DESCRIPTION

CAST

MANGA ComedyTonikaku Kawaii
ANIME ActionHayate no Gotoku!
OVA ComedyTonikaku Kawaii: SNS

REVIEWS

• 

  AnimeDweeb

  40/100
  I'm Not Quite Over The Moon for Tonikaku.

  Do you like cute things? I like cute things. Here, have a cute picture of a cat:

  

  Such a cute chubster, isn't he? There! Now that that's out of the way, let it be known to the jury that OP isn't a soulless loser who's incapable of enjoying cute things at surface level. I feel it's kinda necessary to point this out, as it seems that any discussion surrounding Tonikaku starts and ends with these three words: "It's so cute!" If this was seen as pure fluff and nothing more, I wouldn't bat an eye. Instead, we're dealing with what is supposedly the SOL blockbuster of the season, and I'm not content with ending my observations by stating the obvious. So without further ado, let's figure out where this seemingly innocent show goes wrong as we take a closer, cynical look at the undeserving SOL darling of the season. This review is spoiler-free, but feel free to skip ahead to my Tl;Dr if you'd like to go in completely blind.

  ---

  "Wait, you're telling me we get to see them get married?"

  

  We've seen the same love story play out countless times before. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, they struggle to confess, and the show ends right as the relationship finally gets off the ground. It's tried, it's tested, it's tropey as all hell. Aside from the "Will They, Won't They" conundrum, shows typically avoid romantic conflict like the plague. For whatever reason, audiences are sadly subjected to this constant retreading of material.

  Tonikaku's solution to all this seemed like a breath of fresh air: Put a ring on it!

  

  The series forgoes platonic courtship in favor of finally giving audiences a lighthearted take on married life. Our newly-wedded husband is Nasa Yuzaki, who at 16 almost had his life end abruptly in a disastrous accident. Miraculously he survives, thanks to the intervention of his future wife Tsukasa. On that fateful night, the infatuated Nasa asks Tsukasa out. Two years later, they get hitched, and this all happens in the span of the first episode. Sounds wholesome and sweet… cute even. But in spite of its promising premise, one can tell right away that Tonikaku has little interest in doing much else than what we've already seen before.

  The building blocks are there to support Tonikaku's exploration of what being a married couple entails.

  

  Several segments of the show are fun mini infomercials, dedicated to going over the spending habits and practices of middle-class residents in Japan. The Yuzakis face practical problems on a daily basis, and learn what it's like to share a living space with someone from the opposite gender. The young couple also spend time dealing with the consequences of suddenly getting married, and Tonikaku does an impressive job with making their matrimony make sense in a lifelike setting. Topics include purchasing marriage rings, property guarantor laws, and dreaded visits to the In-Laws. These tidbits may be enough to placate audiences looking to get invested in some semblance of realism. While I did find those parts of the show inoffensive, any goodwill I may have had gets thrown out the window once the show settles into its repetitive groove.

  For most, Tonikaku's central conceit is the show's greatest strength; for others, its biggest weakness.

  

  On one hand, you have a show poised to deliver its spin on relationships not often popularized in anime. On the other, you have a show that intends to explore marriage only in name; even though Nasa and Tsukasa are a registered couple, they AREN'T married. They may go through daily-life struggles and share moments similar to those between married couples, but fail to put on a convincing relationship. Watching Tonikaku was watching two innocent children, whose pairing makes no sense outside of its shotgun-marriage premise, declaring sweet nothings and grandiose monologues about romance. The show trivialises and simplifies life-long intimacy to the point where the Yuzakis are barely indistinguishable from your stock "puppy-love" couples. That's not a bad thing on its own; not every romance SOL is required to provide some insightful truth on the subject. However, it's worth stressing that what the show is attempting is woefully at odds with what is advertised. Tonikaku is fully content with leaving its ambition at the altar, in favor of playing on familiar ground and formulaic jokes. The former greatly diminished my excitement for the story. As for the latter… well, let's get into it.

