3D Kanojo: Real Girl | This Love Is Real | Anime Review

3D Kanojo: Real Girl

How long have you been watching anime and reading manga? Would you call yourself a novice, a veteran, or somewhere in between? In Japan, an otaku is a young person obsessed with computers or certain aspects of popular culture to the detriment of their social skills. But in other parts of the world, it is more commonly used by anime and manga fans to refer to themselves and their like-minded peers. All hobbies like this should be practiced and enjoyed at a moderate level; too much of anything can be devastating. Where would you place yourself on the spectrum?

“3D Kanojo: Real Girl”, also known as “Real Girl” and “3D Girlfriend”, is a 12-episode TV anime series that aired from the 4th of April until the 10th of June in spring 2018. Sentai Filmworks obtained the license, VAP, Nippon Television Network, and DeNA produced it, and Studio Hoods Entertainment brought it to life.

The central staff included Ueda Shinya as producer, Itou Takumi as sound director, Fujimoto Yoshitaka as episode director, and Naoya Takashi as director. It features the genre of romance and the themes of Otaku culture and school. Targeted at the Shoujo demographic, this series of 22-minute episodes received a rating of PG-13 for teenagers 13 years of age or older.

The series is adapted from the source manga titled “Real Girl,” which published 12 volumes from the 23rd of July until the 24th of May 2016. It was the creation of author and artist Nanami Mao, serialized by Dessert. Kodansha Comics USA published it digitally in English from May 30th, 2017 until January 30th, 2018. A sequel series, “3D Kanojo: Real Girl 2nd Season,” was also released in winter 2019. This 12-episode TV anime aired from the 9th of January until the 27th of March 2019.

The story is centered around protagonist Hikari Tsutsui, who finds his life within the two-dimensional realm much more uncomplicated than real life. He is socially inept and awkward, preferring to fully immerse himself in video games and anime instead of life's complications. However, his way of life only makes him the target of constant bullying and exclusion from school.

He isn’t alone because he shares his sorrows with his only friend, Yuuto Itou, who opts to wear cat ears and is just as obsessed with the 2D world of games. But one fateful incident changes many things for Tsutsui: he is forced to clean the pool as punishment for arriving late. This is where he meets Iroha Igarashi, a girl he dramatically wishes to steer clear of. Why? Her notoriety precedes her!

She is notorious for playing around with boys and is brazenly blunt, and her female classmates despise her. Tsutsui firmly believes that getting involved with her would only cause problems, but how successful would his endeavors be? Thus begins the tale of 3D Kanojo: Real Girl, where these two class outcasts form an unlikely relationship. Tsutsui is now brimming with emotions he has never experienced before and is struggling to lay them bare, while Igarashi strives to break this boy out of his shell for good…

The story's primary focus is the relationship between Hikari and Iroha following their fateful first meeting. Being an otaku, Hikari loved everything about the world of anime, manga, and games and consequently built up a distinct dislike of human girls and human interactions in general, especially when they don’t share his passions.

This, combined with his lack of social skills, makes him a total outcast, but his life remains stable and constant within the 2D realm and via his like-minded friend Itou. However, his encounter with Iroha sparked the beginning of an improbable romantic relationship and created a desire within him to change his ways. For the first time, this guy wanted to try embracing the real world, something he had ignored for so long, and learning to be more human.

This relationship is anything but smooth sailing, but the way the duo work hard to overcome physical and mental challenges, all while trying to understand each other better, is beautiful. Bonding and connecting with your significant other on an emotional level is integral, and this story manages to execute it well. We see them overcome their insecurities as their relationship develops—a delightful watch.

On the other hand, the story takes time to show us how the rest of the school and students view the leading duo and this new development. While most of them initially scorned the couple, not understanding what makes them work, their mindset slowly changes as the two characters open up more and overcome the things that held them back. The way the supporting characters change their attitudes after bearing witness to Hikari’s development and eventually befriending him is something handled expertly.

Hikari Tsutsui starts off as a very anti-social, cynical, and introverted high school student who would take anime, manga, and games over real-life interactions any day, especially concerning real-life girls. But his aversion to romantic relationships doesn’t stop Iroha, who catalyzes change in his lifestyle and mindset via numerous interactions with herself and others.

Thus, he gradually grows braver, becoming more willing to make friends and showing interest in understanding others' real-life problems. Although he remains somewhat nervous and inexperienced in love, he works hard to improve himself and dramatically values his relationship with Iroha. As these new bonds form, he starts fearing that this newfound happiness might someday disappear, but he is still determined to make the best of his situation. Honestly, this guy demonstrated significant character development, which makes you root for him.

Iroha, on the other hand, starts off as a beautiful and popular high school girl. She is known for her kindness, politeness, and sense of responsibility, but she prefers solitude and lacks many female friends her age. Hikari is very different from the people she has dealt with before, who, despite being very socially awkward and an Otaku, is very brave and determined.

This leads to her treating him with respect, contributing to his development. As the series progresses, she too opens up to Hikari and her newfound friends, revealing a more fragile girl with a very negative perception of romantic relationships fueled by past experiences. Hikari gradually breaks down her practice of wearing masks to hide her true feelings, and it is honestly heartwarming to watch. Her development from a reserved and troubled girl to someone who embraces true love and self-acceptance makes this character likable.

The art and animation departments will be hit or miss, depending on your tastes. The backgrounds, scenery, and school settings were all well-designed and animated. But the character designs were bland since most wore the same school uniform with only minor tweaks. These little differences did help portray a portion of said character’s personality and traits, but it’s nothing crazy.

The character Ezomichi had a very vivid design as an anime character from one of Hikari’s favorite shows. She would discuss finding a common shared space within society with Hikaru, ultimately advising Hikari through many trials. The contrast in the designs just helped show the kind of world each of them was standing in at the time, which was a nice touch.

On the other hand, the art is mediocre compared to other anime that came out then, so don’t expect too much. The animation was also pretty mid-range, where you notice movement-gapping issues.

In the Sounds and Music department, the OSTs did a great job conveying the prevalent moods and atmospheres as the characters toppled along their relationships. The opening theme is "Daiji na Koto" by Quruli, which creates a sense of calm and a chill vibe. The ending theme is "HiDE the BLUE" by BiSH, which manages to build up some anticipation for the next episode.

Regarding voice, the entire cast did a fantastic job portraying their characters, especially Hikari, Iroha, and Sumie. They all managed to bring out so much from the pivotal scenes; there was so much emotion in their performances.

Overall, 3D Kanojo: Real Girl is a decent anime. There is nothing groundbreaking good or dastardly wrong about it; it’s an okay series telling a reasonably enjoyable story to those willing to give it a chance. Most of us are sick of the “Popular guy/girl falls for the unpopular girl/guy” trope, but this series doesn’t throw it in our faces.

The gradual development fueled by constant effort is the focal point here because that is exactly how real-life relationships work. Two people need both physical attraction and emotional attachment to build up a deep bond, and this anime tries hard to portray that. So, for what it so soulfully attempted and managed to pull off (to a certain degree), I recommend this anime. But if you feel this couple is unrealistic and fanciful fluff early on, you better drop it there.