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「謎の彼女”」 (Nazo no Kanojo)
“Mysterious Girlfriend”
If you can wipe the drool away, what’s left is a 90s-throwback anime that bypasses 26 episodes of flirting. This is Nazo no Kanojo X.
Within the first few minutes of watching the first episode, the time period this anime pays homage to is clear. The art style features a more rough, scribbly, angular feel, filled with slightly washed-out colors. The pupils of characters dilate themselves without indicating mad rampage, the body proportions not of ridiculous ratios. The music features no electronic sounds; it’s all either computer generated sounds of actual instruments or the real deal. Especially of note is the ED, which says to me, “I’m cute, but I’m not overflowing with it.” I can’t exactly pinpoint why, but the pop-jazz-funk tune helps me cool down. I actually didn’t like the song the first time I heard it, but after the second or third playthrough, the song started to grow on me, as did Ayako’s singing voice. Collectively, this anime is a great throwback to the past that reminds me of the tone Kare Kano (English: His and Her Circumstances) brought almost 13 years ago.
However, the 90s side of this show is only the artful half of this anime. The other half is partly why most of you came to watch this first episode, partly why VA fans should continue to watch this show, and partly why ALL of us should continue to watch.
VA fans, the weirdness hooked you in, but Urabe Mikoto’s seiyuu, Yoshiani Ayako, will keep you in place. It was when I first heard her laugh that I first fell in love with her voice. It was a breath of fresh air being uncanned, a voice that had something not overused to bring to the table. VA fans, I am taking a bet: this is a seiyuu you should be looking forward to, of whom you should give your support. This is her first role in anime EVER (beforehand, she had some minor roles in dramas), and…wow…she sure did choose an interesting place to start. Her voice isn’t something classified into the cute or the cool: it’s different. She conveys that dulled, yet not dull image of Urabe quite well. Her laughing? Fantastic. Her bluntness? Sharp. Cute? In her own weird way…yes. To be quite honest, I am not one who follows VAs most of the time, but her voice struck a chord with me. Personally, it’s a refreshing sound to hear, and I personally cheer her on as the first VA I’ve ever really paid attention to.
But what about if you don’t really care for the VAs? Easy: you can stay for the story that just bypassed into the stories of actual girlfriends and boyfriends in ONE episode.
I could use this post to talk about just how dreamy, how bizarre, and how outright gross the series can be, but if you’ve seen the screens or watched the show, anything I say you probably thought as well. This show is weirdness not for the faint. I’m not saying if you can’t tolerate Higurashi you can’t tolerate this, but it’s definitely something that people have told me have made them squirm or go “wtf”. However, that’s not the interesting part.
What’s really interesting is the refreshing ground that Girlfriend X is focusing on: the dynamics of the boyfriend and girlfriend AFTER confession. Yes, Ano Natsu de Matteru may have brought a mighty insight in the immediate events before and after a confession, but Girlfriend X bypasses that stage in one episode, leaving 12 more episodes to focus on an area that is, in my opinion, highly neglected.
The last anime I can remember that actually spent a majority of its airtime focusing on relationship dynamics was…you guessed it: Kare Kano. Both get the buildup toward the relationship over with. Both spend the majority of their time actually examining how a relationship buds over time. Both spend the time highlighting the struggles one faces in a relationship. I could go on for a whole post why this dynamic is overlooked in anime, but I’ll keep it brief and the rest for another post. So much romantic anime nowadays focuses way too much on the flirting and the hints, often making the resolution vague so there can be room for MORE flirting! If you’re looking for a romance that doesn’t focus on that for once and/or Ano Natsu has left you in relapse, this show is for you.
Weird overtones? Yes. Panty scissors? Oh yes. Plenty of spit to go around? Mmmhm. However, we will also have lots of character dynamics to examine, lots of symbolism to see. Lots of things for us to discover after we wipe the drool from our vision. Girlfriend X hopes to provide some important details on what exactly does happen after two people come together in love, even if that coupling is pretty darn weird.
