No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!
No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular! (Japanese: 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!, Hepburn: Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dō Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!), commonly referred to as WataMote (わたモテ), is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by two people under the pseudonym Nico Tanigawa. It began serialization on Square Enix's Gangan Online service from August 4, 2011 and is published by Yen Press in North America. A 4-panel spin-off manga was serialized in Gangan Joker between January 2013 and July 2015. An anime television adaptation by Silver Link aired in Japan between July and September 2013.
No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular! | |
Cover of first volume published by Square Enix featuring Tomoko Kuroki. | |
私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dō Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!) | |
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Genre | |
Manga | |
Written by | Nico Tanigawa |
Published by | Square Enix |
English publisher | |
Magazine | Gangan Online |
Original run | August 4, 2011 – present |
Volumes | 18 |
Manga | |
Watashi no Tomodachi ga Motenai no wa dō Kangaete mo Omaera ga Warui. | |
Written by | Nico Tanigawa |
Published by | Square Enix |
Magazine | Gangan Joker |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Original run | January 22, 2013 – July 22, 2015 |
Volumes | 1 |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Shin Ōnuma |
Written by | Takao Yoshioka |
Music by | Sadesper Record |
Studio | Silver Link |
Licensed by | |
Original network | TV Tokyo, TV Aichi, TV Osaka, AT-X |
Original run | July 8, 2013 – September 23, 2013 |
Episodes | 12 + OVA[3] |
The anime adaptation was praised for its portrayal of the main character, but was also controversial in its treatment of social anxiety.
Plot
15-year-old Tomoko Kuroki believes that she would become popular upon entering high school because she has become well-versed in the world of otome games. In reality, she finds that she has become an unsociable loner, though she still forces herself to try out what she has learned about achieving popularity. As she progresses through high school, Tomoko attempts to improve her social status among her peers.
Characters
Main characters
- Tomoko Kuroki (黒木 智子, Kuroki Tomoko)
- Voiced by: Izumi Kitta[4] (Japanese); Monica Rial (English)[5]
- As the lead character, Tomoko is often depicted as a desperate, lonely, and deranged girl who is characterized by her social anxiety, vivid facial expressions, and bags under her eyes. She has a grim outlook on life, as most of her thoughts involve insulting others or herself. She spends most of her days playing otome games and browsing the web.
- Yuu Naruse (成瀬 優, Naruse Yū)
- Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa[4] (Japanese); Emily Neves (English)
- Yū is Tomoko's best and possibly only friend. Initially a dorky-looking girl, she enters high school with newfound blonde hair and large breasts (much to Tomoko's jealousy). Despite her radical makeover and having a boyfriend, who she later breaks up with, she still regards Tomoko as her best friend. She is the star of the 4-panel spin-off manga.
- Tomoki Kuroki (黒木 智貴, Kuroki Tomoki)
- Voiced by: Yuichi Nakamura[4] (Japanese); David Matranga (English)
- Tomoko's gloomy younger brother. He is often annoyed by her odd behavior, and sometimes gets into fights with her. Because he has friends and is a talented soccer player, Tomoko occasionally intrudes upon his room for advice.
Family members
- Kiko Satozaki (里崎 希心, Satozaki Kiko) /Kii (きーちゃん, Kī-chan)
- Voiced by: Rie Kugimiya (Japanese); Juliet Simmons (English)
- Tomoko's little cousin who has just entered middle school. Initially looking up to Tomoko as a big sister, she later begins to pity her after she realizes she lies just to impress her.
- Tomoko's mother (智子の母親, Tomoko no Hahaoya)
- Voiced by: Risa Hayamizu (Japanese); Shelley Calene-Black (English)
- Tomoko and Tomoki's mother, who is often concerned about her daughter's well-being.
School
- Kotomi Komiyama (小宮山 琴美, Komiyama Kotomi)
- Voiced by: Kaori Mizuhashi (Japanese)
- Tomoko and Yuu's classmate in middle school, who first appears in the spin-off manga and is later revealed to be attending Tomoko's high school. She and Tomoko outright dislike one another, only pretending to get along when Yuu is around. She has a disturbing crush on Tomoki and is obsessed with the Chiba Lotte Marines baseball team.
- Megumi Imae (今江 恵美, Imae Megumi)
- Voiced by: Ai Nonaka (Japanese); Juliet Simmons (English)
- The kind-hearted student council president at Tomoko's school, who has shown the most amount of affection towards Tomoko.
