One of the things you don’t think about before you get engaged is how different the holidays will be. I’ve been traveling ever since my birthday, but luckily always to someplace with a wifi connection. To stay relaxed through it all, I’ve been powering through one of the Fall 2012 season’s most popular shows, My Little Monster.
For the uninitiated, My Little Monster is the story of a studious girl and the irreverent but violent delinquent she reluctantly falls in love with.
As you might expect, domestic violence is a heavily hinted underlying theme of this show. In fact, the reason I decided to pick it up was when I heard the male main character, Haru, threatens to rape main female character Shizuku in the very first episode. Readers who know me as one half of the Sexism in Anime Fandom panel might be scratching their heads right now.
Like I said in the panel though, having issues with sexism in some anime doesn’t mean we need to stop watching all anime, or even all possibly sexist anime. I believe that it’s important to remain an active consumer of anime in order for my opinion to be at all relevant to creators. As I told Goboiano:
Basically, we anime fans talk with our dollars. We need to show licensors not only that we’re paying customers, but what we will and will not put up with. So if we buy a show and think it’s sexist, we should say that. “I bought this show and I didn’t like X.” It certainly worked for hundreds of thousands of unhappy Mass Effect 3 customers, who got the actual ending of the game changed by buying it and then being dissatisfied.
If an anime is problematic and your response is to boycott it, licensors have no incentive to change because you’re not a paying customer anyway.
So, back to My Little Monster, AKA girl meets psychopath. In any other context, Haru would be a man any woman in her right mind ought to back away from, taser at the ready. But at every opportunity, his sociopathic behavior is played for jokes and tempered with cuteness. Scary: he doesn’t want a girl to leave him, so he declares a desire to tear off her arms and legs. Cute: he has a pet chicken he brings to school! Scary: he puts a girl in a chokehold with hardly any provocation. Cute: he trusts other people’s good intentions to a fault. Haru’s impulsive behavior is made to seem childish, just a phase, just “boys will be boys.”
It helps to alleviate the threat when Shizuku, isn’t having any of it. When Haru tries to control her by forbidding her to go to cram school or speak to a rival, Shizuku barks, “You can’t tell me what to do!” Shizuku’s mere presence can also keep Haru from having a violent episode. She’s not afraid to stand up to him or put him in his place, making him seem less harmful than he really is.
Thanks to this dynamic, My Little Monster sets a dangerous example for romantic relationships. It teaches that the right girl, with love and tenderness, can reform a violent boy. It implies that anyone with violent tendencies has a good heart underneath, and will respond to reason.
There’s just one problem with my argument. I can’t stop watching.
I may have issues with some of the characters’ relations, but I love how their personalities break the shoujo mold. There are plenty of cute moments, and an interesting, up-tempo pace. I’ll be looking forward to how it ends, and I won’t feel like a hypocrite for doing so.
Basically, if I vowed to stop watching any show with sexist elements, I’d have to quit watching American TV, too, and probably most commercials. It’s a big problem that won’t go away overnight, or probably even in my lifetime. The solution isn’t to quit on shows, but to educate yourself to recognize problematic themes when you see them.
It bothers me that Haru’s violence is being played as a personality quirk, but I’m glad I’m able to make that assessment. And since most girls growing up today are taught to be adequately scared of men, I am confident adult viewers can separate this impossible fiction from a potentially dark reality.
My Little Monster is the seventh most popular show on Crunchyroll right now. Are you watching it? What do you think?
80 Comments.
The description of the show alone soured my stomach, and based on what I’ve heard I think I’ll skip. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be the first time something potentially distasteful garnered a fanbase (see: Queens Blade).
Also, I worry the argument about financial incentives won’t add up to much. If you buy the show anyway, it doesn’t matter how much you complain after the fact: they have your money, and that’s all the excuse they need to invest it back into making another season. (And meanwhile, genuinely good shows with positive messages like Princess Jellyfish languish in one-season limbo.)
