A guy who likes a girl who often forgets her glasses. That’s it, that’s the whole plot of the show. I mean, the title pretty much lays it out plain and simple: it’s about Komura, who’s got a soft spot for a girl named Mie, and she somehow always forgets her glasses.
Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s a cute, charming, and heartwarming series. You’ve got these two characters who happen to be seatmates, and it’s Komura’s job to be there for Mie, whenever she needs assistance because she can’t see very well since she forgot her glasses. He’s her go-to when it comes to helping her out, whether it’s walking her home, finding her shoe locker, or subtly driving her away from embarrassing situations like that one time when Mie was meowing on the plastic bag that she thought was a cat.
But here’s the thing, even though it’s adorable it can get a bit repetitive and boring over time. It’s also quite irritating at times to be completely honest. I mean, seriously, how does Mie manage to forget to wear her glasses every single time she needs them to see properly? It’s like she’s determined to prove that she’s cool and can function with blurry vision or something. But, it’s possible that she doesn’t want to wear her glasses so that she has a reason to be incredibly close with Komura and that is pretty cute.
To be clear though, I don’t hate Mie, in fact, I find her character cute and precious, especially with the messy hair and such. And also the fact that I find her voice extremely adorable, though, I will admit that Shion Wakayama is one of my favorite rising stars in the voice-acting scene so that might be a huge factor as to why I love the character. One thing we can all agree on is that Mie is a bit of an airhead. However, her quirky actions add more appeal to her cuteness overall. She’s clumsy, absentminded, and forgetful (obviously) but all these traits she possesses make her an endearing character to watch.
When it comes to the development of Komura and Mie’s relationship, it’s definitely there, but it’s not like one of those Tonikawa-style instant marriages in the first episode. Like many school-based romantic comedies, The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses takes its sweet time, savoring those wholesome moments between the couple. But, it’s been going on for a while and it feels like they’re dragging things out a bit.
However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing because it reminds us that this series leans more toward the school slice-of-life theme with gradual romantic undertones. Let’s not forget that Mie and Komura are still in middle school, and they’re taking baby steps in the love department. This becomes clear in one of the episodes when Mie starts questioning Komura’s actions around her, like how he blushes every time she gets close to his face because she forgot her glasses. So, while it might feel like they’re stalling at times, it’s all part of the charm of a story where young love is blossoming slowly but surely.
Once again, GoHands certainly set itself apart from other studios with its unique approach to character designs, and some scenes, complete with some rather “interesting” camera angles. When I first saw the trailer and that debut episode, I was bracing myself for what I thought might be a 13-episode animation nightmare. However, to my surprise, that quirky animation style mostly made its appearance in the first episode. After that, the animation quality became surprisingly consistent and decent throughout the series.
GoHands also made sure to shine the spotlight on Mie when necessary, making sure we all know this show is about her. Sure, there were moments when the scenes felt a bit too bright, but the colors did a good job of matching the emotions and setting the right mood. I wouldn’t call the animation meta-defining by any means, but it was definitely satisfying and perfectly watchable. If you could just erase those first few scenes of the first episode from memory, it really wasn’t all that bad. The way I see it, the animation style and the straightforward title almost act as a test to identify the true audience of the show – those who are willing to stick around and see all of it, even when faced with an unusual animation approach and a title that pretty much spells out the premise, you know, the ones who actually love anime characters doing mundane stuff.
Overall, The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses thrives on a simple premise that it sticks to in every episode. While the repetition and slow pacing might make it feel a tad monotonous, making it feel like a chore to watch; the cute interactions between the characters coupled with decent animation quality and exceptional voice acting (Shion Wakayama and Masahiro Ito were stellar in portraying their characters) manage to compensate for it. This series is the perfect go-to if you’re just in the mood to unwind without delving deep into character complexities, dramatic plotlines, or intricate themes. Not to mention, the theme songs are amazing: the opening song is quite a banger and the ending song is cute and perfectly captures the theme of the series.
If you happen to be a fan of school-based slice-of-life romance, it’s definitely worth giving this one a shot – just don’t let the initial eccentric animation in the first episode throw you off, because that’s mostly a one-time thing. When stacking it up against other shows in its genre like The Dangers in My Heart, Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible, or Takagi-san, it might not quite hit the same level of quality. But if you’ve got a soft spot for series like Aharen-san and When Will Ayumu Make His Move, then The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses is a show you won’t want to miss out on and forget.
Screenshots via Ani-One Asia
© Koume Fujichika / SQUARE ENIX/ Production Committee Forgot Their Glasses