- Masaki Yoshida (吉田 茉咲, Yoshida Masaki)
- Tomoko's classmate who has a scary appearance and is often referred to as a delinquent by Tomoko. She often acts violent towards Tomoko when she goes too far, but also likes cute things.
- Yuri Tamura (田村 ゆり, Tamura Yuri)
- Tomoko's classmate who is often seen with Yoshida and Mako. Often silent and gloomy, she gets upset whenever Tomoko gets along with other people.
- Mako Tanaka (田中 真子, Tanaka Mako)
- Tomoko's classmate and Yuri's best friend. She is generally kind-hearted, though a misunderstanding causes Tomoko to believe she's a lesbian.
- Hina Nemoto (根元 陽菜, Nemoto Hina)
- Voiced by: Yūko Kurose (Japanese)
- Tomoko's classmate who secretly wants to become a voice actress. Initially considered part of the popular crowd, she becomes more open with her true nature after Tomoko learns of her dream.
- Emiri Uchi (内 笑美莉, Uchi Emiri)
- Tomoko's classmate, nicknamed Ucchi (うっちー, Utchī) by her friends, who becomes increasingly conscious of Tomoko's behavior and eventually develops an obsession with her. She is often noted for having an expression like an emoji.
- Asuka Katou (加藤 明日香, Katō Asuka)
- A stylish gyaru who is kind towards Tomoko, who admires her as a motherly figure.
- Koharu Minami (南 小陽, Minami Koharu)
- A girl with a fanged appearance who is friends with Mako and often speaks badly of Tomoko.
- Akane Okada (岡田 茜, Okada Akane)
- Voiced by: Ayaka Asai (Japanese)
- Hina's best friend who has a distinguished hairstyle.
- Akari Iguchi (井口 朱里, Iguchi Akari)
- A girl in Tomoko's school who is in love with Tomoki, but constantly has her reputation bashed by Tomoko.
- Sayaka (紗弥加)
- Akari's best friend whose attempts at pairing Akari up with Tomoki prove to do more harm than good.
- Hikari Itou (伊藤 光, Itō Hikari)
- Kotomi's best friend, who is often bewildered by her creepier moments.
- Ogino (荻野, Ogino)
- Voiced by: Sanae Nakata (Japanese)
- Tomoko's eccentric homeroom teacher who often encourages her to make friends, much to her chagrin.
- Shizuku Hirasawa (平沢 雫, Hirasawa Shizuku)
- A first year student who admires Tomoko for helping her pass her entrance exams. She has trouble making female friends for reasons unknown to her.
Media
Manga
Written by two people under the pseudonym Nico Tanigawa, WataMote began serialization on Square Enix's Gangan Online service from August 4, 2011.[6] The first tankōbon volume was released on January 21, 2012, with 5 volumes and an official fan book released as of September 21, 2013, ISBN 978-4-7575-3999-0.[7][8][9] An anthology was released on June 22, 2013, ISBN 978-4-7575-3981-5.[10] The second volume, released on May 22, 2012, ranked #10 in the Oricon charts in its opening week.[11] As of July 2013, the series has printed over 1.5 million copies.[12] The manga gained popularity overseas after fan translations of the series were posted on the English speaking imageboard 4chan, the Western equivalent of Japan's Futaba Channel.[13] Yen Press has licensed the manga in North America and the UK and began releasing the series from October 29, 2013.[2][14] A spin-off 4-panel manga series, Watashi no Tomodachi ga Motenai no wa Dō Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui. (私の友達がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い。, lit. No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault My Friend's Not Popular.), known as TomoMote (トモモテ) for short, ran in Square Enix's Gangan Joker magazine between January 22, 2013 and July 22, 2015,[15] was released on August 22, 2015, ISBN 978-4-7575-4714-8.[16] A novel anthology written by Nico Tanigawa, Masaki Tsuji, Yugo Aosaki, Sako Aizawa and Van Madoy was released on November 15, 2019, ISBN 978-4-06-517231-5.[17]
In the Yen Press English version, individual chapters are called "Fails" and are preceded with the title "I'm Not Popular, So".[18]
No. | Japanese release date | Japanese ISBN | English release date | English ISBN | ||
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1 | January 21, 2012[19] | 978-4-757-53480-3 | October 29, 2013[20] | 978-0-31-624316-2 | ||
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Tomoko Kuroki is a "mojyo", a girl who has no experience with boys. She starts high school but after two months, has not made any friends or met any boys. She gives herself a makeover in hair, glasses, and facial expression. Later, she tries to socialize with her younger brother. She meets with her friend Yuu-chan, a middle school classmate who has since become very good looking. While her classmates go for karaoke, Tomoko visits a bookstore instead, but then encounters the classmates at a fast food place afterwards. While it rains, she gets stuck at a rest stop with some boys. After overhearing that girls who have had sex generate more hormones to look better, she plays more otome games at home. Tomoko feels a bit sick at school. She and Yuu shop for panties. She and a boy have to draw each other for a make-up art assignment. | ||||||
