Tamon-kun Ima Docchi!?

I know that a lot has said about the current state of Shoujo when it comes to the low likelihood of having an adaptation (not even factoring the production quality of it). However, the way J.C Staff handled the production of Tamon's B-side solidified my theory that we are in the midst of a Shoujo renaissance and this is only the beginning of a new age. The fans of Kpop/Jpop and Ikemen enjoyers are the main target demographic of this show since it showcases the wonderous journey of being a fan in these mainstream entertainment industries that doesn't fall too far with the current phenomenon in our world right now. I really resonate with the show's representation of nuances and references that only a fangirl/fanboy would get and I highly enjoyed my time watching this show from the start till the end ^.^ I highly recommend for others to give this a try since this show is mostly subjective to the viewer's preferences.

Just off the bat, I loved this anime and knew it was made just for me. It has great characters, animation, music, and a cute romance. This is an anime where I can just put it on when I'm in a bad mood and feel better. I love the concept of Tamon's B-Side showing the different personalities of each member was really interesting, Tamon being my favorite ofc. Sometimes I do get frustrated with the MC, but I can get over that because there is a cute moment sometime later. If you want an anime that's cute, has nice charactersm, and is just a good time this anime is perfect. Everything a rom-cm should be, it doesn't[ have to super deep like Your Lie in April or A Silent Voice (both 10s) is just has to make you feel good. Crossing my fingers for season 2!

Tamon-kun Ima Docchi!? — A "Love Letter" to the death-threat-sending sakuga fans? When a common weeb thinks about J.C.Staff, they would probably just say "labor" or "overworked and underpaid staff," which is true and has been a long-time criticism of the studio. However, nobody anticipated that the backlash would escalate into death and arson threats in Fall 2025, due to Bandai Namco's irresponsible production handling of One Punch Man Season 3, which ignited outrage among fans who felt their passion for the series was being disrespected. Now in Winter 2026, some sakuga bros finally had to swallow a bitter pill and admit how well J.C.Staff handled the male idol shoujo anime Tamon-kun Ima Docchi!? (Tamon's B-side), directed by Chika Nagaoka and series-composed by Chiaki Nagai. Tamon's B-side is your typical shoujo reverse harem romcom about a girl who is involved with five cute boys from the established male idol group F/ACE. The high school student Utage Kinoshita is a die-hard fan of the prettiest member Tamon Fukuhara. Utage, who is also working part-time as a housecleaner, is assigned to work for a new client, who turns out to be her "Mighty Savior," who is Tamon himself. Having her expectations really high, Utage finds out that "Ikehara (Hottie-hara)," initially referred to by Utage, is actually "Jimehara (Gloomy-hara)." As Tamon's new house cleaner, Utage is finally able to get closer to Tamon but has to deal with her idol's B-side. The characters are visually appealing and have their own unique personality. Utage herself, supposedly a generic shy girl in a shoujo romance anime, turned out to be wilder and bolder. She had no shame in behaving like a gyaru or exposing her midriff, though these moments only appear in her imagination. Tamon’s B-side is your typical screaming, frustrated, and complaining male character in a shounen series like Zenitsu, but his personality is basically the point why the series existed in the first place. The story did not really offer something new, but they still stood out from the other romcom series, especially when it came to the fireworks and school festivals episodes. After the first episode, it was clear that the series is not a PowerPoint anime. The animation and visuals looked appealing, and the staff executed the exaggerated comedy flawlessly. To your surprise, the animation, pacing, and direction remain consistent until the end of the season. The 3DCGI used in F/ACE’s performances looks pretty neat, even if it might not be your cup of tea. While it may not reach the same level as SANZIGEN's BanG Dream, it appears more polished than the anticipated dance anime from that well-received studio last season. Though it is not a major factor for the anime and does not affect its final score, the F/ACE songs featured in the anime were certainly as weak as most songs from real-life Asian male pop idols. F/ACE currently suffers from a chorus problem, similar to many other issues faced by modern idol pop groups, as suggested by Married to the Music on their YouTube channel. However, the opening theme “Sweet Magic” is one exception, where the cast successfully delivered a fun and energetic chorus. In addition to my rant, the most hilarious music production would be “Supernova” from the first episode, which heavily interpolated Robin S’ iconic “Show Me Love” hook. Then again, the cheap production of F/ACE’s discography is something we can discuss in AlbumOfTheYear and RateYourMusic and does not necessarily reduce the enjoyment of the anime. In short, Tamon's B-side proves to all the shounen bros that the horrible production of a particular anime was not only because of J.C. Staff but also the production committee inside. Tamon's B-side is undoubtedly a passion project that all the involved people enjoyed working on and also one of the romcom gems in the shoujo demographic. That said, J.C.Staff still deserved their criticism for their overworking staff and for doing too much anime in a year. Even in their recent shoujo projects, they can still be inconsistent (Honey Lemon Soda episode 11 says hi!). So, please never stop criticizing J.C.Staff when criticism is due.