@Serdar, I specifically bought Princess Jellyfish on Blu-ray in order to “vote with my dollars.” I had already watched it on Hulu, but I wanted them to know fans were paying attention to what they probably saw as a big risk. If they end up making a second season, it’ll be because there’s money in it. They have mine.
Watch it, please. It’s funny, not distateful. It does indulge in the ridiculous fantasy of one girl reforming a dangerous boy but it likes to believe it’s veiwers can seperate fantasy from reality as the penultimate paragraph suggests. It is nothing like Queen’s Blade. Everyone is consinstantly fully clothed and sexual activities never happen and are barely spoken about except in the line in the first episode, and various comical missunderstandings. Fantasy is fantasy.
I agree that you definitely cannot escape some sexism in all forms of media, but I do think you can cut off the more extreme forms from your diet. Granted, I’m someone who actually looks at said extreme levels just to see how bad they are. In fact, I started reading Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun exactly because of its bad reputation. And I have to say, I don’t see it as bad. Maybe having seen lots of worse shoujo manga has tampered my sensibilities, but the manga and anime doesn’t bother me at all. I mean, there are parts I do not like (and that I feel are problematic), but overall I think it’s a pretty good story about very flawed individuals (not just Haru, but I do believe Shizuku and Natsume are also part of that). It may just be my observation, but I feel like you rarely can have “perfect” (and I use this word very loosely) people in a story because otherwise there isn’t much to tell: They fall in love and all is well. The End. When you have problematic characters like Haru (or Tsukasa from Boys Over Flowers), there is a story about them “growing up” so to say, and that story is what makes you so invested and interested in the relationship. Will the relationship ever be able to sort itself out (and become the ideal non-problematic one) or will the male character fail to improve and the relationship will be doomed? I do think that’s what gives us the appeal of sticking around and reading these stories after the two characters hook up. I also do think the female characters not approving of said behaviours makes all the difference. By not approving of these behaviours, they are sending the message that they are not ok. The shoujo manga that bother me the most are ones where no such denial is made. Where the horrible behaviours of the male love interest(s) are never questioned and often romanticized. Yeah, these works could be sending the message that you can “fix” the “bad boys”, but I think they send an equally valuable message of “don’t allow yourself to be treated that way”, which I personally feel balances them out. And why I personally don’t see Tonari as particularly problematic. But again, I’ve seen worse in the form of things like Hot Gimmick.
So I guess my point is that yes, there is definitely sexism, but I think there are definitely degrees and certain messages are more hurtful than others, so I think just voting with your wallet indiscriminately is wrong. I personally advocate buying things with positive messages and saying to the creators, “We liked this about the work. Please make more like this”. That way, you vote with your wallet and tell what you want to see and don’t support shows you think don’t deserve support. And rant out~ :)
@soaring_wings, good point! I’m not a martyr; I’m not going to go the extreme other way and watch awful reality TV just to prove something. Based on your examples, I realize that there are a lot of problematic messages in the shoujo genre. But it’s those same stories that keep people buying the anime, so there must be some escapism factor to it. It’s only when we forget that these are just stories that there’s a problem. And I totally agree about voting as positive feedback. Even though I watched Gurren Lagann for free (at my college anime club), I bought the DVD just because I liked it so much!
I love your point. I love the show and it is one of the few shoujo anime I like because, as you said, it portrays deviant behavior but does not advocate it, and none of the female characters go along with it like it’s some revolting kind of romance. I tried previously to watch “Say I Love You”, but had to stop after an episode where a love rival to the main girl talks about being cheated on by her boyfriend, and running to the main guy for sex as some sort of stupid consolation (before he met the main girl) which he gave without question, with no intention of continuing a relationship, yet she still wants to get back with him after all this time he’s ingored her? And he’s done the same thing with most girls in the school, who also still adore him, and he doesn’t even realise what he’s doing. He acts like he’s never been in a relationship before and respects none of these girls as more than party guests. Haru would never do that.
wWll, in my opinion it is more like Haru is a five year old. He is essentially a man child but we aren’t sure why he is like that but it is probably because of his home life.