2 | May 22, 2012[21] | 978-4-757-53597-8 | January 21, 2014[18] | 978-0-31-632204-1 | ||
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Tomoko tries to go the whole day without showing expression. She suffers a string of bad luck. At the end of the first term, she tries to find someone to watch fireworks. She spends a week of summer break doing practically nothing. She tries to look mature when her younger cousin Kii visits, and pretends to be in a relationship with a guy she meets at the library. Kii observes Tomoko at a candy store where the latter plays collectible card games. At a meet and greet, she has the voice actor from one of her otome games record an embarrassing line for her. During the Cygnids meteor shower,[22] she struggles to find a boy to share the experience. In the special chapter, Tomoko goes shopping and wins a massage wand. | ||||||
3 | December 22, 2012[23] | 978-4-757-53818-4 | April 22, 2014[24] | 978-0-31-632205-8 | ||
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Tomoko's class changes seating, but Tomoko does not make new friends and hides in a group of desks during lunch. In prepping for the school's culture festival, she tries to fit in by taking on miscellaneous jobs. During the festival, she meets up with her friend Yuu. She tries a purikura photo booth. She has a rainy bad hair day and looks for her umbrella. She is bothered that she is not attractive enough to be groped on a train but then it happens. Following an accident in P.E., Tomoko returns home where she nurses her brother who has a cold in order to try to catch it. She tries to start a school club. In order to experience lewd dreams, she tries sleeping on her stomach. | ||||||
4 | June 22, 2013[25] | 978-4-757-53980-8 | July 22, 2014[26] | 978-0-31-637674-7 | ||
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Tomoko reconsiders working as a cabaret girl after visiting the red light district. She tries for a job making cakes, only to end up with a not-so-glamorous factory job. On the school run, she needs to go to the bathroom. She is embarrassed when Yuu reminds her of her delusional career plans from middle school. She is surprised finding her brother's affectionate essay from elementary school. She is invited to a Christmas party, but wanders off to spend time alone. On a New Year's shrine visit with Kii, she is embarrassed by Kii's maturity. When a cockroach enters the class, she kills it hoping to be praised as a hero, only to leave a less than desirable impression on her classmates. She forgets to mail Tomoki's high school application and tries to get his forgiveness. On her birthday, she catches up with Yuu over coffee. | ||||||
5 | September 21, 2013[27] | 978-4-757-54064-4 | October 28, 2014[28] | 978-0-31-633609-3 | ||
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6 | March 22, 2014[29][30] | 978-4-757-54025-5 ISBN 978-4-7575-4024-8 (special edition) | January 20, 2015[31] | 978-0-31-625941-5 | ||
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7 | October 22, 2014[32][33] | 978-4-757-54121-4 ISBN 978-4-7575-4122-1 (special edition) | May 19, 2015[34] | 978-0-31-634201-8 | ||
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8 | August 22, 2015[35] | 978-4-757-54713-1 | March 22, 2016[36] | 978-0-31-631494-7 | ||
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9 | March 22, 2016[37] | 978-4-757-54911-1 | November 22, 2016[38] | 978-0-31-655273-8 | ||
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10 | October 22, 2016[39] | 978-4-757-55125-1 | July 18, 2017[40] | 978-0-31-643971-8 | ||
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11 | March 22, 2017[41] | 978-4-757-55277-7 | December 19, 2017[42] | 978-0-31-641412-8 | ||
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12 | February 22, 2018[43] | 978-4-757-55624-9 | November 13, 2018[44] | 978-1-97-532817-7 | ||
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13 | July 21, 2018[45] | 978-4-757-55777-2 | March 26, 2019[46] | 978-1-975-30344-0 | ||
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14 | January 22, 2019[47] | 978-4-7575-5976-9 | October 15, 2019[48] | 978-1-9753-3182-5 | ||
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15 | May 11, 2019[49] | 978-4-7575-5976-9 | January 28, 2020[50] | 978-1-9753-3297-6 | ||
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16 | November 12, 2019[51] | 978-4-7575-6378-0 | July 21, 2020[52] | 978-1-9753-1377-7 | ||