Tamon’s B-Side is a manga that’s been on my TBR list for a while, but I’ve had little interest in actually reading it. The premise didn’t grab me, at first, but I make a note of every manga I see on every recommendation list, because I love being an otaku. I had higher expecatins this season for another manga that was on my TBR list--Champignon Witch, and if you read my reviews, you know how that went. Thankfully, and unexpectedly, Tamon’s B-Side swooped in this season to give me a shoujo romance I could actually enjoy. A well-executed romcom that’s also a love letter to idol fan culture--what’s not to like? The animation has budget and direction, which is so much more than I can say for other recent shoujo adaptations. There was real thought and love put behind this series, which I cannot help but appreciate after the sea of disappointment that was Champigon Witch. I loved the super expressive, cartoony character animation in Tamon’s B-Side, as it helped illustrate Tamon’s and Utage’s larger-than-life personalities. The colors and lighting were okay--there were moments of wonderful vibrancy, but this anime’s animation standout is found in its slapstick comedy more than anything else. The dance sequences here are CGI, which I personally don’t mind. It doesn’t mesh well with the 2D, or otherwise look seamless, but there’s maybe 3 in the whole show, and they’re all like three minutes long, and its not like the CGI was bad--so overall, no issues there. The OST is fine. As for the soundtrack, I found it particularly unnoticeable, which is usually a good thing. The idol songs themselves are okay; I am not a big fan of idol music, which this definitely was, but its not like the songs were bad. Utage, the female lead, is the heart of the series and its best part. From one fangirl to another, she is just so, so real. Every time she fangirled out at something I could not help but understand exactly where she was coming from. I too, was like that in highschool, and I too, had meltdowns whenever Tori Himemiya from Ensemble Stars did something. Utage is fun to watch and easy to get invested in. While her life mostly revolves around a man, which I normally wouldn’t like, I’m able to accept it in this story easier because Utage is that intense of a fangirl, while still being a well rounded human being. She’s a love letter to teenage girls that love their idols. I also enjoyed her intelligence in maneuvering around her relationship with Tamon. As a fangirl she knows exactly what she’s doing isn’t right, and her desire to both be friends with Tamon and keep her honor as a fangirl creates realistic conflict. A weaker story merely would’ve used the forbidden relationship angle, and don’t get me wrong, this is a forbidden relationship--but Utage isn’t stupid. Neither is Tamon, but to be honest, he didn’t do an amazing job protecting his idol identity. But this didn’t make me mad, because the love and crush he has on Utage is so satisfying to watch that I didn’t mind at all. Utage acknowledges when he does dangerous things, and I don’t get frustrated at Tamon for being “stupid” because there is more to Tamon’s advances then mere lust--I’ll avoid further spoilers, but Tamon has a side to him I wasn’t expecting at all, and that side made me completely fall in love with his identity as a male lead. He’s a certain trope that’s unrealistic, but Tamon’s B-Side was able to execute his fantastical side in a way that got me on board in an instant. I am also not immune to rooting for our dear second male lead, Ouri. God rest his soul, he has no chance, but I will be invested in him anyways. Similar to Tamon, I’m not predisposed to his character archetype, but Tamon’s B-Side was able to execute Ouri in a way that again, got me on board with him. I can’t say I feel the same for the other two band members (RIP Rintaro, maybe next season), and I didn’t particularly like the angle they went for Keito’s background, but I certainly didn’t hate them, and they were welcome additions to the cast dynamic. The overall narrative is fine. Tamon and Utage hard carry it, and their slapstick antics and heartfelt romances keep the viewer engaged for the series’s full run. While Tamon’s B-Side explores the less glamorous sides of the idol agency, it’s certainly not Oshi no Ko, nor should it be. It’s not an overly complex narrative, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. What I like about Tamon’s B-Side is that it feels appropriately modern. It uses the idol industry and idol fandom as narrative concepts, without those concepts feeling forced, unexplored, or poorly represented. Tamon’s B-Side is a strong recommendation to anyone who’s already a fan of shojo romances, any male idol fan, and anyone who’s interested in dipping their toes into the genre. It’s a laugh-out-loud fest from start to finish, and I hope it’s a sign of a strong year for shoujo. Favorite Character: Utage Best Hets: Utage x Tamon