I Personally think out of all the fall anime that came out then, My Little Monster was the best of them all, Every time I watched one episode, I was biting my nails for the next one to come out. This show deserves Academy Awards. The protagonist`s in this story were simply beautiful, hilarious,and vivid characters. The only thing I could dream of is a second season. Thank you so much for making the best romantic comedy out of the seven years I`ve been watching anime. NOW MAKE THE SECOND SEASON DAMMIT.
Finally, someone that enjoyed this show. Thnks Amira
I do agree that the anime has bad suggestions and situations however you can relate their anti-social behaviour to bad experiences as kids (haru being a sociopath due to how he might have been raised by his family and brother, shizu’s is based on her parents dynamic and do forth but there’s a direct connection to how they are. If you want to talk about really bad precedent school days is as bad as it gets. But this is not the place to bring my hatred for the whole character setup on that. I do look forward to perhaps a second season where the might be able to resolve their issues or fall back and resume their sorrow lives
[…] with violent tendencies has a good heart underneath, and will respond to reason.” – The Otaku Journalist. The main premise of this anime was how all these socially awkward people gradually meld into a […]
I’m 26 years old and only started watching anime in the last year. Of all the anime series I have watched, I find that I had a traction to romance/combat. I enjoy reading this review I thought it was honest. Enjoy the show because it is also an honest representationhow love can be freaking confusing.
will they do another season?
@Ele, I really hope so, but the manga is finished. They’d have to make up something new for the next season of the anime.
Except the anime didn’t show all of the Manga. Even the last episode mentions she still has things to say about each character. It kinda feels as is they stopped the story half way through and do could easily have a second season.
@Mark, thanks, I haven’t read the manga so I didn’t realize. Have you heard anything about a second season?
Personally I loved My little Monster.
But the following is my own opinion. I must add that I find it a bit saddening that so many people actively condemn stories of complete fiction that are animated with out giving them the chance to stand on their own merit.
People should give shows their own try before feeding on other people’s criticism of the show. A lot of work went into making the shows available and attempting to be entertaining. Afterwords, if you do not like the show for your own reasons. Then at least you gave them an honest chance.
At least, this is my own opinion.
Is there going to be next season?
I am waiting……….
I was all primed and ready to drop this show on a dime after the rape-threat scene, but ‘Psychopath Love Story’ ended up being a really interesting premise and they executed it really well. I haven’t read much of the manga so this might be moot later on in the story – but at least in what they adapted it didn’t seem like Shizuku had actually reformed Haru, just trained him. The scene where he basically threatens to kill Kenji (for real) was good evidence of that, I thought. She tempers his violent urges but they still remain, and the way the story was going I was expecting something to send him over the edge at any time.
Hopefully they bring a second season this winter. :|
people who are planning to skip the show for having ‘heard’ it’s distasteful are plain thick!!
whoever has actually watched the show shall talk about the distastefulness and numerous inappropriateness (like the rape threat scene or when haru cozies up to shiziku when she clearly doesn’t want it); but the’ll also mention how this show actually depicts that these aren’t acceptable by the behaviour of the other characters.. the overall plot depicts how a violent or a reclusive person can change enough to be
waiting for a second season.
the show depicts how a violent or a reclusive person can change enough to be socially acceptable with the right company..
the romance is really good.. and it screams innocence.. both haru and shizuku are inexperienced and their feelings are honest and relatable..
and the show is a rom- com! com! it does real good in that genre!
being an otaku, i hate to admit it but it’s true that there are many disgusting anime and shoujo manga out there…
and we really shouldn’t jump at everything! my personal opinion is that My Little Monster isn’t one such show.. my personal opinion..