As always, check the alt-text! Hover your mouse over those pictures! ^_^
ED Sequence
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ED: 「放課後の約束」 (Hōkago no Yakusoku) by 吉谷 彩子 (Yoshitani Ayako)
Preview
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The world is full of weird stuff… >_>
When I found out the world is weird: (✌ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞
Heck, even the ending sequence is weird!
So… Many… Drooling girls!
Not saying mouth to mouth contact is bad, but licking drool off a desk and consuming relatively large amounts still sounds disgusting.
I’ve been waiting for this to get animated for a long, long time. And it’s finally here! 😀
I was actually thinking along the lines of Misaki Mei with the voice of Urabe.
But this works too I guess, it’s a refreshing voice and I’m going to like it as it goes along.
And with the retro art, the music and the pacing, it all amounts to a great start.
I was a bit disgusted at first when I read this manga but I got used to it. And it brings out cute and romantic interactions with the couple so yeah.
Looking forward to this.
Can’t believe this is the studio who brought SnQUnlike you guys, i don’t like Urabe’s current voice. But i do agree that it was supposed to be something like Mei’s voice since Urabe was supposed to be “Mysterious”.
Well, Urabe is voiced by a celebrity named Ayako Yoshitani.
Still, I think Urabe’s voice actress will eventually grow on her as this series progress on the next episode!
I just want the Panty Scissors animated. Haha. More spit-sharing scenes between Mikoto and Tsubaki please! Spit is love! =)
That girl in the picture Tsubaki tore up? She’s aint yandere, but
Show Spoiler ▼
Would be nice if they animated that arc. You know why, I bet.
now tell me those people came up with this?
yea after seeing those pics of girlfriend no way i watching due whole saliva/drool issues yea i got standare too ya know.
only way i might re-think if either dub it or less of that saliva stuff.
I love Yoshiani Ayako’s voice, too
Her first debut as a voice actress I guess?
Urabe’s spit: More addictive than heroin; it’ll give you withdrawal after just one hit. And with the psychedelic properties of acid to the boot- I shudder to think of the consequences if someone managed to isolate and mass-produce its active compound- we’d have the biggest drug crisis in all of known history- but we’d all be too high to care…XP
This is certainly not one of the easiest manga to adapt into an anime, but this first episode was splendidly done. Everything, from the colour palettes to the dreamworld to Urabe’s voice, everything just felt “right”. It managed to evocate in me those same feelings and impressions I had back when I first read this story. I could have asked for nothing more.
To those that cannot stomach the whole drool thing, just a word of advice:
Show Spoiler ▼
I enjoyed watching the first episode of it. Like you about her voice felt like it was just right, and it was. The other voices too seem to fit their roles just nicely. I’ve been waiting ever since they announced that it was going to be an anime and I’m satisfied with the outcome of everything. The colors the art style everything. It made me a happy camper ^_^. As for the series I wonder how far it’ll go, seeing how it’s gonna be 12 episodes I wonder if it’ll have a second season depending on how it’s going I guess?
The production value on this is crazy! Every scene has a movie feel to it, a lot of panning and slow movements.
From what I read in a small section of an interview, the author wanted to write a piece that dealt with teenagers and sex, seeing how young people are having sex early (13 – 14) and exploring that. Something like that.
The author’s thesis: “Teenagers these days are too quick to have sex, and are missing out on all the fun that a not-quite-sexual relationship can be.” – quoted from TV Tropes
haha thanks for that!
90’s looking anime involving spit? I think I’ll watch higurashi instead..just kidding.
Couple of thoughts:
Preview 1 – At first sight I thought she was naked on the lower half >_>
Preview 2 – Taking a leaf out of the queen of stationary Senjougahara
6: Nice catch
18: HAHA good ole faking it
29: Truth?
And to think, the studio did hentai before this. As a fan of the manga, I’m happy how they handle the theme of this series. Looking forward for more.
At first I thought “Wow!”, then I thought “Wow!”
