Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku

Currently video games, manga and anime are one of the most popular hobbies among young people around the world that make up a global industry that is constantly on the rise. These hobbies have been deeply installed in our lives and for many they are more than a way to pass the time since these hobbies have made them create memorable memories of their childhood, they have supported them during a difficult time or they simply find it enjoyable to interact with other people who share their hobbies within a community. Wotakoi takes these elements that form the enjoyment of many and together with love, one ofthe most complex feelings of humans, presents us with the story about those who try to deal with work, relationships and hobbies. Story(7/10): The main attraction of this manga is not based on the creation of a complex plot or development of supernatural characters, but rather it is based on showing us the daily life of a group of friends who share one of the most popular hobbies in Japanese culture: Video games, manga and anime. Given the nature of this story, genres such as drama or action do not appear frequently or are simply non-existent, but others such as comedy or romance are more than enough to enjoy this peaceful story between Narumi, Hirotaka, Tarou and Hanako. Art(9/10): As always, I like to mention that I'm not an expert at breaking down the art but I find the facial expressions, poses and proportions of the characters to be solidly consistent and visually pleasing. Characters(8/10): The personalities of the characters are nothing that has not been explored before but that does not mean that they are boring and it is worth mentioning that each of them has a unique and intense passion for a specific hobby, the term to describe them is Otaku. Narumi is the cute, goofy girl who is always upbeat and gets along with everyone, but underneath that facade she's a fujoshi otaku who writes BL doujinshi. Hirotaka is a hard-working, deadpan, and honest person who makes no secret of being a gamer otaku. Tarou is a strong person with the traits of a leader who can be considered the least otaku of all but still has a strong interest in anime and manga. Hanako is the elegant and mature girl on the front but in reality she is a sensitive girl, cosplay lover who is always arguing with Tarou. Observing the relationship between these four is fun, touching and comical that is worth the time one invests emotionally towards them. The last couple to mention is Naoya and Kou. Naoya is a sweet and innocent boy who establishes a relationship with the shy and scary Kou, they have a development that starts in friendship and develops until they become close to each other. Although the plot features Hirotaka and Narumi as the main couple, I personally enjoyed the love story between Tarou and Hanako or Naoya and Kou more. This is because Narumi initially seems to view Hirotaka as more of an otaku friend than a romantic partner, a fact that doesn't change until the very last moments of the manga. Seeing the past and near future of Tarou and Hanako or the sweet progression between Naoya and Kou is more enjoyable than seeing the main couple. Enjoyment(9/10): 84-86 episodes of comedy, slice of life and romance that didn't feel too heavy or too light have made me spend a wonderful time with these characters. Something worth mentioning is that there are small details that I loved to see, such as the different references to games or series and the extra pages giving us even more insight into the characters. Overall(8/10): Wotakoi is a recommended manga for its otaku theme and captivating characters that highlights the effort dedicated to its characters, art and that stands out for exposing the different feelings and hobbies that most of us who are in MAL share, without forgetting the romance between otakus , of course.