First Impressions / Series Introduction

Kouichi & Yuumi
So after their first date, which wasn’t really a date considering there were like 10 other people there, their relationship continues to progress at 5 centimeters per hour. He still sucks at talking to her, she still blushes all over the place whenever he does, and it isn’t until the end of the episode that he works up the courage to ask her for some help regarding books and that library stuff she’s good at. Good thing about these kind of relationships – they progress so slowly you never really feel the bumpy ride.
Progression: At a snail’s pace, but at least it seems to be in the right direction


Kouichi & Mao
No more updates on their late-night “gaming” sessions, as she seems to have affirmed her onee-san role and doesn’t seem like she’ll be giving that up anytime soon.
Progression: A complete lockdown cease-fire

Kazuki & Asuka
Our genki soccer chick is getting some major playing time this episode, and she uses it well to flaunt not only her athletic gifts, but her total domination over the weakling known as Kazuki. The two appear to have some history, particularly involving their relative abilities at soccer, but it seems to run deeper than that. How deep? Kazuki has too much else on his mind to remember…
Progression: Until someone drops the bomb, this one isn’t going anywhere


The Imouto Duo
They still seem to be riding that wave of “new friendship” where you’re so happy you made a new friend that’s just like you. Wait until a rift happens! Wait until their love interests overlap! Wait until the blue frog shows up! Well, all three of which will probably never happen – the only clue we really have of anything happening to this plotline is that Naru-chan is one of the girls in the intro lineup of the six girls.
Progression: It’s all going buddy-buddy for now, but if the OP is any indication…


Kai & Mao
Our resident a-hole walks in on Mao cleaning up the millions of love letters that have fallen out of her shoe locker, and offers his stoic apathy for support. And he kinda catches her as she’s wobbling off-balance from not sleeping enough. Then he picks up her bag and takes her to the nurse’s office! Douchebag. Not to mention he asks her out on a date in the last scene – and she accepts!
Progression: No physical action going on here (yet), but this is the only relationship that’s actually moving at a “natural” pace


Kazuki & Eriko
You remember that first girl you ever touched, or the first one who showed half a wink of interest in you? And you couldn’t take your eyes off her in school, couldn’t stop thinking about her, etc. It’s like, you don’t even know her, but some little event triggered off a whole cascade of emotions resembling a crush. I’m sure most of us have experienced something like that, except it was probably around the fifth or sixth grade. How old is Kazuki? Not to mention Eriko probably has the maturity level of a girl much older (or at least tries to), so we’re essentially dealing with a relationship where the guy is obsessing over a girl who not only has an IQ twice as high as his, but also a mental age twice as high as his. She’s clearly mad at him in her own apathetic way, which likely makes her the hardest egg to crack of all the characters in this show, but we all know it’s just a matter of time
Progression: In all seriousness, this is kinda going like the thing between Clannad’s Tomoyo and that blonde guy. Which is to say, nothing will ever happen until he goes completely emo and completely gives in to her.

Other things to watch out for in this ep? Asuka meets the imouto duo, and Mao meets Eriko. Oh, there’s also Kawasumi Ayako sensei as well as Mitsuki (classmate, voiced by Noto Mamiko) getting brushed off by Eriko. She is cooolllddddd.

Preview


Thoughts
I don’t really care anymore, this show is way too generic and requires me to completely suspend all notion of expectation and common sense to appreciate it. Which I don’t have a problem with, it’s just that normally that attitude is exclusive to shows like Ninomiya-kun which is brainless fun for twenty minutes, not Kimikiss, with a pedigree like H&C and Nodame. It’s like the art style and character designs just don’t fit the depth of the show and its characters.

And then there’s the belief that because this show has TWO male leads, that somehow absolves it from being a harem show. Well, it’s definitely not a traditional harem, and not every girl is after the guy(s)’ nuts, but believe it when I say these girls are complete cookie cutter mashups of the tried and true formula of female character dynamics in a traditional harem. It’s a bit different in that all the storylines seem to be progressing at once (in contrast to the sequential progression of each character in traditional harems), but the almost complete independence each relationship has with each other is astounding. With all the different things going on, you’d think their feeble minds and hearts would explode.

But in the end, it’s not THAT bad and ultimately, it’s all a good way of getting your romance fill of the season. I was looking for something to replace the void left by Nodame, but instead I got an upscale version of SHUFFLE. No, I can’t even say that, as shuffle knew exactly what it was and took every necessary means to accomplish what it set out to do (hot characters, above-average plot), but I’m not sure Kimikiss really has a set identity yet. The writing is just too weak for it to make any sort of impression. Four episodes in, I expect some real meat!