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17 | March 12, 2020[53] | 978-4-7575-6553-1 | November 17, 2020 | — | ||
18 | July 10, 2020[54][55] | 978-4-7575-6665-1 ISBN 978-4-7575-6666-8 (special edition) | — |
Anime
An anime television adaptation of the manga was announced to have been greenlit in an advertising for the third manga volume on December 20, 2012.[56] The television series was produced by Silver Link and aired in Japan between July 8 and September 23, 2013, while Crunchyroll simulcast the series for North America.[57][58] The series is directed by Shin Oonuma and written by Takao Yoshioka, with character design by Hideki Furukawa.[59] An original video animation episode was released with the seventh manga volume on October 22, 2014.[60] Sentai Filmworks licensed the series in North America and released it on Blu-ray and DVD on August 26, 2014.[61]
The opening theme is "Watashi ga Motenai no wa dō Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!" (私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!, "No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!") by Konomi Suzuki and Kiba of Akiba, which reached #43 on the Japan Hot 100.[62] The main ending theme, featured in all but four episodes, is "Dō Kangaetemo Watashi wa Warukunai" (どう考えても私は悪くない, "No Matter How I Look At It, It's Not My Fault") by Izumi Kitta.[63] It charted at #79 in Japan.[62] The ending themes for episodes two and five are "Musō Renka" (夢想恋歌, Dream Love Song) and "Yoru no Tobari yo Sayōnara" (夜のとばりよ さようなら, Farewell, Veil of Darkness) respectively, both performed by Velvet, Kodhy. The ending theme for episode six is "Natsu Matsuri" (夏祭り, Summer Festival) by Utsu-P & Toka Minatsuki, featuring vocals by Hatsune Miku (a cover of the original 1990 hit song by Jitterin' Jinn). The ending theme for episode eleven in "Sokora no Chaku-Gurumi no Fūsen to Watashi" (そこらの着ぐるみの風船と私, Me and the Balloon I Got from the Costumed Person) by Velvet, Kodhy and µ.
Production credits
- Series director: Shin Ōnuma[64]
- Series writer: Takao Yoshioka[64]
- Producer: Aimi Watanabe
- Producer: Atsushi Aitani
- Producer: Hayato Kaneko
- Producer: Kaho Yamada
- Producer: Makoto Ito[65]
- Producer: Masatoshi Ishizuka
- Producer: Sun Hye Moon
- Producer: Toshiaki Tanaka
- Chief animation director: Hideki Furukawa[64]
- Character design: Hideki Furukawa[64]
- Art director: Maki Morio (of Studio Uni)[66]
- Composer: Narasaki and Watchman (as Sadesper Record)[64]
- Music producer: Kazuo Shinohara[67]
- Photography director: Kazuya Iwai (of Studio Shamrock)[68]
- 3D director: Toshirō Hamamura (of Studio Shamrock)[68][69]
- Editor: Kentarō Tsubone[66]
- Sound director: Satoshi Motoyama[66][64]
- Sound effects: Tsutomu Ueno
Episode list
No. | Title[lower-alpha 1] | Directed and storyboarded by | Written by | Original airdate | |
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1 | "Since I'm Not Popular, I'll Change My Image a Bit" "Motenai shi, Chotto Imechen suru wa" (モテないし、ちょっとイメチェンするわ) | Shin Ōnuma | Takao Yoshioka | July 8, 2013 | |
Tomoko Kuroki believes she'd be popular upon entering high school, having spent countless hours playing otome games. However, two months has passed since she started high school and she hasn't so much as made a single friend, let alone get a boyfriend. After taking a good look in the mirror, she realizes she is not the popular girl she thought herself to be. Wanting to change, Tomoko comes to her brother, Tomoki, to try to learn how to have a conversation with a guy, which he does not appreciate one bit. The next day, Tomoko tries doing some 'high school girl' activities such as reading in a book shop and eating at a burger joint, though it does little to raise her esteem. | |||||
2 | "Since I'm Not Popular, I'll See My Old Friend" "Motenai shi, Mukashi no Tomodachi ni Au" (モテないし、昔の友達に会う) | Masato Jinbo | Sawako Hirabayashi | July 15, 2013 | |
Tomoko receives a call from her old middle school friend, Yū Naruse, asking to meet up with her, though she becomes nervous about meeting her due to her uneventful high school life. Whilst trying to improve herself before her meeting, she ends up spending an annoyingly brief time with another boy in the art room due to skipping classes, though feels touched by the portrait he drew of her. On the day of the meeting, Tomoko is surprised to find that Yū's appearance has changed a lot since she last saw her, but feels relieved that she is still the same on the inside. After spending the day playing at the arcades, Tomoko feels encouraged by Yū to keep doing her best, only to become depressed again after hearing she has a boyfriend. | |||||