  The series suffers from its poor use of characters.

  

  By far the biggest offender is Nasa, who is kind, ever-prepared and intelligent… except when he's not. Tonikaku constantly destroys this positive image by instead handing us a daft teenager, who simped so hard it accidentally scored him a wife, almost at the cost of his life. Unless the plot demands him to be the purest snowflake alive, Nasa is possessive and downright horny. He finds strange obsessions within the most unassuming of situations; ranging from following his wife to the lingerie section, to awkwardly cuddling his wife as she sleeps, to undressing his wife in his mind as she changes in the other room (this occurs multiple times, mind you.) Not all these instances are bad, such as the scene in Episode 2 where the newly-wed couple share their first night together. It's at least a scenario unique to the show, and in small doses I'd find these scenarios to be mildly amusing… cute even. But then the joke just keeps going... and going… and going, ad nauseam. This Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Horny Hyde dichotomy does the character no favors. I'm constantly told he's this unselfish and thoughtful individual, but I'm witnessing a child given the means to act out his flights of pubescent fantasy onto a fellow virgin. Speaking of Tsukasa, her utilization in the show is equally irresponsible. While her charming character is inoffensive, what sucks is that she's constantly objectified by her Hubby Dearest. These disturbing interactions make up a huge chunk of Tonikaku, leaving me unimpressed and unconvinced whenever the show takes a break and preaches how kind and compatible and lovey-dovey our power couple are. It's kind of appalling how immature these characters are at times, and how they get away with their creepy implications and one-dimensional characterization just because "they're married."

  If the main 'ship is insufferable, the secondary cast is largely unremarkable.

  

  Kaname's sketches are the saving grace of the series and always put a smile on my face. Most of her gags are low-brow comedy, but they're enjoyable in a way that Nasa's simping is not. The key difference is that Kaname's jokes are very clearly meant to be provocative, while Nasa's testosterone-driven desires are framed as "wholesome." Aya's cluelessness is also pretty entertaining, with some of the series' funniest bits under her belt. Nasa's parents received quite a lot of build-up but fell disappointingly short of expectations. Lastly, Chitose and her maids are pretty awful, with Chitose in particular playing an uninspired tsun. She somehow makes Nasa look less dumb when she's on-screen, so that's quite the impressive feat.

  The show is disappointing to look at.

  

  Some shows' chibi slapstick asides look more detailed than the entirety of the series. Sure, it keeps in-line with the mangaka's drawing style, but the simplicity of the presentation makes me wonder if the studio picked up this adaptation knowing they could get away with a cheap cash-grab. The monetary cost-cutting devolved to unintentionally silly levels, when about 1-2 minutes of Street Fighter V screen-capture footage was spliced in throughout Ep 11.^ Tonikaku's OP could have nearly been the best of 2020, if the budget had not run out as the title card dropped. Nothing stood out to me in the score, and the VA performances are nothing special. Konomi Kohara (Chika Fujiwara, Yuuko Yoshida) sounds like she's phoning in her performance as Chitose, and doesn't sound like she's having nearly as much fun as she did in Machikado Mazoku.

  Tonikaku is no love story, it's wish fulfilment.

  

  There is no honest attempt at exploring married life, outside your everyday I-Love-Yous and embarrassed kisses. What we have instead are immature characters involved in a series of formulaic sketches that are either unfunny or disturbingly horny. I'd like to think that Truck-kun really was waiting in the wings to transport Nasa's soul into another world. A world only slightly different from our own, where the perfect girl falls into your reincarnated lap and is wholly submissive to your every request. And judging from the love Tonikaku is getting, there may well be an audience for this proposed isekai. Unfortunately, I'm just not a huge fan.

