Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian

Calling 'Summer 2024' a "rare" season for anime might be an understatement. The overwhelming number of romance-centric shows made it truly exceptional. Two of these new romance shows even overshadowed the well-established popularity of "Oshi no Ko" to some extent. One of them was "Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings In Russian." So, where does this show stand compared to classic rom-coms? Does it have enough substance to be a top recommendation? Or is it just another generic romance that tries to do everything but fails to deliver convincingly? Art and Animation (8.5/10): Let's begin with the animation and art style, areas that likely won't significantly alter public opinion.While the art style and character design were great, Alya, in particular, stands out as one of the most visually appealing waifus of 2024. Her striking appearance is crucial for two reasons: first, as the titular character and primary heroine, her design sets the tone for the show. And......I will talk about the second reason a bit later. The other characters also looked fine, closely resembling their light novel counterparts. The studio did an admirable job in this respect. The animation quality was above average for a romantic comedy anime. The twelve distinct ending songs, each with its unique visuals, were a noteworthy feature. Although mostly static, they required more effort than a single ending sequence. Plot(6.5/10): Let's be real. "Roshidere" fails to distinguish itself from the sea of generic romantic comedies. The narrative lacks depth, failing to deliver a truly original story or effectively utilize the intriguing setting it presents. Roshidere is a tale of missed opportunities, filled with countless "could have beens" and "should have beens." Despite the elements at the author's disposal, the transition from light-hearted to serious moments felt forced. The comedic moments, especially those featuring Yuki, were good. But not all of them worked for me. For example, the hypnotism scene felt weirdly out of place. It was clearly fan service, but it didn't justify how abrupt it was considering the previous serious conversation between Nonoa and Masachika. The serious elements were done pretty well, but the characters' buildup and motivation still felt lacking. It's probably largely due to the anime's failure to place scenes and incidents in an order that would intensify the main focus: the student council election, not the comedy or the relationships. In its 12-episode run, 'Roshidere' used tropes that have been used many times before. So there's barely anything unique about it, except for Alya's occasional Russian sentences. Does that mean the plot of 'Roshidere' is bad? No, but it does mean you shouldn't expect anything deep from this show's first season at least. Whether it be complex issues, intense drama regarding relationships, or chaos-creating comedy, this show tries to have a piece of all those but fails to achieve a balance. In short, 'Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian' so far gives off the vibe of an average rom-com." Characters(6/10): I won't be talking about the side characters who barely had any focus put on them in the anime. For example, Ayano, Masha, Taniyama- they had their moments but not enough to be critiqued or praised for their character depth, background, and archetypes. So, it all comes down to three characters: Alya, Masachika, and last but not least, Yuki. Yuki: If you ask me what character I enjoyed most watching this season, I'd probably say her name. So, what makes her character funny and likable at the same time? First of all, she's an otaku, secondly she breaks the fourth wall, thirdly she's sadistic, and fourthly she works as a wingman sometimes. If I list these reasons separately like this, it won't really do justice to Yuki's character. She was fun to watch precisely because whenever she got the chance, she did something that we least expect from a little sister character. She had that surprise in store for the audience. And since I'm trying to avoid giving out spoilers, I won't be talking about her family issues. Masachika: I'm on the fence about his character. While his interactions with Alya are refreshing and he's not the stereotypical clueless rom-com lead, I find the constant reminders of his child prodigy status a bit overdone. It's like a magic trick that loses its luster once you know the secret. The 'child prodigy to laid-back high-schooler' transformation feels like a gimmick that's been overplayed. Alya: Speaking of gimmicks, Alya's occasional use of Russian as a language barrier is an intriguing tactic, though not quite as impactful as the hour-long looped video released by 'Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan'(That was a marketing masterstroke in my opinion). While her occasional Russian dialogue doesn't significantly alter the story, it's a shared responsibility between her, Masachika, and the author. The author's decision to have Masachika pretend not to understand Russian adds a layer of complexity that could have been explored further. As for Alya as the main heroine, she's fallen short of expectations. Her character seems primarily driven by her physical appearance, with limited development beyond the typical tsundere trope. While her final speech was a step in the right direction, it doesn't fully compensate for missed opportunities for independent growth. Her reliance on her looks can be seen as a way to compensate for her lack of assertiveness and social skills, which are crucial for a student council candidate. Her interactions with Masachika mirror a typical tsundere relationship. Whether you find her behavior endearing depends on your personal preference for the archetype. Personally, I'm not a fan of tsundere characters, so I don't have strong feelings about her bashful or jealous tendencies, but I do find her lack of directness somewhat frustrating. Audio and Soundtracks (7.5/10): I'm not a Russian speaker, so I can't comment on Alya's accent. And since she barely spoke Russian, it's not a major concern. That said, Sumire Uesaka is a talented voice actress, and the overall