Anime Review: Kaguya-Sama: Love is War

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | World Building: ⭐⭐⭐ | Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Fan Service: 😰

Content Watched: S1-S3

Summary:

What happens when the only way you can talk with your crush is with psychological warfare? Kaguya comes from Japan’s elite, Miyuki from the working class. Joined together by their duties on the student council, they quickly develop feelings for each other. However, they are both too stubborn and proud to make the first move. Kaguya and Miyuki use every trick in the book – psychology, planting evidence, manipulation – to get the confession they strive for. Fight!

Review:

This anime is a refreshing take on the teen romance genre. Each aspect of a growing romantic relationship you come to expect (sharing food, texting, asking out) becomes a psychological battle to be fought in the open. This show keeps you guessing at every turn for how the characters are going to tow the line of progressing their relationship while not showing their cards. The concept is brilliant and the characters and writing follow through. The conniving dialog, smart rebuttals, and meta commentary all make for a fun and energetic show. A truly innovative anime!

S2: The concept that defined the show becomes more of a gimmick in season 2. You can only spend so long playing with the tension of early romance before it becomes tired. However, the silver lining of this season is that long-standing characters receive much needed character development. There is an unfortunate increase in fan service for season 2. Overall, season 2 served an important purpose: to determine what season 3 needed to focus on.

S3: Season 3 leans into the strengths revealed in season 2. Much of the narrative surrounds characters under-explored in previous seasons and it is welcomed. The tension between Kaguya and Shirogane takes a needed shift which opens up new excitement for the couple. Ishigami becomes the star of season 3. With needed expansion of his backstory and the introduction of a love interest, it’s hard not to root for him. The ending feels satisfying. You have enough closure and new threads to immediately want season 4.