because when we are listening to critics we should be open to both the pros and cons of the show.. when we are accepting the cons they tell, we should be able to accept the good things they say about the show too.. that what critics are for.. they provide both the judgements.. target viewers accepting only one deprives the show of a fair and honest chance…
I agree, there are things the show does well (the characterization of the minor characters was well done in my opinion). However, acknowledging the problems in a work doesn’t mean you’re attacking it as a whole, it just means you’re an active watcher and consumer of media that can identify problematic messages or portrayals. I do thing with reverse harem all the time, they’re guilty pleasures for me but I totally recognize the gender stereotypes they force on the female and male characters.
woooooohuuuuu……..filipino fan,bakit ba walang season 2…kung cno man ang ang gumawa nito…plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz……make season 222222222222222……..can’t wait………………….
will there be a season 2 ?? arg i always thinking about them,, the story i still not complete , shizuku and haru still not be a couple,,,
Amazing show :D.
I agree. Haru is a bloody psychopath. Not in a good way. I couldn’t stop watching either, but I kept imagining a “School Days” type ending. The show should have ended with Haru stroking her decapitated head, talking to her as if she were still alive… Apart from the interesting characters, the story didn’t tie anything together. Worst ending I’ve seen in a while. Still no idea about his past, or hers, or any hint as to what’s going to happen in the future. Was very disappointed.
I agree with you in the sense that the ending is pretty bad, but I think that if there is a second season made, which the ending certainly sets us up for, they could wrap it up nicely.
yeh i was really disappointed in the ending as well. It seemed like it was the beginning of an anime, no questions were answered n u were wondering wat was gonna happen. I was expecting a pure heartfelt moment in the end but no. stupid ending. BUT like wat @Aoba Seragaki said, if there is a 2nd anime (I hope so bc i enjoyed it, not my fav but still good) then it can b wrapped up nicely indeed.
I’m reading through the manga now, and it explains more of why Haru has his problems, albiet in a roundabout way.
he wouldn’t intentionally hurt her though.. If you ACTUALLY watch it he is jealous but he never actually controls her.. He is just afraid of losing her, Also all the threats were empty, that hardly counts as abuse and in the end he just wants her to be happy… So get over it there is NO abuse (if you mention the times he hit her it was cuz the antagonist made it so he would hit her.)
It’s called psychological/emotional abuse and there is absolutely nothing cute or funny about it. Threatening someone, even if it’s empty, is abuse because it’s a way for the abuser to manipulate the victim through intimidation; it is a way to control someone. The fact that you are unaware of how this is abuse and dangerous concerns me, and that you make excuses for the abuser (saying he’s “just jealous” as though that is a justification to threaten someone) is also alarming and scary. Please read the link below and learn more about emotional abuse, which is far more dangerous than physical or sexual abuse because there are no physical evidence. I have been a victim of such abuse and psychological abuse can be so settle it’s very hard for the victim to recognize whats going on. It took be two years to realize what my first boyfriend did to me and it’s taken even longer for me to realize I grew up with a retaliative who also psychologically abused me (for a year she threaten to kill me). Growing up in this environment has made this abuse normalized and my tolerance for abuse is dangerously high. I am now learning and becoming more aware of how I am treated by those that I allow to be close to me; and what’s considered appropriate and healthy, and what is toxic and abusive..No one should manipulate or threaten another person, and if they try to excuse it as a joke they are now gaslighting and trying to derail the conversation.
http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/08/worried-that-your-partner-is-emotionally-abusive-check-out-these-7-warning-signs/
and this article does a great job in explaining what gaslighting is and how it effects people who have been victimized http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/08/things-wish-known-gaslighting/.
I’m serious, please these articles and learn more about it, you will be surprised to learn at least one person in your life emotionally abused you.
Also the scene where he hits the table she was being rude… And last time I checked hitting the table isnt abuse… Please stop making things something that it isn’t..
Abuse is a pattern of trying to control another person’s behavior, whether it’s through physical violence, or trying to manipulate the other person through frightening them, making threats directed at them, or their family/friends, or threats of committing suicide, or threats of revealing secrets… anything. It doesn’t have to be physical in order to be abuse.