Sex discussion in first episode and finally, after all of these years of wondering why, when I was in school,
cute girls would suddenly burst out laughing when they laid eyes on me. …but I digress.
I really like this and, hopefully we (the audience) are not being trolled each episode wondering when
IT will happen. She reminds me a little of Mei (Another) as far as the oddity stuff and seems very like-able.
My only hiccup with the episode is she tells him “it was sweet, wasn’t it”. So, I’m assuming, despite
what she says that there’s nothing exceptional about it, that it’s different than her normal saliva.
One wonders if this whole thing is not a metaphor for something else girls are know to do when excited
https://randomc.net/image/Nazo%20no%20Kanojo%20X/Nazo%20no%20Kanojo%20X%20-%2001%20-%2037.jpg … Hmmmmmmmm……………..
I loved the almost 1st kiss, too. I thought that would become the “normal” transfer method – great troll.
This has a great start and hopefully it’ll lead to a satisfying finish. I’m really looking forward to
watching her scissors’ work.
Metaphor for sexual things.. looks like another Aquarion
This first episode was simply beautiful; we’re given a pretty good adaptation here. Animation, music, voice acting and pace is all better than I expected. As someone who has been reading the manga, although the story sounds a bit weird at first, it’s quite good when you get used to it.
hmm nice adaptation from the manga
What’s with the drool?
Absolutely nothing. Its all psychosomatic!
Wow, just looking from the screenshots IMO they’ve captured the manga’s feel they even have the dream scene.
Yes, finally it gets an adaption. You guys should really read the manga, it’s freaking unique as hell.
I have to wonder a bit about people finding it too gross to watch considering how many movies and series that features french kissing, which is drool trading of a high degree.
Very promising adaption indeed. Urabe’s seiyuu is really quite refreshing. She sounds very natural compared to most others. I wonder how they’ll end the series though, seeing as the manga is ongoing.
I agree Urabe’s seiyuu hit it right on the head with her character.
I’m impressed. They managed to sell drool fetish on people, judging by comments here and other places! It’s become the most natural thing there is, like a pure alaskan grade snake oil to cure baldness. Very impressive indeed. Now I eagerly wait for them to bring out golden shower fetish any day now, with my tongue firmly planted on my cheek!
Its been a really good year for new seiyū! We have Yoshitani Ayako here in Mysterious Girlfriend X, and Ishihara Kaori from Ano Natsu de Matteru and Rinne no Lagrange. So exciting.
the interesting thing of this series/manga is because they doesnt go for 20 or more episodes to get a kiss o start a relationship they take out all the drama the misurdestandings and show only a couple being a couple, spending time some weird things but i preffer that than over the top drama that the anime tend to be in a relationship
This is starting to give me a saliva fetish lol. Actually it’s an interesting start and people are comparing this girl with Yuno Gasai from Mirai Nikki. I don’t really see the similarities one is unusual and the other is a psychopath, but maybe it will come later down the road?
yet i still find it disturbing really whole saliva/drool sure anime had did some big WHAT like qb’s melona doobi mlik attack with kugi’s voice, seikon milk power, & manyuu hikenchou.
but this yea i’m out of here not want to watch.
Sayonara and close the door. 🙂
Hmmmm it’s funny that I read it 3x before I fully understand what you have said,
I will put a lock on that door …
ROFLMAO. You can’t stand the POWAH OF URABE’S DROOL. xD
Wow it was a very close and good adaption from the manga, also i like the VA. 8/10 and it can only improve for the better, at least hope so. Too bad is only 13 episodes. 🙂
Been a long time since I’ve seen a romance anime that pressed all the right bottons for me. Last romance that did that for me was Aoi Hana back in ’09 (not to be confused with Ano Hana)
I’m to picky when it comes to anime (romance is no exception), so when I finally saw a romance anime that did that, I’m now really pumped up for this anime.
