First Impression: Go For It, Nakamura-kun!!

It’s been a month since school started, and the fateful day when shy, introverted Nakamura spotted happy-go-lucky Hirose at the opening ceremony and fell in love at first sight. Since that time, he’s been trying to build up his courage to develop a friendship with his crush, but Nakamura can’t even say one word to him, much less become friends. But a dropped handkerchief, an escaped octopus, and an energetic cockroach might create an opening for Nakamura. The question is, will he be able to move from hatching the perfect plan in his mind to actually strike up a conversation? Will Nakamura be able to “go for it”?

Fans of comedy, BL series, and retro anime, look no further: You’ve got your spring series. Go For It, Nakamura-kun!!, which premieres with two episodes, is a funny romp about a shy boy desperately trying to reach his unrequited love. The humor is really centered on Nakamura-kun himself, who is such a fun character. He’s so awkward—the type to cheer himself on aloud at home (to his sister’s consternation) and bumble every word that comes out of his mouth when speaking to his crush. He’s so earnest; while he wants to be charismatic, Nakamura can’t help but be himself, doing things like reading his favorite BL manga (Lovable Lunches, naturally) at school and hugging an octopus in his home ec class. The overall vibe is also strong, a mix of 80s, Rumiko Takahashi-style gags (the characters even look like they could come out of one of her manga) and more modern comedies (a scene or two reminded me of Nichijou). That older vibe hits really strongly as well in the first ED, which I loved, and I was surprised to find that the second episode had a different ED (Will there be a new one for each episode?). That said, I have a hard time keeping up with gag-based comedies; if you enjoy them, you might really like this series. Christians will, of course, need to consider how they approach BL series; this show is not only strictly and obviously BL, but it seems like it’s going to focus on Nakamura finding confidence in his sexuality. Consider that theme as you approach what looks like it’s going to be a funny, cool series.

Go For It, Nakamura-kun!! can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

Twwk
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