voice acting was satisfactory. The opening song was great. However, I have mixed feelings about using 12 separate ending songs. It limits their memorability compared to having a single ending song or one for each female character, like "Monogatari" . Regardless, the Haruhi ending was a highlight, motivating me to rewatch the series. Overall(7/10): While 'Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings In Russian' isn't entirely groundbreaking, it offers its share of strengths. However, these are often overshadowed by the weaker aspects of its first season. With the announcement of season 2, I'm hopeful for significant improvements in the storyline and character development. There's still plenty of room to explore family dynamics and Masha's past relationship with Masachika. I'm eagerly anticipating the release of the second season. As for whether or not I recommend this anime, it depends on your preferences. If you're a fan of the genre, I think you'll enjoy it. However, if you're not particularly into rom-coms and are looking for the best introduction to the genre, I'd recommend "Love is War" instead. Thank you for reading. (If you read the whole thing) :)

Taking on a somewhat unique gimmick for a rom-com show, Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian is exactly how it sounds like. Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou (aka the "solitary princess") is a difficult girl to approach because she sometimes hides her true feelings in Russian. As strange as that might sound, she doesn't realize that her fellow classmate Masachika Kuze understands her. Delivering on the promise of a rom-com, it should be obvious to the audience that Alya harbors feelings for Kuze. Expressed sometimes in Russian, she builds a wall around herself whenever her feelings surfaces. From day one, the anime wants us to understand Alya'spersonality. It's no surprise that she loves to tease Kuze without knowledge that he understands Russian. Kuze plays along and sometimes feigns igornance although most of the time, we see his shocked reaction. The show builds on this pair's relationship through these circumstances and sets the main foundation of the story. One of the main strengths of the show is its colorful character roster. The main characters Alya and Kuze get their background storytelling but a decent amount of screen time is also given to others such as Yuki, Maria, and later Ayano. The most noticable among the female character cast is Yuki who loves to tease Kuze. Even as a sibling, it's strongly implied that Yuki may have a brother complex while relentlessly trying to get Kuze to react to teasing. Deep down, the two share a close relationship that often serves as a comedic element of the show. At school, Yuki acts more like an elegant model student who others look up to. While at home, she acts like a spoiled kid who wants attention. It's kind of the classic sibling relationship that is treated with humor filled with popcorn entertainment moments. And to be honest, that's a delight. Should you expect a love story? While this show adapts romance into its story, don't expect the anime to play out like some dramatic shoujo. The romance is just a part of it, where the plot also indulges on the school elements. The most prominent among this is the student council and and its elections. While some school rom-coms adapts these loosely and ties it up within an episode or two, this becomes a recurring plot that serves with significance. Taking place at Seirei Academy, the student council president position is viewed as a role of pride and honor. The main rivalry builds between Alya and Yuki and throughout this rivalry, we see tension around that venture into their personal lives. Indeed, the anime loves its comedic moments among the main cast. However, when the election gets involved, we see character rivalries reach their apex. The only downside appears to be a loose and incomplete adaptation. Given the show's length of 12 episodes, it couldn't focus on all aspects of the election plot. Thus, this anime fundamentally adapts the election to highlight some emotional moments but falls short on its main execution. However, even if you're not sold on the plot, this show shines most with its character personalities and chemistry. Yuki's on-screen chemistry between Yuki and Alya is a recurring gag that is undeniably entertaining. One might say the recurring moments gets repetitive in nature, but overall, it ignites their personalities. I mean, who wants to see cardboard characters that act like on autopilot? No, we want to be entertained by what see. Even characters such as Ayano can be unintentionally amusing with her stoic appearance and robotic-like mannerisms. The only character I do feel like it's lacking may be Maria. We do short glimpses of her flashbacks, but it undersold in terms of characterization. Out of all the main female cast, her chemistry with Kuze and others is overshadowed. Studio Doga Kobo has a long history of adapting rom-coms to the screens and has earned the audience's trust. Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian is adapted with care and commitment. There's no drop in production quality throughout the entire run of the show. Character designs for the female cast is especially decorated with elegant features, most prominently Alya and Yuki. Their expressions has variety and while some might some says have similar face models, they stand out like larger than life characters. The OP theme song is exceptionally spellbinding with colorful chereography while dressing up characters in countless ways. There's also theme songs for every episode highlighting the elegance of the cast, most noticably Alya. She's the title character after all and deserves to be the poster girl. Watching this anime from beginning to end has given me a new insight on rom-coms in recent years. Sometimes, it's just fun to see character chemistry and not worry too much about the story's drama. Sure, this sure has its drama but it ultimately did what it said out to do. Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian may not be able to compete for anime of the year, but it has the traits of an entertaining rom-com.

