My Love Story!! / Ore Monogatari!!
This charming romantic comedic anime was a break out hit & a clear winner for one of the best shows to come out during the Spring 2015 anime season – as well as an critically acclaimed live-action adaptation first released in October 2015.
It follows the story of two best friends – Takeo Goda and Makoto Sunakawa. Takeo Goda is the living epitome of the gentle giant with an even gentler soul. However, none of the girls around see him for who he truly is and they all flock to Makoto Sunakawa – a pretty boy. Takeo deals with it as best as it can and life seems to go on. One day, Takeo saves a Rinko Yamato on a train from being harassed and she is instantly smitten with Takeo, and Takeo falls in love with Rinko as well. It could have been an happy ending right then and there – but Takeo mistakenly believes Yamato is attracted to his best friend! Cue the dramedy and situational irony!
Now at this point, My Love Story!! could have gone down the safe path of the often seen merry-g0-round between the three resolving to an happy ending by the series’ end. And given its execution that ending would have been perfectly okay. Yet, quite early on, this misunderstanding is cleared away. What unfolds is a story about love and friendship is fully embodies a vision of wistful, pure, and innocent love. And most of all, it feels genuinely sincere. It also is an ultimately idealistic and optimistic love story that repeatedly sends the message that good things happen to good people in due time. For me, this show struck a chord quite close to home since I empathized and have dealt with familiar degrees of introversion & rejection like our dear protagonist. Watching this show gave me hope and inspiration, as well as the ultimate release of emotion as I cheered on for all the good that befalls our main characters.
Even more than a story of love, My Love Story!! is the story of life – a profoundly good life in the Platonic sense… a life where one can have the best romantic companion, the best friend, and the best of life that is offer.
My Love Story!! is available for streaming on Hulu and Crunchyroll.
NERD PALS NETWORK 