10/10 such a banger anime. absolutely fire characters, interesting plot, catchy music, and an awesome female lead. Literally what more could you ask for in a shojou??? I love how different this story feels to any other shojou's that I've read/watched. I don't tend to like the concept of popular boy x regular girl but this anime opened my eyes to it. Throughout the story you get to meet other members from the band called F/ACE and learn that the "respectable ikemen idols" are actually a lot like you and me at the end of the day lol. I love how relatable each of the band members are with their real personalities in the story, every single one of them had two separate personalties depending on if they were in front of their fans or not and it was hilarious watching them switch between the two. 10/10 watch!! My review is the only accurate review that you'll need for this show (jk) if anyone tells you otherwise then they're probably a bum with no whimsey in their life. :))

Tamon's B-Side is a show that was genuinely very fun to watch, especially if you're looking for a romance SHOUJO anime that is lighthearted and low-stress (no love rivals). The female lead doesn't have any love rivals or enemies constantly stirring up drama and stress for the viewers, which is incredibly refreshing for a romance such as this. Instead of tension, the show heavily leans towards the more comedic side, and it made it very easy for me to simply enjoy the watch without feeling frustrated or stressed. That said, it is very much a cliche idol x fan trope. If you're not a fan of clicheness or that type of trope, it might feel a bit like a self-insert fantasy from a fan's perspective. But personally, I was able to look past the cliches pretty easily because of how funny the show was. It was also really enjoyable to get to know the characters of this anime and their B-Sides (secret personalities). They each brought something comedic to the anime and story, although... I do wish one character in particular had been given more attention... As for the ending, I actually like how it ended. It does leave you wondering, "well... what happens?" But it doesn't feel incomplete or rushed. It's more of an open-ended feeling rather than a cliffhanger. I didn't feel an urgent need to rush and reed the manga for closure, and it made the ending very satisfying (though... I might still read the manga to see if anything happens...) TLDR: If you can look past the clicheness of a idol x fan trope, and are looking for a romance SHOUJO anime that is lighthearted and low-stress, Tamon's B-Side is for you! It's a really funny and easygoing anime that's well worth the watch!

Interesting premise and concept, but the execution not enough to satisfy me. Story wise, it was interesting concept and im honestly down for it. But idk how to feel about how they building up the romance, it was too quick and confusing. i like the romance between natsuki and the teacher more! Tamon and utage are kinda confusing. Comedy are okay, and i love that the idols have such a different personalities on and off screen. And for characters, i found ouri and natsuki are the most interesting character and i hope the anime developed their characters more. Production wise it was okay. Cgi kinda inconsistent. Like some of the f/ace songs. Overall it was okay, story and production could be better.

