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Boku wa Tomodochi ga Sukunai (or Haganai for short, seriously what is it with Japan and long titles?) is originally a light novel by Yomi Hirasaka, illustrated by Buriki, that was adapted into a videogame for the PSP (apparently some sort of dating game), two different mangas (I will get back to this in a bit) and an anime (2nd season currently airing). It deals with a group of misfits creating a club so as to learn how to make friends. Said Misfits :  Hasegawa Kodaka, our hero: Basically the "normal guy" of the group, he has a good and gentle personality and is repeatedly shown to be much more socially mature than any of the other members of the group. However, as the show starts, he just transferred to St Chronica Academy, a catholic high school, and despite his best efforts, he just can't make any friends because of his blonde hair. Of course, anime logic dictates he has this hair color because his mother was english. While we're discussing anime cliche, let's mention that Kodaka lives alone with his little sister Kobato, as his mother passed away and his father is currently working as an archeologist in the US.  Mikazuki Yozora : She's cruel, she's manipulative, she's a bully and she has no friends. So when Kodaka discover her talking alone to her "air friend" Tomo-chan, she turns to him to help her fund the "Neighbor's Club" so they can both learn how to make friends. Hates Sena. She is actually Kodaka childhood's friend he forgot about.  Kashiwazaki Sena, aka "Meat": Beautiful, blonde, busty and brainy, Sena has everything, except friends, because her personality is pretty terrible too (are you beginning to see a pattern yet?). When she joins the newly created Neighbor's club, she quickly receives the nickname "Meat" from Yozora, and everything pretty much goes downhill from there between them. Her father is a friend of Kodaka father's.  Hasegawa Kobato: Kodaka's little sister. Chuunibyou before it was mainstream, she believes she is some sort of vampire. Otherwise, pretty normal. Has an antagonistic relationship with Maria that eventually evolves into what could at best be described as a friendly rivalry.  Maria Takayama : 10 years old genius nun. Supervising teacher for the Neighbor's Club. Likes to say "poop" a lot. This is the anime-est of all animes.  Shiguma Rika : The group's mad scientist fujoshi with a major in robot intercourse and a minor in sexual innuendo. I'm not making any of this poo poo up.  Kusunoki Yukimura : Wants to be manly like Kodaka and so gets tricked into crossdressing by Yozora. Actually a girl. Let that sink in. She is a girl pretending to be boy dressing like a girl to be more manly. The Manga(s): There are two different mangas. One is a more or less straight adaptation of the light novel, and is all things considered pretty good and pretty funny. The comedic timing is good and the artist can draw some pretty funny faces when he wants to. While I haven't read the light novels, it's IMHO the best version but it doesn't update nearly often enough. The other one, imaginitively named "Boku wa Tomodachi ga sukunai+" is an alternative take on the story, in which Sena met Kodaka before Yozora, and focuses slighly more on the romance and on the drama. Still a fun read if you enjoy the first manga and have about 20 minutes to waste. The Anime : It's not terrible but it definitely suffers from its business model (:sell BDs to otakus) so every good comedy bit will be sandwiched between bits of ecchi. It's not excessive, but you cannot help but think they could put in a few more laughs or (lol) character development in by removing some of the ecchi. Oh well, at least it's decently animated  At the very least, they should consider themselves glad they are airing it during an otherwise terrible season. As for licensing, the manga has been licensed in english by Seven Seas Entertainment, and both seasons of the anime have been licensed by Funimation in english speaking countries. Tl;dr : it's anime as gently caress, it's often funny, I took one for the team by making this thread and admitting I enjoy terrible animes, let's discuss it.
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| # ? Feb 2, 2013 21:38 |
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| # ? May 24, 2013 23:40 |
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 I can't decide if Rika is scary or amazing.
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| # ? Feb 2, 2013 22:35 |
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Akoogly Eyes posted:
 Is this a regular thing in the series? Cause I would watch it if it is.
