that type of comedy, it may work well for you. The story actually starts with a confession in the very first scene from a tomboy, Tomo Aizawa, the main female character, to Junichiro Kubota, the main male character. As the title of the anime may hint towards, Junichiro has thought that Tomo was a boy for a long time, and thus, treats her like one of the boys, much to Tomo’s chagrin, as her confession isn’t taken seriously. Tomo’s friends, Misuzu and Carol, push her towards being a little more feminine to get Junichiro’s attention, and sometimes this works, sometimes it backfires. The romance is pretty generic, as it’s mostly the friends that push the couple together, and the friends just feel like the peanut gallery to the romance. Misuzu and Carol are amazing, and what made me like the show more. Misuzu is a savage, never holding back in abusing people socially, and in a way, she’s more intimidating than Tomo’s physical abuse. Carol is just a dunce, doing the dumbest things sometimes, though she can be quite clever in other ways, which is a fun balance to have. To make these two even better, their interactions with each other are just comedy gold. One thing I did enjoy from the romance was the exploration of gender roles and how true romance means accepting the other person for who they are, and not a forced version of oneself. Misuzu pushes Tomo to be more feminine, but she does address how in the end, romance isn’t purely liking more feminine or masculine actions from the other person, but for liking the other person as a whole, whether it’s Tomo’s tomboyish behaviour, and or her softer, more emotional side. I wasn’t a huge fan of the romance to start, but this pushed me to at least appreciate the attempt at writing the romance. While the romance felt slow, at times, it also felt like they were rushing through the manga chapters as well. I haven’t read the manga personally, but I know there were a lot of chapters in there that were probably skipped over. Ultimately, the romance development was just a little inconsistent, as it felt slow for a good chunk of the show, and then just sped up suddenly, which was a little jarring. Overall though, the comedy is the real charming point of this show, as a lot of the punchlines were decent and gave me quite a few laughs. The romance could have been executed better, but the comedy and the side characters were enough to allow me to enjoy the show nonetheless. It’s a decent show to check out if you have the time, it’s good for a laugh.

In general, is a forgettable anime. Typical romantic comedy without any difference from other regular shows of the same genre, the only difference with them is the plot of "a really strong tomboy as main char" and all the jokes will be around that idea. The story is left with an open end, it won't get a second season and nobody will care about that. This anime passes without trouble or fanfare, not being good or bad, simply mediocre. It's like popcorn without salt, you can eat it but it won't taste at all. Regular art and animation, regular characters, regular plots. If you enjoy most of the animes from this genre you probably will enjoy it, maybe you will even love it. If you where looking for something better than the average this won't be your show.

