The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You – Episode 4

Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I figured we’d take a stroll back to the land of 100 Girlfriends, and see what fresh shenanigans are brewing with Rentaro and his swiftly expanding harem. Our last offered an efficient romance and a preposterously adorable new heroine, as the quiet librarian Shizuka found herself bowled over by Rentaro’s manifold charms. And why not? The dude has clearly got plenty more love to give, as demonstrated through his gallant efforts to allay Shizuka’s troubles with communication.

Rentaro’s commitment to aiding Shizuka seems to point towards a larger theme of the text: his dedication to loving these girlfriends for who they are, and aiding them in their struggles without attempting to fundamentally change them. He is embodying the philosophy of a loving and considerate partner, and though the whole 100 Girlfriends thing makes this all seem a tad farcical, I’m nonetheless beginning to see why folks consider this such an unexpectedly wholesome narrative. Let’s see what new theatrics await for Rentaro and his destined lovers!

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The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You – Episode 3

Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I figured we’d stop back in with Rentaro and the gang, and see how his sacred mission to acquire one hundred girlfriends is proceeding. Look, it’s not like he’s a cold philanderer or anything; as has been clearly established by the suspiciously convenient worldbuilding, all of those girlfriends are doomed to perpetual unhappiness if he does not find them and date their worries away. It’s a heavy burden, but given Rentaro’s deft navigation of his first two true loves, I have every confidence he’ll be able to manage it.

Rentaro’s woes aside, 100 Girlfriends continues to be an altogether charming, entirely ludicrous riff on romantic comedy convention, persistently innovating on its core joke of “what if we played this fantastical polycule entirely straight, complete with soaring string arrangements accompanying each ridiculous romantic threshold.” It doesn’t seem like there’s much of a larger point beyond the comedy yet, but comedies don’t necessarily need a thematic backbone; the faces are good and the gags are snappy, making it an energetic watch regardless. Let’s see how Rentaro fares with his third destined love!

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The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You – Episode 1

Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re checking out a brand-spanking new production, as we explore the first episode of the currently airing 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You. Just by that title, it seems we’re in for a tongue-in-cheek take on the distinguished harem genre, a genre that was actually instrumental in both my original induction into anime fandom (Love Hina), as well as my migration to professional anime writing (Bakemonogatari). Though the base concept of “one protagonist surrounded by a crowd of romantic prospects” might not seem like the most thoughtful or poignant of premises, the genre frequently exhibits uncommon flexibility, ranging from hilarious sex comedies to trenchant explorations of the human condition.

As for The 100 Girlfriends, I’ve heard plenty of positive things about its manga, which fans praise as both funny and frequently heartwarming, with a cast who all seem to like each other on the whole, and not just exist in parallel orbit of our central protagonist. That all sounds like a good time to me, so let’s dispense with the preamble here, and see what these hundred girlfriends have in store for us!

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