Review of "Kaguya-sama: Love Is War": The love tactics of geniuses and their appeal

The appeal and evaluation of "Kaguya-sama: Love is War"

"Kaguya-sama: Love is War" is a TV anime series based on the popular manga of the same name by Akasaka Aka. It aired from January 12 to March 30, 2019, and was available on stations such as TOKYO MX and AT-X. It consists of 12 episodes, each 30 minutes long, and is produced by A-1 Pictures.

story

Shuchiin Academy is a prestigious school where promising future students gather. The student council members, Vice President Shinomiya Kaguya and President Shirogane Miyuki, are attracted to each other, but their pride is too high and they are unable to confess their feelings to each other even after six months. Unable to be honest with themselves, the two of them eventually consider confessing to be a loss and start thinking only about how to get the other person to confess, and engage in a "love battle of wits" using all their intrigue. However, as the series progressed, the depictions and developments of the "love battle of wits" decreased, and it changed into a comedy-heavy romantic comedy between two extremely tsundere characters. The author Akasaka Aka even publicly stated, "Honestly, I think it's about time to take down the sign of 'The Geniuses' Love Battle of Wits'." After that, Kaguya confesses her feelings and Kaguya and Miyuki start dating, and both the personified versions of "Kaguya-sama: Love is War" and "The Geniuses' Love Battle of Wits" are depicted as dying.

cast

The role of Kaguya Shinomiya is played by Aoi Koga, the role of Miyuki Shirogane is played by Makoto Furukawa, the role of Chika Fujiwara is played by Yoshimi Kohara, the role of Yu Ishigami is played by Ryota Suzuki, and the role of Miko Iino is played by Miyu Tomita. These cast members express the individuality of the characters well and enhance the charm of the anime.

Main Staff

The original work is by Akasaka Aka, the director is Hatakeyama Mamoru, the series composition is Nakanishi Yasuhiro, the character design is Yahiro Yuko, the prop design is Kido Takayuki, the art director is Wakabayashi Risa, the art setting is Matsumoto Hiroki and Koyama Mayuko, the color design is Hokari Kanako, the CG director is Kuribayashi Yuki, the cinematographer is Okazaki Masaharu, the editor is Matsuhara Rie, the music is Ueoka Kei, the sound director is Aketagawa Jin, the music production is Aniplex, the music producer is Yamauchi Shinji, the producers are Ishikawa Tatsuya, Funakoshi Taku, Maeda Toshihiro, Nakajima Naoto, the animation producer is Yamada Kenshiro, the animation production is A-1 Pictures, and the production is Kaguya-sama: Love Is War Production Committee (Aniplex, Shueisha, JR East Japan Planning, Mainichi Broadcasting System). These staff members work together to bring out the charm of the original work to the fullest.

Main Characters

Kaguya Shinomiya is a member of the archery club, and although she doesn't show up much these days, her skills are at a national tournament level. She also has high combat abilities, with a first dan in Aikido and a second dan in Judo. Miyuki Shirogane is a boy in class 2B of the high school division, and serves as the student council president. He has a history as a former student council general affairs officer, and is full of leadership and a sense of responsibility. Chika Fujiwara is a girl in class 2B of the high school division, and serves as the student council secretary. She is a member of the table games club, and is a bright and energetic character. Yu Ishigami is a boy in class 1B of the high school division, and serves as the student council treasurer. She is characterized by her serious and hardworking personality. Miko Iino is a girl in class 1B of the high school division, who wears her hair in a short ponytail, and has a cute appearance and personality. The story woven by these characters is full of charm that draws in the viewer.

subtitle

The subtitles of each episode cleverly express the characters' psychology and actions. Starting with episode 1, "I want to be invited to the movies, Kaguya wants to be stopped, I want Kaguya," to episode 12, "I can't hear the sound of the fireworks, part 2, I don't want to avoid Kaguya," each episode has a different theme and development. These subtitles are elements that make the viewer look forward to the next development.

Related Titles

Kaguya-sama: Love is War is being produced as a second season, which will feature a deeper story and character development, making it a must-watch sequel for viewers who enjoyed the first season.

Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "Love Dramatic feat. Ihara Rikka", with lyrics and music by Mizuno Yoshiki, arrangement by Homma Akimitsu, and singing by Suzuki Masayuki and Ihara Rikka. The ending themes are "Love Dramatic feat. Ihara Rikka" (episodes 2, 4-12) and "Chikatto Chika Chika♡" (episode 3), the former with lyrics by Miyajima Junko, music and arrangement by Yamada Ryuhei, and singing by halca, the latter with lyrics by Fukushima Maki, music by Fukushima Setsuko, and singing by Kobayashi Yoshimi. These songs are important elements in creating the atmosphere of the anime.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Kaguya-sama: Love is War" faithfully reproduces the charm of the original work while adding depth with the expressiveness that only anime can offer. The portrayal of the characters' psychology and the tactics of the love brain battle have the power to draw viewers in. There are also plenty of comedy and romantic comedy elements, so you can enjoy both laughter and emotion at the same time. In particular, the relationship and growth of Shinomiya Kaguya and Shirogane Miyuki leaves a strong impression on viewers.

This anime is recommended for those who like romance and romantic comedies, as well as those who want to enjoy the characters' psychological warfare and tactics. It is also satisfying for fans of the original work, and will give you a deeper understanding and enjoyment. A second season is also being produced, so after enjoying the first season, be sure to watch the sequel.

Overall, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War is a work that leaves a strong impression on viewers, with a high level of story, characters, music, and production staff. Please give it a watch and experience its charm for yourself.