It's really nice. The comedic elements are on point and while the actual romance is low, those eventful moments actually packs a punch
16 Reviews
It's , for the lack of a better word, fluffy
jameshowlett-274565 November 2019
Unique Romance Anime
quinlandurkin29 July 2020
(8/10) An interesting take on a romance anime. This show is a slice of life, feel good anime, that makes you laugh and swoon over its loveable characters and their antics. The only downside is that there isn't more episodes.
Needs more romance
Trixie_reviews28 November 2018
This was fun to watch, but I wish there would be more romance. Clearly, the creators really took the title "Love Is Hard for Otaku " to their heart. If main charchters would at very least kiss, even just once, or maybe even just confess their feelings to each-oher. It would'v been so much better. Well, still it's a fun anime. But romance here seriously sucks.
Need more romantic anime like this
phanthinga28 February 2019
I stumbled upon Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku by pure accident and that maybe the best accident I did this week because the anime not only enjoyable but it also the best romantic anime I've seen in a long time when this time it not surround by high schooler with their cliché scenarios but with adult Otaku the kind of people that I can relate to on a spiritual level (I'm kind of 20 now). The story is cute and fluffy like any romantic anime out there but what make it so different than the other is how the characters balance their work and hobby while also deal with their love life like how a realistic adult do in real life and that maybe the first time I see it in anime form. I'm a hardcore fan of manga, anime and LN and I just like the group of main characters I don't really know how to express my hobby to other "normal people" and not come out weird as hell so this anime in some way like a guide to find friend for me.
Absoulety loved this slice of life romantic anime!
Irishchatter23 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
When I first saw this, it already started back in Feburary not long ago and thanks to Animelist, it made me want to really watch this anime badly! I absoulety love both couple's especially Narumi and Hirotaka. Hirotaka is like this dude where he's pretty much chilled, a hard-core secret gamer and is kinda a romantic. Narumi is like this self obsessed Yaoi manga lover, sweet and an extremely hyperactive type of girl that I'm sure swept Hirotaka off his heels for her lol! They both definitely were a match for each other, despite their personality differences and their love for just being your ol regular otakus!
Hanako and Taro were pretty good being matched up too. Hanako is like this individual who is always angry, irritating and can act like a p*ick at times but Taro acts like such a clever sexy lady who loves to wind him up especially! This is regardless if they actually are dating! I loved the scene where Hanako and Narumi rode that funfair ride together by accident because Narumi was getting too rushy in wanting to make the date possible with Hirotaka and that kinda ended in disaster lol.. That meant Hirotaka and Taro sat together instead which was quite awkward for each couple's to be seperated from their usual partners, but it was such a brillant hilarious scene throughtout this anime I thought!
I really liked how this anime is like your day to day life especially when you're just a regular person who likes nerdy stuff. I liked how this was more slow pace and that you can have great laughs watching it! However I so wish they didn't always have to end each episodes under 20 minutes and ending it on 11 episodes with a cliffhanger involved! I suppose I'll have to go read the manga now at this stage!
Best anime ever of 2018 in my opinon, I don't care what anyone says! 9/10 <3
Hanako and Taro were pretty good being matched up too. Hanako is like this individual who is always angry, irritating and can act like a p*ick at times but Taro acts like such a clever sexy lady who loves to wind him up especially! This is regardless if they actually are dating! I loved the scene where Hanako and Narumi rode that funfair ride together by accident because Narumi was getting too rushy in wanting to make the date possible with Hirotaka and that kinda ended in disaster lol.. That meant Hirotaka and Taro sat together instead which was quite awkward for each couple's to be seperated from their usual partners, but it was such a brillant hilarious scene throughtout this anime I thought!
I really liked how this anime is like your day to day life especially when you're just a regular person who likes nerdy stuff. I liked how this was more slow pace and that you can have great laughs watching it! However I so wish they didn't always have to end each episodes under 20 minutes and ending it on 11 episodes with a cliffhanger involved! I suppose I'll have to go read the manga now at this stage!
Best anime ever of 2018 in my opinon, I don't care what anyone says! 9/10 <3
Hilarious anime, but...
dkmynfky31 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I'm not sure how to feel about this anime, honestly. The side characters relationship was made out to seem "cute" at times but irl seems extremely toxic and anal. They're like an on and off couple but they never break up. They love each other but do nothing by downgrade, dismiss, and argue with each other? Odd. My mixed feelings arise from them both being enjoyable characters...