Tomboy romcom, right? Wrong. Tomo-chan is not a tomboy and her namesake series is not a romcom at all. Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko! is a stereotypical case of a story that is genuinely deep and thought-provoking but doesn’t beat the audience over their heads with how smart it's supposed to be, leaving pretentious pseuds not able to see any depth at all and thus dismissing it as a generic *insert-genre-name-that-vaguely-fits-here*. Here is a concrete example: The protagonist spends the opening ten minutes of the show worrying that her love interest Jun doesn’t see her as a girl. Then the perspective switches to him. Jun learns that Tomo has made a new male friend, gets jealous, and demands an explanation from her. She shows him a photo of a lean bishounen with long eyelashes and Jun sighs in relief, “oh, it’s a girl.” Why did he think that? Because Jun doesn’t just see Tomo as a girl, he sees her as THE girl, the very concept of a girl inside his mind is just Tomo. That’s a five-second-long scene that fully spells out the entire dynamic and the driving conflict between the leads, this scene belongs in Merriam-Webster under the definition of “depth.” The major reason for the shallow dismissals is the presence of the so-called romcom cliches - a tomboy, a childhood friends couple, a dense male lead, etc. Except none of those things are even remotely cliched if you’re capable of engaging with a work of fiction on any level beyond the most superficial one. Reducing this series to a cliched romcom is the equivalent of reducing Monogatari to a cliched harem because your monkey neuron activation has managed to notice that Senjougahara is a “tsundere,” Kanbaru - a “tomboy,” etc. No, actually the *entire* point of Monogatari is that people are complex beings that can’t be reduced to simple categories, and the story blatantly spells it out for anyone capable of minimal reading comprehension. Likewise, Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko! literally spells out what its story is about. Hint: read the fucking title. Tomo-chan isn’t “a tomboy.” Tomo-chan is a complex, multidimensional human being whose personality is a logical product of her genes, upbringing, and social environment. She is *a girl.* Her hair isn’t short because weebs in the audience find short hair hot, it’s because she is doing sports. She is doing sports not because weebs find toned midriffs and spats hot, it’s because she is from a professional sportsman family and her entire life revolves around doing sports. The main conflict of the series, being bro-zoned by her love interest, is the consequence of Tomo having a superficially unfeminine character, but actually a very feminine mind - and unable to reconcile one with another. The series isn’t “a romcom.” The series is a psychological drama about self-actualization, which happens to have teen romance as a premise, and is funny at times. Never mind Monogatari, its closest equivalents are Kuzu no Honkai and WataMote. Another reason why calling the series a generic romcom is an intellectual equivalent of calling Mt. Everest “some hill,” is a gigantic, universe-spanning chasm in the writing quality between Tomo-chan and whatever usually comes to mind from the description “generic romcom.” The story progresses with consistent pacing and concludes when its central conflict gets resolved, both the main ship and the side ship sail, and every major character completes their own arc. It’s absolutely delusional to equate this to a genre notorious for stories being dragged out for hundreds of chapters past their logical endpoint by editors not allowing demotivated writers to kill their cash cow (see Kaguya or Nisekoi), and where the idea of development is introducing a new harem member or some soap-opera-tier contrived melodrama (see 5-toubun or Nisekoi again). Here is an outline of each major character arc, as more examples of storytelling depth: Tomo. Her arc is about realizing that she doesn’t need to change who she is to be accepted, this is why I compare the show with WataMote. Jun. He’s a case of more “cliches.” No, Tomo isn’t his “childhood friend,” she is literally his entire life, and no, he isn’t “dense,” he’s not feeling worthy and is afraid that trying to change the nature of their relationship might fuck up what they have. Misuzu. I-want-her-to-step-on-me “cliche” torn between her desire to support the romance of her only friend, and the fear of getting sidelined as a third wheel. Carol. Human cotton candy on the outside, an actual feeling, thinking person on the inside that struggles to make others see her as more than her surface (pretty symbolic). There isn’t a single romcom featuring an even remotely this complex of a cast, again, unless you consider Monogatari or Kuzu no Honkai romcoms. Finally, a few words about the quality of the adaptation, because I’ve seen people talking about it, and by talking, I mean saying dumb shit. The anime adaptation is pretty barebones and doesn’t really elevate the source material much. Not going above and beyond, however, does not make an adaptation bad, this is just disingenuous when actually bad adaptations that ruin the appeal of the source material exist, see Ex-Arm or Kanojo mo Kanojo. Elevating the source can indeed make an anime better, but expecting this as a baseline is an absurd entitlement. To begin with, any anime adaptation inherently adds something to the story in the form of color, movement, music, and voice acting. Tomo-chan’s anime does all that on a perfectly competent level, for example, they’ve got an American of Japanese descent to voice an anglo character in order to get a realistic foreign accent. 11/10 (on a 15-point scale) for a literary masterpiece.

I get the appeal. Tomo-chan is a very sweet romcom anime about young love, that is very apparent. I think it started off quite strong, with good comedy and cute strong characters. I love the dynamics between Carol-chan and Misuzu, with them bickering at times but always having one another's back. Misuzu also is like definitely the best girl in the show. As for our main couple, I'm not really that interested in them? Even after watching I don't feel much sentimental value for them which is? Questionable. It just dragged a-lot with the whole romance aspect, it's a ROM-com, so I was expecting like a little more romance, maybe a few more kiss scenes, like please? We did not really see Jun's perspective like that much at all, which also would've been interesting... I was just disappointed in that aspect, and the fact it it paid so much attention to the fact Tomo is a tomboy, I think it could've been better with like just embracing it? Sure, her being dressed up is adorable but I think their best scenes came from when they were being themselves and there was some cute tension in-between. Comedy wise, I think this show does a good job, some of the jokes are hilarious, and they really make sure to bring them up at the best times. I do wish though we had more of a variety... but nothing to really complain about. Except for the fact it can get pretty boring, I kind of did just leave it on it the background at times while working forgetting it was on because it kind of did get repetitive with the 'Jun doesn't think of me as a girl omg...' scenes. By the way, the voice actors did great on this series, if you do watch this... You'll notice the same. Anyways, this series was fine I guess ,,,, it's not really anything special to me. It needed more work and more planning for me to enjoy it. If you do like slowburn and a good laugh than this show is probably for you.