Good watch, The animation style is what brought me there, and i'm truly not disappointed, such a good animation and they used it so well, it makes some scenes even funnier. The plot is okay, although, I was surprised about Natsuki's story, that one was impressive. I'm not into the "Idol x Fan" trope, so I knew i was already going for something not for me, but the characters were very likable and the female mc was really respectable (so professional lmao), so it became bearable for me. Almost forgot to mention how good the opening is, I have it on repeat. It's more of a fun and cute watch more than anything else and I can't talk enough about the animation.

Anime is quite enjoyable, with impressive animation for a romance series. The soundtracks are fantastic, highlighting the lives of idols both on TV and in real life, which is a really cool concept. The character designs are also very good, and the comedy in this season is decent. Overall, I would say the show is great. However, in this season, you don't get to see much romance as one might expect. An idol having a girlfriend could jeopardize his career, so it’s best to keep the romance slow. The plot is good, the animation is excellent, and the overall story is decent.

Is this a 10 for me because it is perfect? No. But is it a 10 for me because it is the show I ate up the most this season and was absolutely and totally indulgent? Yes. Yes it is. “Tamon’s B-Side” has the most fanfiction of fanfiction-ey plots. A girl gets to know her bias because she happens to be assigned as his temporary house keeper? Anyone who is into J-Pop, K-Pop, or, hell, even One Direction has read this fanfiction (and the only way they could have made this plot more fanfiction-ey is if Utage had been sold by her parents to F/ACE). In that way, this isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but just as much as I love those cheesy fanfictions, I fell in love with this fast. I particularly appreciated every member’s B-Side; it keeps them real and utterly hilarious. Very rarely do I laugh aloud while watching shows, and this anime had me rolling literally every Wednesday. At the end of the day, as I mentioned, “Tamon’s B-Side” is a particular cup of tea. Is it for everyone? No way, but was it perfect for specifically me? Yes. I am collecting the manga as we speak.

I didn't expect to enjoy Tamon's B-Side this much. It's ridiculously funny, genuinely wholesome, and one of the most refreshing romances I've watched in a while. Utage is basically the perfect waifu, and her devotion to Tamon is so pure that I couldn't help but adore her. Tamon is almost the complete opposite, with his gloomy, self-deprecating personality being painfully relatable, and their chemistry never stopped making me laugh. I also loved F/ACE as a whole, especially the contrast between their public personas and who they really are. Natsuki's backstory with Asuka was another standout, while the music and animation were fantastic throughout. I was ready to call this one of my favourites until the finale took a direction I really didn't expect and left me frustrated. It's disappointing to see such a great series miss the layup at the very end, but it's still hard not to love everything that came before it.

To summarize, the anime itself, "Tamon-kun Ima Docchi!?", was an interesting watch. The storyline of the F/ACE idols, who actually have their flaws, problems, and so on, is, in my opinion, the best thing about the series, to be honest. Moving on to the relationship between Utage (the main protagonist) and the titular Tamon, which wasn't particularly favorable for either of them, to put it mildly, but ultimately, after 13 episodes, the story ends with a happy ending for both of them and seems to be working out just fine. As for the visuals themselves, while there's nothing bad to say about J.C.STAFF (regarding the situation in OPM season 3), they did a great job. So, Tamon gets a 7/10 from me. I'm looking forward to the next season.