Onto the main couple. They're cute...but at the same time they're soooo booooorrriiiiinnnnggg. I was waiting on the drama, the spice, the heartpacing moments that have you yelling at the screen. But none of that ever really happens. (The DATE that's mentioned around ep 9, never happens. I thought for sure they were saving it for the last episode)
They genuinely just act like best friends. I'm not even sure if narumi likes him romantically, since throughout the whole show she's saying how he's not her type. Apparently taka loves narumi? Which you can kinda see but not really. Their romantic relationship is extreeeemely subtle and you have to squint to see it.
This is more of a comedic slice of life rather than a romance, which is fine, if that's what you go in expecting. I give it a 6/10 because the characters are likeable, and it made me laugh too much and too hard to give it anything lower. However, the romantic relationships need a lot of work!
P. S. Also as a person who loves anime, manga, gaming, and BL, it was EXTREMELY refreshing to see characters who like all of the things I like represented in anime so well! Made me want a friend group like this, but it is true, it's so hard to find ppl like this, especially where I live.
Onto the main couple. They're cute...but at the same time they're soooo booooorrriiiiinnnnggg. I was waiting on the drama, the spice, the heartpacing moments that have you yelling at the screen. But none of that ever really happens. (The DATE that's mentioned around ep 9, never happens. I thought for sure they were saving it for the last episode)
They genuinely just act like best friends. I'm not even sure if narumi likes him romantically, since throughout the whole show she's saying how he's not her type. Apparently taka loves narumi? Which you can kinda see but not really. Their romantic relationship is extreeeemely subtle and you have to squint to see it.
This is more of a comedic slice of life rather than a romance, which is fine, if that's what you go in expecting. I give it a 6/10 because the characters are likeable, and it made me laugh too much and too hard to give it anything lower. However, the romantic relationships need a lot of work!
P. S. Also as a person who loves anime, manga, gaming, and BL, it was EXTREMELY refreshing to see characters who like all of the things I like represented in anime so well! Made me want a friend group like this, but it is true, it's so hard to find ppl like this, especially where I live.
Perfected Slice of Life.
QMURDAZ28 September 2020
I came across this anime randomly searching through amazon prime video, I really don't know what drew me in other then the gorgeous art and the intro music. Once I got introduced to the characters I literally fell in love with this show so much so that I had to look up where the show left off on the manga and thankfully enough there's a lot more to this story! I really hope they make a second season I've watched season one probably 30 times over, cant recommend this anime enough for hopeless romantic slice of life anime lovers!
Rom-Com
IPyaarCinema27 September 2020
Review By Kamal K
Wotakoi is a romance between young adults. Gamer guy who wears glasses and yaoi fangirl who acts like a tomboy. Apparently they aren't very confident about their own hobbies so naturally they go and announce their otaku lifestyle in a manner similar to "yes, I am a vegan" meme. Pretty cool.
There are few things I quite like. Wotakoi has very direct dialogue, People say what they think and don't hide inside their shells. These characters are honest and don't spend 15 episodes pondering over how to convey. The comedy -especially after the first 2 episodes- is genius. The series is full of gamer memes that feel very accurate to 90's kids (which our main characters also are).
The main characters don't feel very special nor memorable. They are just normal, realistic folks who are doing the slice of life thingy. Arguably very smart choice when considering the nature of this series. The actual romance between them is super cute and innocent. The overall execution makes Wotakoi seem like a feel-good series.
At first, the side characters seem pretty dull, and come off quite comedic, but soon turns out they are pretty much the same as our main pair, just not in the lead role in this series. This is something to which I typically pay a lot attention, but this time our side characters are actually real characters and not filler people. I can appreciate that.
The art and animation are rather typical. Nothing note-worthy in terms of good or bad. It has chosen the safe route, which is fine. When it comes to the OST, I have been too busy giggling at the cute romance scenes so I completely did not pay attention to any of the songs or if there even were any present. I only recall the video game BGM from episode 1. The series made a good job on making me forget that I was watching an anime. This is pretty much the perfect prove -for myself at least- that it is a decent show.
Wotakoi is a romance between young adults. Gamer guy who wears glasses and yaoi fangirl who acts like a tomboy. Apparently they aren't very confident about their own hobbies so naturally they go and announce their otaku lifestyle in a manner similar to "yes, I am a vegan" meme. Pretty cool.
