Kaguya Sama Is Hilarious (And Much More Than That)

 Last week I rewatched the two seasons for Kaguya Sama and man was it still a treat!

When we talk about anime, comedy is not one of the things that is its defining traits. Infact, there are only a handful of anime in this plethora of shows today that we can objectively say has some of the best comedic features this artform has to offer. Kaguya Sama is without a doubt one of those handful shows (according to me atleast)

Plot :

Kaguya Sama : Love Is War is a show about two young very proud high schoolers, Shinomiya Kaguya and Miyuki Shirogane who enjoy each other's company (but would not admit it obviously) and want the other person to confess their love for them even though both of them really do have feelings for each other. To be precise they go through the phases of "oh if this person would desperately plead in front of me to be romantically involved with them, I would maybe start to think about it" to "I'll make that stupid son of a bitch confess to me even if I have travel to the moon and back" with each other (I'm paraphrasing here of course (no I'm not))

And that's it! That's the premise of the show and the main plot point for the first two seasons! Yes I admit that this is very very stupid indeed. Another show where people don't confess to each and drag on the "does s/he like me or not" to the point where it gets very annoying. But the way Kaguya Sama handles this concept is what I thought was very refreshing. It is not the fear of rejection and ruining their friendship that the two characters are afraid of. It is their sheer and overwhelming pride that stops them. Due to not wanting to be the person who loses all their power in a relationship because they were the one to confess their love first (as the show explains) both of our main characters go to ridiculous amounts of length (particularly Shinomiya) to make the other person break first.

Characters : ( I don't really talk about the two main characters in detail here as I believe they should be enjoyed and explored with the proper context in the show)

However refreshing the take on this subject may be if it drags on, it is still gonna be boring and annoying after a point. This is where the cast of the show comes in to absolutely carry the show. Both the main and supporting characters are so fun to watch, after a while you stop caring about the premise and enjoy whatever scene is being played in front of you. 

Both Shinomiya and Shirogane explore the different strategies they can use to make the other person confess as usual which in itself is often times really entertaining (and stupid) and not too far away we see a clueless jolly Chika Fujiwara. Secretary of the student council for which are main characters are President and Vice President. She is a bundle of joy, everything is rainbows and sunshine for her and no one can have a better time on this earth than Chika Fujiwara.

Characters : Chika Fujiwara

Unaware of the schemes taking place in the school council room, Fujiwara often adds to the chaos that our protagonists find themselves on a daily basis, while being her own playful self. But she is no dumb shiny person. In fact out of the three who are introduced, she seems to be the most logical one considered how miniscule her ego seems in front of those two prideful giants. She makes great table top games, and being a daughter of a politician, Chika Fujiwara is the most intense negotiator you can find around.

Characters : Ishigami Yu

While all of these characters are likeable in their own ways, It was the fourth member of the student council that made me realize that Kaguya Sama was more than just a show that will make you laugh with its silliness. Ishigami Yu, the student council accountant when introduced seems like your typical emo boi who doesn't like anyone and minds his own business. While a lot of it is true, he is not a character that you would hate considering that trope. In fact Ishigami seems like the most normal one out of the three, a guy who just does what he wants to without being bothered or bothering anyone. 

In the first season, he seems to be present just for adding more comedic scenes to the show. However when you come to the end of the second season, you get to see the layers behind this character and why he acts the way he acts. It is emotional and it's beautiful thus making him my favorite character of a show which is full of amicable personalities. Also he is convinced that Shinomiya will kill him ( I don't blame him) which is hilarious to watch as well

Characters : Hayasaka Ai

Not talking about Hayasaka Ai while talking about Kaguya Sama would be a great injustice. She is the best girl (well second to Ishigami maybe) and she deserves the spotlight, even though she doesn't get much of it. 

The servant for the Shinomiya household, Hayasaki Ai's character, just like that of Shinomiya is very versatile. She doesn't get the most of the screen time when compared to other characters but when she is in the frame, the show is hers.

She'll go to any and every request her mistress asks of her with absolute grace and ease.

Characters : Iino Miko

Even the latest addition to the series, Iino Miko is written in interesting ways. She is a character that you typically want to hate, but when you get to know her, you empathize with her even if you can't completely relate with her. She is strict, bossy, a disciplinarian and a killjoy. Even with those traits her presence in the story never seems irritating.

Infact it is Iino Miko who makes the student council election arc work which take a big chunk of the second season. As of now, we haven't seen a lot of her as a part of the student council, yet she feels as a good fit for the group that has been established since season 1. Another adorable thing about this dynamic is how both Miko and Ishigami care for each other secretly, no matter how much it seems as if they are completely repulsed by each other. It is all these small details that gives you all the more reasons to watch and rewatch Kaguya Sama.

 

Voice Acting :

As mentioned in my Konosuba review, I firmly believe that the voice acting in any comedic scene could make or break the moment and the joke can reach new heights if the VA is done appropriately. 

Talking about Kaguya Sama in this regard, VA is done in the most phenomenal manner, especially of that of the narrator and Shinomiya. The narrator being a faceless person almost seems like a regular character of the series. That is the authority its voice acting puts in front of you.

The VA for Shinomiya is also remarkable. The character being really contrasting in the series demands more than just a monotonous regular VA. The versatility in Shinomiya's voice acting is applaudable. For every emotion that she feels in the series is presented with such exceptional voice acting, whatever the scene may be, it gets elevated because of it.

The rest of the crew also does a really good job. The VA for all the characters are spot on. This is one of the show that just does not fall behind in this aspect in any way. The rest of voice actors may get overshadowed by Shinomiya and the narrator but all of them deliver a solid performance.

Final Thoughts : 

The first time I watched the show, I remember that I would watch every episode with a constant smile on my face. It was just so entertaining.

While at the same time I have friends who dropped this show because it was not their thing, and honestly I can understand. Kaguya Sama as a show can offer a bunch of very entertaining stuff to you if you give it the chance. But at the same time if it's not your cup of tea, I would not be too surprised either.

Anyways I would be looking forward to the upcoming seasons and OVA's!