This awkwardly titled adaptation of a light novel is a standard well-produced romcom with quite a few tropes and a slight twist using the Russian language. The concept seems weird at first, since the main understands the language, and you'd think he'd let on that he understood, but he'd look like a bigger cuck than he already is if he revealed that he didn't follow through with Alya's "secret" flirting all that time. For the Russian lines, she mostly compliments the MC, confesses her love to him, or calls for help when she's in trouble. The whole point of a tsundere is basically for thelove interest to act like they're in kindergarten and do or say mean things to the crush whom he or she secretly likes. Tsunderes have a hard time directly expressing their feelings, but they give a lot of hints, yet their aggression will often keep even the most confident at bay. Of course, due to the main understanding Russian, her occasional quips in Russian that reveal bombshells, and even some internal monologuing, Alya is pretty much a broken—half or quarter at best—tsundere or a kind of diet tsundere. She occasionally hits him or calls him an idiot, but she is mostly bland, not offering much else other than to allow a peep at her feet or a yawn-inducing "indirect kiss" or a quick tease without any memorability. While the language twist might be novel, the author doesn't exploit it effectively. It's either not used enough or feels like a crutch for the writer after a while. About the only other thing to say about Alya is that she has an oh-so-dramatic "must protecc!!" cringe backstory to wring sympathy and boohoos out of the viewer, where she's always trying her best but is dismayed by how she can't rely on anyone else, leading to her "tsundereism" and romantic interest in the MC. By this point, the comedic focus of the early portion of the series gradually slips away in favor of a snoozy tonal shift, wherein the author attempts to inject drama and interpersonal conflict with a lot of "feels," but the writing is too lightweight to be emotional or gripping, and the standard "what's your breast size," insults, awkward situations, and other jokes aren't exactly fresh. Worst of all about the language gimmick is how the quirk is often plain annoying, as the MC laughs nervously, rarely acting upon what he hears. He's your typical self-insert MC but not too scummy or anything. Though a mommy complex-induced slacker and otaku, he's an efficient powerhouse when he finds some reason to be committed to a cause. You know, the old routine of pandering to the audience with an OMG just-like-me personage while nodding to some presumed hidden power level or competence. There's a lack of honesty or insight coming from the MC for why he does anything, despite Alya being far too easy to waifu-up with, making the MC seem like the biggest beta orbiter and panty-sniffer on the block. Actual line from the MC: "Anyway, I want a girlfriend who can also be my best friend." Either a woman wrote this, or the author is trying too hard with his NTR fetish. Even with a generic MC and busted tsundere, the series could be salvageable, but we have to talk about the rotting elephant carcass in the room. The student council plot is the most soporific form of moeshit bureaucracy out there. What the author does here is neither interesting nor entertaining. We went into this series looking for a tsundere romcom, but we often instead get, "Send the treasurer over to the clown club to ensure they're not exceeding their budget" or long speeches and debates meant to look professional but acting as a stand-in for a literal cat fight between two badly behaved girls. Many scenes involving the student council have the austerity of walking into a local congressional meeting and trying to stay awake, but nothing they do really matters. I soon forget I'm watching a romcom instead of C-SPAN, just with cute and incompetent girls rather than old coots with dentures. Aside from being a slog, it's also oddly emasculating: Despite cutting into his anime and slacking time, the MC gets roped into joining the student council to fulfill his cuck aspirations of catapulting his waifu into the role of president; he props her up like he's a footstool with an inferiority complex, which was the same role he had for his backstory. Why does he want to promote her to being the president? He gives no special reason, but if Alya found a bf, the MC would probably drop out of the student council immediately. The only decent character, Yuki, has a two-faced role as a