Guest post by Jaswanth.
Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai (Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai) is a series written by Hajime Kamoshida originally as a light novel.
The light novel has been published since 2014 by ASCII Media Works, and the manga series has been published since 2016 by Dengeki G’s Comic. Character illustration is done by Keeji Mizoguchi, while the manga is drawn by Tsugumi Nanamiya.
An anime television series adaptation by CloverWorks premiered on October 4, 2018, adapting volume 1-5 of the manga.
The Premise
Puberty Syndrome is a mysterious syndrome that only affects those who enter puberty. For example, in the case of Sakuta Azusagawa who suddenly saw a bunny girl, who is actually Mai Sakurajima, a famous actress who has been on hiatus from the world of entertainment.
For various reasons, people around Mai can’t see her figure as a bunny girl. When Mai tried to solve the mystery, people with other puberty syndromes began to appear. How Sakuta deals with these situations and helps people with this syndrome forms the crux of the story.
(Source: aobuta fandom)
The Characters
Sakuta Azusagawa
The main protagonist of the story whose relationships and interactions with the characters is how the story goes forward.
There is no multiple perspectives in this series. His most notable characteristic is his stoic face and also inexpressive voice. He rarely wears any emotion up his sleeve but expresses himself if someone he cares about is in trouble.
“I don’t mind if I only had one person, even if the entire world hated me, I could keep living if that person needed me”.
This quote I think pretty much sums up his personality.
Mai Sakurajima
She is the female protagonist of the series and romantic interest of Sakuta.
She is an idol and actress whose popularity is quite prevalent. But she has cold personality and does not have any friends whom she can talk to. This is one of the catalysts for her puberty syndrome as everyone is afraid to approach her due to her fame.
Tomoe Koga
She is one of the first years in high school who has a way to reset and relive the same day over and over again due to puberty syndrome.
Tomoe was not very popular during middle school and grew up with no friends around that time. Due to this, she changed her personality in order to get validation from her high school mates. She cares so much about what others think of her and goes the extra mile to look good in her friend’s opinion.
Kaede Azusagawa
She is the younger sister to Sakuta who is also affected by puberty syndrome.
Kaede is very scared of the outside world due to the bullying she faced in school. Thus she holes herself in her home and refuses to go outside. She only interacts with her brother and cat which makes her awkward at normal social interactions.
The Pros
The blend of science and school life is something I really enjoy in this show. It is not like the MC is super genius or something, he is basically a lazy student and is trying to help his friends-pretty generic for anime MC’s.
But this one shines on how it throws light on daily high school life problems and how it interweaves into science. It is silly and serious at the same time. The way the show presents itself is unique and refreshing. And also the relationship between him and other characters is quite interesting. The animation is well done. Clover field nailed the tone and art style of the series. There is a certain melancholic feeling to the entire show that is portrayed well in the presentation. Each character is likable and also has unique and interesting quirks and personalities that are consistent throughout the show.
Another asset is the voice acting and the opening and closing theme of the show. All the voice actors convey the emotion really well and enhance the experience. The opening them is really catchy and gets stuck in your mind for a while.
The Cons
The show might be a bit confusing as it tries to link the weird things happening around scientific theories. These explanations might be off-putting for someone who doesn’t want to think much while watching the show. The scientific knowledge thrown at the viewers might derail them from getting connected to the emotional experience. Since understanding them leads to a much more emotional experience for the viewer. The background score might have been overused in my opinion as it is present for a majority of the show.
One other thing is the title of the series. Many people might think that this is ecchi kinda series but it’s not. The title might mislead people into not giving it a shot.
The Verdict
It is a really beautiful anime that will resonate with a lot of people who went through high school facing identity issues, bullying, seeking validation from others, etc. The way the show tackles these issues is really mature and also gripping. As I have said earlier it is an interesting blend of science and human emotions presented in a captivating manner.
It is a damn good show that I would recommend people to give it a try. With an interesting premise and a solid set of characters, it really presents a solid slice of life story with no filler.
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai – Screenshots
I agree that it was a moving anime.
It is also a kind of harem where you already know who he’ll end up with. He has the good fortune of having all these other beautiful willing ladies wanting him, even though he’s settled on his pick. Mai is a heck of a woman to be so accepting of all the attention he’s paying to them. And there’s the tragedy with his sister.
Rio Futaba is the source of all the science in the show. The explanations are pretty far-fetched but any woman who talks science is incredibly sexy. She’s my waifu here.