How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend Anime

For Fans Of Realistic Harems

White Album 2

Haruki Kitaharas light music club is on the verge of disbanding due to lack of interest, an event that will crush his dream of playing at the school festival. However, as he solemnly plays White Album, the first song he ever learned to play, an angelic voice suddenly harmonizes with his lonely guitar.

Well, Saekano is based off a light novel created by the author who also created the White Album 2 light novel. While they have vastly different plots, you will find some similar personalities, atmospheres, and dramas. However, what makes them most similar is that a group of girls gather around a boy in a way that is not completely out there.

Student Councils Discretion

The student council of Hekyou Gakuen is all chosen by popular vote, so of course they are all cute girls. The only exception is Ken Sugisaki who managed to get a spot by being the top scoring student of the year. Now he spends his time trying to turn the student council into his harem while the girls focus on more important things like running festivals and driving Ken mad.

It is not such a stretch to imagine a doujin circle or a student council that is all girls and one guy. Well, yeah, it is a stretch, but it is not outside the realms of naturally occurring harem reality. Both Saekano and The Student Councils Discretion have that. They are both about otaku boys that are completely dominated by women. However, Saekano has a plot line to follow.

Denki-gai no Honya-san

Saenai Heroine No Sodatekata 06

An ongoing theme in Tomoya and Utahas friendship has been mutual inspiration. In their first encounter Tomoya expresses how much Utahas work inspires him the moment he steps up to her table at her book signing. His remarks leave an instant and lasting impression. Fast forward to that fateful snowy day when Tomoya declines to read her latest manuscript.

Utaha, you see, never come out and told Tomoya he inspires her as she did him. Offering him the manuscript is her way of showing it. But he rejects that approach, and even though its for perfectly understandable reasonshes a fan, and doesnt want to influence her creative process any more than he wants a sneak peak at an unfinished workit still feels to Utaha that hes rejecting her, which wounds her deeply.

Utaha had never quite forgiven him for thatuntil this week, which is another showcase of Saekanos knack for placing its characters in relatively confined, intimate places. Even Tomoyas date with Megumi at the mall felt like it, since the crush of people made them have to stick that much closer together, and the mutual fun they were having made that crush blur and fade into the background, until it was just them.

When Utaha gets dressed and prepares to set out for her busy day, she doesnt hesitate to make a joke about post-evening afterglow, not to mention the fact she wickedly took a picture of her in bed with Tomoya while he was asleep and made it his background.

Lets Go See Tomoyas High School

The Model of Tomoyas School

The high school to which Tomoya commutes is named Toyogasaki Academy. The model of this school is Tokyo Animation College, which is very close to JR Takadanobaba Station. The place is rather far from Gakushuinshita Station and Omokagebashi Station if you go on foot.

Tokyo Animation College

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Saenai Heroine No Sodatekata 12

This final episode of Saekano that we know of had the air of a show that was merely saying see you later down the road rather than a full-on sayonara. So while it crossed its Ts and dotted its Is for the possibility that it wouldnt be back, it made the right move by not trying to do too much in its finale. Mainly, it focused on sealing the deal on Michiru joining the circle.

Tomoya got Michiru and her three bandmates their first gig, and while its not much, theyre glad to have it. Kato is on her way to the venue with a still very dubious Utaha and Eriri, and finds herself acting as mediator between the bullying Utaha and the sensitive Eriri. Both are still sore from their experiences with Michiru and are acting out in their own ways, but Kato is confident in Tomoyas ability to achieve his objective. Michirus going to come on board and the games going to be great.

Its interesting that Utaha and Eriri grudgingly accept Kato as something resembling a friend, not the threat they may have perceived her as when she first came on the scene. Heck, they even agree with one another in their little faith in Tomoya, but one can hardly blame them for being so unenthusiastic its like theyre well aware theyre dealing with two very potent competitors in Kato and now Michiru.

She takes the stage, and suddenly theres a tinge of Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso in my Saekano. But Icy Tail breaks the ice not with piano or violin, but with Soairo Days from TTGLnice choice!

For Fans Of Students Advancing Otaku Culture

Bakuman

As a child, Moritaka Mashiro wanted to be a manga artist like his uncle. However, after certain events transpired, he refocused his efforts towards studying in middle school. One day, aspiring writer Akito Takagi notices some detailed drawings in Moritakas notebook and approaches him to propose they become a mangaka together. Realizing that he might be able to get his crush if they make an anime adaption of it with her as the voice actor, Moritaka agrees, and thus, the mangaka Muto Ashirogi is born.

Both Bakumon and Saekano are about school boy otaku that are inspired to make something great. However, the major difference is the amount of people they use to make that happen. However, both Bakuman and Saekano give you a closer look as to what goes into making your favorite media.

