ANIME REVIEW | A Tint of Sweetness Shines Through One's "Glasses"
Some series find many ways to repeat the same joke while delivering a different punchline each time. With The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses, it’s more about giving viewers the same premise, but via different circumstances. Does it make for an entertaining romantic comedy, or does it run into one too many walls due to its nearsightedness? The answer may surprise you as it did me!
Based on the manga by Koume Fujichika, The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses focuses on Kaede Komura (Masahiro Ito), who has a crush on classmate Ai Mie (Shion Wakayama). But because of his nervousness, Kaede has a hard time talking to her. That’s when a bit of luck comes in, as he notices Ai starting to stare at him. However, it’s because Ai can’t make out who it is she’s staring or talking to. The reason: she forgot her glasses, causing her to sometimes look irked all of the time.
At first, Kaede thinks it’s a just a one-off thing that happens. But the absent-mindfulness of Ai keeps overtaking her, causing her to forget her specs almost every day. Sometimes it’s because she’s in rush; other times, she misplaces them. Yet every time she looks for help, Kaede is right there waiting to offer his assistance.
Early on, The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses paints Kaede as a weirdo of sorts. He’s constantly looking at Ai, and his mind is almost always on her. It sometimes gets to a point where Kaede’s actions feel stalker-y, a realization that the middle schooler himself puts together at one point. But as the show goes on, the more his thoughts and actions lean away from the creepier aspect. On top of that, it’s becoming clear that Ai might actually like him back.
Whether it’s helping with schoolwork, guiding her to her favorite stores, or even aiding over the phone during a slumber party, Kaede always finds a way to assist with Ai. It reaches a point where even their fellow classmates notice how well the boy helps the girl out with these tasks. And while it starts off in a weird manner, the anime finds a way to be both funny and sweet with their situations. Once the narrative finds that groove a couple of episodes in, The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses winds up becoming a much better show.
I like how both Kaede and Ai are pretty much dorks around one another. Although Kaede’s goofiness is due to lovesickness, Ai’s comes from a side of admiration. On top of that, neither of these students are the center of attention like most anime rom-coms are; they’re just in their own world while the real one just coasts by around them. Yes, it gets some students attention, but not enough for it to be gossip-worthy.
How Kaede and Ai grow throughout the series is also pretty endearing. Whether it’s in gym class or during a school field trip, both students have each other’s backs in ways that strength either their spirit or well-being. Although not every story is perfect (especially the ones that are mostly high-pitched internal monologues), the plotlines that do shine help to make this anime a better viewing experience.
Which leads me to the visual aspect. I do have to admire GoHands for not giving up on creating 3D worlds with 2D characters. They are light-years better now than they were with something like Hand Shakers or W’Z. But there are a couple of weird spots (especially the beginning episode’s walking sequence) where it’s obvious that more work needs to be tinkered with. However, there are moments where The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses actually looks great, especially when it’s just Kaede and Ai in a room together simply talking.
With Kaede and Ai being the main focal points of the anime, most of the series rests on their voice actors’ shoulders. Shion Wakayama is adorable as Ai, with her voice matching both her sweetness and stubbornness. As for Masahiro Ito, he does start the series off in an irritating fashion, with his internal screams and whines being very annoying. But as the show progresses, Ito tones it down a couple of notches and finds a way to be a lot more likable.
Vocalaid composer JimmyThumb-P knows how to craft a beautiful melody for this anime, especially for the quieter moments. The score really shines when the piano is front and center, with the songs blooming beautiful notes with every key note hit. Opening theme “NAME” by Tsuzuri is both catchy and lovely, with the vocalist brimming with power during the chorus. With the aid of the two lead voice actors, Masayoshi Ōishi goes the musical showstopper route with “Megane Go Round”, which sounds great, if not for how much the end credits sequence lacks the pizazz of the end theme.
The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses takes some time to get the cringe out of its system. Once it does, it transforms itself into a warm-hearted tale of two students who are fond of one another. While the absent-mindfulness can be a little tiring at times, it makes up for it with some good humor and witty banter. It’s not the most glamorous of rom-coms this season, but The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses doesn’t have to be the belle of the ball to make it stand out as a good series.
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The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses can be viewed on Crunchyroll, and has been licensed by Crunchyroll. Episodes 1-10 were observed for the review. Promotional consideration provided by Crunchyroll.