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| # ? Feb 2, 2013 23:38 |
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The joke is of course that they are, in fact, all friends in there. (But apparently in Japan you aren't Actually Friends until you have signed a Holy Contract of Friendship in your own blood, or something.) First season of the anime, the Big Plot was the reveal that, wow, Yozora and Kodaka actually knew each other many years ago, and they may in fact be Actually Friends. (But that's a secret!) This time around, the plot seems to be that Sena's daddy is trying to arrange for Sena and Kodaka to be married. Meanwhile, Sena herself seems to be more interested in underage girls, or possibly a lesbian relationship with Yozora. For the first 3 episodes of this new season, I really kept wondering why I was watching it, but the 4th episode turned out to be not-too-bad. All I want is for Sena and Yozora to somehow make up and become Actually Friends.
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| # ? Feb 3, 2013 00:20 |
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nielsm posted:The joke is of course that they are, in fact, all friends in there. (But apparently in Japan you aren't Actually Friends until you have signed a Holy Contract of Friendship in your own blood, or something.) It's more like they're socially awkward autists who can't realize they're already friends due to some idealized version of how friends 'should' act. See: "The beach!"
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| # ? Feb 3, 2013 16:05 |
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WitchFetish posted:Boku wa Tomodochi ga Sukunai (or Haganai for short, seriously what is it with Japan and long titles?) I have no teeth and I must chew.
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| # ? Feb 3, 2013 16:15 |
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For some reason I had convinced myself there was a new cast, whereas in reality I had simply told myself that the only way this would be remotely palatable would be if there was a new cast.Shark Tower posted:
The doctor is 'humorously' perverted and says innappropriate things all the time. It's not very funny.
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| # ? Feb 12, 2013 07:15 |
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Well, all the characters come across as caricatures (or cardboard cut-outs, take your pick!), so it's not much of an issue. Still, I did find that sequence funny.
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| # ? Feb 12, 2013 07:38 |
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DamnGlitch posted:It's not very funny.  If you don't believe Rika is the saving grace of this show you are sadly mistaken. Her character is so absurd you can't help but wonder how much fun the voice actor is having with it. She's been going all out lately.
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| # ? Feb 12, 2013 17:33 |
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Rika is by far the best part of this show. The way she screams when Yukimura puts her hand on Kodaka's back in the beach episode is hilarious, as is her reading the manga with the robots fighting. All the other ecchi stuff should've been axed, though.
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| # ? Feb 12, 2013 17:53 |
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The Monkey Man posted:Rika is by far the best part of this show. The way she screams when Yukimura puts her hand on Kodaka's back in the beach episode is hilarious, as is her reading the manga with the robots fighting. All the other ecchi stuff should've been axed, though.
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| # ? Feb 12, 2013 19:47 |
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The best part of the show is actually this related video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFQCX6tIzC4
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| # ? Feb 12, 2013 20:04 |
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That chair review is the greatest thing.
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| # ? Feb 12, 2013 23:10 |
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Wow, how did I not see that until now? That is amazing.
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| # ? Feb 12, 2013 23:56 |
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I want to listen to those guys review everything.
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| # ? Feb 13, 2013 00:48 |
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I haven't seen a single episode of this show but that chair review was basically the funniest poo poo ever.
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| # ? Feb 13, 2013 01:00 |
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Sindai posted:I want to listen to those guys review everything. Also, I believe it's one guy doing two voices.