Girls Beyond the Wasteland

Buntarou Hojo is a high school student with a talent for writing, but no direction in life. When his classmate Sayuki Kuroda notices his talent, she pressures him into her girl game development group. Will this foray into game development be just about games or will it teach him about life as well?

Naturally, Saekano and Girls Beyond the Wasteland are about people that want to make a doujin game. However, Saekano has a boy otaku and Girls Beyond the Wasteland has a girl otaku. Naturally, they end up making games for their respective genders.

Magic of Stella

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Saenai Heroine No Sodatekata 07

A big reason why Ive enjoyed Saekano so much isnt just its knack for cleverly inserting commentary about the genre in which it dwells while telling a unique story all its own that benefits from that self-awareness and self-critique. Its also the shows knack for getting us to forget all about the future and simply focus on the now, and the wonderful dialogue and interactions between Aki Tomoya and the varied girls in his life.

This episode was off to another great start. After spending all of his time with Utaha last week, this week it seems to be Eriris turn, and she makes the most of it by making Tomoya role-play a sex scene with her. Both of them are well aware theyre merely reading lines to one another, but since both of them put in such good performance., they end up arousing one another, something Eriri probably hoped for.

I personally wouldnt mind if that was the whole episode, but there are big changes afoot this week, and in the process of introducing those changes, the show suddenly turns its gaze away from the now and towards the horizon, which I must admit is a little unsettling.

Just as Tomoya is chastising Kato for suddenly sporting a ponytail . A discussion ensues, into the cultivation of well-established and time-honed core traitslike a blonde twin-tail or long jet-black hairversus cheat tricks like the sudden change of hairstyle.

Saekano: How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend Anime Review

Japanese Title: Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata

Length: 25 episodes

• Proper challenges in creative professions.

Negatives:

Its no secret that trash overwhelmingly populates the harem genre. Its also common knowledge that harem is mainstream among anime fans, as a harem entry hits the charts each season. Fans also forget them just as quickly when the next season throws a new batch of waifus to pick from.

Harem anime is the easiest genre to make and thus floods the new release list every few months. To stand out from the orgy, studios select series that can bait the reader in, whether through an all-monster-girl cast, picking up girls in a dungeon, or making every girl be the guys teachers. A-1 Pictures gamble to go meta-harem with Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend paid off, wedging it between the breasts of fellow harems The Testament of Sister New Devil and Absolute Duo in that seasons top 10. Parodying the genre elevates you above the genre, yes? Well, lets find out.

Saekano follows high school otaku Tomoya in his dream to make the most compelling harem visual novel. To this task, he recruits illustrator Eriri, bestselling author Utaha, and boring girl Megumi as model for the main character. However, to tap into the emotions required for a compelling visual novel, he and his super team must experience these emotions themselves.

Saekano is still above most harem, but only average by other standards, which is far better than anyone should expect.

Art Low

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Saenai Heroine No Sodatekata 09

At some point after Eriri ran off, Tomoya returned home, went to bed, and dreamt a painful memory. While he was asleep, Kato, concerned that the circle was in trouble, called Utaha, who came running and then let herself into Tomoyas bed.

Utahas excuse for why shes therethat she had zero screen time in the last episodeis one of the more brazen punches through of the fourth wall since the prologue, and I laughed.

That would only be the first taste of an episode that was a veritable buffet of witty banter, much of it courtesy of Utaha, who does seem to be making up for her absence last week.

That absence actually served two purposes, to my mind: it made the heart grow fonder for Utaha, and also gave Eriri the space and isolation she needed for her current falling-out with Tomoya to resonate properly.

Utaha knows about the falling-out, and shes here to help. More specifically, shes here to slap Tomoya out of his wimpy indecisive protagonist mode and set making up with Eriri his top priority, over all other considerations, including her own pursuit of his heart.

Make no mistake, Utaha is not about to lose to Eririor Kato, for that matter, whose sudden regular presence in Tomoyas house irks he. But shes also not about to let the circle fall apart over a squabble that can be easily fixed .

Plus, if her main rival in love were to forfeit so easily, it reflects badly on hernot to mention be less fun!

Eriris House Is On Top Of Fujimizaka

The Road in the Front is Fujimizaka.

This is Fujimizaka. It first seems to be a gentle slope, but as you walk up, you will realize that it gets steeper. On top of this hill is Eriri Spencer Sawamuras house. Fujimizaka appears in episodes 3, 7, 9, and 12. Of course, I am talking about the anime, so there is a different building on top of the slope in reality.