prim and proper presidential candidate for the student council but moonlights as an incestuous otaku. Yuki is certainly a wittier character than a mere ice princess puppet with good grades like Alya, and the idea of the latter winning against the former in an election is preposterous. Probably the only other important character is Alya's sister, Maria, but she's pretty much the touchy-feely mommy who functions as a forgotten childhood friend for the MC and a wistful cheerleader for her sister. Her character is the equivalent of guzzling a gallon of corn syrup, and she's a fine example of why the childhood friend love interest almost always fails. The writer attempts to run autopilot on fetish fuel to make up for the dull as dishwater romcom (plus drama dumpster dive) plot and character dynamics that we've seen endlessly but runs out of the diluted fuel he plies upon us all too fast. Alya, being the lukewarm diet soda that she is, runs out of fizz after about two episodes, and the author overcompensates with his sister fucker fetish and accidentally makes an entertaining character in Yuki, though it might leave those with more touristy sensibilities squirming in their seats, even if it's pure incestbait, and she has no more of a chance than the childhood friend. All of these factors make the faint love geometry nearly nonexistent. If there were video games representing the quality of the two main grills, one would be succinct and straightforward: Super Spicy Sister Fucker 4 (Yuki). The other would be a long, unwieldy, LN-like title: Boring Fake-Ass Broken Tsundere Gives You a Clammy Handshake in the Backroom of the Student Council while Rambling in Russian that You Pretend not to Understand (Alya). I'm starting to think this should be advertised more as a siscon series with a whole hell of a lot of filler rather than a tsundere romcom, or Yuki should have her own spinoff. You know a "tsundere" anime is subpar when you're rooting for "wincest."

A premise of a tsundere who speaks Russian, where in the end that was her only grace, speaking Russian. Roshidere is a typical school romance where, what is intended to be a breath of fresh air to the genre, ends up being the anchor that ends up sinking it. It focuses so much on giving a spotlight to Alya that it ends up showing all the deficiencies that the character has, and unfortunately she does not have what it takes to carry the work as a protagonist should. Any character that appears within the story is more interesting and more charismatic than its female protagonist. Eventhe episodic characters like the grandfather or Masachika's friends stole the scene when they appeared. If the episodic characters overshadowed Alya, the secondary ones constantly buried her. Yuki and Masha have what it takes to replace Alya as the protagonist but the story wants to force you to see Alya as a person who is at the level of those mentioned above. The story doesn't bother to develop its main girl, and yet they put her in a situation where she has to act but she just stays as the pretty face. Giving so much weight to the plot of the school elections and giving us the backgrounds of Yuki and Masachika, automatically give more weight to the skills and ingenuity than to simply being a one trick pony. Masachika tries hard to get the campaign ahead and her greatest enemy is Alya. The girl doesn't even try to put in a grain of effort, she simply limits herself to say sporadic phrases in Russian. It feels like all the characters play in a higher league than Alya, but still something has to be nerfed so that she can even look decent. All this so that in the end the relationship advances only one step. It also doesn't help that the fandom that was generated around this work has become a cult towards the Russian. There are many things that the same fans who read the novel try to justify with facts that were never shown in the anime but are in the novel. This leads me to classify that the anime failed as an independent adaptation. If the only way in which a discussion related to the anime can be had is with information from the novel, then the failure is huge. If the anime cannot show the core of the story in a satisfactory way, then it is not that good. One of the most anticipated anime ended up being the biggest disappointment of the season. This anime worked as a promotion for the novel, as it worked for Sumire Uesaka (they forced her in every possible place). It worked as anything you can imagine but it failed in the most important thing, in being a good story.