  Tl;Dr:

  

  In forgoing the confession phase, Tonikaku attempts to mislead you into thinking it sets itself apart from a typical romance story. Unfortunately, it's hard to see much merit with this decision when the characters are written with the same, if not greater, lack of maturity that plagues its contemporaries. Missed opportunities with exploring married life leaves a sour taste in my mouth. There are some moments that make for laid-back viewing, but Tonikaku's warped perception of love ensures that such opportunities are the exception and not the norm. Tonikaku comes across as a cheaply-produced "flavor of the month" SOL, that I wouldn't get nearly so riled up about if it wasn't so widely hailed as the Romance of the Season. 4/10~

  ---

  STRAY RAMBLINGS (SPOILERS):

  • ^I get that the mangaka is fond of retro games and such, but this scene is just ridiculous to me. Kinda sad that this production goof happened to be the best joke of that episode. A Hi-Score Girl this is not.
  • By Ep 5, I was so desperate to find something funny that I let myself laugh when the show mentioned The Human Centipide out of nowhere. Not my proudest moment, Ik.
  • Too lazy to pay attention to much else in the show, so allow me to throw in some peak-cringe Nasa quotes for the rest of this section. E. L. James would be impressed.

    "This is a bath episode!"

  "I can feel her body temperature directly through my arm!"

  "It's like I managed to pull an Ultra-Rare variant of my wife!"

  "I want to try all kinds of embarrassing things to [my wife]!"

  And my personal favorite:

  "I want to hug my bra-less, panty-less wife so much!"

  • BEST GIRL: Giving this one to Kaname. She's deadass the most mature, sensible character in the show, I wish I was joking.

  

  ---

  OK, that's it for now. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to write about an actual good romance story… more on that soon enough. Thanks for making it this far in my rant, I apologize if I failed to communicate my critique effectively here. If you happen to like my verbose rants, feel free to check out my other reviews (they're a lot more civil I swear) for seasons past and present, peace~

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• 

  sushiisawesome

  90/100
  A great dynamic between the main couple and a deeply personal take on the romance genre make this a must watch.

  Tonikaku Kawaii is essentially a story about the lack of familiarity involving love at first sight, and ends up discussing what does it exactly mean to fall in love, as well as all the emotions that come with it. It's a story about the irrationality falling for someone can do to people, leaving them waiting endlessly for a happy ending that may or may not ever come. The opening episode is a perfect example of this, showing Nasa falling for Tsukasa's strength at saving him while also setting up the abnormality between both characters - one who due to his obsession with success has no idea what moderation is, and is willing to go so far as to confess to someone who caught his eye, and the other for striving desperately to find a place to belong after being lost for her whole life without finding one. The Tale of Princess Kaguya being used as a metaphor for the entire story, as such, is convincingly tied to the dynamic between Nasa and Tsukasa - one of two lovers that were seemingly destined to meet meeting one another, and finding solace and a place to call home in each other, with even a timeskip taking place in the first episode perfectly symbolizing the distance between the two.

  Symbolism is only part of the picture of what makes this series what it is, but it's rather both characters and their attempts in understanding each other that also set this series apart from the overwhelming majority of the romance genre. Opportunities for drama arise left, right and center, but end peacefully due to the characters' relative level-headedness compared to most of their equivalents in the romance genre. One example that sticks out is how a side character had feelings for Nasa, and is clearly upset that she lost and desires to continue the good fight; instead of this leading down a path of overly melodramatic and extremely pointless drama, another character outright tells her that she lost because she was late to confess, and as such simply didn't deserve to win, a gigantic change of pace from series where hundreds of chapters are spent on this exact point, as if the audience couldn't have just understood that. Both leads don't magically get used to each other after marriage - after all, they're just two strangers who survived getting run over by a truck - but take time to hug, kiss and spend time to understand each other and their respective backgrounds, quirks and personalities.

