A show that I would recommend to anyone without reservations, people will argue about what is the best romcom anime show there is but in my book this one takes the spot and that is yet to change after a decade or maybe even more since I first watched this on free tv. My being a fan of anime has something to do with this series, Seto no Hanayome and Ranma 1/2, not really the usual gateways to the medium but ever since I was younger, I was more drawn to romcoms which is what my country lacks and so I was thrilled to see that there are shows like this one, a whole lot of them in fact and so a new door has opened up for me, well that’s the long and short of it but let’s get back on topic before I get sidetracked more than I already have.
School Rumble
Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Shounen
Studio: Studio Comet
If I were to describe School Rumble in a concise manner then I would say that it is a riot and no I am not kidding back there, there is no other way for me to describe it otherwise. It is School Rumble because there are a large set of characters each crafted with their own unique features, they laugh, have fun and misadventures, tease each other, get into trouble, unite to accomplish great feats, make mistakes , fail, cry, fall in love, get their heart broken but most importantly they come in to terms with their past and move forward. The real reason why I loved this show is because it was a show that reminds me strongly of my own days when I was nothing but a high school kid that almost had nothing much to think about but what is in store for me the following day, those days were the best days of my life and this show hits close home that it can even make me tear up a bit whenever the credits roll especially during the first ending song of its second season, it is a warm and nostalgic piece.
For now let’s go to the show’s story but romcoms really have nothing grand to show for it, no overarching plots or twists but the fact that they are built simple is what makes it easier to get into, you don’t need to have to think about how things will connect in the future or how the character will turn an unfavorable situation around, nothing of such things that will surprise or blow your mind but that is the beauty of it and I can at least guarantee that you will pick up a lesson or two out of it, all you have to do is to know how to have fun and how to appreciate and maybe how to love because that is where this show strikes a strong blow.
Though the show boasts a large set that got their own time to shine throughout the run of the series there are two characters that are considered the main among mains, Tenma Tsukamoto, a natural airhead and klutz that has mastered the art of misunderstanding and has a mad crush on Ouji Karasuma and Kenji Harima, a natural airhead and delinquent that has also mastered the art of misunderstanding and has a mad crush on Tenma Tsukamoto. The show is simple as it can be, a love triangle or is that all there is to it? Well, I would love to talk about how other characters connect to that love triangle but I am afraid it would be too much information to dump all at once in here so for that I would recommend watching it.
The plot is what it is, a collection of common tropes if I were to be honest and given that this show was made 15 years ago it certainly is at a disadvantage given that people favor better animation but for what it is worth this show received 2 seasons for a whopping 52 episodes count and it additionally received 4 OVAs to supplement the story enabling it to not only build a more solid foundation for its story but also to allow the characters to grow and become something more than just faces in the story, but almost as if real persons that deserves support, characters that people can and will root for, another part of the show that made me put it in such a high regard.
I did say earlier that there are 2 major characters that played the most part in the series but I also mentioned that the other characters had their own fair share of the spotlight so for this part onwards I will be discussing about my favorite characters in the series. First up is probably the easiest to like, the foolhardy delinquent that sucks at confessing but loves genuinely and would literally die for the person he likes, Kenji Harima. The guy probably had the most amount of screen time but he always delivers be it about comedy or be it about being a man. Harima is a rare type of male MC, he is not a kind looking and wimpy character that accidentally gets popular nor is he a guy that shows perversion to show his manliness, he has his share of troubles, disappointments, setbacks and always contemplated about giving up but deep inside his rough demeanor and tough image he is sheltering a heart that is kinder than anyone else’ in the series, a guy so selfless his desire to be with the person he love was overwhelmed by his desire to see the person he love to always keep on smiling. I don’t know if there are other characters like him but for me Harima will live on as one of anime’s best male MC.
Next one is Eri Sawachika, if we are going about character growth and development I would easily put her up for the challenge. Eri is a rich blonde girl with twin tails and yes she is a true blooded tsundere. The tsundere archetype is a topic for a long discussion but it inevitably boils down to how the trope was handled and my bias dictates that she was done well. As I have mentioned Eri had the best development all throughout the series, in the first few episodes you can easily write her off as a tsundere rich blonde girl that everyone puts in a pedestal because of her good looks and social standing, that is until she started interacting with Harima. Eri, though rich, actually longs for something “real” and that is where Harima comes in, a rough and rude guy that doesn’t give shit about appearances. As more time was given between the conflicting characters of Eri and Harima, little by little, Eri’s real self gets revealed, her flaws, worries and genuine feelings making her more human rather than the perfect/ ideal girl that everyone made her out to be. In fact one of my favorite scenes from the series was when she talked (while hitting Harima) about how her looks and prestige gives her trouble when it comes to romance, that people would never really love her with their heart and that was a message that moved me and made me see things in a different light, something unexpected out of this show to be honest, but that is what makes this good it is like a treasure chest and you have no idea what you will be served next.
Another one on my list is Yakumo Tsukamoto, Tenma’s little sister that is often mistaken as the elder one because of her maturity as compared to her sister that exhibits childlike attitude and appearance. The most well liked character in the world of School Rumble because of her natural aptitude for a lot of things, innate kindness and unmatched beauty. The first time I watched this show, I was not able to pay that much attention on her character since I am so keen on observing Eri who is my favorite female character from the series that time (until today she is though, but Yakumo comes in a close second place) but my re-watch of the series made me appreciate her role in the series more. She is Harima’s closest friend and the only one that takes his stand most of the time and she is like him in that she prioritizes the welfare of those she love over her own, I am not a fan of selflessness but when they give more than enough reason for the character to act that way I am more than happy to accept the way things end up, still, I would love to see an alternate setting where they prioritize their own happiness over others, they are worthy of their own share of a happy ending.
Since it is rather getting lengthy already I must end the character section with this next one, Tenma Tsukamoto. When I was watching this when I was younger, I may have a little irritation on her character because she always end up hurting Harima, the man that has put his entirety into protecting Tenma’s smile, in a way or another. However thinking about it now, that is just how love is, it is not like that the people you like will like you back just because you like them and that is exactly Tenma’s situation is and in fact Harima did not announce his feelings for her so he is partly to blame for it. Tenma is the bundle of energy in the series, loud, dense and clumsy but always cheerful that is why whenever she cries or feel sad you can seriously tell how badly hurt she is. Her devotion for the person she likes is on par or maybe even more than that of Harima and that is a thing I failed to realize when I was younger, she may be riddled with flaws but she is always trying her hardest, she may act foolish but her actions are always made in consideration of what is best for the people she cares about especially when it comes to her sister, Yakumo.
I could write more about the characters since there are plenty of them like Suou Mikoto, Akira Takano, Haruki Hanai, Ouji Karasuma, Karen Ichijou, Kyousuke Imadori plus around 10 or 15 more but that would make this a novel so I will hold myself back for now.
As much as I would like to end this now there is still something I must add and that is how the OSTs of this show brings fond memories from the catchy openings Scramble and Sentimental Generation that always put me in high spirit, the cute and bouncy first ending Onnanoko Otokonoko that puts a smile on my face every single time, the last ending song Futari wa Wasurechau that gives me a mixed feeling of happiness and sentimentality and one of my most favorite anisongs, the second ending song of the series, Kono Namida Ga Arukara Tsugi No Ippo To Naru that invokes a swirl of emotions within me, it connects to me on a deeper level and doesn’t only remind me of the series but also of the good times gone by, memories that are precious part of who I am today and will always be in the days yet to come.
I don’t want to sound too emotional so I will be ending this one now and with that, let’s see each other again next time for the continuation of my Winter 2019 list so bye for now.