Senpai ga Uzai Kouhai no Hanashi (My Senpai is Annoying) is a slice-of-life romance-comedy anime that comes to us this fall season. The show has gained huge traction thanks to the adorable protagonist Igarashi Futuba and her indecision between hating her senpai and wanting to be his wife. We've all seen the meme template by now but we believe there is a lot more to this show than a simple trope we've seen many times before. So let's dive into what makes My Senpai is Annoying so heartwarming!
Plot Recap
As previously mentioned, My Senpai is Annoying follows the life of office worker, Igarashi Futuba. Having just started a new job, Igarashi is excited to start a new chapter in her life. The only downside is that her new senpai is loud, obnoxious, and will not stop treating her like a child. Unlike Takeda Harumi, Igarashi is on the shorter side and makes for easy pickings for Takeda. However, despite how much Igarashi claims to be angered by her senpai's constant harassment, she does seem to be spending an awful lot of time with him. Perhaps there is more to this relationship than meets the eye.
My Senpai is Annoying details the everyday goings-on in Igarashi's life. We focus mainly on her job but do gain glimpses into her life outside of work. While Igarashi and Takeda are the main characters, several supporting characters also make an appearance to liven up the background and give our two protagonists extras to bounce off of.
"Why Couldn't I Be Your Wife?"
This line is likely what brought you to watch this show in the first place. After a lengthy drinking session, Takeda and Igarashi find themselves in the middle of an unusually deep discussion. Takeda admits that, were he to ever have a wife and child, he would want that child to be like Igarashi. This is where the focal theme of this show comes into play. Throughout her day-to-day life, Igarashi is treated as a child. She is (literally) looked down on by her peers and they refer to her and Takeda as father and daughter. She is often referred to using the honorific "chan" which is primarily reserved for either young women or toddlers. Due to her stature, Igarashi has struggled to stand out and make a name for herself (we see her underdevelopment throughout her high school life and the jealousy that has been born because of this as she berates a coworker for having a larger bust).
So, when Takeda mentions something so hurtful, Igarashi, in her drunken state, asks why she couldn't be his wife instead. My Senpai is Annoying is going for what appears to be a two-pronged attack with this line. Of course, in a slice-of-life anime, we have seen the usual trope of "not knowing your soul mate is standing right in front of you" a million times over. However, combining this cliché with Igarashi's unique situation adds layers to the overall narrative. Not only does Takeda not consider Igarashi a potential love interest, but he and everyone else (at least in the early episodes of the show) do not even consider her an adult. This line is meant to act as the catalyst to awaken our supporting characters to the fact that Igarashi is an adult and deserves respect regardless of what she looks like.
Final Thoughts
The line "why couldn't I be your wife" is much more than a cutesy meme designed to trick people into watching a lackluster show. These six words encapsulate the entire show's premise by showcasing how a lifetime of disrespect has affected Igarashi. She is a capable adult with the ability to do anything she wants. However, by internalizing the comments of those around her, she has grown bitter and angry; understandably so. As the season progresses it is likely that both her peers and Takeda will come around to her way of thinking. We can all thank everyone's favorite truth serum (several shots of alcohol) for helping Igarashi kickstart this change in attitude.
What do you think of My Senpai is Annoying so far? Did you plan to watch the show before seeing the meme or did Igarashi's drunken confession sucker you in like the rest of us? Be sure to let us know down below!
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