There are few things I quite like. Wotakoi has very direct dialogue, People say what they think and don't hide inside their shells. These characters are honest and don't spend 15 episodes pondering over how to convey. The comedy -especially after the first 2 episodes- is genius. The series is full of gamer memes that feel very accurate to 90's kids (which our main characters also are).
The main characters don't feel very special nor memorable. They are just normal, realistic folks who are doing the slice of life thingy. Arguably very smart choice when considering the nature of this series. The actual romance between them is super cute and innocent. The overall execution makes Wotakoi seem like a feel-good series.
At first, the side characters seem pretty dull, and come off quite comedic, but soon turns out they are pretty much the same as our main pair, just not in the lead role in this series. This is something to which I typically pay a lot attention, but this time our side characters are actually real characters and not filler people. I can appreciate that.
The art and animation are rather typical. Nothing note-worthy in terms of good or bad. It has chosen the safe route, which is fine. When it comes to the OST, I have been too busy giggling at the cute romance scenes so I completely did not pay attention to any of the songs or if there even were any present. I only recall the video game BGM from episode 1. The series made a good job on making me forget that I was watching an anime. This is pretty much the perfect prove -for myself at least- that it is a decent show.
Love it!
kayleedahl14 February 2021
This is the kind of entertainment
Mysterygeneration16 January 2024
Although geared toward an older audience, this anime has the feel of something from a child's imagination. A lighthearted environment is created by the silly tale and vibrant ensemble of characters, which also foster great character chemistry among them. Narumi Momose and Hirotaka Nifuji, two old friends, have different personalities but get along well both on and off the job. Two lovebirds, Hanako Koanagi and Tarou Kabakura, are also included. The show delves into the daily experiences of these characters, even though it is not exclusively focused on workplace romance. Instead than focusing on drama or miscommunication, the show follows these folks on their daily excursions.
Absence of fan service? Not an issue. The character dialogues do the talking, and the majority of them use lighthearted comedy to convey amusement. However, the voice cast's abilities enable it to produce high-caliber entertainment simultaneously. Because of their human nature, Narumi and Hanako in particular are able to bring out the best in others. The theme songs' choreography is also very imaginative. Specifically, Sumika's "Fiction," the OP song, is adorable with her body language. The coordinated actions of each character make them stand out in the theme tunes.
With only 11 episodes, the anime felt that it had enough to accomplish its goal of persuading viewers to buy into its concepts. Its imaginative cast of individuals and their shared interests enable it to succeed in that regard. It's difficult to embrace otakuism as a desirable cultural norm. In fact, in modern society, it's frequently despised. But that was presented positively in this show. I have no doubts whatsoever about recommending the show to almost anyone. This is the kind of entertainment that truly deserves greater notice.
Absence of fan service? Not an issue. The character dialogues do the talking, and the majority of them use lighthearted comedy to convey amusement. However, the voice cast's abilities enable it to produce high-caliber entertainment simultaneously. Because of their human nature, Narumi and Hanako in particular are able to bring out the best in others. The theme songs' choreography is also very imaginative. Specifically, Sumika's "Fiction," the OP song, is adorable with her body language. The coordinated actions of each character make them stand out in the theme tunes.
With only 11 episodes, the anime felt that it had enough to accomplish its goal of persuading viewers to buy into its concepts. Its imaginative cast of individuals and their shared interests enable it to succeed in that regard. It's difficult to embrace otakuism as a desirable cultural norm. In fact, in modern society, it's frequently despised. But that was presented positively in this show. I have no doubts whatsoever about recommending the show to almost anyone. This is the kind of entertainment that truly deserves greater notice.
Needs a little more romance but still amazing 👏🏾
winterfoxweeb8 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I love the couple they are fast paced and relate to me all they have moments that are just so good and if you think about it they've been dating there whole life ever since they met so that was cute and hilarious but I know over the secret ending like omg like the end of the secret ending though I wish there was more loved it very much. And I wish someone will tell me where the OVA'S are cause I miss the show I'll rewatch but I keep hearing about ovas I need them 😢but I love this show alot it was some of the best I've watched. 👌🏾
Lovely storyline but lacked romance.
lilpeper27 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I just finished watching it, first episodes had me intrigued but by time it got very boring. I couldnt finish one episode without skipping most of it, and there wasnt enough scenes in one episode either. It seemed like more of a friendship rather than a relationship, not only between Narumi and Hirotaka but also with Hanako and Kabakura. Hanako and Kabakura were included in every "date" of Narumi and Hirotaka's excluding the last episode's date, which there should be more single dates than double dates. There wasn't barely any scenes that showed romance, Two hug scenes and one kiss scene that didnt show that it was even a kiss, I only found out they kissed only when Narumi mentioned it after it happened. All though I love the storyline, it clearly lacked romance.