Sorry, Ano Natsu just didn’t do that to me. While the romance in Ano Natsu is great, it ridiculously failed in the other departments
I stop reading it in chapter 43 ages ago since like Highschool of the Dead it takes too long for the author of Mysterious Girlfriend X to make a new chapter since I got a feeling this would get animated. There are plenty of ways to enjoy relationship without going for the usual which I agree upon.
Saliva is a helluva drug.
I don’t usually pay attention to VAs that much, but Yoshitani-san’s performance has captivated me as assuredly as the spit-swapping and the remarkably sweet romance.
Man, they are setting up the best kiss ever.
Think I’ll pass on this, cant get over the drool thing.
Which is funny, considering I’ve seen things that are probably far worse/disgusting. But I just dont find people sucking up each others’ drool a great…selling point.
that’s a shame because the drool exchange is the way that Urabe is able to express her innermost feelings to Tsubaki. It’s not done as kink, but rather serves as the way that demonstrates their closeness, their bond that ties them to each other.
Loved the Manga. Still do. Never imagined it would be adapted to an Anime- so far, it does not disappoint.
I was grinning ear-to-ear the entire time I watched this- I love the Manga so much, it makes me happy to see it adapted too an Anime- and well done at that. So far, at least.
Have you ever seen a kid stick their finger in poo or pull a snot out of their nose and eat it? That’s the exact same feeling as I watched Akira stick his finger in Mikoto’s drool and then point it as his mouth. Guess it’s a parent’s instinct but I was going “nooooooooooo!!!!!!”
Man- this was one hell of an episode. The flower suddenly exuding lots of liquid- then Mikoto suddenly hurling up tons of spit when she got excited/happy. Wow. Talk about being overt with your analogies.
You can’t say the story isn’t innovative.
I’m going to watch out of sheer curiosity and morbid fascination with where this is going to go.
Nazo no Kanojo X is one of my anticipated manga, and I never ever thought about that it will become an anime…
You know what, unexpected things sometimes are the best thing in this world ^^.. Love how the studio is loyal on the manga.. It’s like a retro anime to me added with some vividness ^^..
I will really surprise…. if Onani Master Kurosawa will be the next one to be animated 😀
… and this is Ueshiiba Riichi’s most normal work.
The first episode did a good job at capturing the atmosphere of the manga and I’m sure Yoshiani Ayako as Urabe and the mysterious (sorry, there wasn’t any better word to describe it) soundtrack contributed a lot to it.
I’m happy to see that Mysterious Girlfriend X seems to get a good adaption – unlike the highly disappointing Yume Tsukai anime – but I guess a romance series is easier to adapt than a story about a hermaphrodite half-god that can impregnate girls with itself inside dreams (and no, this sentence will not make more sense even if you read Yume Tsukai).
My only worry is that, with only 13 episodes, the anime will fall short at some point. Also, I hope that the fox mask – being the headgear of the main characters in both Discommunication and Yume Tsukai – in Tsubaki’s first dream was only a cameo and does not signify a sudden crossover with one of the two…
There are so many contradictions both on-screen and off with this one, but it’s my favorite premiere of the season so far (which I did not expect). I absolutely loved it.
I knew you’d love it. The plot is actually quite unique.
That art… welcome again 90’s
I underestimated the power of drool..a mistake I shall never make again.
I love this manga so happy that it got animated. Fuck the haters
This anime won me over when I saw the male lead was a Big O fan
I read the manga before I gotta admit too weird for me, some might have these strange fetish, but to me it just nasty.
The only way I would ever taste another female’s drool beside a family member is they better be nake and riding on me and we kissing or else no no, too many weird diseases nowadays for me to taste someones drool.
The voice acting for the main character (Urabe) needs a lot of improvement. This anime is my second most anticipated series of the season (only next to Fate). So far, amateurish voice acting is ruining the excitement.
I love her! Can’t wait till next week!
I really forgot how weird the beginning of this series was. The more recent manga chapters have been relatively tame with more of a fanservice focus.
https://randomc.net/image/Nazo%20no%20Kanojo%20X/Nazo%20no%20Kanojo%20X%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2031.jpg
I cheered for the Panty Scissors teaser. =)
I’ve been following the manga for a quite some time already and I am greatly pleased with the way the animation mrings it to life!