This would be a great anime if you removed just one element from it. Tomo-chan's best friend Misuzu Gundou is the worst character ever. She is a straight up manipulative monster. This one character ruins the entire show for me. The two main characters Jun and Tomo are actually likeable and i really like their relationship. I like the way they interact. The anime is really great when it just focuses on them. Its funny and endearing. Its about a guy and girl friendship, but one happens to be a tomboy. And the other one never noticed as a kid that she was a girl. They develop feelings for each other. But Jun treats Tomo as a guyfriend. So Tomo tries to act feminine to get Jun's attention. And Jun tries to get stronger for Tomo. And there is also the 3rd friend the she-b*tch Misuzu Gundou 😈 I actually like dark emotionless anime girls. And in theory i should like Misuzu. Problem is she's written as a straight up c*nt.

Before I begin, let me just get out of my head the conspiracy theory that the main heroine’s name (Tomo) sounds exactly like the word for friend in Japanese (友), which would, in my humble opinion, be a horribly cruel way of dooming her to suffer a bad case of being friend-zoned by her childhood friend and love interest from birth. Sorry, Tomo; you deserved better than that. Now on with the actual review. This is the sweetest thing I have watched in a long time. It is obnoxiously pure in the sense that it’s the story of a bunch of Japanese teenagers who are slowly noticing their feelings for each other, which is often a warning of a story in which you are very unlikely to see any real couple time between the main characters, but at the same time, it kept me thinking that even if that were the case, it wouldn’t matter, because I was just enjoying all of their interactions way too much. And even if I sometimes felt the urge to punch them all in the face for their inability to be honest and direct with one another (asking for too much, I am aware), that was not a problem because... they just punched each other naturally anyway! The supporting cast in this one is just amazing, especially Misuzu, who plays the role of the seemingly dark, sarcastic, and edgy main character’s best friend, but who ends up being the driving force behind most of the positive developments in the show. She’s such a joy to watch both in her twisted and in her kind-hearted moments (which I suppose sometimes end up aligning somehow), and I kept seeing her as the personification of some of my best friends’ traits. And as for Tomo and Jun, you will find yourself constantly screaming at the screen, “Ugh, would you just get together already?!”. A lot. But their relationship is so genuine and endearing that simply seeing them interact with each other made my heart melt on multiple occasions. And although this is by no means trying to be a deep anime, I guess you could say that it does send a strong message of “Just be yourself, and the right people will stay by your side.” This made me laugh, made me cheer, and even made me cry at the end. Is it something I haven’t seen before? No. Is it cliched and predictable? Probably. But the execution is so enjoyable that I can wholeheartedly recommend this, even if you have already watched tons of similar anime.

Tomboy develops romantic feelings for childhood friend who does not understand her sentiments at all. Tomboy asks for advice from her snarky friend and from there shenanigans ensue. This is a seasonal high school rom-com that delivers exactly what is packaged, no subversions here. Where it succeeds in being a decent high school rom-com in a proverbial sea of flustered fools and nose bleeds is in the whole of its cast, the upper-end animation treatment it got, and in the satisfactory pay-offs. The tired trope of a male lead denser than a neutron star is applied here with the childhood friend trope applied beneath it, at least providing some semblance of rationale for why the dashing oak-prince of this story cannot discern his dear childhood friend's shift in affections towards him. The writing is predictable but enjoyable because the execution is good. The supporting characters actively enhance this show--this is an instance where the show would suffer greatly from a lack of its supporting cast. Furthermore, the characters are multidimensional. Well, technically speaking they are 2-dimensional. Neither here nor there; the characters and their interactions contribute greatly to the tone and atmosphere of the show, which is one of warmth and whatever the sensation is called that leaves one's mouth twisted into a smirk. This show has its share of tropes and spends a lot of time dragging out the romance plot for all the mileage its worth, but it at least does this through amusing scenarios and likable characters, and so the tedium can be forgiven to some extent. Tomo-chan makes a favorable impression because of its decent animation too. This show got good treatment. The OP and ED (and special ED) are memorably enjoyable too. If you are an admirer of tomboys, their well-endowed mothers, and their snide-tongued friends then I am confident you will like this, and so it has my recommendation.

