Bittersweet Rom-Com That Subverts Every Trope Perfectly | Manga Monday

Welcome to Manga Monday! This week we're diving into My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected, Wataru Watari's light novel series better known as OreGairu, with a manga adaptation by Io Naomichi. Hachiman Hikigaya is a high school loner who's turned cynicism into an art form. He thinks youth is a lie, friendship is performative, and romance is a scam. So naturally his teacher forces him into the Service Club, where he has to help other students with their problems alongside Yukino Yukinoshita, a girl who's brilliant, beautiful, and has the warmth of a freezer. Then there's Yui, the bubbly, kind hearted girl who genuinely wants to be friends with both of them. What starts as a comedy about a bitter kid slowly becomes one of the most psychologically sharp character studies in the genre. Hachiman's self-sacrificing methods of solving problems by making himself the villain work, but they hurt everyone around him, and the series never lets him off the hook for it. Three seasons of anime, 14 volumes of light novels, and over 10 million copies sold. If you want a rom-com that actually interrogates what it means to connect with people, this is the one.If you enjoy the show, please rate, review, like, and subscribe to Sakura Society | An Anime Appreciation Podcast — and any other podcasts you love. It takes seconds, costs nothing, and means everything to us creators. (The algorithm only accepts 5 stars, just so you know.)Stay up to date with me on Bluesky | Instagram | TikTok | TwitterJoin our Discord — a community full of anime and culture fans just like youFollow my anime Spotify playlistMy amazing sponsors:Audio-Technica — the best in audio equipmentIced Tea Aesthetics — anime streetwear done right (use code SAKURASOCIETY5 at checkout to save $5)Japan Crate — Japanese snacks and treats delivered to your door (use code ATEBIT15 at checkout to save 15% + get free shipping)Affiliate links:Captivate.fm - the best podcast hosting platformKomi.io - the best linkinbio websiteRiverside.fm - the best remote video/podcast recording platform