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| # ? Feb 13, 2013 01:39 |
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Oh man, Haganai. I remember being one of the ones defending this show when season one was starting to air, but it's become less defensible as the series has gone on. Now it's just another generic light novel series and adaptation that surprisingly had the potential to be good but is just steadily throwing away every interesting and humorous element in favor of pandering as much as it possibly can with all the predictable harem jokes and naked ten year olds you'd expect from a dumb LN romcom adaptation. It is a case study in terrible anime. I should really stop watching this show but I can't help but want to see what new and exciting ways every potentially good or funny thing about the show will be demolished by everything being so terrible. On an aside, the description for one of the manga volumes is so hilariously awful.  Roflfox posted:
Yeah I agree man. That scene where she fingered Yukimura's genitals in front of everyone for like half a minute? So awesome. It's true that Rika has some of the best scenes but she has her share of really loving creepy/terrible scenes too. Xythar posted:The best part of the show is actually this related video This owns though. jonjonaug fucked around with this message at Feb 13, 2013 around 05:12 |
| # ? Feb 13, 2013 05:01 |
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 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGRxJmVbii4 UNIVERSE! Oh Snapalope fucked around with this message at Feb 13, 2013 around 05:13 |
| # ? Feb 13, 2013 05:09 |
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This is never going to stop being the best thing. 
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| # ? Feb 13, 2013 07:50 |
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I think someone described it as getting a bunch of otaku fetish stereotypes together and telling us "~~*they're just like you*~~". This is a bad show and you should feel bad for watching it.
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| # ? Feb 13, 2013 12:08 |
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Phobophilia posted:I think someone described it as getting a bunch of otaku fetish stereotypes together and telling us "~~*they're just like you*~~". Isn't that only a problem if they hit too close to home?
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| # ? Feb 13, 2013 13:24 |
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Hardly, I'm an awkward sadbrains but being sociable is the least of my concerns. There really has to be a shortcut to describe characters behaving weird and awkward in order to appeal to nerds.
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| # ? Feb 13, 2013 20:58 |
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I don't really get where the series says, "these people are just like you!" If anything, the show spends a good amount of time taking anime stereotypes and showing how much it would suck to be that guy. Kodaka is an exotic looking guy who lands in the center of a harem! ...but he mostly just looks scary and he really, really isn't interested. He's one of the few sympathetic characters. That may change. YMMV. Yozora is a comedic misanthrope! ...except that this just means she's mean. She likes one person, but that person thinks she's kind of pathetic. Sena is good at everything! ...but other people resent her for it, she's conceited, and her complete lack of social experience results in no common sense. She's kind of creepy, too. Rika does her own thing, and to hell with anyone that disagrees! ...except that the guy she's interested in is put off by it. Aside from that, though? She's got her poo poo together, and so the show doesn't spend much time mocking her. Yukimura is a stereotypical "trap"! ...except that she looks that feminine because she really is female. The fact she thinks she's a guy says really disquieting things about her family and how she's been raised, something that even these people get pretty much immediately. Kobato and Maria are dumb kid comic relief! ...and everyone treats them that way. Kids are dumb. (When they're treated with some seriousness, Maria is pretty much tiny Sena, and Kobato is aloof and awkward in the same way Kodaka is.) If you were supposed to identify with characters, I think the show would spend less time telling you how dumb and awful all of these people and their stereotypes are. It isn't exactly subtle about it.
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| # ? Feb 13, 2013 22:06 |
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Phobophilia posted:Hardly, I'm an awkward sadbrains but being sociable is the least of my concerns. I don't understand what you're trying to say here.
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| # ? Feb 14, 2013 02:05 |
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Honestly, I have no idea either. I know some shows are designed for the audience to project onto the characters, and from what I've watched (half the 1st season), that was what I thought the writers were trying to get me to do. Which infuriated me, and the stupid harem bullshit doesn't make me want to continue.