8/10 +Funny, likeable couple with great chemistry +Great story beats with satisfying conclusion; simple plot doesn’t take itself too seriously -Side characters contributed poorly to pacing -Animation and sound are nothing exceptional The childhood friend trope has become commonplace in anime—but what if you thought your childhood friend was the opposite gender than you? Adapted from a 4-koma style manga, Tomo-Chan is a Girl is a lighthearted comedy about a young couple who have friendzoned each other romantically because of perceived gender. The series allows itself to have plenty of fun with this by poking holes at defined gender roles. Compared to its source material, the anime has done a great job fleshing out the original story from the manga. The relationships are so endearing that you can’t help but root for them. Animation and sound are about average from what you would expect from today’s standards for this type of show, but for what Tomo-Chan sets out to do, you’re in for a great time. Relax, kick up your feet and enjoy this heartwarming rom-com.

Y'know, as much as I like this show, it does itself a serious disservice by its premise and first episode. So much so that I think the people who quickly judge it as not worth their time are justified in dropping it and moving on. Tomo-chan is a show that, for all intents and purposes, looks like another romcom with a gimmick. You know the type—they're 90% comedy, 10% romance, and what romance is there exists just to tease you while the characters remain in a carefully preserved status-quo. I swear, it's like the writers of those shows have the main couple floating in some eerie vat and think they'll escape containment and ruin the plot if they manage to successfully hold hands or something. Tomo-chan isn't one of those shows. If you're currently trying to judge whether this anime is worth your time and that's your only real concern, you don't need to read any further. Go watch it. Or stick around and listen to me rant about how much I enjoyed it. I like ranting. You probably read the synopsis already. Tomo has a crush on her oldest friend Jun, but she's so boyish that she doesn't even register as a romantic interest to him. Drama ensues. While I criticized the first episode before, I think it does a good job establishing Tomo's motive, which is delightfully easy to follow. She wants to get Jun to acknowledge her as a woman, then become his girlfriend. Simple. All she has to do is figure out how to do that. And the greatest thing about Tomo-chan is that the show is actually about this goal. There's little time wasted on petty distractions, and when side-characters get explored, it's in a context that lends itself to Tomo's struggle. Everything builds toward the show's conclusion, which exists. Yeah. A show that ends. Properly. Anyway, those side-characters I mentioned? They're worth it. Without further ado, allow me to introduce this show's best girl: All of them. Yeah, you heard right. Tomo herself is a real go-getter of a protagonist, and serves as an incredibly refreshing heroine, but her two other friends, Carol and Misuzu, are just as worthy of the spotlight. Together these two form an unlikely tag-team trying to aid Tomo in her quest, and their clashing personalities make for some of the funniest and, oddly, most heartwarming interactions in the show. I adore both of them for completely different reasons and I think they're my favorite dynamic duo from anime in recent years. I could talk about Jun, too, but honestly there's not a lot to say about him. He's actually a pretty good character in his own right, and he really grows out of the "oblivious protagonist" mold by the end of the show. Funnily enough, the relationship between Jun and Tomo is a pretty good parallel for the relationship between a romance fan and this anime. When a fan looks at the surface, they'll see something they're incredibly familiar with—something they don't really need to think about further. But if they pull aside the outer layer and pay attention, they'll find something they didn't expect to be there: Boobs. I'm kidding. What you'll really find is, y'know—something worthwhile. I feel like I just destroyed my credibility, though, so I'm gonna leave now. I hope you watch the show and enjoy it as much as I did. Thanks for reading.

I'm 100% convinced Rie Takahashi took this role solely so she can try doing her best Makoto Kikuchi impression. Also HOLY COW, RIE! I knew you had range, but I didn't realize just how much! The show started out a little slow and the jokes didn't really land at first, but I found myself enjoying this one more and more as time went on. The supporting cast is EXCELLENT in this show! I'd say I even like them more than the two leads. Carol is best girl, don't @ me. So many short slice of life shows like this will often have very forgettable supporting cast members, so it's always a treat when a show pops up that you're actively looking forward to seeing every single character on screen. From their signature comedic bits to their own personal development. It wasn't anything mind-blowing, but it was genuinely more entertaining than I initially thought it was going to be. Plus, it's only 13 episodes, so you don't really have much to lose if you check it out. 7/10

