REVIEW: ‘Too Many Losing Heroines’ Episode 1 — “Professional Childhood Friend Yanami Anna’s Style Of Losing”

Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 1 is delightfully infectious. Equipped with charming and distinctive characters, the series starts with a strong start. Based on the light novel series written by Takibi Amamori and illustrated by Imigimuru, which would then go on to be adapted into a manga illustrated by Itachi, the series captures sparks of the best coming-of-age stories. While it’s too soon to tell if the basic premise of the series has legs, it’s a promising premiere that highlights its best features with frequent hilarity.

Kazuhiko Nukumizu (Shūichirō Umeda) isn’t here to make waves. Happy to sit in the background and preoccupied with the details and minutia of life, his world turns turbulent after a fated display in public. While his goal is simply to reach the climax of the current light novel he is reading, his plans are derailed as he witnesses Anna Yanami (Hikaru Tono) publicly rejected by her childhood friend. From there, the two get to know one another, and Nukumizu dubs her a “losing heroine.” As the series continues, he’ll find himself increasingly entrenched in the lives of other girls who are striking out with love.

The series already has a sturdy backbone with these two characters alone, but Anna Yanami shines in Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 1. This is largely due to the animation that leans into detailed facial expressions and body language. She doesn’t sit still. Instead, she’s in constant motion, rambunctious and animated as she moves while talking, filling up space that Nukumizu tries to hide from. Their first scene is a powerhouse display of personality and delivers one of the episode’s funniest scenes as Nukumizu catches her in a moment of desperation.

Soon, after she’s been caught, she’s sliding into his booth, ordering food, and letting him pay for it as she vents over her heartbreak. She runs the gamut of emotions, speaking highly of the girl her childhood friend chose over her before insulting her. The animation from A-1 Pictures stuns in this moment, capturing the chaotic energy zipping through this character.

Directed by Shōtarō Kitamura, Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 1 deals with the duality of young love and the reality of being a teenager. At the start of the episode, Nukumizu’s internal narration ponders what it would be like if he, too, could experience young love. Yes, so many couples who date in high school are destined to break up, but what would it be like if he, too, could have a heroine from one of his light novels express her interest in him? The hilarity is that, in a way, he’s getting his wish, but it’s too anchored in reality.

Because Yanami is an absolute disaster. The scenes between the two of them sharing lunches are highlights as they perfectly settle into a rhythm, even if they’re actively opposing personalities. His introverted nature doesn’t shake her exuberance, and while they are friends yet, they could be. While it’s a dialogue-heavy premiere, the episode doesn’t rely on the heavy exposition of the two personalities. Instead, it comes through in their physicality, such as Yanami trying to toss different items of her lunch at Nukumizu to repay her debt for when he paid for her lunch.

We only briefly meet the two other main characters, athlete Lemon Yakishio (Shion Wakayama) and the shy Chika Komari (Momoka Terasawa). Both, it’s suggested, are dealing with similar hardships as Yanami, though we don’t learn much more than that. Chika also helps bring Nukumizu back into the Lit Club he’d forgotten he was a part of. This gives us one of the better gags as his upperclassman warns him against a few books, only for his curiosity to win out and for him to learn the books were BL.

There’s an abundance of life in the premiere, down to details such as the camera moving with the characters as they walk, amplifying the liveliness of the moment despite its tranquil exterior. There are gorgeous background shots that highlight the fantasized romantics the characters dream about, and they blend beautifully with the character-focused sequences.

Anchored by some tremendous and instantly likable characters, Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 1 delivers an enthusiastic debut. The only potential cause of concern is whether or not this narrative framing can hold up, but even still, the characters will likely make it a constant, enjoyable experience regardless.

Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 1 is out now on Crunchyroll.