Lovely★Complex
2007
Original language: Japanese
- animation
- comedy
The story
Love is unusual for Koizumi Risa and Ootani Atsushi, who are both striving to find their ideal partner in high school—172 cm tall Koizumi is much taller than the average girl, and Ootani is much shorter than the average guy at 156 cm.
What it’s like
Bright, bouncy cel-style animation with clean lines, saturated school-day colours, and quick cuts that snap between big slapstick reactions and quieter stolen glances in hallways and on bus stops. The palette leans on sunny daylight and warm classroom yellows, with flat backgrounds that let the expressive faces and exaggerated comic beats carry the picture. The score is upbeat J-pop and light orchestral stings, punctuated by sudden silly sound effects when someone trips, shouts or panics. Its vibe is cheerful, sweetly awkward and easygoing, the kind of thing that suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a comfort rewatch, or an episode with a cup of tea. Pacing is brisk and episodic, with each short scene landing a joke or a small emotional beat before moving on. The emotional register stays light and affectionate, following two self-conscious teenagers who slowly learn to see past their insecurities about height and each other. Intensity is very low: a few shouting matches and physical gags, with no violence, gore or sexual content. It is for viewers who want a funny, warm, gently romantic high school story with a bright look and nothing heavy.
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