Kao ni Denai Kashiwada-san to Kao ni Deru Oota-kun – 04
Middle school is having quite a season, between Sanda, Fumetsu, and this show. It’s a less-trafficked setting for anime than high school, obviously, but tends to offer less generic feed corn and more feels. That’s especially true with romcon of course. Just as with Shabake you realize how Shinto series have an inside track on the warm and comforting vibe, junior high romcom have the market cornered on a certain species of unforced cuteness. It is, as Sanda eloquently portrayed yesterday, a time uniquely perched on the precipice of development.
Oota and Kashiwada exemplify this so well. He’s such a little boy in the way he interacts with the girl he likes, but at the same time, they’re both old enough for the romantic chemistry to be obvious. What’s interesting to me about the zombie movie chapter is the question is brings to mind: is Oota trolling himself here? It seems like he’s convinced himself he’s pulling all this stuff to get a rise out of Kishiwada, when in fact he is asking her on a date. Which is another trope of course (the abandoned kitten too) but the spin we get on them is very appealing. And the konnyaku thing was a first.
I also think it’s hilarious that Oota’s two friends (and Kashiwada’s now, too) have the same dynamic – one is a poker face and the other Kao ni Deru. Tabuchi is the one trope here I can live without but to be honest I’ve seen a lot worse. After the movie bit (the unexpected smooching and heartwarming ending left Oota truly beaten) comes the kitten bit. In fact it is Oota – three followers and all – who winds up finding a home for it. Which Kashiwada-san is visiting immediately, as it turns out.
Then we have a birthday chapter, which finds Oota-kun the only one too self-conscious to wish her tanjoubi omedetou (his “you stink!” improv was a grade school as it gets). This leads to a beyond adorable text exchange (observed by Oota’s mom and older sister – poor kid). I can’t help but notice that literally every situation this week was also covered by Karakai Jouzu Takagi-san, which this series bears a certain resemblance to it must be said. But formula is okay – romcom is a formula in and of itself. It all comes down to execution, and the execution with Kao ni Denai Kashiwada-san to Kao ni Deru Oota-kun is extremely winning.
Toujima Tanzaburou wa Kamen Rider ni Naritai – 04
To be blunt, I have serious doubts about my long-tern buy-in to Toujima Tanzaburou wa Kamen Rider ni Naritai now that it’s gone full Samurenco. There’s a disconnect here in that all of these non-Shocker people are seriously messed up. This is not a way for adults to behave. That would be an interesting story. Laughing it off and then saying they were right all along? For me, way less interesting. But that’s a classic YMMV scenario, and – as with Samurai Flamenco – it’s clear many disagree with me. And that’s perfectly fine.
That’s the gist of it, really. What I think happened here (again) is that in essence Toujima Tanzaburou went from being a series I’m the target audience for to one I’m not the target audience for. And again, fair play – that’s fine. And that’s not to say there weren’t moments here I found amusing. Yukarisu’s whole thing was pretty funny, right down to the “I love you but you have to die” schtick. The whole general vibe of unhinged craziness is effective, with the good guys leapfrogging each other in loopy behavior as Shocker pops up in unexpected places. But that only gets you so far.
I would suppose if you’re a Kamen Rider fan the V3 debate probably has some resonance. But it means nothing to me, which is another example of the growing disconnect happening here. When you’re watching an update/spoof of an old franchise you’re not a fan of, pretty much everything else has to click for it to be really compelling. We were pretty close to that for 2.5 episodes, but not so much after that. I’m not sure if this is the drop zone, but one way or the other I expect I’ll know pretty soon (like next week).
The post Weekly Digest 10/26/25 – Kao ni Denai Kashiwada-san to Kao ni Deru Oota-kun (Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota), Toujima Tanzaburou wa Kamen Rider ni Naritai (Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider) appeared first on Lost in Anime.
