Kaguya-sama Love Is War Episode 1 Review: 'I Will Make You Invite Me to a Movie', 'Kaguya Wants to Be Stopped', 'Kaguya Wants It'

The highly anticipated Kaguya-sama Love Is War anime adaptation is finally here, and boy oh boy, aren’t we excited about it? There are no words to describe how great the first episode has been: amazing narration and voice acting as well as good directing and quality animation. The battle of wits between the two elite Student Council members has finally begun!

Japanese Original Episode Title: 映画に誘わせたい, かぐや様は止められたい, かぐや様はいただきたい

Plot

Kaguya Shinomiya, the daughter of one of the most prestigious families in Japan, is the Vice President of the Student Council of the elite school Shuchiin Academy. Miyuki Shirogane, a highly intellectual and studious ‘commoner’, is the President. This duo of elite students are admired by the whole school but there is also a rumor that they might be dating. The truth is that both of them wouldn’t mind dating each other, but because of their pride, no one wants to confess their love and thus a battle of wits begins in which whoever falls in love first loses. Chika, the Student Council Secretary, receives tickets for a romantic film but cannot go and asks if Kaguya and Miyuki would like to go. As they both want to desperately go on a date with each other but cannot seem to swallow their pride, they end up missing their opportunity. In the next stories, Kaguya receives a love letter and tries to make Miyuki confess his disapproval and in the last one Miyuki makes his own lunch box and Kaguya wants to taste his cooking so badly but Chika gets in her way.

Episode Highlights

Kaguya is a mixture of everything: I really liked how she has so many different sides in her character and doesn’t just stick to the tsundere ‘Arara’ type as a female protagonist. I loved her reactions to everything involved in this episode, especially her ‘Miss Innocent’ skills. Her quote: ‘If he can offer his body, soul, and hometown, I could consider training him to be a man who measures up to me’ killed me. It will be very interesting to follow the dynamic between her and Miyuki.

I thought Kaguya was going to slaughter Chika: Poor thing. She seems so nice and naïve but she doesn’t seem to get the war that is happening between the other two, so she will end up ruining a lot of situations for them. Nevertheless, she was so cute at the end when she shared the octopus sausage wieners with Kaguya. But damn, those Kaguya stares and legit hate when Chika was fed by Miyuki were really terrifying: ‘If your life was in danger tomorrow, I wouldn’t even lift a finger to help you out.’ Damn…

Miyuki seems to be more in control: I mean it’s only the first episode, so I can’t really say much but he seems to be more behaved than Kaguya, because let’s all agree on the fact that Kaguya is thirsty as HELL for some romance. I mean her eyes when she saw that couple feeding each other… Her eyes dropped blood from envy and desire.

Themes & Trivia

Is that Saitama? If you didn’t know, Miyuki is actually voiced by Makoto Furukawa, the voice actor of Saitama in One-Punch Man. It’s very interesting to see him taking on a completely different role like this one and needless to say that he is doing a great job.

Comments

Okay, how bloody amazing was the opening of this anime? I mean it was so nicely put together that it kind of reminded me of James Bond film openings. Amazing job in the production of this show, I am so pleasantly surprised with this. Also, the narrating style is done magnificently well, I honestly have nothing bad to say about this one. Okay yes, maybe the subtitles need some fixing but that has nothing to do with the actual anime production. So far you have a 10/10 Kaguya-sama!

It seems like Chika will be the winner of every war.

The concept of this anime is quite interesting to follow and I can’t wait to see more of the side characters as well as the awkward situations that Kaguya and Miyuki will put themselves into the future. This is going to be a good one!

NEXT TIME: ‘Kaguya-sama wa Kōkan Shitai’, ‘Fujiwara-chan wa Dekaketai’, ‘Shirogane Miyuki wa Kakushitai’