3 | "Since I'm Not Popular, the Weather's Bad" "Motenai shi, Akutenkō" (モテないし、悪天候) | Jin Tamamura | Ayumi Sekine | July 22, 2013 | |
On a rainy day, Tomoko gets an earful from her teacher and a passerby and her umbrella breaks, forcing her to take shelter. As two other boys take shelter as well, she awkwardly attempts to make conversation with them. After being sent home early the next day after being hit by a basketball, Tomoko decides to tease Tomoki who is sick with a cold (caused by Tomoko herself), later becoming depressed when his female classmates came to deliver his homework. | |||||
4 | "Since I'm Not Popular, I'll Have a Good Dream" "Motenai shi, Chotto Ii Yume Miru wa" (モテないし、ちょっといい夢見るわ) | Yoshinobu Tokumoto | Takayo Ikami | July 29, 2013 | |
Tomoko tries to follow a guide to have an erotic dream, but only winds up having nightmares. Later, she end up being consistently stuck on a train, where she fears she is being molested only to find that she had just gotten snagged on another girl's naginata equipment. Afterwards, Tomoko asks Yū to help her shop for some underwear, though she later ends up embarrassing herself by mistaking her newly bought panties as a handkerchief. She soon feels better after winning a massager from a raffle ticket which came from a BL game. | |||||
5 | "Since I'm Not Popular, I'll Boost My Skills" "Motenai shi, Sukiru Appu shitemiru" (モテないし、スキルアップしてみる) | Directed by: Yasuo Iwamoto Storyboarded by: Masayoshi Nishida | Takayo Ikami | August 5, 2013 | |
Tomoko attempts to become popular by playing as a cool, silent character, but this does not play out how she would have hoped. Later, she tries to get some photo stickers taken of her, though is less than pleased with the results. The next day, Tomoko contemplates taking up a job as a cabaret girl and decides to practise lighting cigarettes and mixing drinks. However, she becomes less eager when she travels to the red light district the following night. | |||||
6 | "Since I'm Not Popular, I'll Go See the Fireworks" "Motenai shi, Hanabi ni Iku" (モテないし、花火に行く) | Tomoka Nagaoka | Ayumi Sekine | August 12, 2013 | |
After noticing she looks somewhat cuter following a night of playing otome games, Tomoko believes she can grow even more cute by constantly playing games about sex, though unbeknownst to her, she is just getting greasier from not washing. Later, after spraying herself with soda, she believes she is getting looks from other boys, when really they are just noticing the ants crawling over her body as a result. The next day, Tomoko tries to find some people to go watch the fireworks with, to no avail. As Tomoko decides to go alone to an abandoned rooftop to watch the fireworks, she is joined by a pair of schoolboys and ends up watching a very different kind of 'fireworks' with them. | |||||
7 | "Since I'm Not Popular, I'll Enjoy Summer Vacation" "Motenai shi, Natsuyasumi o Makitsu suru" (モテないし、夏休みを満喫する) | Junya Koshiba | Ayumi Sekine | August 19, 2013 | |
After spending several days doing nothing but playing games, reading manga and browsing the internet, Tomoko comes to the realization that she is wasting her summer vacation. To alleviate this, Tomoko buys a webcam in the hopes of becoming an internet personality, only to back out under the pressure. Later, she discovers she has a ticket enabling her to meet an otome game voice actor and request a line from him. After spending the whole night looking up what to make him say, she ends up cracking under pressure when she finally meets him and winds up giving a weird jumbled request. She attempts to remix it with her own voice to form a dubious dialogue, which her mother ends up listening to. | |||||
8 | "Since I'm Not Popular, I'll Put on Airs" "Motenai shi, Mie o Haru" (モテないし、見栄をはる) | Jin Tamamura | Sawako Hirabayashi | August 26, 2013 | |
Tomoko grows anxious when she learns her cousin, Kī, is coming over, feeling she needs to look like a 'bitch' in order to back up the tall tales she had previously told her. She attempts to cover her body with vacuum cleaner hickeys, only to be scolded by her mother. While taking Kī to the library, Tomoko meets Kousaka, one of the boys she met while sheltering from the rain the other day, who Kī assumes to be Tomoko's boyfriend. The next day, they see him with another girl, prompting Kī to confront him, bringing Tomoko's bluff to light. With Kī's impression of her waning, Tomoko attempts to restore her faith by showing off her prowess in a children's card game. After noticing that Tomoko is nothing but a cheater, Kī starts to get a feeling of pity towards her. | |||||