Eriris House on top of Fujimizaka

The model of Eriris house is Kyu-Furukawa Gardens, which is located in Nishigahara of Kita Ward, Tokyo. Originally, it was the residence of Toranosuke Furukawa, the third representative of the Furukawa Group. This group is one of the largest industrial groups in Japan. The house and garden in the photo was designed by an English architect, Josiah Conder, in 1917. He is also well-known to have designed the Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens in Ueno and Nikolai-do Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Ochanomizu. The Japanese-style garden in this place was made in 1919 by Jihei Ogawa, who is known for making the gardens in Heian Shrine and Maruyama Park in Kyoto. Kyu-Furukawa Gardens is now a national property. The country let the Tokyo Metropolitan Government open this place as a public park. The entrance fee is 150 yen.

Kyu-Furukawa Gardens

The Direction Board of Fujimizaka

Looking at Shinjuku from Fujimizaka

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Saekano: How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend

Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend, also known in the long form Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata and the short form Saekano, is a Japanese romantic comedylight novel series written by Fumiaki Maruto, with illustrations by Kurehito Misaki. Fujimi Shobo published thirteen volumes between July 2012 and October 2017 under their Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint. The story follows high school student Tomoya Aki, who recruits a trio of beautiful girls to help him develop a visual novel to sell at the Comiket convention.

Saenai Heroine No Sodatekata 10

AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR. Or FIVE, if you count IZUMI. OMG, WHY AM I SHOUTING AT YOU WHERE ARE MY MANNERS?!

Anywho, everyones favorite purple-haired tomboy Hyoudou Michiru is here, and her timing couldnt have been better. Why? Because after a seemingly long string of episodes in which Tomoya is fawned over by one girl after another for various reasons, this week Tomoya is the fawnerperhaps not by choice, at least at firstand not the fawnee.

Tomoya is content to bury himself in Blessing Software, as he holds teleconferences with his staff and make progress on the dating sim . Then his only cousin Michiru appears, topless, in his bathroom, having run away from home after the latest disagreement with her dad .

Whether she is oblivious to her power over her cousin of the same age is having fun torturing a horny teenage boy, or is herself into Tomoya calling Michiru a disruptive force in Tomoyas little otaku world would be a grim understatement.

The sudden 3D onslaught nearly drives Tomoya to insanity. The camera reflects his uneasy but utterly-unable-to-avert gaze, and its all over the voluptuous, scantily-clad Michiru. This episode features the most fanservice since the prologue possibly more.

Just as the circles topic of discussion turns to determining who will score the game, a very big oversight to this point, considering the awesome power of music , Tomoya gets a cheerful text from Michiru asking when hes coming home and stating shes ordering pizza .

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Saekano: How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend Fine Anime Movie Details

In case youre not familiar with the series, MAL describes the synopsis of the light novel as,

The life of Tomoya Aki, a high school otaku working part-time to support his BD hoarding. With remarkable luck, he bumps head-first into, Megumi Katou, the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. Naturally, the meeting twists his life into a complicated torrent of relationships. Eriri Spencer Sawamura, his half-foreigner childhood friend whos always valued her relationship with MC. Kasumigaoka Utaha, a cold, composed renowned literary genius who shoves everyone aside from our protagonist. What is this? An eroge introduction?

The tale of a small not quite doujin circle, but not quite indie studios journey through the tough territory of Comiket and beyond.

There are many school, slice of life anime which if you start counting would take you a day or two to count them completely. The thing which makes this show stand out from other shows is its unique plot and the main characters especially the main heroine and the understanding between them. Its a really light-hearted show which anyone can watch and enjoy anytime. Check out the new key visual down below.

Anime Review: Saekano How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend

Male otaku blogger Tomoya Aki, who works part-time to earn money to feed his anime addiction, meets a beautiful girl one day during spring vacation. The fateful meeting reminds him of a dating simulation game, igniting a passionate drive to recreate the moment in his own game. Lacking any discernible talent, Tomoya recruits Eriri Spencer Sawamura, his childhood friend and popular artist of 18+ doujinshi, to draw art for the game. Needing a game scenario writer, the passionate otaku is able to convince Utaha Kasumigoaka, a popular light novelist, to join their creation team. The final piece of the puzzle is the main heroine, Megumi, who is the girl Tomoya met on that fateful spring day. Together the group works toward making a dating simulation to sell at the next Comiket, the worlds largest doujinshi fair.

I feel the defining thing that will either attract people to, or push them away from, Saekano -How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend- is its nature as a harem anime aimed at males. This show revolves around a database of female characters, such as the childhood friend tsundere and moe kouhai, flocking towards a single male as they all vie for his affections. Sometimes this can be painful to watch, especially when there is gratuitous fan service, but the intriguing story can have you forgive these elements. Each character, though based heavily on tropes, has a depth of character to them introduced with their different otaku interests.

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