  This ties into one aspect that's underappreciated involving the show, and that is how we just see our main leads do something other than get into pointless drama or bicker with each other. Small pieces of characterization are laid out for both main leads, ranging from foods they like/dislike to tastes in fiction to their own social lives outside of each other and how they handle people around them as well as character flaws they both have - Nasa for example, has spent much of his life seeking to be the best at what he is, and as such is an overly perfectionist acting nerd who gets overly zealous of what he loves. By extension, this means he's just about the most awkward person involving interpersonal relationships imaginable and often overacts or steps out of bounds - something that is not uncommon in conservative cultures, Japan being one such example. Tsukasa by comparison, often expresses herself poorly and doesn't know how to communicate her feelings towards Nasa, making her dynamic with him one where he's the hotheaded man of action to her relative more insightful, quiet personality. Both characters bounce off of each other exceptionally well, with clear development and progression over the course of the series as Nasa slowly grows more accustomed to Tsukasa's presence in his life, and Tsukasa slowly but surely becoming more expressive and opening up to him in her life.

  The comedy is an interesting beast to tackle involving this show, as while the rather standard production values compared to the likes of Kaguya-sama or Maou-sama de Oyasumi may fall flat for some viewers, the voice acting and sound design are worthy of a lot of praise. Voice acting is done exceptionally well, with Akari Kitou deserving particular praise over her performance as Tsukasa. Similar praise must be granted to Junya Enoki as Nasa, and Yuu Serizawa as Kaname, who similarly do an exceptional job balancing the comedy with the more serious moments in the series. A scene that is a particular standout is Kaname thanking Tsukasa for saving Nasa's life, which felt exceptionally well voiced even by the show's high standards. The music is also worthy of serious praise; the opening didn't do much on my end due to a rather poor drop when the title, well, drops, but the ending song is just a pleasant romantic song and essentially the de facto leitmotif of the series, with various tracks over the course of the show essentially being soft remixes of the ED. Character designs are basic yet lightly colored, fitting the overall lighthearted tone of the show, while also being capable of being more over the top in more comedic moments, though this would come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Kenjirou Hata's previous work in Hayate no Gotoku.

  If there is a miss involving this first season, it's rather that for all intents and purposes the gags often get repetitive though strangely oddly specific insofar as humor goes. One example that sticks in my mind is of Tsukasa having no underwear and going commando under her clothes, with Nasa quietly losing it at what's going on - while no overly offensive sexual humor happens, thankfully, it felt strangely specific for a joke and I was left wondering why. Much of the series' jokes improve from this point onwards in the manga - though it's doubtful this'd do much for you if this wasn't already your brand of humor - and the dynamics progress considerably over the course of the series, leading to another issue wherein the last episode adapts a few chapters where the characters are much more close to one another later in the manga than they are in the rest of the anime. Of course, and ultimately one can argue that the occasional oddly specific gag could well be because of the author very directly stating in an interview that he's placing many of his own experiences after getting married in the manga, which isn't exactly uncommon for any fictional writer, but I digress.

  Tonikaku Kawaii is a breath of fresh air for anyone who desires a romance series that incorporates popular elements and yet executes them exceptionally well. Some of its humor feels oddly specific, the production values while decent are nothing to write home about and some of the innocence involving the two main leads and their relative conservatism in approaching each other would fly over people's heads considering the cultural dissonance, but overall there's an excellent romance anime for those willing to look past otherwise minor nitpicks.

  I cannot recommend this anime highly enough, and especially if you are a fan of romance series; this recommendation extends to the manga, which only improves in quality as it goes on.

  Thank you very much for reading this review, any and all feedback would be appreciated.

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• 

  spratty

  90/100
  Yeah, I contemplated getting married. So what?

  When I think of marriage I think of suffering, problems, guilt, divorce etc. It's not due to my family situation because my parents are happily married, but because of the many stories I've heard from friends and relatives. And also because of society in general. I've heard many more stories of people being in a miserable, detached relationship than in a happy and loving relationship. I guess marriage is a hit for most. But then I watched this anime and I began to realize the beauty of it. The reason why couples decide to take the next step. I really did think about it. I sat there and contemplated, I fantasized and dreamt of how nice it must be to have a wife like Tsukasa. To have someone like her that cares for me and someone that I can cherish as well. And then it hit me that I don't even have a girlfriend yet so I can't get married in the first place...

