B Gata H Kei

Realistic examples of sexuality in anime is something to honestly never pass up, much like all of my previous praise for Nana to Kaoru that I've already given. Things that aren't outlandish, or some picture perfect idea of finding a partner and having sex right away with no hiccups. Things that show all of the speed bumps and bumbling that everyone goes through.

Which is why when I first saw B Gata H Kei years ago, even though it seemed like a slice of life series that I would normally skip over, I was incredibly impressed. The initial premise is something entirely different from the vast majority of ecchi plots, and pulled me in to get me hooked from the first episode. It's moments of absurdity kept me hooked for humor, and the overarcing plot was good enough that I rewatch this every couple of years, getting more from it each time.

We begin with seeing Yamada, our female protagonist, talking about how she wants to sleep with one hundred men while in school. She is tenacious and lustful, but has never even flirted with a boy in person. This creates some of the most wonderfully, and realistically awkward situations, as she navigates finding her first sex partner. She often winds up caught in the juxtaposition of wanting to be lascivious and enticing, but is stopped by her own lack of ability and experience. While she views herself as a sort of femme fatale, she often winds up in a precarious situation, yelling and flailing while unable to actually navigate the situation.

And yes, some of these moments are fairly stereotypical for anime, but the internal monologue that gets added as the characters flail around attempting to build relationships and connections make them feel unique. We wind up with characters deciding to have changes in motivation as they learn, in a way that feels natural, and didn't have to happen for the show to still be good. Every character feels more complex and human than the vast majority of anime I've seen, and without the crutch of multiple seasons to build that humanity. They all see growth, develop, and change in believable ways, including the stranger subplots.

Ecchi to me is more of something I watch for comedy when it comes down to it, and seeing how every situation becomes some massive mental obstacle is so resoundingly appropriate and relatable that I found it entertaining from start to finish. The characters nervously trip over words, while attempting to hype themselves up as who they want to be, juggling insecurities in a way we would expect from teenagers. We see every step of the way from meeting a person, to first conversations, to attempts at flirting, and even aspects of safer sex. This all happens in a way that feels authentic to teenagers trying to navigate interpersonal, and intimate communication for the first time.

I wish every person out there could watch this anime honestly. So often during hardships we say that eventually we'll look back and laugh, and this is actually one of them. The chance to look back at how much we learn about sex, sexuality, and self acceptance over time. Likewise, I think that this would be beneficial for younger people, as a way to tell them that all the things they may be feeling and dealing with are incredibly normal, and may help them navigate those situations without the feeling that they're alone in their awkwardness. May we all embrace awkwardness, both from others and ourselves, and learn from it.