Monday, March 30, 2020

'Science Fell in Love, So I Tried to Prove It' Is Fresh, Adorable, and Absolutely Hilarious

Science Fell in Love, So I Tried to Prove It probably has the freshest and most intriguing premise I’ve encountered in a rom-com anime.  It follows two young 1st-year graduate students at Saitama University named Shinya Yukimura and Ayame Himuro who develop feelings for each other.  But being genius “science-types” their entire lives, they completely believe that everything can be quantified and must be validated by science, and as an outcome of this, they tend to lack common sense when it comes to social matters.  Thus, instead of officially becoming a couple like how normal people would usually be when feelings are reciprocated, the two start a research project that aims to describe love in objective terms and to verify if what they’re feeling for each other is indeed love.

The dynamic between Shinya Yukimura and Ayame Himuro is similar to the early dynamic between The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler, but more adorable and delightful.  Much hilarity ensues from the various experiments they conduct for the absurd purpose of defining abstract romantic concepts as measurable mathematical data which they can analyze and interpret.  At the same time, it’s also impressive – but still in a funny sense – how they actually manage to develop concrete conclusions from their process, such as determining the perfect situations where kissing would be at its most optimum level of effectiveness.
On a side note, one cute quirk that Ayame has that’s worth pointing out is her short ponytail tends to twitch whenever she gets excited.  I found it absolutely kawaii.

Meanwhile, the supporting characters around Shinya and Aya further supplement the fantastic humor of their dynamic.  Most often by their side is 4th-year undergraduate student Kotonoha Kanade.  She usually plays the role of the “straight man” of their zany group.

2nd-year graduate student Ena Ibarada, the senior of the group, is fond of BL (which she hilariously often inserts in her insights toward Shinya’s experiments), sleeping, eating, and playing video games (sometimes, several of them at once).  However, despite her lazy persona, she’s the only one in the group who equals – maybe even exceeds – Shinya and Ayame’s intelligence.  She’s also the one who typically stirs the pot for comedic purposes.
4th-year undergraduate student Kosuke Inukai is Ibarada’s childhood friend, and a romance in the future is being heavily hinted between them.  He’s an otaku who’s obsessed with dating simulation games and 2D girls, and he also used to play soccer.

Lastly, there’s the kind and supportive adviser of the research group – Professor Ikeda.  He’s a man who believes in the importance of building the body as much as the mind.  Whenever he gets angry, his muscles swell, and his usual sweet and gentle demeanor changes into an intimidating one.  However, whenever he has such events, they are usually just brief (and played for laughs).
The supporting characters usually serve as splendid audience substitutes, displaying comical, anime-over-exaggerated reactions – whether from frustration or astonishment – as they witness what’s going on with this strange couple’s unconventional romance and bizarre research.  Sometimes, they find themselves getting roped into participating into their experiments, and more amusement is generated from that.  Furthermore, they are well-realized, and also undergo in arcs that are their own and separate from Shinya and Aya’s storyline, diversifying the show’s comedy.

Moreover, this anime can also be rather educational.  Real-life terminologies, methods, and principles of the scientific research process are utilized in the story.  These are then usually further elaborated in cut scenes by a teddy bear mascot named Rikekuma.  As a result, even though the show’s subject matter is somewhat bananas, it’s given a sense of feasibility and credibility.
All in all, I love Science Fell in Love, So I Tried to Prove It.  For me, it has the best depiction this side of Kaguya-sama: Love Is War of the “two intellectual people in love unnecessarily overcomplicating their romance” concept.  In fact, I actually find Science Fell in Love, So I Tried to Prove It to be as good as Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, and that’s why, I think it deserves to become as popular.

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