Is The Dangers in My Heart the best romcom ever?

In a lively debate on a Reddit forum, members have been discussing whether the anime "The Dangers in My Heart (Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu)" deserves to be considered the best romantic comedy in anime history. This discussion comes amid growing interest in the franchise, which recently concluded its anime adaptation with a total of two seasons and 25 episodes, produced by Shin-Ei Animation.

"The Dangers in My Heart" tells the story of Kyotaro Ichikawa, a lonely and disgruntled student who fantasizes about taking violent revenge on his classmates, especially popular idol Anna Yamada. However, when Kyotaro begins to observe that Anna is peculiar in her own way and becomes increasingly friendly with him, he begins to develop feelings for her. This unique premise and the dynamics between the characters have captured viewers' attention from the start.

The franchise has gained popularity thanks to its witty and often irreverent humor, as well as the chemistry between its main characters. The anime adaptation has been praised for its fidelity to the source material and how it has brought the story and characters to life with vibrant animation and a captivating soundtrack.

The debate on Reddit over whether "The Dangers in My Heart" deserves to be considered the best romantic comedy in anime has generated a variety of opinions. Some argue that her fresh approach and unexpected twists on the genre make her stand out from the crowd, while others suggest that established classics like "Toradora!" or "Oregairu: My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU" deserve the title.

"One of the most important reasons was the sense of realism and naturalness. At no time did he feel forced, rushed, or dragged along. It flowed smoothly and naturally until the end. Above all, their relationship seemed genuine."
"I can't point the finger at it, but everything in this anime resonated with me. Very few did so up to this point (like Kimi no Na wa). One of the reasons could be the way he humanizes his characters. As an introvert, I identified a lot with Ichikawa. They show their inner monologue at all times. His exaggerated thoughts, self-hatred, negativity, and other worries affected me greatly."
"This is one of the most consistent anime I've ever seen. I liked all the episodes from start to finish. When I thought one episode was the best, the next one was even better. I'm not one to cry watching something, but each episode made me cry or smile from start to finish, or both. It didn't bore me for a second."
"Each episode was of importance and progressed. In my opinion, Ichikawa is the best romantic lead. His character development/progression is probably the best I've seen not only in rom anime but in anime in general. Yamada too. They also have a very interesting character dynamic. It's as if they're playing ping pong with their hearts, reciprocating their feelings for each other. Slowly unveiling the layers of their hearts. The entire supporting cast is simply the best. They're not as dense as usual and they support the protagonists."
"Kensuke Usio (Chainsaw Man, A Slient Voice, Devilman) did great. The music itself was beautiful, but the rhythm and choice of music also fit perfectly with each scene."
"They use lighting very well, the composition of the shots, the subtlety, etc. It's as if every frame is a story. It's as if every frame is a frame. It gives it so much more meaning and depth."
"The themes are executed perfectly. Such as self-love, inability to communicate, introversion, adolescence, growing up, etc. It lacks the usual tropes of romance anime. Although he has some, he doesn't live on them alone, and they're also executed to perfection."
"I agree that for me it's up there too. My favorite part of the series was Ichikawa's character development. At first, the series implies that he's some sort of weird, creepy loser with no friends (and he sort of is). As the series progresses, this façade is slowly broken down. We found out that deep down he has a good heart, that he gets some of the best grades in class, that the other kids see him as an equal and a friend, and that his family loves him too."
"Many of these modern Reiwa romances pair a loser with a popular girl to the point that they seem like unrealistic desires. BokuYaba also seems like it at first, but in the end you realize that Ichikawa was never really a loser. It's a beautiful story about learning to love yourself and learning to love others."
"It's also rare for anime to outperform its source material. Normally, that's because the font is inferior, but that's not the case. They took something great and made it legendary."
"Sousou no Frieren was the same, to have 2 absolutely amazing adaptations in the same season (3 if you count Kusuriya no Hitorigoto which was also gorgeous) is crazy. I'm glad there isn't an award for 'best adaptation of the year' because unfortunately there would have to be a second and third place."
"I've finished the manga (I've reached the current chapter) after watching the anime, and believe me, the third season will be even better in terms of content."
"Okay. It's one of the romantic comedies that gave me the most high. Just respectable, nice people finding and improving each other."
"It's going to be hard to beat Fruits Basket, but I need to see a new romance anime. I'll check it out."
"I made the mistake of watching this anime on a Friday afternoon, around 6 or 7 p.m. I didn't go to sleep until 6 a.m. the next day, I couldn't stop seeing him."
"I've watched a lot of anime, a lot of romance... nothing comes close to The Dangers in My Heart if I'm honest. I'm sad that the first 3 episodes put a lot of people off, because it's getting better and better."
"I finished it last night. It's hands down the best romance I've seen or read so far. High school students act like high school students and it's fun. The aspects of growing up and experiencing a first love felt so real to me and made me reminisce about my school days, it also reminded me a lot of my relationship with my wife back then. The music and the rhythm of it all really brought it together for me. Every time the soft synth and piano track start playing in the most intimate scenes, I get chills and a huge smile on my face. It's so maudlin and healthy in just the right measure, without falling into the usual clichés."
"The show is at its best. I ended up quitting after two episodes and came back to it again when I saw that it was doing very well in the rankings. "Why is this seedy show so popular? Did I make a mistake in quitting?" I wondered. I'm so glad I gave it another chance because it's now one of my favorite shows of all time and my favorite romantic comedy of all time. I haven't been so emotionally attached to a series since Madoka Magica. There were so many episodes where I would get tears in my eyes or cry about how beautiful an important event was. I've seen the finale three times since it aired and I've always cried. I can't watch the second opening anymore without getting excited."
"My anime list of 'Completed' has 782 entries. The Dangers in my Heart is hands down the best romance anime I've ever seen."

Despite the differences of opinion, it is clear that "The Dangers in My Heart" has left a lasting impression on the anime community and will continue to be a standout work in the romantic comedy genre for its uniqueness and ability to captivate viewers with its unique charm.

Source: Reddit