If a boy teases a girl, that means he likes her. If a girl teases a boy, they’re enemies. If a boy and a girl constantly tease each other, get into arguments, but also hang out all the time in the same friend group, they’re a comedy duo. A loud friendship that doesn’t always make sense, but it works. The funny duo that makes everyone else laugh. In the quiet moments that matter most, something stirs. It feels like a flicker more than friendship. Lovely Complex is a romance that’s snuffed out as quickly as it blooms. With the guidance of strong friends, hope for love isn’t lost; it just takes time. You can’t rush the feelings of others, no matter how strongly you feel.
Lovely Complex opens by showing how much the main characters, Koizumi and Otani can’t stand each other. They aren’t mean to one another, but they never stop teasing each other. Most of the jabs are height-related, as the gimmick for this anime is that Koizumi is taller than standard at 5’8 while Otani is short at 5’1. They’re an odd pair, especially in the typical romantic way. As a tall girl, I’ve been drawn to this title for a while. It, as usual, took me forever to get to it. The anime subverted my expectations, starting with a group invitation to the pool for a new student. The student in question is tall, and Koizumi instantly declares a crush on him. Otani takes the opportunity to disclose his feelings for Koizumi’s friend Chiharu. She’s short, cute, and later we find out she looks just like Otani’s ex. I expected the duo to score an official date with their crushes only to find there’s no chemistry. Instead, their crushes end up falling for each other. The classic tall guy and short girl. Koizumi and Otani decide to start a contest after that to see who could get a significant other first. You can’t predict love or the outcome of this contest.
Every time I felt like I knew which tropes Lovely Complex would follow, I felt surprised. After the contest of love was declared, I assumed we’d get awkward dates with rivals until they both realized they’re in love, but that wasn’t the case. Koizumi and Otani make plans to go to a concert for a singer they’re both obsessed with. It seems like it’s the first time they agree on something, and when their energy matches, it’s electric. When the first love rival shows up -Otani’s ex- it changes their plans. Otani gets colder to Koizumi, and the moment they shared shifts. He’s not even friendly; he’s wrapped up in his thoughts. Koizumi initially encourages Otani to speak with his ex. Sad at first, he’ll win the bet, but there’s something more she can’t place her finger on. Going to the concert alone, Koizumi realizes how lonely she is without Otani. The world is too quiet without the person she hadn’t realized she’d been talking to nonstop every day. I think this is where her perception of Otani starts to shift. When Otani gives up his plans with his ex and meets Koizumi, it’s a magical moment; everything fades away for Koizumi except for Otani. He was there for her when she felt like she needed him. he picked her. I knew they were endgame. It’s just a long journey.
Otani’s ex is the big threat throughout the show for Koizumi. While Koizumi is asked out multiple times by a boy, she denies him every time, even in front of Otani. Who comes off as annoyed and jealous, by the way. Which makes the show a little painful later on. When Otani’s ex is around, he blushes, and you can see in his eye there’s still love there. This haunts Koizumi far into the show as she continues to compare herself and their whole relationship to the one Otani had with his ex. It hurts Koizumi to think she’s not the best match for Otani. I think she is the best match because I don’t know who else could put up with him being so dense. Otani gives off mixed vibes for most of the show. He will drop everything to help Koizumi even if he complains the whole time. He literally throws her the perfect birthday for just the two of them. He takes her to a seculded roof top, gives her the perfect gift that he put a lot of thought into, and then a fireworks show starts. It’s perfectly romantic. This is all after Koizumi admits she likes someone, and Otani keeps pestering her to know who it is. I thought surely he was playing coy and knew it was him. Koizumi finally confesses.
I enjoyed Lovely Complex, but I can understand why some fans may choose to drop it. Otani rejects Koizumi’s confession. Instead of giving up, Koizumi stays friends with Otani, and they keep doing things together. Otani continues to do sweet things for Koizumi, and Koizumi reads into them, more confused about why he acts as if he likes her but still rejects her. At one point, Koizumi tells Otani she’s giving up on liking him, and he asks her not to, to wait. It becomes a tough watch when Koizumi is always crying because it starts to feel the same. I understand she’s heartbroken, but she keeps breaking her own heart over and over again. With a bit of comfort and a firm hand, Nobu pushes Koizumi onward, assuring her Otani likes her. I was frustrated at first that Koizumi had been reduced from her fun-loving self to a blubbering wreck over a boy, but I can’t say that’s never been me. She’s a relatable love-sick character.
After the confession and their long-drawn-out waiting for a thoughtful response period Koizumi asks Otani why he can’t picture her romantically. That line stuck with me throughout the will they won’t they arc. It hits Otani hard, and I think he’s still trying to emotionally get over his ex. He seems to have strong feelings for her that are overshadowing Koizumi. I appreciate that he wants to be over her fully before starting a relationship with Koizumi, but he leads her on in a sense while he sorts out his feelings. He then gets annoyed when Koizumi is torn apart over small things. Otani seems to be struggling with a change of pace in relationships. Both his ex and crush, Chiharu, are soft-spoken, while Koizumi is bold and outgoing. I also think the height thing, while not talked about much, may have been a factor for him. If they had real communication that wasn’t just Koizumi talking about her feelings, they would have kissed way earlier in the show.
Once the love birds have another moment under the fireworks and put a label on their relationship, the anime opens up more. The plot focuses more on their futures after high school. Otani surprisingly has it all figured out. Koizumi has no idea what she wants to do; she just knows she doesn’t want to do anything traditional. She’s a creative free spirit. I like Koizumi as a character. There are episodes dedicated to Nobu and Chiharu’s relationships. I think Lovely Complex becomes more fun and gives a bit of the spotlight to everyone.
Lovely Complex doesn’t shy away from telling a story of a relationship with a rocky start. It explores the way feelings take time to process and bloom into something beautiful. Between the tears, I thought Lovely Complex was a fun throwback to classic Shoujo art and personality. I love the way the artist plays with Koizumi’s hair, giving her different dynamic styles and new outfits with lots of layers. If you’re looking for an imperfect romance that feels real, I recommend giving Lovely Complex a try. Be ready for lots of tears, but also to laugh. You might even giggle and kick your feet a bit. Do you like your romance with a dramatic twist?
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