But obviously my expectations are misplaced, so I guess I’ll just have to shift them to where they’re obviously supposed to go.

Kimikiss is the best looking, probably the most serious harem anime ever! The drama isn’t cheapened by fanservice, the characters don’t throw themselves at the male leads’ feet (wait, there’s more than one?!), and the level of depth is much greater here than we’ve seen in any other harem! Each relationship takes on a different feeling and a different pace to give each a unique and substantial feel!

Captions up

48 Comments

  8. wut??? Four earliest comments on a Random C. blog are in Spanish! Must be some first. Anyway…

    Jaalin’s tone and phrasing in the summary and captions leads me to believe he is beginning to get “that bad, sinking feeling” about this show. Tell me now if I should just bail out now and chalk up this season as a win for Dating Sim Adaptions and a loss for Humanity.

    kadian1364
    Reply

  9. Sorry Jaalin, but to put it bluntly, if you seriously mean what you’ve been writing, your antenna needs a full recalibration. You’re totally off.

    You say you need “to completely suspend all notion of expectation and common sense to appreciate it”? That from the guy who was and still is raving about the chaotic dramatic mess of School Days, an utterly illogical show devoid of any TRACE of common sense? You compare this show to Ninomiya-kun, a _totally_ different kind of anime which simply follows the usual boob-wiggling harem recipe? You call it an “upscale Shuffle”, the show where every girl and her mother were totally brainlessly trying to get into the male lead’s pants? A show which has no resemblence to Kimikiss at all either?

    I mean – it’s fine if you don’t like it, and it’s also fine if it doesn’t meet your expectations, but sorry man – what you were writing was utter nonsense.

    The hilarious thing is that deep down inside you even seem to know it. Since your sneering last paragraph is totally over the top on the positive side, but except for the “best” stuff generally correct. And while I may wince in pain every once in a while about the sluggish shyness of the male leads, I in fact do appreciate a romance show in which the girls do NOT for inconceivable reasons try to jump the male lead without a trace of realism and common sense. We had too many shows like that in the past.

    Mentar
    Reply

  14. Eh, for me, the already pre-determined couples (judging by the progress in every relationship so far) make this show less interesting. It is still a nice change though, compared to other harem animes, but it is still not outstanding…so far. Only time will tell if drama will unfold as the relationships intertwine at some point (but hopefully not to the extent of turning into a chaotic mess).

    Breadcrumbs
    Reply

  16. this shows to predictable to be interesting…everyone here knows whats gunna happen who sgunna end up with who yata yata yata..I dont like shows that hold my hand the whole way through….a little shake up goes a long way..but who knows Eriko seems like she might pull something to shake things up a bit we can only pray that happens before the boredom level hits critical mass

    Wika
    Reply

  18. I think that Jaalin does not like Harem but I have to agree with Jaalin, this is going nowhere fast … only slice-of-life with harem does not work very well, harem usually have either ecchi and comedy to spice it up because its bland.

    Myself:Yourself is better then this despite not being very different due to having a smaller cast, being more focused, giving comedy moments and hinting to drama.

    Drakron
    Reply

  20. drak: it’s not that i don’t like harem – on the contrary, i quite like my brainless fun from time to time – it’s just that i don’t take them seriously, whereas this show has the look and pedigree of something that should be taken seriously. when the look doesn’t match the depth of writing… it just feels awkward, doesn’t it?

    mentar: that’s just the thing, though – i pointed out some of the differences in the thoughts section, the main one being the fact that the girls don’t wanna jump him. but that’s it. that’s the writers’ lame attempt at trying to make this unlike a harem, but everything else points to it being just that. and that pisses me off.

    i look for honesty and focus in anime that i watch – i rave about the dramatic mess of school days because it knew exactly what it was and it took every necessary step to address that. for me it wasn’t so much about what actually happened, it was how it was executed. the pacing, the cinematography, the suspense – all were done to perfection – but kimikiss? it looks like h&c / nodame, it’s got an all-star seiyuu cast, but in the end, what do we have? it’s a classic generic-as-hell harem with an extra male lead and an extra sub-male, plus all the girls aren’t head over heels for the guys (not yet, and at least not all of them). the writing is still just as bad, and the show progresses by moving from relationship to relationship with little to no interaction between them – the only difference this has with some h-game nonsense like kanon is the fact that they are progressing at the same time and at relatively different speeds.

    it’s my belief that writers in the harem genre have realized that they have pretty much exhausted the list of moe modes to pull from; every conceivable anime girl has pretty much been done – so the only way to bring something new to the harem table is, as seen in kanon, ninomiya, etc, is to change the male lead. kanon / clannad has the asshole, ninomiya has some uber ninja, whereas the more classic harems have guys who just kinda go with the flow and serve as a home base where all the girls gravitate to. kimikiss has put their own twist on it by adding more male leads, but the level of writing hasn’t changed – each relationship is still generic, poorly conceived, and frankly boring.

    but, if i’m able to suspend all expectation, which is what i do for harem anime (expect anything from trashy entertainment and you will get burned), it’s all good. i’m looking forward to the mao and dominatrix eriko doujins!

    jaalin
    Reply

  22. The harem gender is not restricted to anime, what you say about “changing the protagonist” been done in harem before and it alone is not enough.