  Tonikawa: Over the Moon For You is an anime I least expected to have enjoyed so much this season. Twelve episodes of following a young couple around and watching them laugh and flirt might sound boring to most, but you can be damn sure I enjoyed the hell out of it! I know the slice of life/romance genre isn't super exciting, but I just feel like I can ease up and relax when I am watching something this cute and wholesome. And with all the shounen/action anime that aired this season (Haikyu!!, Jujutsu, Fire Force) Tonikawa was a nice change of pace that simply allowed me to take it easy.

  

  The anime follows Nasa Yuzaki and his wife Tsukasa and their journey through life as a married couple. Nasa is a charismatic and kindhearted young man and a prodigy as well because of his intellect. He's on the path to become a really successful person and live a lavish life until one day he encounters a beautiful girl named Tsukasa. At that moment he instantly falls in love with her and decides to throw everything else away because to him a moment like this may never come again. On his way to talk to her he gets hit by a truck but luckily Tsukasa saves him, minimizing his injuries. He then confesses his love to her (with his injuries) and she accepts only if he marries her first. Happily agreeing, Nasa passes out and he doesn't see Tsukasa again until he is 18 when she suddenly appears at his house and that is when their married life begins.

  Nasa and Tsukasa are sort of an awkward couple at first, having jumped straight to marriage without really knowing each other. This means that each interaction and new experience they have together is a first since they have never been in a relationship before in the first place. Nasa is a caring, intelligent, and organized person, which Tsukasa learns pretty quickly, but he can also be very impulsive and whimsical which might lead him to trouble. Tsukasa his newly wedded wife, is mysterious as can be since her past is pretty much unknown to Nasa. But soon he learns that the elegant Tsukasa is a gentle, sweet girl who can be intense with the things she loves and also has a bashful and cute side to her. As they spend their days together, we see that they easily get comfortable with one another and are soon a very lively couple.

  

  Their interactions are adorable and heartwarming that simply leave you grinning at your screen the entire time. Scenes like traveling together, going shopping, eating together, going to the bathhouse, and sleeping together are simple but still pleasuring at the same time. I'm at the age where going on a simple Target run feels like an exciting journey itself, so when I see that Nasa and Tsukasa are going shopping for clothes or a new TV, I'm like "Hell yeah!". Since each experience is a new one for both of them, things never get boring and you are left wondering what is going to happen next in their married life. Tonikawa romanticizes what the married life is like which is certainly far from realistic but I'm glad the anime decided to focus on the small details and beauty of it rather than the negative aspects of it. And after all this is an anime so I'm not complaining.

  Secondary characters aren't really important, but they do make a fun addition to the cast and keep things entertaining and fresh. It's fun to see Nasa and Tsukasa interact with others and see how they react to their marriage since it just occurs out of the blue one day with no story behind it. But I guess that is what love is. It has you make some irrational and absurd decisions. The art and soundtrack are alright, good enough for me to enjoy things without having any complaints. One thing I loved besides Nasa and Tsukasa is the OP “Koino Uta" by Yunomi. I won't lie, I wasn't really feeling it the first time around because it sounded like some weird remix and some EDM/dubstep which I'm not a fan of. But by the second or third time I listened to it, I was bumping to it everywhere I went. It's just a banger and catchy. That 1 minute and 30 seconds before the episode were always glorious.

  Is the married life any good? There are definitely ups and downs but what really matters is the way a couple is able to deal with their problems, and that determines how well their relationship is. This is a review and not couples therapy, so I'll get to the point. Tonikawa is a wholesome and heartwarming anime that draw you in with its charming couple and delightful story. I just can't get enough of Tsukasa and Nasa. I wouldn't mind if we received a second season at all. Actually, I'm hoping for a second season. If you're a slice of life/romance fan I'm certain you'll enjoy this. I ain't getting married anytime soon but at least I found an amusing anime to distract myself with and maybe get a glimpse as to what my future may hold. Hopefully...

  
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