As everybody else on this planet, I have an opinion. As many people do too, I like to write about it. Share it generously. And I am excellent at keeping score (mentally), so I will try tallying up my fondness of things according to balance.
Kirio Fan Club
Behind every crush may just be the fondness of the idea. That’s certainly what it seems like to the two main characters in this show, Aimi Miyoshi and Nami Sometani. Two best friends crushing on the same guy seems like it’s a recipe for disaster, drama and heartbreak, and to be fair all those three things happen but not under the circumstances you may expect.
What this series does extremely well is uncovering the feelings for a crush and how they relate to the people surrounding you. For Aimi and Nami, their crush on Ken Kirio is a way to strengthen their bond and explore mutual interests. Early on, you get the idea that crushing is moreso a way of trying to express certain feelings than actually wanting to pursue a romantic relationship. Although her role is somewhat smaller than expected, their younger classmate Satsuki Muraoka plays a pivotal role in cheering for the main two girls, while being a crucial bridge to their love interest as their baseball team coach. For the main male characters, Ken Kirio turns out to have surprising depth beyond being a ‘quiet but nice guy’, and his friend Hayato Momose gets his own troubles to deal with. Awkward Mitsuru Manda rounds out the main cast and though he can be a bit grating in the beginning, it’s shown he has real heart towards the end.
The series basically follows Aimi and Nami as they crush on Kirio and try to get closer in more and less successful ways. However, as the series progresses we see that even though these girls really cherish and care for each other, they have their own secrets which they keep from each other. Their ideas of crushing on Kirio are absurd in a really well-meaning way, and above everything, they pursue with genuine sincerity, even though they seem quite unsure of how things will actually develop or if they want that to happen.
As the series progresses, it manages to build tension effectively, testing Aimi and Nami’s friendship, as well as revealing more behind Ken’s mask and what he’s actually feeling. However, it’s not all high-stakes drama. There are plenty of gags and inside jokes that keep returning, from Aimi and Nami constantly drooling at the idea of everything Kirio, to Manda’s voodoo spells going off the rails. Along the way, these characters stumble but also build real relationships and community. I rate it a very effective in reminding you of how great it can be to make new friends.