9 | "Since I'm Not Popular, Summer Will End" "Motenai shi, Natsu ga Owaru" (モテないし、夏が終わる) | Yoshinobu Tokumoto | Takayo Ikami | September 2, 2013 | |
After Tomoko visits a fancy café where Yū is helping out, she decides to take up a job making cakes in the hopes of also becoming trendy, only for it to turn out to be a not-so-glamorous factory job. Later, Tomoko's mother forces her to do some cleaning, where she finds an essay written years ago by Tomoki about how he used to admire his big sister. Afterwards, dejected, Tomoko goes to watch a meteor shower, later kept company by a stray cat. | |||||
10 | "Since I'm Not Popular, Second Term Is Starting" "Motenai shi, Ni-gakki ga Hajimaru" (モテないし、二学期が始まる) | Directed by: Yoshinobu Tokumoto Storyboarded by: Masayoshi Nishida | Takao Yoshioka | September 9, 2013 | |
The second school term begins and Tomoko is still as unpopular as ever, made worse when she is relocated into the center of the class. She manages to find herself a secret spot amongst a pile of unused desks where she can eat and play games in private during lunch breaks, but it is inevitably cleaned up. As the school prepares for a culture festival, Tomoko contemplates starting her own club, but it is ultimately denied due to it being too vague. | |||||
11 | "Since I'm Not Popular, I'll Participate in the Culture Festival" "Motenai shi, Bunkasai ni Sankasuru" (モテないし、文化祭に参加する) | Tomoka Nagaoka | Takao Yoshioka | September 16, 2013 | |
Whilst trying to get involved with her class for the culture festival preparations, Tomoko cuts her hand but is helped out by the kind festival committee president, Megumi Imae. During the festival, Tomoko has little reason to enjoy herself, but nonetheless receives encouragement from Megumi. The next day, Tomoko is visited by Yū, hoping to get an intimate hug from her but nonetheless appreciating the time spent with her. Noticing Tomoko feeling downhearted after Yū leaves, Megumi borrows a mascot costume in order to give Tomoko a comforting hug. | |||||
12 | "Since I'm Not Popular, I'll Think About the Future" "Motenai shi, Shōrai o Kangaeru" (モテないし、将来を考える) | Shin Ōnuma | Takao Yoshioka | September 23, 2013 | |
As Tomoko reflects on her uneventful past and thinks about her future, she views Megumi as the kind of student she should aim to become. When a cockroach roams about the class, Tomoko kills it hoping to be praised as a hero, only to leave a less than desirable impression on her classmates. Later that day, Tomoko tries to initiate a conversation with Megumi, but runs off after a blustery wind ruins the mood, not staying to hear Megumi's words of praise about her. The episode ends with Tomoko reading the mojo definition from the first episode and laughing, saying that none of it matters, as she has apparently learned to be happy on her own terms rather than on society's. | |||||
OVA | "Since I'm Not Popular, I'll Become an Enigma" "Motenai shi, Nazomeitemiru" (モテないし、謎めいてみる) | Yoshinobu Tokumoto | Takao Yoshioka | October 22, 2014 | |
Tomoko discusses with Yuu and Kii on how to make Watamote's second season a success, only to be informed that it's highly unlikely. During middle school, a boy named Aomatsu had an encounter with a mysterious girl on the school rooftop. However, this is revealed to simply be Tomoko playing around. |
Reception
WataMote has been the subject of much discussion and debate,[70] particularly in its treatment of social anxiety and the main character Tomoko. Many have debated if the series is a comedy or a study of neurosis with many varying opinions on whether the subject matter is supposed to be humorous or not. Still, the anime adaptation has been highly praised by most websites,[71][72][73] particularly for its main character Tomoko, and Izumi Kitta's portrayal of her. Among the most praised aspects of the series, the opening title sequence has received unanimous praise for its opening song, visuals, and how well it represents Tomoko's loneliness, frustration, and intense social anxiety.[70]
Kotaku contributor and anime critic Richard Eisenbeis gave the series an extremely negative review, describing the show as being the "most mean-spirited" anime that he had ever viewed as a critic and fan. He criticized the show's main source of humor, the protagonist's social anxiety disorder, as being low-brow and demeaning to the mentally ill.[74]
On the other hand, AnimeNewsNetwork's review compared the series to other well-known series dealing with subject of social misfits, such as Welcome to the NHK and Genshiken. Furthermore, Tomoko is portrayed as a completely anti-moe character, since she is angry and vengeful, instead of a typical cheery moe girl who just happens to be socially clumsy. The review praises the series for being insightful and straightforward in its treatment of social maladjustment.[75]