Charming and Funny! "Tamon's B-Side" is the romcom that will keep you entertained from beginning till the end! 🎤💕 I have very little experience with idol themed anime in general, so I had no clue what to expect when I began watching "Tamon's B-Side." But from the very first episode, I noticed how different the story felt compared to the many high school romcoms we get every season. With its hilarious comedy, sweet romance, charming characters, and beautiful songs by the band F/ACE, Tamon's B-Side quickly became one of my absolute favorite romcom anime of Winter 2026 and kept me wanting more! With most shoujo romance anime shows, we see that the focus is generally more on the romance and the chemistry between the main couple. Almost all shoujo romances nowadays dive deep into emotional romantic moments. However, despite being a shoujo romance anime, "Tamon's B-Side" focuses heavily on its absurd, over the top comedic moments and music, alongside the gradually developing romance between Utage and Tamon, which makes the overall storytelling feel fresh and entertaining. I was actually expecting a generic seasonal shoujo romance that I would forget after a few days, but instead what I got was an absolute rollercoaster of chaotic comedy, heartfelt character moments, and genuinely beautiful musical performances that stuck with me long after each episode ended. Another thing that sets "Tamon's B-Side" apart from many idol themed anime shows is that instead of focusing on the glam and glitz of the entertainment world, this show focuses on the idol group members behind the scenes lives and how they struggle to uphold their public image. This is done in a comedic tone by showing how bizarrely different each idol is in their personal life compared to how they behave in front of the cameras. The unfiltered and wildly exaggerated version of what goes on offstage with Tamon, Natsuki, Ouri, Keito and Rintaro made me laugh out loud countless times! I’m talking full on chaotic energy, dramatic reactions, ridiculous misunderstandings and moments so unexpected that I genuinely burst out laughing!😆 But what really makes “Tamon’s B-Side” shine is its unique cast of characters. Every single one of them is bursting with personality, and they all bring something unique to the table. The way each character switches from their on screen version to their real off screen version was the main attraction point of this show for me. Their interactions feel lively and natural, and the group dynamics are pure comedic gold. Whether it’s their off screen chaotic arguements, unexpected emotional support for each other, or just random moments, the chemistry between the characters makes every scene very enjoyable. We also see them shoot a three episode long special program that features F/ACE members enjoying summer together as a group, and those episodes had some incredible moments from the entire cast. By the way, I would pay to watch that program just like Utage! 😆 Tamon himself is incredibly lovable, not just because of his charm as a performer, but also because of how human and hilariously flawed he is behind the scenes. The contrast between Tamon Fukuhara’s public image and his private personality is not only hilarious but also adds a unique layer to the storytelling. I loved both his off screen Gloomyhara and on screen Hottiehara personalities so much that by the end of the show, I found myself head over heels in love with his character. I literally cried during his performance of the song "Rain" when he lost his center position in the band because I was that invested in his character! Every reaction he has and every word he says is guaranteed to make all the female audience fall deeply in love with him, he is such a likable character. And his singing voice is incredibly beautiful! Tamon also has a yandere possessive side that comes out sometimes, and this led to many shocking and interesting moments in the show. He experiences really good character growth as the story progresses, and I can't wait to see how he grows more, which is why I desperately need a second season of this show, please! 🙏🏻 Although Tamon is the title character of this show, we actually experience the events from the perspective of high schooler Utage Kinoshita. She is the ultimate Tamon fangirl who gets to live every fangirl's dream by witnessing Tamon and the other members of the idol group "F/ACE" so closely. I must say that Utage is a very thoughtfully written female lead from recent shoujo romance animes. She doesn't cause any unnecessary drama and feels like a normal teenage girl who is getting to know her favorite idol very closely. She does, however, have some absurd, over the top reactions that are bound to make anyone laugh crazily! 🤣 Every time her head "bursts" due to getting too much fan service from Tamon's Hottiehara personality, I could not stop laughing! Utage generally makes good decisions in her pursuit to help Tamon maintain his public image while strengthening his private low self esteem. Utage and Tamon share a very beautiful bond that evolves from a normal fangirl-idol relationship into a deep friendship as the story progresses. We also get a few moments where we realize how their friendship is slowly taking the shape of love, and those moments were my absolute favorites! 🫶🏻 Apart from Utage and Tamon, we get separate arcs for each of the F/ACE members (except for Rintaro 😭) in this season. I loved F/ACE's songwriter member Natsuki Ishibashi's arc the most, and he was my favorite supporting character in the show. His story with his girlfriend Asuka really touched my heart. Although I don't like Natsuki's on-screen innocent, boyish persona or his singing voice that much, I really enjoyed watching his off screen always tired and procrastinating self. Natsuki also shares a nice friendship with Tamon, which made me like him even more. I also really enjoyed F/ACE leader and current center Keito Tachibana's arc. Again, I did not like Keito's on screen lightheaded persona, but his off screen money-hungry self was very funny. Also, Keito seems to care deeply for Tamon and all the F/ACE members equally, which makes him feel like a big brother figure. Keito also has a mesmerizing singing voice alongside Tamon that I love listening to. Even though we did not get to see Rintaro Kai that much, I still love him a lot, mainly because of his deep manly singing voice and off screen otaku personality. On screen Rintaro doesn't talk at all, but off screen he is the biggest chatterbox. We saw just one scene of him in full otaku mode, and I would love to get a complete arc on him if we ever get a second season. However, my least favorite member of F/ACE and this anime is Ouri Sakaguchi. I disliked both his on screen sweet princely persona and his off screen tsundere, gorilla like personality. 🤦🏻‍♀️ The way he bullies Tamon and tries to get close to Utage both made me feel extremely annoyed! The animation and art style of this anime were vibrant and nice. The colorful visuals supported the comedic tone well, and the art style made all the characters look fun and gorgeous. Some scenes also featured chibi characters, which were used appropriately depending on the situation. The dreamy visual effects during romantic scenes made my heart flutter, and the musical performances were stunning! ✨ All of the songs by F/ACE are extremely beautiful, and they have been in my playlist since the very first episode. The show featured most of the songs performed by the band, and I loved each performance. The first episode’s on stage performance of the song "Supernova" and the twelfth episode’s performance of "Fly" also featured some 3D CGI animation work, which blended well with the visuals and the songs. But my favorite was the on stage performance of "Rain," which was featured in the fifth episode. This song and the performance, during which Tamon was bawling his eyes out made me realize how much I love…

