Title: My Love Story

Publisher: Sentai Filmworks

U. S. Release Date:12/20/16

Format: Blu-ray /24 Episodes and / 600 minutes

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Age Rating: 13+

Overall Personal Rating: B

Synopsis:

*As the twist in this story happens early on, this commentary will contain some things that may be considered spoilers.

High school students Takeo and Suna have been friends since their childhood.  Suna is the cool, silent, good looking type that all the girls flirt with. Takeo could be considered the opposite, the big, beefy, simple one. One day on the train, Takeo rescues Rinko, a young lady on the train who is being harassed. She wants to thank him by baking something sweet for him. From this a friendship develops between the three of them. Rinko’s love of baking matches up with Takeo’s love of eating. Even so, he mistakes her attention as attachment to Suna and vows to help them become a couple.

It is not only Takeo who doesn’t understand, most people don’t see what she sees in a gorilla type of guy like that. But in truth, he is on the simple side, but his heart is made of gold and he is dedicated to loyalty.  She may be the one girl who can see past his appearance and understand the value of his friendship that Suna already knows. Takeo has no idea of how to act and becoming a boyfriend is part of new education.

Commentary:

An equal comedy and romance ratio, My Love Story is a refreshing change to many of the high school age romances. Many of them are about the long process of getting a significant other, not actually being in the relationship. In this series, the relationship begins early on. The biggest difference is who falls in love, telling the story of an unlikely guy that we don’t get to hear about too often. It also makes a wonderful point on how people perceive things in different ways. As the saying goes, appearances are only skin deep.

The characters were likable and easy to sympathize with. Takeo was more outrageous and cartoonish than everyone else but the setting and story line make his comedic presence the heart of the comedy. He is balanced with Suna’s serious and aloof personality plus Rinko who is sweet and adorable, the young woman who can find joy in so much of life. Takeo’s parents were a nice addition, their comedic addition brought another brand of humor to the show. It was fun to see where he inherited his unique traits.

My first introduction to My Love Story was a manga. I haven’t kept up with the manga, but what I had read went along the same path. I watched it some in Japanese with subtitles and the rest in English. Both were just as much fun, although the English dub makes Takeo seem more goofy and undesirable.

My only complaint is that the romantic naivety was a little too much towards the end. After 24 episodes, it seems like it would have been enough time to loosen up and understand their situation better. Much of  the situational conflict comes from misunderstanding and being afraid to talk to one another, not want to burden others or risk ruining friendships. I would have like to seen some growth in this area. Hopefully to keep pace within the development of friendships and relationships.

Overall Grade: B    My Love Story is for anyone looking for a comedy or romance, something fun with a message but not too heavy.

In the Radius: If you like My love story, I also think you will like Say I Love You.