I really liked this episode, however this is probably the weirdest thing I’ve ever found romantic. The fact that carried the photo of the girl I liked all through High School probably helped.
I also loved Urabe’s laugh.
I have to agree that Urabe’s VA is so good to listen to. I was taken aback when she first spoke but I instantly fell in love with it. Love Urabe’s laugh, it made me want to hug her. I for one cringed when Tsubaki first tasted Urabe’s drool but I quickly got used to the drool thing when Urabe was feeding him her drool. Anyone else think that his confession to her was just awesome? Talk about throwing all past feelings away for the future.
I was going to write this one off after I saw a youtube trailer. Then I decided to watch. Far better than I expected and I really look forward to seeing how this goes!
Holy crap, the VA is amazing. It feels like she is in the room with me. It isn’t a modern moe voice, to be sure, but if memory serves, it isn’t a 90’s voice either. She sounds so natural, like she isn’t even acting…holy crap.
The first episode felt like a science fiction mystery, with tons of references to aliens, UFOs and space-opera stuff. Nice ambiance.
I’m surprised at the animation, I didn’t think such an unknown manga series to be treated with high grade production. Hopefully the whole budget didn’t go to the 1st ep.
Urabe’s VA, Ayako Yoshitani, feels only a bit amateurish(in a world of female VAs where professional = moe), and at the same time it was so natural. Definitively not what I was looking for in a gloomy character, but that beat me, it fells great. I hope she keeps up among the many veterans.
Now what I’m really looking forward is delicious 143cm Oka.
Surprisingly, I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. I remember checking out the manga a while back, but dropped it almost immediately because of the strange spit theme. For once, I found more enjoyment from seeing it animated. I had no plans to watch this in the beginning, but this 1st episode impressed me enough to keep me watching for at least a couple more episodes.
Everything about this series is so different from your run-of the mill high school rom-com. I love the directness of both main characters. It’s very refreshing to watch and easy to become attached to the characters.
Like many others mentioned, I also imagined Urabe’s voice to be something similar to Misaki Mei. But after hearing more of her dialogue, I actually quite like Urabe’s voice. It’s very natural and refreshing, very close to how an actual person might sound like.
MmmMMMMMmm DROOOL… just when you thought they thought of everything already here comes DROOL FETISHHH LICk! 😛 haha
What makes this story so good is the ability to mixe a wierd theme like tasting drool with a really important subject, that is to enjoy a develop a romantic relationship before taking the step towards sex, something most teenagers doesn´t even think about and end up commiting a lot of mistakes that change thier lives forever; you got to love this show.
Does anyone else see the humour in an incredibly wet mouthed girl who delivers speeech in an exceptionally dry tone? LOL I love that style. These characters are well done i’m hoping they add more soon, I wonder if the girl in the picture will make an appearance later. It kind of looks like her in the ending there in the once scene only geekier. I’m glad i checked this out.
This is a strange show.
Strange is actually quite good.
I don’t recall saying it was bad…
I won’t call it strange. I will call it unique.
Same…thing?
Anyway, I liked the romance. It was just…really REALLY strange. Also, I almost threw up when Urabe…overflowed, but it didn’t take away from the moment…for the most part.
The word “strange” and “weird” somehow gives a negative connotation to me, while “unique” could give you more freedom to call it bad or good depend on how you look at it.
Well, NnK X is created by Hoods Entertainment after all, that studio tends to create “innovative” fanservice show like feel, started with oversize boobs and now overflow drooling.
I would love to know what kind of childhood experiences the writer of this Manga/Anime had. It’s just that my brain hurts when watching this show. I guess I’ll just need turn off my brain, don’t take it seriously, don’t put any logical thinking into it and watch this as it is.
Episode 1. Just damn.
