Hayato Kirishima and his best friend Haruki Nikaidou lost contact after her family moved to Tokyo. However, before they said their final goodbyes, they promised to stay friends even as they lived far apart. Now, after many years, family circumstances have brought Hayato to Tokyo as well. Hayato constantly thinks about the possibility of meeting Haruki as he acclimates to big-city life. Thoughts of his old companion come even more to the front of his mind as he notices similar traits in the classmate sitting next to him. The classmate next to him is, of course, none other than Haruki herself, which he catches on to a bit more slowly than she does in recognizing him. We can cut him some slack for that, because he wasn’t exactly aware of the fact that his pal was really a gal all along. This unexpected reunion leads to a few slightly awkward interactions over the course of the episode, but these moments are in the background. The most important sensation in both of their hearts is the joy that their long-treasured friendship is ready to continue.

At the end of this episode, I was left with a pleasant feeling of nostalgia. It surprises me how a relatively standard start to a romcom managed to achieve that. But after rewatching a few bits, I now realize the whole episode seamlessly works up to that moment. I find Hayato a likable main character: He’s more confident than most MCs, and his country bumpkin identity is interesting. We’re introduced to his little sister, and we can glean she’s more than a gag character, so more characterization in the future is to be expected. There is a scene where they talk about their mother’s illness, which I appreciate for its gentleness, but also for how effectively it makes his family feel grounded. Haruki is equally likable: She’s direct, and there is no unnecessary drama to start off this story. Romance is in the air, but there is more than that too. While normally in romcoms it might be undesirable to have the main relationship progress slowly, I think this anime could pull it off. As an anime-only viewer, I don’t know what will happen next, but I’m already invested in “just” their friendship, and I’d love to know more about these characters. I doubt the next episodes will disappoint, so I can comfortably recommend this one to all romcom fans!

Oh Boy, Was I Wrong About Her is streaming on Crunchyroll.