Notes
- English episode titles taken from Crunchyroll.
References
- No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular! manga volumes by Nico Tanigawa. Original Japanese version published by Square Enix. English version published by Yen Press.
- Vol. 1 (ch. 1–9): 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! 1. January 2012. ISBN 978-4757534803. (in Japanese) and No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular! 1. October 2013. ISBN 978-0316243162
- Vol. 2 (ch. 10–18): 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! 2. May 2012. ISBN 978-4757535978. (in Japanese) and No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular! 2. January 2014. ISBN 978-0316322041
- Vol. 3 (ch. 19–27): 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! 3. December 2012. ISBN 978-4757538184. (in Japanese) and No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular! 3. April 2014. ISBN 978-0316322058
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! 4. June 2013. ISBN 978-4757539808. (in Japanese) and No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular! 4. July 2014. ISBN 978-0316376747
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! 5. September 2013. ISBN 978-4757540644. (in Japanese) and No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular! 5. October 2014. ISBN 978-0316336093
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! 6. March 2014. ISBN 978-4757540255. (in Japanese) and No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular! 6. January 2015. ISBN 978-0316259415
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! 7. October 2014. ISBN 978-4757541214. (in Japanese) and No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular! 7. May 2015. ISBN 978-0316342018
- Other references
- Benoit, Benjamin (12 February 2016). "Huit mangas alternatifs pour l'après-Saint-Valentin". Le Monde.
- "Yen Press Adds Inu × Boku SS, WataMote, Wolf Children, Kingdom Hearts Manga". Anime News Network. 30 March 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- Luster, Joseph (7 July 2013). "Sentai Filmworks Adds "Watamote" and "Sunday Without God" Anime". Crunchyroll.
- "Anime Spotlight - WATAMOTE". Anime News Network. 4 July 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- Beveridge, Chris (4 July 2014). "Monica Rial Confirms Watamote Role, Beyatches". The Fandom Post.
- LTD., SQUARE ENIX CO. "『ガンガンONLINE』". gangan online (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 October 2018.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!(1) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 4757534809.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (5) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 4757540647.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! 公式ファンブック (喪) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 4757539991.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! アンソロジー (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 4757539819.
- "Japanese Comic Ranking, May 21–27". Anime News Network. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- "Watamote Manga Has 1.5 Million Copies in Print". Anime News Network. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
- "4Chan Used to Promote a Japanese Manga (Well, Sorta)". Kotaku. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 1. ISBN 0316243167.
- "WataMote 4-Panel Spinoff Manga Series Launches". Anime News Network. 23 January 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- 私の友達がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い。 (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 4757547145.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! 小説アンソロジー (星海社FICTIONS) (in Japanese). ASIN 4065172314.
- No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 2. ISBN 0316322040.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!(1) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 4757534809.
- No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 1. ISBN 0316243167.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!(2) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 475753597X.
- Tanigawa, Nico (2014). No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular – Volume 2. Translation/Adaptation: Krista Shipley, Karie Shipley. Yen Press. Translation Notes. ISBN 978-0-316-32204-1.
p. 118 The Kappa Cygnids is an actual meteor shower that occurs in the late summer.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!(3) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 4757538189.