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| # ? Feb 14, 2013 02:57 |
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I keep getting the impression from context that I'm supposed to have some sort of sympathy towards Yozora. Instead, I feel satisfaction every time her myriad personality flaws ruin her attempts to get closer to Kodaka. Can't tell if I'm watching this show right. (Edit: Christ, the art shift in the second season really beats you over the head with the artists' "HEY I GOT MY START DOING PORN", doesn't it? AmiYumi fucked around with this message at Feb 15, 2013 around 05:00 |
| # ? Feb 15, 2013 04:56 |
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AmiYumi posted:I keep getting the impression from context that I'm supposed to have some sort of sympathy towards Yozora. Instead, I feel satisfaction every time her myriad personality flaws ruin her attempts to get closer to Kodaka. The way the main character designer/LN artist draws is really distinct. Look at Denpa Onna if you want a reference. Oh Snapalope fucked around with this message at Feb 15, 2013 around 07:47 |
| # ? Feb 15, 2013 06:55 |
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AmiYumi posted:I keep getting the impression from context that I'm supposed to have some sort of sympathy towards Yozora. Instead, I feel satisfaction every time her myriad personality flaws ruin her attempts to get closer to Kodaka. Yeah, it's Buriki alright. But I would often call Haganai the anime Breakfast Club, except it is all gender reversed and it has almost all girls and one guy.
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| # ? Feb 15, 2013 09:58 |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGUYB8Eb95s
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| # ? Feb 17, 2013 05:19 |
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Could someone explain what a bread-eating race is? I've seen it mentioned in several anime (including this one) but don't understand how it works.
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| # ? Feb 18, 2013 14:20 |
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The Monkey Man posted:Could someone explain what a bread-eating race is? I've seen it mentioned in several anime (including this one) but don't understand how it works. Run to a raised bar, where a series of breads are suspended from, eat one of them without using your hands, then run back. I'm not entirely sure what physical attributes it's supposed to show strength in, but it's clearly popular with people who like eating.
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| # ? Feb 18, 2013 14:37 |
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Akoogly Eyes posted:
This is the funniest sequence in the whole series. the other character's lines add something to it even if they are pretty predictable. Too bad it comes so late in the series and all the gross synchronized puking and aforementioned Yukimura groping happens in this episode.
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| # ? Feb 18, 2013 18:24 |
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nielsm posted:Run to a raised bar, where a series of breads are suspended from, eat one of them without using your hands, then run back.
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| # ? Feb 20, 2013 08:43 |
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Some what NSFW... http://i.imgur.com/pbjDcVj.jpg
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| # ? Feb 22, 2013 10:33 |
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Surely, with parents like that, the child is destined for greatness. Surely!
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| # ? Feb 22, 2013 12:33 |
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Oh Snapalope posted:Some what NSFW... Oh wow, that sure is something. I'm watching this show but feeling bad it about at the same time, I watched the previous season and I thought that was funny enough, and though it seems this season isn't much different I can see they're starting to throw some actual romance into the mix. Still, the whole thing about not having friends is getting tiring, "boy, this would be great to do with some friends, I wonder what friends are like, ah well, I guess we'll never know, huh gang? WHAT I WOULDN'T GIVE FOR SOME FRIENDS." Also Kodaka acting like a blind dumb idiot as Rika has brought to attention multiple times, but I guess if he didn't act like that the show would be over much sooner, right? Also the little sister characters are anything but funny in this show, I really don't see what their point is. I demand character development and proper roles in my shameful fanservice harem anime. 
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| # ? Feb 22, 2013 14:03 |
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Kodaka and Sena's chat in the mall was pretty great, it was so realistic in how awkward teenagers talk with each other  also older nun sis is now my favourite character for subverting the trope and not giving a poo poo about being walked in on.
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| # ? Feb 22, 2013 17:41 |
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HoneyBoy posted:Still, the whole thing about not having friends is getting tiring, "boy, this would be great to do with some friends, I wonder what friends are like, ah well, I guess we'll never know, huh gang? WHAT I WOULDN'T GIVE FOR SOME FRIENDS."  The real tiring thing is this is blackhair being a terrible person
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| # ? Feb 22, 2013 20:06 |
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| # ? May 24, 2013 23:40 |
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Namtab posted:The real tiring thing is this is blackhair being a terrible person
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| # ? Feb 22, 2013 20:38 |
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