I mean I kinda knew how good the scenes were in the manga, but seeing them animated? Damn. I give this episode a perfect 10. Urabe’s seiyuu? IT. FITS. This season is practically perfect with only this, Accel World and Sankarea.
what about the ultimate crossdressing magicalgirl guy! and mboxxx blue rias!
They’re like freebies. A 32gb Flash Drive freebie. For a brand new laptop. Awesome, but my greatest expectations are on the three only. I have read their stories before they got animated and have loved it.
I haven’t read Medaka Box, but seeing episode one, I might give it a show after the series.
Of course Kore Wa Zombie Desuka has always been fun for me.
Yoshitani is made of awesome and aural sex. Best new seiyuu of the season, if not of this year.
I should check this out once more episodes air ^o^b
Drool. Yum.
Great episode. Hope they can keep it up.
So, any sort of summary for this episode? The post seems full of commentary and I came here to see the summary of what happened episode one to decide whether I would like to watch it or not.
Akira tastes the spit of a really weird transfer student, Urabe.
Akira gets a fever from Urabe’s spit.
Transfer student, Urabe, cures Akira with her spit and tells him he needs moar spit regularly or else he’ll get a fever.
He falls in love with Urabe’s weirdness and spit and after a cool confession, is greeted with a lot of spit.
Urabe <3 Akira; a couple is born!
Oh yeah, more spit! :3
—-
I understand your concern, but you could find a summary like this anywhere. I tried to focus on other points in this episode as well as frame the series as a whole. If focusing on everything else BUT the summarized plot has hampered your decision, I am sorry, but please do not expect a consistent plot-by-point description for each episode, something I am aware other writers provide.
It is my belief that I provide the gut reaction and analysis. The reader, if they haven't watched already, can discover what the full plot is, as that’s half the enjoyment right there ^^.
Very nice, and with only 13 episodes there’s a good chance that this won’t fall into the same pitfalls the much longer manga did and be “adaptation distillation” at its best (excuse the TV Trope talk)
Show Spoiler ▼
Went through some of the manga quite some time ago and that is the arc I still have faint memories of.
Also remember faintly about fighting.
Can’t remember anymore.
Maybe I should go peek around the manga chapters again.
How do you figure this “Bypasses 2 episodes of flirting”??? they never do sh!t!
“26” i mean…..had to copy and paste a six…my laptop is made of corn cobs and left over dental floss
They went straight to dating, right? I’d say that’s a skip past the “KYAAA”s and the blushing and the ambiguous language a lot of romantic comedies use as their staple.
The saliva thing… could get a little getting used to
Btw is it just me, or does saliva forms in my mouth everytime I see her saliva
This gives a new meaning to mouth squirting! LoL it was so much spit I thought at first she just puked. Glad it was only her way to show happiness. I do dig the 90 feel art style bring back lots of memories. It’ll be fun to take her to a show or crowed place and make her “happy”. Proyectile spit anyone? a must watch indeed!
I just hope this doesn’t end up creating a bunch of drool fetishists. Next thing you’ll know they’ll have canned drool being sold out of vending machines.
So, this got an adaptation too? I thought it was a joke when i saw the ‘up coming series’ chart a while back. Hard to gauge this with only one episode, but it pretty much set up the basic points of the plot. For those unfamiliar with the manga. Though with that being said, i’m curious on what will be kept in and what will be cut. Since there is a lot of material to go through.
The first thing that struck me about the anime was Urabe’s voice. I was also struck at how different it was and how much of a perfect fit it was to Urabe. I’ve read a few chapters of the manga and while I liked it, I’ve never had a very long attention span when it comes to manga. I’m glad they made an anime for it because even though its weird, its quite interesting.
“I’m impressed. They managed to sell drool fetish on people, judging by comments here and other places! It’s become the most natural thing there is, like a pure alaskan grade snake oil to cure baldness. ”
I was wondering why people think kissing is natural in nowadays, because kissing basically droll-exchanging-fetish.
/sarcasm
Good review. Spot on.