[Romcom & Harem Spring 2017] Like Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai? Watch This!

7:00 PM July 7, 2017

Anime Recommendations [Article Category]
Comedy Anime, Harem Anime, Reverse Harem Anime [Genres]

Renai-Boukun-dvd-225x350 [Romcom & Harem Spring 2017] Like Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai? Watch This!

Have you ever found it extremely stressful to make new friends or approach someone you like at your school? While a few #blessed individuals are able to light up a room with their charm, many of us are repeatedly in distress when trying to give an introduction or when we finally work the courage to reveal our feelings to our crush. Socially inept, awkward, or a wallflower, these are just a few things to describe our protagonists in these anime picks. In the following romcom & harem titles, we introduce to you, an exciting division of recommendations, solely to give you all a sampling of current flavors based on popular previously aired anime. So tell me again why we can’t be friends?! Hopefully by the end of this article, you’ll change your mind!

About Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai (Haganai!: I Don’t Have Many Friends)

Episodes: 12
Aired: October 2011 – December 2011

Kodaka Hasegawa is a recent transfer student who has difficulty making friends wherever he goes. For reasons that escape us, (smirk), we can only speculate that the problem is due to his approachable looks and demeanor…or lack thereof. As we move into the episode, we are introduced to Yozora Mikazuki, a girl who is also a lone wolf, spending most of her time with her imaginary friend. Bonding over their shared reclusive trait, Kodaka and Yozora decide to establish the Neighbor’s Club, in the hope that they can learn how to make friends and build social skills. As they gain an assortment of members along the way, Kodaka discovers wheter he can ever call these eccentric individuals his friends.

Liked Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai ? (Haganai!: I Don’t Have Many Friends) Watch Renai Boukun!

Episodes: 12
Aired: April 2017 – June 2017
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In the anime Renai Boukun, a kiss is more than just a kiss! As names are written down in the mystical “Kiss Note”, the pair listed together must kiss within 24 hours or the most terrible thing will happen! Guri, the owner of this magical and powerful item, accidentally writes in “Seiji Aino”, your average high school student. Being the matchmaker she is, Guri tries to set up Seiji with the most popular girl in school, but later, we discover that he is in for a big surprise. A parody of the anime Death Note (2006), Renai Boukun references a ton of terms and puns of the original series, minus the dark, ominous tones.

Three Major Similarities Between Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai and Renai Boukun

1. Birds Of A Feather Flock Together

As the popular idiom states, “Birds of a feather flock together”, we can often find that people who are similar in character and hold shared interests almost always hang out, doing so on the regular. In anime and IRL, we are able to partake in various activities with our friends because of the collective commonalities and increased quality of enjoyment amongst the gang. Overall, it is fantastic to experience and have a group of companions to make great memories with and we can definitely see this in both Haganai and Renai Boukun.

2. Peanut Butter and Jealous

Some say a little friendly competition can be a good and healthy way to challenge oneself. Although we can benefit from playful rivalry, the way the girls act in Haganai and Renai Boukun is so cutthroat, that it is highly suggested to leave the serious contestants to duke it out in their own league. Steer clear of the heat! If you can’t handle it, stay out of the kitchen! Sena and Yozora from Haganai and Akane and any homewrecker from Renai Boukun are always in constant defense and attack mode. The claws are out with these gals and any attention given towards their nemesis draws out their jealous ways.

3. So Random!

One thing that many of us can agree on when it comes to Romcoms is that some series take “funny” to the next level. With Haganai and Renai Boukun, ROFL doesn’t cut it when describing some of the scenes and scenarios our characters experience. While we can’t undergo some of these situations in real life without being judged or getting the stink eye, such as wearing a horse mask and zebra suit at the pool, being attacked by random assassins or playing pretend hostage to express your feelings for someone, these are only just a few outrageous things that are totally acceptable in anime reality.

Liked Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai (Haganai!: I Don’t Have Many Friends)? Watch Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata♭ (Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend .flat) !

Episodes: 11
Aired: April 2017 – June 2017
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In the second season of Saekano, we continue the story of Tomoya Aki, an otaku whose hobby consists of collecting anime and light novels. Moreover, Tomoya is truly involved with series that contain deep and captivating storylines and characters. In wanting to share this same passion with others, he decides to create his own work, but doesn’t believe he can accomplish this task on his own. With any luck, he recruits several of his friends, as well as his muse. While they are in development of this masterpiece, Tomoya and his circle realize that in order to make the game credible, the in-game experiences must be based on some truths and personal stories. Can their creation match up to others in production? or will they fall short? Watch and see!

Three Major Similarities Between Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai and Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭

1. Members Only

Whether it is the “Neighbor’s Club” or the doujin circle, “Blessing Software”, the gangs in Haganai and Saekano S2 are friends who bond over a shared interest. Social interactions and being a part of something special provides the feeling of exceptionalism and essentially is what sets us apart from animals. Even though it takes some time for all of them to get along, these groups overall mesh well together. Simply put, humans crave acceptance, praise, and acknowledgement and each member in both series has a special quality to bring to the table.

2. Fan Service

Nothing defines romcom & harem like fan service, and Haganai and Saekano S2 offer tons of it! While watching both series, we can’t get through one entire episode without Sena and Yozora making jabs at each other’s chest sizes/body, or like when we observe the strategically timed boob and butt shots in Saekano S2. So all you fans of fan service, rest assured, this element is one of many qualities to consider when starting these series.

3. “The Struggle Is Real!”

Making friends or creating a video game sounds super easy when you think about it, but once you get into the motions of creating an outline, and jotting down the steps required in completing the task, it’s so much harder than you perceived! Fortunately for our guys, Kodaka and Tomoya, they are not alone! With an amazing and beautiful support team, the lovely ladies of Neighbor’s Club and Blessing Software are always there to lend a hand. Whenever we see our guys fall short in any circumstance, script rewrites, giving advice, or recruiting members, the struggle is a little less daunting, every time.

Final Thoughts

So that concludes our take in comparing two current titles with Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai. The most awesome thing about romcom & harem anime is that they’re so entertaining, silly, and super outrageous. Furthermore, some people tend to think that if you don’t have many friends, then there’s something wrong with you. Don’t believe this sentiment whatsoever! Always remember that quality always trumps quantity, especially with friends. Overall, as there are so many other choices, let us know if you agree with this assessment. As your best friend in anime and IRL, feel free to leave your suggestions and comments below! Thanks and enjoy!

Writer

Author: Eva B.

Hello! I’m Eva. I was born and raised in San Francisco, California. I’ve lived in Texas, Kentucky, and will soon be living in Japan! I’m a recent college grad with an MS in Justice Studies; a considerable feat in my life. When I’m taking a break from work/studies, I enjoy a variety of anime, passing a lot of time binging episodes alongside my husband. I also take pleasure in spending time with my two dogs and two cats, hiking, yoga, computer/video games, reading, and trying new cuisines. I’m pretty shy, so writing here has been a great outlet for me to come out of my box.

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