I share some of your concerns but the anime is incredibly addictive and I loved it. In part because both the female and male characters are disfunctional but are helping each other to improve. While Haru is violent he is often violent when protecting himself or others. I cannot recall him ever attempting to hit Shiziku. He does hit her but its when he is trying to hit someone else.
I just watched this on Netflix, and I was a little iffy at the rape mention, but for the most part I really loved the show. I loved how Shizuku never really fell victim to Haru’s violent tendencies… I mean she never just let them happen or god forbid became fond of them. She always told him off for it and clearly implied those were a not okay thing to do. Whenever he did act violent or creepy, she really didn’t put up with it and told him to back off and leave her alone. And she didn’t let him take over her life. When she saw her grades were falling because of time spent with him, she was quick to put herself and her future first and distance herself from him. I just really liked how she handled things and hope to see more and more growth on Haru’s side (not to say he’s had none; he just has a lot to go)
Imagine if they switched roles for a second. What if she threatened to rape him? What if she was the one who slammed her fist on the table? You would brush it off, because she is a girl. You would probably think it’s hilarious. You are clearly stating it’s sexist for certain reasons, and I don’t think it’s the anime being sexist, I think it is you over analyzing, and seeing things as gender identity in our society, and labeling it as the anime being sexist. And I don’t like that you’re doing that.
You said “it teaches that the right girl with love and tenderness can reform a violent boy”. But it doesn’t. Since when did this girl treat him with love and tenderness? She treated him like shit half the time, and he stuck with her because he truly loved her. The anime was teaching that people react in negative ways, but you first have to have empathy and relate, and NOT treat those people like shit. And to have the patience like he clearly did to stick with the person he cared about the most
And since this post is on the topic of personal quirks and underlying “sexism”, how about we mention how “wrong” it is to make this studious girl smarter and better at life than the boy, simply because she is a girl (“girls rule”: clear sexism, if you want to dig up every little thing) and because he is a boy. He is top of his class, while barely trying. And yet in the anime, he is a lumbering idiot, while she makes all the rules and treats him like shit.
I think the whole show is all about how we all mess up, we’re all smart in our ways, and stupid in our own as well. We fall in love. We’re all butts to each other. It’s a slice of life anime, and it’s realistic in that way. No need to over analyze, and make the show something it’s not.
In the anime and manga he was smarter than her and although he was a dimwit half the time he was wise when he needed to be he actually showed a lot more insight then her when he got serious.
I LOVED this anime. Once I watched one episode, I had to watch all 13 before I could remove myself from the TV. I love the characters, especially Haru, and how indecisive they are. In other romantic anime, usually there will be someone (a girl?) Who has her eyes set on someone and they go through dramatic episodes to finally be together. In My Little Monster, the two protagonists become friends by chance and have a complex and interesting relationship from the first episode. I also love how honest these characters are, abs how they don’t flat out deny their feelings like characters in your average shoujo anime do. Its really a great series, and I nice change.
Nah… Don’t care about any damn critics or pure-hypos…
I know a good Anime if I see and watch one.
I agree with most of this. It’s problematic but when one realizes that and can still watch it without internalizing it it’s still something that can entertain you.. It’s just not for everyone.
OMG, I need to know if there’s going to be a season 2!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can’t wait if there’s going to be a season 2
Just give me another season…
You literally just spent 2 paragraphs talking about something (sexism) that has absolutely nothing to do with the show. Domestic violence is not a “heavily hinted underlying theme” in fact it can’t be further from the truth. If you notice on the cover of ever single manga volume there is a chain around Haru’s neck and Shizuku is the one holding it. Basically symbolizing that Haru is the monster and Shizuku is the only one who can tame him. There is no lack of dominance on the females side
I JUST FUCKING NEED AN OTHER SEASON BEFORE I TEAR OUT MY HAIR.
