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Komi Can’t Communicatemade its anime debut with huge fanfare, but you might have noticed that the series barely gets mentioned now. While many people were attracted to the series’ unique plot as it dealt with social anxiety, they slowly realized that rather than a realistic portrayal,Komi Can’t Communicatetakes it to an extreme level.
The main protagonist, Komi Shouko, is a girl with severe social anxiety, and it is to the point that she immediately freezes up in front of people and can’t talk. While the premise is acceptable and praiseworthy, the development of the character isn’t.
Komi Can’t CommunicateExaggerates Social Anxiety
Plenty of modern manga and anime show some form of mental health condition, andKomi Can’t Communicatechooses to base its entire plot on social anxiety. But the portrayal of the disorder makes a huge difference: whether it is a parody, satire, or if the mental health condition is shown for a comical effect with plenty of exaggeration, andKomichooses the latter option.
Komi Can’t Communicate Becomes the Latest Victim of the Manga Industry After it Ruined Tite Kubo’s Vision with Bleach
Komi Shouko, the titular protagonist, shows an extreme version of social anxiety. She cannot utter a single word in public and often freezes up. Whenever this happens, people find her extremely regal and elegant due to her facial expressions, and they promptly leave her alone. Komi, on the other hand, is left desiring human connection but unable to seek it. Tadano Hitohito and Komi’s gradual friends, on the other hand, find this trait extremely cute.
However, this kind of portrayal is bound to piss off those who actually suffer from the same condition or know what it realistically feels like. Social anxiety or the inability to communicate isn’t cute. Having a mental breakdown in the middle of a conversation or in a public place isn’t cute and is often stressful for those involved in the situation.
Social Anxiety Can’t be Fixed by Making Friends, Despite WhatKomi Can’t CommunicateImplies
Social anxiety is a mental health condition that needs professional help, like all others. Komi Shouko desires to overcome her adversity and make 100 friends, and Tadano gladly goes along with the plan. In the series, Komi is introduced to new characters, and she starts opening up to them little by little. However, this is nowhere near realistic.
Yet again, extreme measures have been used in the series. Both the emptiness in Komi’s life and the way she freezes up and trembles are taking things to the extreme. The situation as a whole is used to create comedy rather than to bring attention to the disorder. Those who have social anxiety might not have friends and carry the fear of speaking to others, but it is nowhere near cute.
Tomohito Oda May Have Used Komi’s Biggest Problem in Komi Can’t Communicate to Avoid Giving Her Any Morsel of Personality
The biggest issue in the series is probably the way in which Komi’s issues have been idolized. Her social anxiety and inability to communicate are shown as desirable, especially since it makes her cute or elegant. It is because of her condition that she ends up making so many friends. So it can’t be that bad, right? Wrong. Portraying Komi’s condition as dazzling and sophisticated only takes the seriesanother step towards its criticism.
Komi Can’t Communicateis available to read on Viz Media, and the anime is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Aaheli Pradhan
Anime Content Writer
Articles Published :1556
Aaheli is an Anime Content Writer at FandomWire with 1300+ published articles. With five years of experience under her belt, she is a living, breathing encyclopedia for anime and manga. From Shonen and Shojo to the most niche anime, nothing escapes her radar. Her poisons of choice are Assassination Classroom, Gintama, Ouran High School Host Club and every Ghibli movie ever. She believes in living a slow life, surrounded by incomplete art projects and her beloved cats.
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Komi Can’t Communicate