I'll be honest, it took me 3 episodes to get into this. At first, I thought it was creepy and annoying, I personally have never understood the hardcore fans that get obsessive over their idols and I don't believe in following my idol around, buying everything they are in so my first impression was a roll of my eye and a "Ugh, seriously?" This drama ended up being a very pleasant surprise, it does go into the idol x fan dynamic but it also shows that idols are just human, facing their own problems and that they put on a show. I love how each character had their own growth, how we went into different dynamics and find out why Tamon-san is so important to our FL. More importantly, neither of them are perfect, Tamon can be really creepy and a red-flag but I enjoy learning about the other members and I am obsessed with the ending song, in all 13 episodes I listened to the ending song. Acting was flawless, I believed each character and the hardship they were going, I also believed that this was a real group and for the concert scenes they did a great job with the CJI animation that it felt as if we were in a real concert. This show touched on the cost of becoming an idol, what it means to be a fan and the different kind of fans. The FL is not a pushover, she's firm in her believes and will not let herself be pushed around, she also has strict boundaries that she won't let anyone cross, which I admire. Tamon-kun the first ML...he's complex, his pessimistic whining can get annoying really quickly but he does grow and we see different sides of him, some which some may consider problematic but also good side like how much he loves his fans and respect his job as an idol. We also get to learn about almost each member of the band, why they decided to become an idol, what motivates them and how they see their fandom. Art and animation was really good as was the music, it didn't feel like some cheap animation that was done half-job, the plot was interesting and will leave you wondering what will happen until the very end. I hope there's a second season since there's so much that was left unanswered and hinted at. Is this anime perfect? Nope. But did it make me feel a bunch of emotions? Yup. For that alone I give it a 9/10 and the music played a big role. Gonna go read the manga now!

