This romance series is unique as it focuses on an anti-social girl who does nothing but read books and a guy that just goes with the flow. The side characters add good comedy to a somewhat slow developing romance series. There really aren't any twists or drama in this series but lots of laughs are guaranteed. The ending was decent for how this series progressed.
The Complex certainly could be classified as a “manor,” but the show looks more about manners...regardless, Kawai Complex looks to take an anime staple, that of disparate people living together in a boarding house of some kind, and does good things with it. It's worth a watch.
If the premise of this show is fairly unremarkable, seeming a bit like a Maison Ikkoku knock-off, the execution of it is fine.Kawai Complex has just enough wackiness to balance out the fact that Shiro is totally creepy and that Mayumi is really annoying, and Ritsu's character looks like it has potential. In fact, I'm hoping that they'll go into her living her books as the opening theme implies, which could certainly add some fun to the show. The fact that Sumiko is a perfectly normal and motherly figure is a point in the show's favor, as she serves, at least in this episode, to balance out the crazier members of the cast, specifically calling them out when they misbehave or do something foolish. That other characters appear to recognize each others' flaws is also a plus, and drastically reduces the annoying factor of some overused types, such as Perpetually Drunk Busty Woman or Creepy Pervert. Usa himself has some appeal in the way he sees himself as utterly sane and normal, even when some of his actions in attempting to see Ritsu would indicate otherwise. In other words, Kawai Complex has a sense of humor about itself that makes it more fun to watch than it might otherwise have been.
The visuals are a mixed bag here, with a lot of characters on still or bright backgrounds, and for some reasons there are a lot of polka dots in use. This episode also has a surprising amount of text written in bright colors against the background, which probably worked better when there weren't translators trying to squeeze subtitles in against them. There's something appealing about how the characters look, which alleviates some of the background issues, and Ritsu's subtle changes of expression work very well with her character.
My one major issue here is probably unique to me, but I have to wonder – is it intentionally “manors” in the title, as in “large houses?” Or should it have been “manners,” as in proper behavior? The Complex certainly could be classified as a “manor,” but th
Shout by ManiacBVIP OG 12BlockedParent2014-06-28T13:52:13Z
I really enjoyed this series. It reminds me of Sakurasou (http://trakt.tv/show/the-pet-girl-of-sakurasou) but I enjoyed this one more. Visually it reminds me of a Makoto Shinkai film (http://trakt.tv/movie/5-centimeters-per-second-2007) and that's a good thing!
In terms of the humour and the characters, I really enjoyed both. Kawai is adorable and Mayumi/Sayaka make for some very funny and likeable support characters.
It's a shame this was only 12 episodes long. The final episode isn't terrible but it could easily have continued for another cour. Hopefully we'll get a second season at some point!