Btw, It doesn’t teach,”that the right girl, with love and tenderness, can reform a violent boy”. the girl doesn’t really have either of those until the guy creates those emotions,through actions, to begin with. plus he’s not all that violent, its not like he wakes up and looks for the nearest head to place upon a stake. He simply defends those he cares for. I don’t see how this could possibly be about domestic violence. Plus you can’t reluuctantly fall in love. Its not possible. Who you choose to incorperate into your life is ultimately your decision, love just isn’t “Oh okay. I give up. I guess ill love you!”.
I think its more sexist to say that girls are being raised with a fear of men. That statement was far more sexist than this anime ever was, so who’s really the issue here.
I know this thread is old. But, I just finished watching the show. My favorite character was that Sasahara guy. The main characters were ok. Both indecisive. The guy is tempermental, violent, and controlling. The girl is actually not too bad. She’s just cold and unsociable.
The only reason I was able stomach the main characters’ wacky ass unhealthy relationship is because they are supposedly teenagers who are new to these emotions and situations, and are still trying to figure out how to deal with it. Had these characters been depicted as adults who were beyond their first couple of romances, I’d definitely be frustrated with them and probably hate the anime. But, I get it. High school hormonal teenage love can be hard to deal with.
If Haru was a girl and Shizuku was a boy you know you wouldn’t bat an eyelash at this show and you know it.
Mirai Nikki, Durarara, Bakemonogatari, Mawaru Penguindrum, Code Geass, Deathnote, even Hyouka features this kind of stuff, this show shouldn’t be so special, if Haru was a girl then you wouldn’t bat an eyelash at this show.
male tsundere?
I thouroughly enjoyed this anime and hope they make a season 2! (#128156#)
i love this show
Thanks to people like you, I can no longer take the words “sexism” or “racism” seriously anymore.
Your critic of this anime show is way more sexist that the anime itself. The anime is good, it’s about the first real love, and they both are inexperienced so it is good, the personalities of all characters all well developed but sometimes it can be too childish or even unreal but it is fun at the end. I would really like to watch a season 2 of this anime. And please stop seeing sexism or domestic violenceevery where, specially if there isn’t any!
I agree, the whole jealously thing is always played up as normal and cute. I’ve had experienced “jealous boyfriend” stereotypes in real life and it’s genuinely scary and I thought it was normal thanks to anime and American tv shows. Looking back how I saw it and dealt with it initially was dumb on my part, but even reporting him and him receiving counseling he still attempts to locate me on the internet. People may say that it’s not real it doesn’t mean anything, that’s not entirely true what our shows broadcast shows our cultures values and in turn shapes them. By telling our media makers we object to something and voting with our dollars we can have these messages changed.
In this one, he’s not jealous over every guy though… Only the guys who potentially threaten his relationship. I’d be fine if my girl hung around my friends, but she shouldn’t hang around the guy who’s confessed to her while we were going out.
I disagree, it’s her decision who she hangs out with. The guy has the right to voice his concern but he cannot tell his partner who she can hang out with.
I watched through the entire thing, and I found nothing sexist about it. I recall it as one guy fighting (literally and figuratively) through his problems, and the girl every once in a while getting caught in the middle. I found that neither person made any serious compromises to their personalities along the way for one another, nor any to their morals. Each one was completely autonomous (thanks autocorrect) throughout the entire series, and while sure, Haru was a dick and kinda violent, if you actually watched the series, you’d realize that he was never truly violent to Shizuku (he only hit her by accident), and really cared for her, and while he said that he wanted to control her, thats his childish way of saying “I only want her to be mine.” Because that’s what this entire series is about. A cold and jaded teenager dealing with an innocent and childish one.
If you’re going to make things up and take things out of context to try and create scandal, at least make the article entertaining *yawn*
despite me agreeing with some of your points, i would have liked to see more growth in the charters and more development in the relationship itself. I wasn’t very happy with the ending because despite the fact that i loved the majority of the anime, the lack of growth at the very end made it unsatisfying when i finished it finally.