So fun and so well animated. You can feel the love in all the little expressions and tangents that transform an individual's fandom into a wacky inner world. I'm not that into idol culture, but I'm online enough that the lingo and tropes still tickle me. Tamon and Utage are incredible leads, with Utage's stan enthusiasm and doki-doki nervousness able to match Tamon's sort-of split-personality. My main gripe is that I don't really feel the band's chemistry as a group. The other characters work well enough individually, and some of the pairings have nice dynamics, like Tamon/Ouri and Keito/Natsuki, but when we start seeing them all together towards the end of the cour, the gatherings add little in terms of enjoyment and slow the plot down a tad. I also didn't find the "locked in together" episode very engaging, though I zoned out a bit and can barely remember it. Nonetheless, the show remained entertaining to the finish, and I wouldn't mind more. Also, love the localized title. "B-Side" clears "which face?"

This is a show with a fun premise and decent execution that nevertheless fell a bit short of what I hoped for. The start is strong with fun characters, a good setup, and some engaging music. I like that the show seems to know pretty well what idol fandom is like, and rather than being total wish fulfillment is more about the challenges of being in this unlikely scenario with your oshi and the positive impact one can have by being a good person. Overall it was heartwarming and fun, with a nice message that being a fan of something can be a positive thing. What makes less sense to me are the characters. I really appreciate anime where the quirky characters are at least somewhat grounded in real psychology. Shows like You and I Are Polar Opposites, Witch Watch, Bocchi the Rock, Princess Jellyfish, The World God Only Knows, etc. do a great job exploring themes of neurodivergence alongside their main plots, so you can really sense what drives the characters. This show just doesn't go there. Despite being abnormally obsessed with idols, the main character is otherwise very normal in both psychology and life situation. And while I don't disagree that normal people can be otaku too, she felt too much like an empty stand-in to feel like I really came to understand who she was. The idols too each have a funny B-side personality, but those feel just as much a caricature as their stage personalities. With characters this flat it was hard for me to be moved by them, which was a problem in a show that was consistently trying for touching moments. It's a fun enough watch if you have the time and interest, but I likely won't be going out of my way to recommend this show too often.

Tamon’s B-Side is an incredibly hilarious and incredibly accurate depiction of idol fan culture. I lost count of how many times Kinoshita did something absolutely ridiculous that either I’ve also done or I’ve seen one of my fellow idol fans also do, and the show treats these moments with comedic reverence rather than disdain or mockery. It also inadvertently creates a perfect scenario for the “forever romcom” to be more plausible, with the penalties for an idol dating anyone, let alone a regular fan, being unfairly severe, thus leading to the many moments of comedic exaggeration and bittersweet yearning we see throughout the series. Kinoshita’s balancing act of respecting Tamon as the idol that brings light to her life and seeing him as a person that she may or may not be romantically interested in proved to be both exceedingly entertaining and delightfully endearing, and the many “b-side” personalities found across the main cast always managed to get a laugh out of me, even it some were a bit too predictable. Male pop idols aren’t my particular cup of tea when it comes to musical taste, but I did at least find most of the songs to be fairly catchy. I could see a wide audience of idol fans really digging some of these tracks. It was a bit disappointing to see CG models used for the performances, but the rapid cutting from shot to shot and quick speed at which the frame flies across said models managed to minimize a decent chunk of their uncanniness. The rest of the show generally looks pretty solid, with a bright, yet never overbearing color palette breathing life into our quintet of dreamy idols, and the slightly wider frame of Kinoshita’s figure makes her stand out from the more generic designs of other shoujo leads. I do think we’re starting to see the limits of how much longer Saori Hayami can play a high schooler, but the sheer explosiveness of her performance during the moments of hyper otaku obsession make up for it quite a bit. When good shoujo hits, it really hits, and it’d be awesome if we could more than like one every other year, but for now at least we have Tamon to satisfy that particular craving.