Common Name: Gamers!
Score: 7/10, 4/5
Length: 12 Episodes
Genre: Comedy, Romance, School Life, Video Game
Summary: Determined to share in her love of video games, Tendou Karen, the blonde idol of Otobuki High School, is determined to recruit every gamer she can to the school's Gaming Club. One such gamer is the awkward and reclusive Amano Keita, a guy who loves games with a passion but really isn't all that good at them. Imagine the school's surprise however when not just one, but two of the school's more avid gamers politely decline Tendou's offer out of a desire to have fun with games, rather than "get good" under the tutelage of the club's more noteworthy members. Yet, for whatever reason, Tendou continues to pursue the interests of Keita. Perhaps there's more to her advances than meets the eye, or social norms for that matter.
Review: Like most awkward and reclusive nerds I know, I hold a special place in my heart for self-deprecating humor. There's just something about that perfect mix of absurdism, cynicism, and self-loathing that speaks to me like no other brand of comedy does. So, I guess it'd figure that I really enjoyed a show about a bunch of awkward nerds acting like awkward nerds when I am, myself, one of those awkward nerds. While I'll admit I have avoided a number of shows in the past that followed that same premise, there's just something about this show that hit me in just the right way. Even though Gamers! reflected some of my own faults and quirks as a human being in its characters, I can't say I ever felt insulted by it. That, I think, is the key difference. Rather than feeling like the show was attacking me, like Watamote did, this show founded itself on being awful and cringe-worthy without stepping over that fine line on any point. It felt like the show actually respected my life choices, throwing in a good-natured ribbing whenever it could. It's like this show acted like a good friend I was happy to spend time with but, like most good friends, it left before I got the chance to really appreciate it.
See, this show gets me.
Needless dramatization aside, Gamers! brand of humor functions under two distinct conditions. Primarily, the show plays off of expectation and absurdity while its characters dance around the complications typical of relationships that lack open and willing communication. This brand of comedy is then expounded upon when the show's love triangles, real or imagined, make their way into the story. Secondly, the show also props itself up on the distinct, awkward commiseration typical of self-deprecating humor. For people like me who watch the show, there are several moments each episode that elicit a wince or cringe because I understand what the characters are going through on some level. Of course, that kind of feeling is typical of most high school drama anime, since their entire existence hinges on the idea that the show is representative of those tumultuous years. For anyone who had a great high school experience or isn't a massive nerd like I am, however, I could see this kind of absurd and defeatist humor as a solid source of schadenfreude.
Quality humor right here, ladies and gents.
There is, however, still one other way that Gamers! tries to get a good laugh out of people: through the sheer absurdity of the show's situations. Centered primarily around the character of Amano Keita, a socially inept gamer hermit who spends most of his free time playing garbage passion project games or teaming up with unknown friends for some smartphone RPG goodness. Horrible tastes aside, Amano essentially lives and breathes gaming passion in that the few times he socializes with others he does so to defend the games he loves and his general principles as a gamer. Despite all social-hierarchical norms, it is this passion for games that draws the attention and affection of Tendou Karen, the blonde idol of the school, since she is, herself, an avid gamer. Tendou's attraction to Amano then draws the eye and sympathetic ears of Uehara Tasuku, a former gamer turned cool kid, and his energetic girlfriend Aguri, who is not a gamer by any standard. Set on getting Amano some more friends he can talk to, Uehara then brings Hoshinomori Chiaki, a girl who might as well be a female Amano, into the group. So, it obviously comes as something of a surprise that such a nobody character like Amano has suddenly amassed a decently-sized friend group who appear, at least by outer appearances, to be decent people. Like most rom-com's do, however, the waters start to get a little muddy when feelings start emerging that nobody wants to talk about.
Granted, most of the comedic drama in this show comes from poor word choice
just as much as a lack of communication.
Needless to say, the misunderstandings in this show swap hands and thrive up until the end when the air finally gets cleared. While this formula is certainly humorous and keeps the show interesting, even during its duller moments, it is frustrating to acknowledge that all of the show's humor and drama could have avoided if its characters had the ability to actually talk to each other, rather than around each other. Here's the thing though, I don't know too many nerds who actually engage in "real talk," myself included, which is what makes the whole experience relatable. I think it's pretty much a fact that most socially awkward people tend to shoot themselves in the foot due to being conflict-avoidant as well. This is, of course, certainly a common theme in Japanese culture but is generally one of those universal norms. Even if you aren't yourself awkward or conflict-avoidant, you probably know someone who is--someone that will do everything possible to maintain their status quo even if they're in a toxic situation. So, it is that frustrating and obvious social ineptitude that drives this show's chaotic plot from start to finish, ending with the characters achieving some level of happiness at the cost of their idiotic status quo.
Granted, they are still a little sore about all the misunderstandings though,
because what relationship wouldn't be strained after so much bullshit.
So, it is with begrudging acceptance that I have to say I honestly loved this show. It had people like me dead to rights when it came to understanding and expressing how awkward people like me generally function. Yet, in spite of that fact that the show openly made fun of that ineptitude, I can't think of a single time when I ever felt offended or attacked by this show's humor. Like I said before, it felt more like a friend laughing at my own stupidity while, simultaneously, trying to make me feel better in the process by sticking with me despite my idiotic behavior. It understood and commiserated, but couldn't help getting a jab in when the opportunity presented itself. So, it kinda disappointed me when the show ended with an episode that might as well been an OVA, leaving some matters unresolved in exchange for some cheap fanservice and slice of life-style communication that basically went nowhere. I can't say I'm mad about it though, since I will admit I laughed at the final episode's contrast with the rest of the show--featuring an entire episode where the characters do nothing but communicate with each other about some pointless nonsense--eliciting something of a "dear god, just shut up already" response.
In terms of production quality, I will admit that Gamers! ends up being pretty middle of the road. The art and animation look good but aren't the best I've seen. The music was pretty forgettable, save for the show's catchy opening theme. The plot and pacing were sensible, if a bit inconsistent at times. I'll give credit where it's due though, since the show didn't feel like it was rushing toward the end like so many rom-com titles before it. As I said before, though, the show's main claim to fame is the cringey and schadenfreudic comedy that highlighted every episode. Never sticking to more than one kind of joke, the show's comedy was grounded in enough realism to be believable and never gave the feeling of nerdy blackface or disgust toward its nerdy characters so I'm content to give that aspect a solid thumbs up. So, in the end, I have to say I recommend Gamers! to anyone who'd be willing to give it the time of day. It's certainly not something to write home about, but it's got enough going for it to be worth a nerd's time. For any non-nerds though, you'd probably be better off just watching some sportsball or whatever you call it.