    Also what you said (adding more relations) have been done … School Rumble.

    I give you a example of what works, I read “Omamori Himari” that is overflowing with stereotypes but I enjoy it because it manages to execute it quite well … the issue is not the characters themselves but how you use said characters and the pacing of the story.

    The pacing of KimiKiss is off, I think this is “supposed” be a drama but its so slow that by the time it gets there half the audience decided to watch something else … the show MUST capture the audience in the first 4 episodes and its failing to do that.

    Drakron
    Reply

  23. You are seriously unfair to KimiKiss. You say it’s a snails pace and the interaction between Kouichi & Yuumi was painful, when it really only lasted a few minutes. Dumbest leads ever? Hardly. You have to suspend your common sense to watch this, but rave about School Days? Something is wrong here. KimiKiss doesn’t have a pedigree like H&C and Nodame. It’s got shitty source material to start with. The plot is paper thin. It didn’t come from an award winning manga. I also wouldn’t even call it a harem at this point.

    ann
    Reply

  26. Jaalin: What about that is “lame”? In my book it’s called a welcome break of realism in a genre which is usually filled with hysterical stupidity (like School Days). There’s enough you can criticise about Kimikiss (e.g. the pacing _is_ slow), but being unrealistic and requiring “suspense of common sense” is definitely not on the list. If anything, it’s the other way round: The fact that it _is_ fairly realistic prevents it from offering the drama and “gnaaaaah” effects which is caused by the unrealistic extreme harem shows.

    Furthermore, the show is based on a DATING SIM. Which means that the eventual goal line isn’t hot bedsport, but rather a requited love confession. If you now begin to complain about the lack of drama, you need to knock yourself for picking this show to begin with. Instead of selecting a fork and then beginning to complain that this thing really sucks because you can’t eat soup with it.

    Sorry man. I mean, it’s Omni’s and your blog, and feel free to puke out vinegar if you feel like it, but I have come to expect something more substantial than this strawman crapshoot you’re currently putting on display. Fact is that the show in itself flows very DIFFERENTLY than the “generic harem” you incorrectly label it – for this kind of a harem, it’s too slow and not dramatic enough. It’s rather a long-running dating sim. You don’t like that? Now THAT is perfectly okay. But when you diss the show, do it for something it DESERVES criticism. Not just stomping on the ground and complaining that the show isn’t what you want it to be.

    Mentar
    Reply

  27. I agree with Mentar! you cant critize a show only because its not what you want it to be, personally I think its a pretty good show! Its true tha its kinda slow and lacks drama and all but its good to change a bit and have a brake from all those harem series. I think its a good show to relax, have a good time and enjoy the warm story, all series have good and bad points.

    vale
    Reply

  28. I wish this show would figure out what it wants to be. It’s like the bastard love child of a bishoujo harem game and through the eyes of shoujo romance author. The fact that they’ve got Mao, arugeablly the fan favorite female in the series, pursuing the tall, quiet, bishounen just seems such a step in the wrong direction that it makes me shake my head in horror at to where this show will end up

    weasl
    Reply

  30. Sorry to the people who like this show but i also got the “sinking feeling” everyone is talking about. This show doesn’t have any main lead making you hard to decide who to aim for. When there is a main lead, you would like to guess what is going to happen to him/her and who is he/she going to end up with. But this one just make you go in circles. I was really expecting something great out of it. The first episode got me pumped up too. But it didn’t follow the way it, making a mess out of it.

    banzemanga
    Reply

  32. lol i haven’t watched this show yet so I’m probably speaking from a neutral perspective but reading the comments, it seems to me that this anime is trying to present something new in the old and repetitive (trust me i’ve seen a few) love/romance/harem/whatever genre. It might work for some, not so much for others. But in the end, its just another anime that is meant for entertainment (like every anime out there). Please don’t frustrate yourself trying to convince one another about who is right. Everyone has their opinions and are free to express them. Just have a nice sit in front of the computer and be entertained ^_^

    anonimus
    Reply

  33. This show is seriously bland. I had high hopes for this show (probably because of the director) but that went completely down the drain. Doesn’t have that “spark” to keep things interesting. I guess I’ll stop watching and take a took later on when the series finishes to see if it improved.

