Anime Review: Komi Can't Communicate

Komi Can’t Communicate appeared in our Netflix profile while I was browsing for another anime series to watch. I was looking for something cute and fun hoping to “cleanse my palate” right after watching the cute and fun BUT very dark Fruits Basket. Hihi. I was a little apprehensive at first thinking that Komi Can’t Communicate might surprise me again just like what Fruits Basket did. Unlike Fruits Basket which is Rated 16 in Netflix PH, Komi Can’t Communicate is Rated 13. I took it as a cue that the plot wouldn’t be as dark and complicated as the first one.

Komi Can’t Communicate is a story of Hitohito Tadano and Shoko Komi. At the first day of school, Tadano’s only plan was to survive without being “noticed” by anybody. He simply wanted to have a normal high school life, but fate has other plans. He was seated beside Komi, a girl so pretty that everybody around her treats her like a god. Everything she does, even if she’s technically not doing anything, is considered “divine” by those who “worship” her. However, Tadano found out that Komi has extreme social anxiety which makes it very difficult for her to talk to other people. Tadano promised Komi that he would help her make 100 friends.

My initial reaction after watching the first few episodes of Komi Can’t Communicate was, “Aww! They made an anime series about people like me!” :p Of course I’m not a goddess, and I can actually talk to other people, but I find it extremely difficult and sometimes exhausting to connect to people. For years, making small talks makes my energy bank empty. A big part of me can totally relate to most of Komi’s struggles. The narrator starts almost all episodes by saying, “Bear in mind, they only struggle to form connections. It doesn’t mean that they don’t want to.” Believe it or not, these words hit a raw nerve even after hearing them so many times, primarily because that’s how I felt growing up. My daughter once asked me how I made friends. I told her that between me and Tatay, Tatay is way better than making friends. I told her that I only have friends because they approached me first. That is why I like Tadano’s character very much. Tadano was the only one who noticed what Komi really needed. He made me appreciate the Tadanos in my life. Hihi.

It’s easy to fall in love and even relate to each characters. Even that one female character that makes me cringe with all of her crazy antics also has an adorable side. My husband and I are very careful with what our six-year-old watches. Zayne knows that she’s only allowed to watch Rated ALL and Rated 7 shows in Netflix unattended. She can only watch Rated 13 shows if she’s with us. She knows that she’s not allowed to watch anything higher than Rated 13. Going back to my review, I honestly think that the series could have been Rated 7 if this specific female character is not present! Hahaha! But with all honesty, Komi Can’t Communicate was a very nice series to watch with my daughter, especially now that she’s in Grade One and finally experiencing face-to-face classes for the first time. We were explaining to her the importance of building friendships and recognizing that you can be friends with people even if they are different from you. Apart from the cute animation and funny lines, Komi Can’t Communicate is a good series to remind viewers of the importance of inclusion and diversity.

When Komi Can’t Communicate introduces a new character to be Komi’s new friend, I could not help but quietly tell myself, “We all have THAT one friend.” It’s funny how the series was able to represent almost every kind of friend we know. (Or at least the ones I know.) I survived making friends because I have a kind-hearted Tadano and also a Najimi, who is everybody’s friend! My daughter and I love the responsible big sister, Onemine and the relaxed but absent-minded, Otori!

I believe that Komi Can’t Communicate might not be for everybody. Some might probably get bored because the episodes sometimes don’t relate to each other. I could sometimes see my husband zoning out. He said that the series is nice but finds the connections of the episodes a bit loose. It’s fine with me and Zayne, though. Again, the series simply revolves around Komi trying to make friends. I guess my husband was not so engaged because he never really struggled with making friends! Haha! But if you are looking for a no-brainer and fun anime series, I bet you will love Komi Can’t Communicate.

Photos are taken from komisan.fandom.com