It’s not that often that I’ll go back and watch an anime twice. The fact that I did with this one should tell you that I like it. It’s one that flew under the radar for me, but also one that is just a lot of fun. Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun is a charming little anime that provides a good number of laughs and heart throughout the story that it’s telling.

The Plot – Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun

Chiyo is a high school student who has a crush on her classmate Nozaki. When she builds up enough nerve to let him know her feelings she blurts out that she’s his biggest fan. Little does she know that he writes and draws shojo manga, so he gives her his autograph and gets her to help with his manga. From there, we meet a whole cast of high school students who either know and help Nozaki or are clueless to what he is doing.

General Impressions

This is a very heartfelt anime. And for that reason it’s quite clean in what it does. There isn’t really any fan service throughout the show. Which is nice because it doesn’t draw focus away from Chiyo and Nozaki and their relationship, or lack there of.

Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun is also very much a romance anime without a ton of romance. Chiyo has feelings and very strong ones, for Nozaki, but Nozaki is so obsessed and stressed with his manga that he fails to notice. That is where some of the sweetness and heartfelt nature comes in as well.

What Doesn’t Work?

I have one minor quibble with the show and that is the relationship doesn’t really ever progress with Chiyo and Nozaki. There are a few moments of sweetness between them. But it is all done through the lens of Nozaki trying to figure out real reactions or moments for his manga. I want to see a little bit more progression.

Though this does in some ways stem from how the manga for Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun is written. It is vignettes, so you don’t really see too much into their interactions, it is kept at humorous moments and little bits of story. So my guess is that the manga is slow to progress that romantic element as well.

What Works?

I think that the story itself, even with the slow or stagnant romance, is really fun. It gives you good laughs and I like the behind the scenes into manga and that process. But it is really about the interactions of the characters. Each character does only have one or two strongly defined traits, but the writer uses that to create realistic characters which is impressive.

Which really does lead me into what I like best next, I really like how the characters are developed. Do they all really feel like high school students, not really, but they do as much as basically any anime high school students do. And Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun gives a slice of life look into it versus some big or grand story.

Final Thoughts – Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun

Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun is kind of like a warm hug. It feels good to watch and you want what is best for the characters. Do they always get that, no. But things are never horrible for the characters, it is more just a feeling disappointment and that they will try again. And as time goes on that their story and their feelings will progress.

This is only at one season so far. And theoretically there is another on the docket, but it hasn’t been started yet. So I hope that we get it. I want to see more of Chiyo and Nozaki’s story. I want to see if they end up together or how that romance builds out. It is just fun to watch, but if that doesn’t happen, I will read the manga. And that’ll give me that story, just done in a slightly different way with it’s vignettes.

Have you watched or read Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun? Is it one that sounds like fun for you? Let me know in the comments below.

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