This anime sneaked up on me and stole my heart, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. First off, the characters - oh man, the characters! Tomo-chan, Jun, Misuzu, and of course, Carole (my personal favorite!)... each one is so beautifully crafted, it's like they're real people. I loved how the side characters weren't just, well, side characters. They had their own stories, struggles, and quirks that made them just as important as the main duo. Carole, though... _sigh_... she's just the sweetest thing! I swear, when she cried (you know the scene I'm talking about), I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. But, oh, the happiness I felt when she got her own happy ending! It was like I was right there with her, grinning from ear to ear. The last episode was the perfect cherry on top. It wrapped up everything so nicely, and I loved how it focused on the friendships just as much as the romance. It's not often you see an anime that gets it so right. If I have any complaints, it's that it ended too soon! I wanted more of Tomo-chan's antics, more of Jun's adorable awkwardness, and more of Carole's... well, more of Carole, period! All in all, Tomo-chan is a Girl anime is a must-watch for anyone looking for a heartwarming, hilarious, and sometimes tear-jerking ride. Trust me, you won't regret it!

It's good if you like romcoms. The plot is good, it's always interesting to see someone doubt their own personality and although sometimes it may not be very good, in this case it is executed splendidly, there is always a concise explanation of why things happen. Another point to highlight are the characters, they are well structured, each one has its own background which is explored without the need to steal the limelight, it is simply given the time it needs. Although something that I would like to mention is the fact that it is important to remember that the main characters have an average age of 15/16 years old, some things may seem silly or nonsensical but it is understandable because of their age and I loved it that they did not fall into exaggeration, but are completely organic actions and interactions. To conclude, if you are looking for a good anime with constant development, (not at a super high speed), but without needing to be very pretentious then you are in the right place, and if you want something more direct or mature then I recommend that you look towards other horizons. PS: Personally I think the soundtrack is a bit forgettable, but it's not a very important aspect for this specific anime either.

Tomo-chan is a girl who would be regularly misidentified as a boy if not for her *ahem* sizable assets. Jun, the boy she is in love with, has been her best friend forever and doesn't understand what she means by "I love you, Jun!" And so our macho pair begin their story of trying to find love in their perfect bromance, assisted by the cold Misuzu-chan and the deredere Carol-chan. In short, if like tomboys, rom-coms, MILFs, or a good story, then there will be something for you to enjoy in this show. The animation and the voice acting are fantastic, and Tomo's and Ms. Olsten (Carol's mom) voice actors should receive an award for how perfectly they fit the role. I have a personal gripe that some of the funnier moments from the manga don't appear in the anime due to the tight runtime of the show, so if you want more funny scenes and more Akemi (Tomo's mom) please check the manga. Overall, I find it improves on the manga visually but due to the missing content, I can't rate it over the original work; 9/10 strong recommend.

Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko! is a romance anime made by Lay-duce studio and based on Web Manga made by Yanagida Fumita. Which involves around main characters whom are Jun and Tomo and how their relationship is growing over the presented episodes. Both of them are extraordinarily trained in martial arts, I suppose they train Karate, aswell as Tomo has received quite a popularity due to being a Tomboy character, outside those 2 there are also characters such as Carol, Gundo, Tomo's Parents, Carol's cousin, Tanabe and Carol's Mother who have significant screen time. The overall plot shows the struggle of Tomo's and Jun's character in case of going further in their relationship from best friends into a couple and their thoughts about it which might make them create the wrong assumptions and asking others for tips or leading them to take some actions. It is no surprise to say that we've seen already approach in other titles and somehow it is still executed in a pleasing way, each character has their own specific personality and traits which we can notice right after their screen time, the plot itself is not something which will shock you or surprise of being original or completely different than other romance-comedy anime which are set in high school, the one thing which a little bit was a nice view is the fact that instead of having a theather/acting performance of "Romeo and Juliet" which I usually see in anykind of shows, they perform "Cinderella" which I don't remember seeing in anime/non-anime format to be honest. The anime is a good option to spend some evening time and have a proper chill with it, it is worth giving a shot, it will not make you feel burnout to make a pause from other titles of shared genres or anything like that, but for sure you won't regret checking out this title as it will bring the proper enjoyment for which you're searching for. The surprise is one specific scene in final episode where they actually went with a higher quality of animation, which is quite a positive surprise. Personally I have given 9/10 to this title which is mainly based on my own enjoyment towards this title, I don't think that Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko! "objectively" deserves a 10 or even a 9, but I'd guess the most proper rating for this should be 8/10 or a very high 7/10, so it is without a doubt a worth show to spend some of your private time to watch these 13 episodes, I don't think anyone would regret that.

Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko is an example of “execution over originality”. Synopsis may sound uncommon: a tomboy, Tomo, is in-love with her best friend, Jun, who only see her as a “best bro”, so now she has to prove him she’s indeed a girl… But being uncommon doesn’t guarantee quality, as this kind of story still resorts to well-known cliches and tropes. However, what it lacks in originality, it makes up in execution in order to deliver an outstanding and pleasant experience. One particular thing about this serie is the manga it comes from, more exactly its format; every episode is only one page with four panels and usually one single joke, but still follows the central plot. Now, why am I pointing out this in an anime review? Because it’s necessary to understand how it affects the whole dynamic in the anime, more exactly, the comedy: translating that format to anime led to short skits, introducing the situation and then quickly delivering the punchline in the most precise, sometimes unexpected and random moments (case on point: Carol introduction in episode 2), helping to keep the comedy fresh and funny, even if the serie goes through every common romcom trope in the manual (and it sure it does!). This is what I meant with “execution over originality”. However, at the same time, having those short episodes translated into anime format hurt the plot progression, creating a rushing feeling that luckily became watered down over the episodes, but was still there. Having so many manga episodes for only 13 anime episodes also means leaving a lot of content aside; some good jokes weren’t shown, but also some characters interaction that could contribute to their relationships development and their personalities. This serie’s Stars are definitely the characters: >First we got Tomo, she’s pretty much your typical “I like to beat the shit out of you” tomboy, but after realizing she’s in love of his childhood friend Jun, she decides to confess, only to receive the most unexpected response. Tomo isn’t familiar with romantic relationships, but also seems not to be very knowledgeable about friendship either, what drives her to get into situations (mostly embarrassing ones) in order to understand what she’s actually feeling, more exactly: trying to look and act more girly to get Jun’s attention. Tomo is functional as a character, but apart from all the Jun-concerning thing, there’s not much left about her personality-wise. Look, I LOVE tomboys as much as the next person, is indeed my favorite anime girl archetype, and I love the common gap moe of the non-girly girl acting more girly, but having a character completely revolving around this becomes boring after a couple of times, especially when the modus operandi is the same of being “fooled” or “bound” to act as such. >Next we have Jun; even when he’s supposed to be a main character too, most of the time the serie revolves around Tomo and her thoughts, leaving Jun more than an element than a proper character… or at least it was like this at the beginning. The more we move with the episodes, the more we get to know about Jun, who was acting cool and laid-back about Tomo, but in reality, he was all the time pondering about that. Jun perfectly acknowledges Tomo as a girl, but at the same time sees her as that noisy brat he was never able to beat since they were children, creating confusion about his real feelings, which he was trying to deny at the beginning. Jun becomes an interesting character, but sadly too late. In order to get both together, the dynamic of the serie is put them in cliches and very common situations in romcoms, like dressing Tomo with “girly” clothes, showing off her “attributes” to Jun, and anything that could drive into fanservice moments, usually ending up in the typical “tsundere-punching” from Tomo to Jun, and after a couple of times this could be very tiresome and repetitive. Worth recognizing that, the more they start to get more confident about their feelings, their relationship starts to slowly move, creating some nice moments without resorting to those repetitive tropes. Admittedly, both Tomo and Jun aren’t that interesting by themselves, and if the serie would focus only of them it would run out of fuel after some episodes. The real force that sails this ship are the secondary characters: >First we have Misuzu, Tomo’s best friend, your typical “evil” and manipulative calm-voiced girl. Since Tomo is a blockhead about relationships, Misuzu is the one doing the plans, so those Girly Tomo moments comes from her, in order not to only make Tomo more concerning about her image, but to see Jun’s reaction and making fun of it. Yep, the “I want to see the world burn” character. That being said, there’s more in Misuzu that only this. One thing about her is that she’s mean, I mean, really mean, to any people, and she perfectly acknowledges that, in fact, she’s really concerning about her friendship with Tomo, and how her horrible personality could bring problems to her social life in general, although she doesn’t do much to change the things. She’s also concerning about Tomo and Jun relationship, and her position between them before, during and, in case they do, after they decide to take the next step, giving her some deep to her character, since all her actions during the whole serie have reasons behind them, based on this fact. Don’t get the things wrong, Misuzu is indeed a horrible person, so it’s normal some people dislike her, but as a character she’s very compelling. >Next we have Carol, your typical fluffy and air-headed girl that seems not to be aware about what is happening around her… except she pretty much is. The perfect word that comes to my mind to describe Carol is “clever”; she can perfectly read the mood in any situation even if she doesn’t seem to, and notice the real feelings of Tomo, Jun AND Misuzu, sometimes acting on her own to make the things spicier, making her unpredictable and more “dangerous” than Misuzu herself. This fluffy and chaotic personality of her also works marvelously for the comedy, adding the randomness quota it pretty much needs not to become so tiresome. Not only both Misuzu and Carol are interesting and well written characters, but also move the plot forward, and create the perfect setting for anything, being a comedy moment by adding some “chaos”, or more serious moments by showing her inner thoughts. Definitely the best characters. The rest of the cast includes the girl’s mothers, Carol’s cousin and Jun’s friend who is in love with Misuzu, not much worth mentioning about them, but they still add to the serie, and help the comedy not to fall into repetitiveness. In the audiovisual side, animation and color palette is really simple, sometimes too plain, but it works for what it is, not that this kind of serie needs more. In the seiyuu department, Rie Takahashi delivers a good performance as Tomo, although leaving very divided opinions. I’d highlight Sally Amaki performance as Carol, fully fulfilling the fluffy personality of said character. At the end of the day, Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko is yet cliché but a very compelling romcom, with an interesting premise, a functional main duo, and strong secondary characters to carry the whole of the serie, delivering a good dose of comedy and cute moments. Not something I would recommend as “excellent”, it could be better with a better pacing, a stronger direction and maybe less repetitiveness, but don’t sleep on this one yet.

