Tomo-Chan Is A Girl! is an upcoming slice-of-life romantic comedy set to kick off the Winter 2023 anime season. Adapted from a web manga of the same name, the anime will be produced by Studio Lay-duce, known for animating Fate/Grand Order: First Order and Heroines Run the Show.
The biggest question surrounding the upcoming series is whether Tomo-Chan Is a Girl! can stand up to the many other stellar rom-com anime that have released in the past year. While the animation is certainly aesthetically pleasing, the expectations for romance titles have only increased with the success of other series like My Dress Up Darling and Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War.
What Makes Tomo-Chan Is a Girl! Stand Out?
Anime fans have seen countless romance anime with a headstrong tomboy, the handsome male acquaintance, and the obliviousness that follows when one of the two inevitably fall in love. But it’s quite evident from Tomo-Chan Is a Girl’s second trailer that the series will be exploring several different themes, including how a proud tomboy comes to terms with their feelings. There’s potential here to make this anime shine among a sea of rom-coms which have more or less the same story beats.
The biggest takeaway could be Tomo’s strong personality and hilarious conviction. Though she and Jun have been best buddies since they were kids, it’s up to Tomo to make him realize that she’s a woman. Of course, it’ll be much better if she uses her zealous personality for that instead of the outdated trope of “transformation” to instill the fact that she can be seen as feminine in her own way.
Can Tomo-Chan Is A Girl! Subvert the Tomboy Trope?
Androgynous, tomboy female leads have a long-standing history in anime, such as in series like Ouran High School Host Club, Aoharu x Machinegun, Kino’s Journey, and more. Despite this, there’s still a lot to explore when it comes to tomboy characters in love. In Tomo-Chan Is A Girl!, the female protagonist is the one navigating tricky feelings and taking the initiative when pursuing their relationship.
On the other hand, the male lead is completely oblivious to Tomo’s advances, not even perceiving her as a girl, and that’s where the juicy romance kicks in. Apart from the protagonists, there are other supporting characters in the mix that may complicate Tomo’s quest in getting Jun to notice her feelings. In all honesty, Tomo-Chan Is a Girl! could easily become one of the more memorable romance anime, should it handle its many tropes and themes in an entertaining, subversive way.
Tomo-Chan Is A Girl! Release Date
Tomo-Chan Is a Girl! will be airing in early January as part of the Winter 2023 anime season. The anime has been officially picked up by Crunchyroll for streaming upon release.
The original manga, which has eight volumes, is available in both English print and digital from Seven Seas Entertainment.