FIF#151-Komi Can’t Communicate

Komi Shouko is the most popular girl at Itan Private High School.  She’s beautiful, elegant, refined and stoic to a fault.  What many fail to notice is…Komi isn’t exactly good at talking to people.  The mere though of conversation freezes the popular beauty with fear and she can’t seem to find a way to get better.  Enter Tadano Hitohito, Komi’s classmate who has his own internal insecurities.  Yet, he takes notice of Komi’s plight and offers to help her talk and complete a lifelong dream of making 100 friends. 

I know I said last week was the FIF Season Finale…buuuuuut there was one more free Friday and this one’s been on my radar for a while since it popped up as a fresh, weekly aired title on Netflix.  The look on Komi’s face that’s both hilarious and very cute caught my attention, along with the title that I swear couldn’t be that obvious…but it was.  Honestly, if Komi Can’t Communicate’s first episode was just a 20 min short feature, I’d be ok with it.  As a first episode, its probably one of the best Anime debuts I’ve seen in a while.

Komi’s definitely got the makings of Best Girl without having to do much.  Her character design is flawless and the way she carries herself, you can see why half the school can fall for her instantly.  When it comes to Komi’s personal plight, it’s played for laughs at the beginning with her slow, crunching turns and rapid speed get aways to avoid talking to anyone.  I think it actually speaks to the power of the writing and the performances that this humor casually turns to a more heartwrenching matter when Komi and Tadano have their chalkboard conversation and Komi pours her heart out to him.  It’s why I think this pilot could be one little mini film, still end the way it does and I would be perfectly satisfied.  This is like watching a Pixar short before a Pixar feature, it’s that damn good. From the music to the use of Manga pages to the writing on the chalkboard, everything about Komi and Tadano’s first chat is nothing short of amazing, tear jerking and kind of perfect. 

But, this is a TV series, which means there’s a whole world to build upon and if Tadano is right, then there are a ton of crazies populating Itan High.  Is it wrong to say that though I wouldn’t mind watching more of Komi Can’t Communicate, I kind of want to leave alone and let the perfection that is the first episode stand on its own?  It’s unfair, this could be a great romantic comedy/slice of life gem that could be one of the best in Anime in a long time (especially for me, I don’t just get into this particular side of Anime that easily).  Still, if you do watch any of Komi Can’t Communicate, watch the first episode.  You’ll laugh your ass off and get all the right feels over the course of 20 minutes while watching the blossoming friendship (that I’m sure will turn to romance down the line) between an insecure guy who wants to stay off the radar and the most beautiful girl who just want to say “Hello” without shivering to death.

Whew, that was…wow.  I loved the beginning of Shield Hero but this was the better finale note to end on.  So, once again, thanks for joining First Impression Friday for its slightly extended Sixth Season.  Have a Happy New Year everyone and I, and First Impression Friday, will see you in 2022.