I can see how this series might rub some people the wrong way. I find it highly successful in achieving its purpose, but its purpose is perhaps not to the taste of a number of viewers. This series does a fine job of exploring the inner workings of a hopeless social misfit. Perhaps for those of us who have either been like Tomoko at some point in life, or for those who have dealt closely and frequently with such people, this series has some resonance. In my case, both conditions apply. When I was young, I was like Tomoko in many ways - utterly socially inept and reclusive. However, I managed to find a small group of misfit friends, so things weren't quite so bad. Although I eventually got over it and can now handle myself quite well in social situations, I still feel like a social misfit dwells at the core of my personality and is apt to reemerge at any time. Later in life, after gaining control over my own problems, I found myself dealing with other people who had similar issues, and having once been much like them, I tried to befriend them and help them with their issues, but I found that some were simply beyond hope, and spending time with them was emotionally and physically draining. Tomoko reminds me of these people; anyone who gets too close to her is bound to be dragged down. Since the series focuses so strongly on her thoughts, primarily by way of interior monologues and fantasies, a viewer is bound to be drawn closely to her and become frustrated. The comic exaggeration present throughout the series renders her more approachable, however, and helps to dispel some of that frustration. If presented as a completely serious dramatic series, this show would truly be too painful to watch no matter how well constructed. I think a viewer's response to this series might depend on this balance between the dark comedy, the painfully embarrassing situations, and the frustrating inability of this character to find a way out of her terrible situation. Therefore, I might expect a wider distribution of scores for this series than for some others. For me, it works, and it works fantastically well, but something like this simply isn't going to work for everybody.
I can see that one major source of frustration for some viewers is that Tomoko never gets anywhere, and there is seldom any indication that she will (although the OVA seems to present some faint rays of hope). In reality, people like this often remain trapped in their doldrums for years on end, and some never emerge. In my case, the doldrums of social incompetence lasted through most of the first seventeen years of my life, albeit moderated somewhat after I entered middle school. This sense of hopelessness is depicted well here, albeit lightened a bit by the comic elements. Yes, it is a frustrating series to watch, but the series is depicting a character whose life is a never ending series of missed opportunities, dashed hopes, and painful embarrassments, so viewing it is supposed to be frustrating. If you want to tear your hair out, punch your computer monitor, and cringe like you have never cringed before, then this series has successfully achieved its purpose. |