    Cytex
    Reply

  34. I understand the criticisms and I feel you addressed the main problem with the show.

    When I watched this show, I came in with certain expectations. After I finished the first few episodes, I realized that the show was completely different from my expectations. Some people are fine with that and would still enjoy it.

    But I don’t. I am not looking for a soap opera. I was hoping for some sort of clear goal. But if what Mentar said was true, then a love confession is the clear goal, which means that the show will be all about constructing the foundations of a clear relationship.

    And that gets tedious fast. Especially if there isn’t anything else to go hand in hand. That’s why most harem shows are bearable to me; they don’t rely on simply building relationships.

    Ichigo 100% for instance. On the surface, it merely is about building relationships with each of the girls (and lots of fanservice), but each character have goals, dreams, etc. that made them seem real. Even though it was secondary to the love comedy, the story was tinged with Manaka’s hopes and aspirations.

    And to Venire, I don’t like School Rumble. It’s painful to see.

    In the end though, it’s personal taste that will be the judge. I can’t stand shows with only romance as the central theme.

    someoney3000
    Reply

  36. I think the problem with this show is that the couples are really boring. They’ve got the quiet guy locked up with the quiet girl while genki chick mao gets nullified by aloof jazz dude. Boring as hell

    soon
    Reply

  38. To me, it’s just really disappointing that Mao and Kouichi do not seem to be heading in the direction I’d expect it to (together). It’s fine however it ends up for the rest of the guys, but I was REALLY hoping for that pairing.

    Cyrilix
    Reply

  39. i hated school days it amused me to the point where ‘everyone’ was dead and the one person who should have gained fro mthis was A. one of the murders and B. insane it left me feeling empty inside All Hail Brittania!!

    WingZero zxt
    Reply

  40. A blog without opinion is quite literally tedious. Jaalin’s got his priorities straight, he’s entitled to an opinion: much as you (Mentar) seem to dislike, quite vehemently, the “hysterical stupidity” of School Days. Give the guy a break.

    In my own personal and yet oh so humble opinion, KimiKiss is erroneously slow. Seriously. If we wanted “artistic realism” we wouldn’t be watching media which condones massive eyes and massive jugs.

    nodame
    Reply

  41. i don’t get the captions from the preview
    it’s the same as last ep

    They are hilarious though, but i don’t get it.
    Save this show from eternal boredom kiwama sensei
    You too ice cold bitch
    Yeah step in while she is taking a bath that should spice things up

    someone care to explain?

    outcast
    Reply

  42. Even though I am enjoying this series I agree with soon somewhat. Kouichi and Yuumi pairing is like watching paint dry, a month since that karoke thing and they are still blushing and awkward when talking? I only have my personal experience to draw on so others may disagree but damn in a month they should already be dating or at the VERY LEAST be able to talk to each other like friends. This actually reminds me abit of Manaka and Aya from Ichigo 100%, atleast Manaka sort of had an excuse of having multiple girls liking him and him not having the spine to choose one, Kouichi on the other hand just lacks the spine to string together the words to ask her out and Yuumi is just too much the shy girl to take matters into her own hands.

    Kouichi needs to be paired off with someone like Mao who is asertive enough to get past his jellyfish spine and actually get somewhere in a relationship, but it’s still only the 4th episode so heres to hopeing Kouichi evolves into a vertebrae.

    DG04
    Reply

  43. Personally im really liking this show, the slow pacing doesnt bother me at all. if anything i think it really helps create the atmosphere the show works with. The realism of the show is the basis of the appeal of the show. I am very interested to see how each relationship develops with different leads. however this style does seem to be one of those that you will either really enjoy or really hate. But to rate this show based on a rating designed for harem anime shows that excel in fanservice, is like judging scary movie based on character development and plot content. basically is judging the show with a completely wrong set of standards.

    Quikbeam
    Reply

  44. I think a lot of frustration for this anime comes from the fact that the Kouichi x Mao pairing is not going to happen. Its almost as if the writers purposefully set K x M up to be the perfect compliment to each other then sent them on different relationship paths.

    I personally hope that this will spark major drama and possible plot twists later in the series. It is my belief the since the pairings are so obvious in the beginning that none of the original pairing will remain by the end.

    Meh, then again maybe not. Still I enjoyed your review Jaalin.

    “Long live Makato!”

    KLined
    Reply

  46. I see a plot twist coming soon, just check the ANIME NEWS NETWORK summary: “Although he [KOUICHI] has always simply thought of her [MAO] as a friend, he must now deal with his awakening feelings for her, as well as the feelings he has for his high school crush, Yumi Hoshino. “

    Larry
    Reply

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