Very laugh out loud funny
cmarino-243322 March 2019
I really enjoyed this anime. It was very funny and sweet. Loved the characters. For a romcom there really wasn't any romance. I give it a 10/10 cuz it was hilarious. One thing did bother me was although all 4 friends were in their mid 20's, one of the couples relationship was a little too adolescent, and I don't mean regarding Otaku but just being boyfriend and girlfriend.
A lot of meat on the grill but not much conclusio
Nonomemes13 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Technically speaking, very nice rom-com (seinen) where Narumi try to escape what she think is her otaku complex. In reality we will learn that she is more "normie" than some of her closest office friends / colleagues. Her boyfriend Hirotaka also go through a process of normiezation, however the trick here is that this is more an internal process and not really publicly evident.
I wrote "technically speaking" because they put really many topics on the table every episode, with most of them not coming to a real conclusion, they often argue, but when it comes to decision point you have the feeling that the show is kind of "cut".
I understand that adult relations are more difficult then teenagers one, but this is an anime and not a novel, we do not have time here to create our own image of the character if they keep speaking, and never going out of their shell.
I wrote "technically speaking" because they put really many topics on the table every episode, with most of them not coming to a real conclusion, they often argue, but when it comes to decision point you have the feeling that the show is kind of "cut".
I understand that adult relations are more difficult then teenagers one, but this is an anime and not a novel, we do not have time here to create our own image of the character if they keep speaking, and never going out of their shell.
felt like a waste of my time
halashuayp12 November 2020
It was so bad. honestly the storyline was too slow and not eventful (does that make sense?) 5 different things happen in one episode and none of them get explored further or carried for a longer period of time. almost no build up of anything really, maybe Nifuji grew up a little more but everything else felt very static. there was no emotional climax and just no story really, it's more like you're watching this group of 4 go on about their lives.
Love is hard for otaku (condition does not apply if male)
ecvoid5 April 2020
The show has 4 nerdy characters split into two couples. The supporting lovers, who run hot and cold, are supposed to contrast the typical "sweet" romance developing between the protagonists. Nothing original but could have been enjoyable. I mean 4 otakus ineptly navigating through the subtleties of a romantic relationship should equal something funny and endearing. But it was a gigantic let down for me. It slid into generic anime "romance" so fast I got nauseated. Both the male characters wield insults as a method of being charming or manly. And the ladies love it! The worse they are treated the harder they are falling for the guys.
A bit later into the show the imbalance between the status of a male otaku and a female one was spelled out for the viewer: a male otaku has way more options. I had to stop watching from that point on. Honestly the light-hearted anime "Teasing master Takagi-san" portrays affection and comedy a million times better. "Teasing master Takagi-san" even went as far as parodying everything wrong with rom-coms with the comical "100% unrequited love" show within a show. The swooning of the heroine, the cruel attitude of the hero and rejection having the effect of an aphrodisiac were all hilariously hyperbolized. Or so I thought at the time until I started scraping the bottom of the rom-cam barrel...
If you want a juvenile fantasy were women ask to be hurt, at times even physically, then yeah this anime is for you.
A bit later into the show the imbalance between the status of a male otaku and a female one was spelled out for the viewer: a male otaku has way more options. I had to stop watching from that point on. Honestly the light-hearted anime "Teasing master Takagi-san" portrays affection and comedy a million times better. "Teasing master Takagi-san" even went as far as parodying everything wrong with rom-coms with the comical "100% unrequited love" show within a show. The swooning of the heroine, the cruel attitude of the hero and rejection having the effect of an aphrodisiac were all hilariously hyperbolized. Or so I thought at the time until I started scraping the bottom of the rom-cam barrel...
If you want a juvenile fantasy were women ask to be hurt, at times even physically, then yeah this anime is for you.
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