When Shizuku was in love with Haru, and he wasn’t sure how he felt, Shizuku responded by respecting his wishes and his space. She told him that she wouldn’t bring up her love for him again until he wanted to talk about it. When Shizuku wasn’t sure how she felt about Haru (or rather, was burying her feelings to study, but still she made her wishes pretty clear), Haru responded by stalking her and attempting to make her feel bad for not accepting his proposal of love (Haru might whine that he’d been “friendzoned”). This just contributes to a behavior and mentality that’s already very present in our culture: women should respect men, but men do not have to respect women, especially when it comes to romantic relationships.
Overall though, A+ anime. Like, so many feels guys. I can’t. Too many. *sob*
I liked it because of this. Maybe I’m just a saddest. Essentially though, I can’t stand watching the purest ideal being flung around without some inner dimensions being fleshed out in the process. As a story it was great, because it kept open their relationship, never had to be together, or stay to together. The dark reality is, many of these ideals do operate within culture. Otherwise the story may have been written and not have had a good reception.
I hate doing this, but… I think you meant “Sadist”?
I’m not being mean… I am just helping someone out.
And if English isn’t your first language, I am sorry.
Yes you are right. I meant sadistic although i also cannot edit the previous post.
Edited
Thanks.
Artist’s create characters. Those characters can have any number of personality traits & behave in a manner of ways. How far would we have to reduce art/entertainment to offend no one? There are so many shows that contain characters (of both genders) that are downright awful. But they are just characters, they are fiction. Can’t a character be an asshole, crazy, misogynistic, psychotic, etc? Our world is already policed by social justice warriors, hellbent on censoring anything offensive. God forbid they turn their attention towards fiction…
Can’t help but think that calling sexism here is a bit hypocritical, their roles aren’t black and white. The show is called “My Little Monster” referring to Haru as both a ‘Monster’ and a possession of Mitty’s. Can’t help but think you’d be calling sexism if the latter of those were reversed. Haru is repeatedly treated as Mitty’s pet or responsibility by their teacher. While I’m not advocating accepting Haru’s violent and erratic tendencies as “boys will be boys”, I think you’re being far too bigoted here to accept that the situation isn’t clearly one way or the other, but a mix of the two.
so should I or should I not watch it ?????
I am a bit late to the party, but…. Watch that Shit. It has some issues, (What anime Doesn’t?) But it is a good one.
If you’ve already watched it, Awesome.
If you have been chased away by super critical people… I would highly suggest ignoring them.
Let’s face it: Everything has its flaws.
But that shouldn’t keep you from loving something.
If you actually watch it he never does anything like that and it is a heartwarming anime that has some violence. The only violence is when Haru hits someone or accidentally hits Shizuka (the female protagonist). Other than that is when Haru loses self control when another character asks him this:
“What if Shizuka say she loves me”.
After hearing those words from his love rival Haru was going to push him off the ledge and potentially try to kill or injure him.He would have done it if Shizuka didn’t stop him bt asking him what is he doing.
While I ultimately agree with your point, I don’t know that I agree that this show is portraying the romance in any way intended to be aspired to – it is obvious that both Haro and Mitty are individuals with emotional issues. It is amusing to watch, but while other anime may leave me with a yearning to ‘live in’ their world, this anime doesn’t even attempt to evoke such a response – this may be a personal assessment as emotional response is hardly ever objective, but I I’m fairly certain that your response is based on projection, not some message that the show itself is delivering.
Also, your example of his expressed ‘desire’ to tear off her arms and legs has two problems: it wasn’t spoken to her, and therefor doesn’t count as abusive [in the context of their relationship]. And the second is that it is out of context – he is verbalizing frustration, not expressing a desire to actually DO this; I’ve heard it said that if you’ve never considered killing the person you’re with, then it isn’t love.
