Kujirai is a pretty efficient office worker, keen to do a good job, but you probably couldn’t tell that from her morning routine, which is more in keeping with a disaffected, unemployed 30-something who never quite caught a break in life. She smokes and sighs and squints repeatedly, pinching the bridge of her nose, as her prescription gives her trouble. Kujirai works in real estate in her rundown neighborhood, Kowloon, alongside Kudo, who’s the kind of guy that will bump you out of the way so that he can clock in on time, even if it means you end up late as a result. He’s pretty rude too, unafraid of telling a woman she’s looking old or doesn’t look so great without her glasses on (when her eyesight suddenly tests at 20/20, foregoing the need for said glasses). In case it isn’t clear, he does all these things to Kujirai. And yet, he does seem to care about the tenants they are housing, and he’s certainly passionate about Kowloon, even taking the time to show Kujirai around (as if she hasn’t lived there for ages? Yet, it all seems new to her somehow…funny, that…). Kujirai can’t help feeling nostalgic around him, and eventually confesses to herself, after a heated moment redecorating a flat, that she’s in love with him. Cue end credits. But don’t tune out just yet, there’s still a few more minutes—and some pretty hefty revelations!—to come before this premiere wraps up!
This is a very aptly named series. First off, it’s set in Kowloon, the Walled City that used to exist in Hong Kong before its demolishment in 1993-4—a lawless area where illegal trade, gambling, prostitution, and drugs thrived and the triad gangs ruled, prompting the colonial British authorities to wipe the slate clean before the 1997 handover of HK to China. That’s not really the vibe we get here though, where Kowloon is simply charmingly rundown and full of quirky people, moldy alleys, and street food—all beautifully rendered in rich detail. It’s not clear yet when this is set (alternate world notwithstanding—what is that weird object in the sky?), but the propensity for characters to light up like chimneys indoors combined with the animation style certainly conveys an 80s/90s vibe. Second, if I’m honest, it’s pretty generic, at least for the first 23 minutes. Kudo is a bit of an ass, and Kujirai is mostly fretful and meek (with the occasional demonstration of backbone), but also super hot now and then in order to provide those panty shots and sweat-glistening midriff and chest shots, eyeroll, and of course she is in love with Kudo for some unknown reason, double eyeroll. Are we calling this romance?! BUT thankfully, there are an extra two minutes in this premiere episode, and it’s really those final two minutes—which I’ve resisted spoiling above—that save the day. There are a couple of hints earlier on as well, but it isn’t until the final minute that the episode shows its hand, as it were, and signals that we aren’t going to have to wait episode upon episode for this to turn into something more interesting than a generic “romance.” As mentioned, the art is pretty stunning, and the hints of sci-fi are intriguing, so, as long as we see some character development getting underway soonish for the two leads, I’ll stick around. Right now, I’m not too invested in them as characters, but I’m willing to give them a chance!
Kowloon Generic Romance is streaming on Crunchyroll.
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