Romance, the ever-loved and praised genre of anime was getting rather stale lately and finally after so many disappointments and straight-up vanilla slices of life’s that barely hold a candle to the Romance anime of old and are just wish-fulfillment crap even worse than the worst of isekai’s (Otanori no tenshi-sama was just so bad I didn't bother writing a review), we Finally got a complete package that bought with it a fun concept wasnt convoluted, filled with misunderstanding, or riddled with unnecessary filled with panty shots to gain favor. What I love about Tomo chan is, that it is a complete package that introduces a unique quirk of Tomo trying to act and become more girly but usually hilariously failing to do so but it does not try to completely milk this formula with a rinse-repeat and helps us get familiar with a supporting cast the girls of which which are, following the true romance fashion, more popular than the main girl xD. The show slowly progresses with a perfectly paced character development arc of most characters and helps them all reach their conclusion in ONE FKIN season, dear god , this is quite the gem. Otaten and other romance fluffs drag themselves on , with season 1 trying to establish the formula, Season 2 usually being the character development arc and then it slowly keeps dragging on and on with most audience only sticking around for the long-awaited payoff which sadly never comes. Nuff said time to review Story 9/10 Perfectly paced and perfectly set gag manga that is able to delve into deeper subjects without losing any of its identity, every arc like the beach, outing, and school festival arc is set perfectly and flows with meaning without dropping the ball with the humor. The way that every arcs ending and conclusion slowly helps the anime place its ending with each characters growth eventually adding up and helping Tomo and Jun finally getting the push they needed while also closing the chapters of carol and Misuzu is amazing, the only missed opportunity is the Misuzu love interest which just got treated like a gag character. Characters 10/10 The two side character girls have skyrocketed in popularity, especially due there very distinct and fresh characters and amazing voice Acting.The character development that every character gets a taste of even though the whole show was only 13 episodes was immaculate pacing. Sound and VA 9/10 Seriously well done, the Voice acting of Tomo was perfect and needs more recognition, THe VA of CAROL is easily award-winning with the voice actor easily setting a new standard by winging both the dub and sub. OST is pretty good the OP was amazing , the ED i felt was little weak, however. Art and animation 9/10 Great animation in the penultimate moments, and also for the kind of action scenes that help add to the humor, I love the plain yet distinguishable character designs of Carol and Tomo personally. THis is the best romance I have seen in quite some time, Everyone must give this a shot IMO.

This anime was enjoyable to watch. It was funny, the animation was good, and there were parts of the story I enjoyed. It’s definitely not something I see myself re-watching though. I guess super Tomboy female MCs just aren’t really my thing. I also don’t really like it when a romance is centered around a man and woman who not only are not only in love with each other, but also love competing against each other, especially by means of violence. None of the characters were horrible, but again, I just don’t really like that the entire show revolved around the female MCs super Tomboy personality. But yea, not necessarily a bad anime, just not really my cup of tea personally.