Yep I’m honestly obsessed with My Little Monster I mean… seriously who wouldn’t be? I’m actually on a quest to watch all the anime shows on Netflix which is a lot. Right now my favorites are,”Sword Art Online (one and two),”My Little Monster,”The Devil is A Part-Timer,”Seven Deadly Sins” and Fairy Tail.(all of these are on Netflix) I would seriously recommend watching them all if you haven’t. Buuuuuuuuutttttttttttttt anyways back on the topic which was My Little Monsters so yea Haru and Shizuku are the most awesomest,coolest couple ever but a lot of you are probably blinded with the fact that they are two different people with waaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy different interest the only interests they have in common is their friends and their love for each other. Haru is active, fun and not book-wormy, Shizuku is book-wormy, not very fun and not very active. Even if they only share two things in common they will share each other
I’m not taking the time to find out who wrote this review, but i can positively agree with the comments below, in saying that the author is setting everything up for sexism. They are dimwitted and defeat their own “purpose”. If they even had one….
The real issue in this relationship is not Haru. Granted in real life someone like Haru has some issues, and cartoons are blown way out of proportions especially anime, he needs therapy. But the reason why Haru is pushed so far is because of Shizuku. She pushes Haru to be confused, messes with his emotions when he’s already in a fragile state of mind based on his life experiences (apparently he’s been bullied and abused his life), she teases him physically and emotionally. She tells Haru she is IN LOVE WITH HIM and then she tells him the next day she wants nothing to do with him as soon as he tells her he loves her. Then when he’s finally in love she strings him on a leash (opening credits scene ACTUALLY depicts this) messing with his head and tearing his heart apart. Shizuku gets what she deserves, this is what happens when stupid girls/women play with other people’s emotions. When I read your review it’s just from another “every” tv show is sexist and men are out to get women point of view. It’s just funny that what you point out is of no concern when I feel Haru would never be pushed to this point if Shizuku wouldn’t be playing with his already broken heart and mind. She’s just another little tease that doesn’t understand what she was doing to a man hurts and she deserves everything she gets coming to her. It’s really insensitive… but if she just left him alone and never led him on… do you think Haru would have continued to go after her? The first day he met her he brushed her off, he wanted nothing to do with her yet she chased him, wanted to help him, she was attracted to him and she wouldn’t leave him be, she had to “fix” him and get him back in school. Shizuku is at fault here and that’s what this anime is about, to teach young men that women are essentially evil and will toy with your heart, lead you on, and crush your will to live.
I love this series and the manga was awesome. I just finished the manga today and it was a situable ending but man I still wanted it to go on. I love the way it was written and it’s hilarious. Definitely a comic for the romantic and the sarcastic types alike.
I finished what there was of the show and I need more…so much more. I fell in love with the show almost immediately not just because of Haru (because let’s face it; Haru is adorable <3 )but because I can relate to a majority of both the characters and what happens to the characters. I cannot wait to see if/when the creators make the second season (because it seemed like the ending was intending there was gonna be more), and the second it's open for viewing, I. Am. Watching it. I don't care how long it takes, and I will do my best not to spoil the plot by reading the manga, it'll be difficult though '~'
personally i found the ending very dissatisfying.. i was hoping at the end we would see them start a solid relationship like any other romance anime might but surprisingly thats not what we got.
in a normal situation i might praise the show for giving the ending that wasn’t suspected, but one thing that makes this such a great show and why i stuck till the end with it is because i wanted to see the two mcs get together. we got a kiss at the very start of the show but that was about it, we never got to see any small romantic scenes, (or atleast any two sided ones that didn’t just involve the two blushing at eachother and smiling). in the end, i agree with the points that you said here but i really wish it had a more satisfying ending!
I just finished it all and i’ve been left annoyed. Its started off good with male character seeming care free and bold but by half way through until end his mentality is just that of a child. And the girl really irritated me. Again started off good with her emotions igniting but by half way through shes just an emotionless robot who favors studying over anything else. The ending was even rubbish with her doubting their relationship but looking to the future. Has left me really annoyed. Started off so well but i’ll never watch this again