Friday, May 27, 2022

FIF#160-My Love Story

Takeo Goda may look like an intimidating giant but he has the purest heart of any High School Student.  And yet he can never seem to admit his feelings for the various girls he falls for…mostly because theyre having their hearts broken following confessions to his handsome best friend, Makoto.  But when Goda saves an innocent High School Girl from getting groped on a train, everything changes.  Takeo finds himself the object of a pretty girls affections for once: the lovely Rinko Yamato to be precise.  He may be gullible and a bit unfamiliar with the ways of love.  But Takeo isn’t about to let a good thing pass him by.  And so begins his love story and the path to ultimate happiness with Rinko.
 
Even if you’d never heard of My Love Story, you’ve gotta be instantly familiar with the sight of Takeo standing next to or close by Rinko.  Its become one of the most prominent images in Anime during the 2010s and My Love Story has been hailed as one of the best of the decade for various reasons.  After the first episode, I can see the appeal.  In fact, while I don’t feel like it’s exactly on the same level, I was reminded of my First Impression on Komi Cant Communicate: basically feeling like just the first episode was more than enough to stand on its own as a short film without the Anime series if necessary.  Maybe that’s too high praise but the first episode of My Love Story is a treat to watch.
 
How can you not like Takeo or Rinko five minutes after you’ve met them.  I instantly felt so bad for Taeko.  He’s so considerate of any and all feelings he’d be the perfect boyfriend for any girl out there.  Plus he isn’t afraid to let his tough side out such as when he flat out decks the molester who tried to assault Rinko when they first met.  Takeo is a protector and a well meaning guy through and through.  Rinko’s character is sort of cut from the same awkward cloth, sans the toughness and size of Takeo.  She’s shy but sees Takeo for the kind boy he is, the one who saved her from something terrible.  I don’t know if she’s just not used to that level of kindness or she never expected it from someone who looks like Takeo.  But still, you instantly want to root for whatever sparks between them to continue and last.  As for Makoto…man what a jerk.  It’s a clever twist on tropes with Takeo having the more charming personality while Makoto is cold and to the point, especially when it comes to flat out rejecting girls who confess their feelings for him.  If Takeo and Makoto weren’t besties and this wasn’t a comedy, I could almost see Makoto becoming the Gaston to Taeko’s Beast, making Rinko the Belle in this Beauty and the Beast analogy.
 
Color me crazy but My Love Story might be a title to keep going with sometime down the line.  Maybe it’s because I’ve branched my horizons out to more romantic Anime this year like Say, I Love You and Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, and like them, that I’m even considering this.  But when Takeo is this loveable of a guy and Rink clearly the perfect girl for him…well…call me a hopeless romantic if you want but dammit LOVE MUST PREVAIL BETWEEN THEM!!!!!  Ok, I’m done.

No comments:

Post a Comment