- No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 3. ISBN 0316322059.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!(4) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 4757539800.
- No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 4. ISBN 0316376744.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!(5) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 4757540647.
- No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 5. ISBN 0316336092.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!(6) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 4757540256.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (6) 初回限定特装版 ねんどろいどぷち付き (SEコミックスプレミアム). ASIN 4757540248.
- No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 6. ISBN 0316259411.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!(7) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 475754121X.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (7) 初回限定特装版 オリジナルアニメDVD付き (SEコミックスプレミアム). ASIN 4757541228.
- No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 7. ISBN 0316342017.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!(8) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 4757547137.
- No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 8. ISBN 0316314943.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (9) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE) (in Japanese). ASIN 4757549113.
- No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 9. ISBN 0316552739.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (10) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE). ASIN 4757551258.
- Tanigawa, Nico (2017-07-18). No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!. ISBN 978-0316439718.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (11) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE). ASIN 4757552777.
- https://www.amazon.com/Matter-Look-Guys-Fault-Popular/dp/0316414123/
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (12) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE). ASIN 4757556241.
- https://www.amazon.com/Matter-Look-Guys-Fault-Popular/dp/1975328175/
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (13) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE). ASIN 4757557779.
- No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 13. ISBN 197530344X.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (14) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE). ASIN 4757559763.
- Tanigawa, Nico (2019-10-15). No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 14. ISBN 978-1975331825.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (15) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE). ASIN 4757561199.
- Tanigawa, Nico (2020-03-15). No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 15. ISBN 978-1975332976.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (16) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE). ASIN 4757563787.
- Tanigawa, Nico (2020-07-21). No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!, Vol. 16. ISBN 978-1975313777.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (17) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE). ASIN 4757565534.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (18) (ガンガンコミックスONLINE). ASIN 4757566654.
- 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!特装版 (18) (SEコミックスプレミアム). ASIN 4757566662.
- Loo, Egan (20 December 2012). "Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaete mo Omaera ga Warui! Manga Gets Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
- "WataMote Anime's 1st Promo With Izumi Kitta's Song Streamed". Anime News Network. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- "Crunchyroll Adds "SILVER SPOON", "The World God Only Knows: Goddesses" and "WATAMOTE" Anime to Streaming Lineup". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
- "Yūichi Nakamura, Kana Hanazawa Join WataMote Anime's Cast". Anime News Network. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- "WataMote: No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular! Manga Listed with Anime DVD". Anime News Network. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
- "Sentai Filmworks Licenses WataMote Anime". Anime News Network. 7 July 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
- Billboard Japan Hot 100 (in Japanese; retrieved 14 September 2013)
- "Retailer: Izumi Kitta to Star in WataMote TV Anime". Anime News Network. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- Osmond, Andrew (17 April 2014). "MVM Acquires Watamote It's You Guys Fault I'm Unpopular". Anime News Network. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
- "「アブソリュート・デュオ」で夢のコラボレーション!卒業生のライトノベルを、卒業生がアニメ化!". アミューズメントメディア総合学院 (in Japanese). 12 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
- "スタッフ&キャスト". 私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 December 2019.
- "私 がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!". Anime Information Survey Office (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 December 2019.
音楽プロデューサー - 篠原一雄
- "撮影監督・岩井和也 ロングインタビュー!(アニメ・ゲームの"中の人" 第33回)". アキバ総研. Kakaku.com. 15 June 2019. p. 1. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
- "濱村敏郎の経歴と関連作品". アニメおすすめ DB (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 December 2019.
- "No Matter How I Look At It, It's Just A Podcast - ANNCast". Anime News Network. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- "WATAMOTE - Review". Anime News Network. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- "THEM Anime Reviews 4.0 - WataMote". Themanime.org. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- "ANIME REVIEW "WataMote" Walks The Line Between Funny & Disturbing". EGMNOW. 26 August 2013. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- Eisenbeis, Richard (21 August 2013). "The Most Mean-Spirited Anime I Have Ever Watched". Kotaku.com. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
- Martin, Theron (5 December 2013). "Watamote Review". animenewsnetwork.com. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
External links
- Official manga website at Square Enix (in Japanese)
- Official anime website (in Japanese)
- No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular! (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia