When Will Ayumu Make His Move?
Synopsis
When middle school kendo champion Ayumu Tanaka begins his first year in high school, he does not take the expected route of joining the Kendo Club; he signs up for the unofficial Shogi Club instead. His sole motive is falling in love at first sight with Urushi Yaotome—the club's president and only member—and will do anything to get closer to her. However, Ayumu decides not to confess to Urushi until he can beat her in a match of shogi fair and square. Naturally, this self-imposed hurdle is a formidable challenge for Ayumu to overcome, as Urushi is far more experienced at the game and sees through his every strategy. Nevertheless, this does not stop him from praising her looks, her skill, or even her smile, which, coupled with Ayumu's expressionless face and direct approach, makes Urushi constantly blush beet red. Learning more about shogi and the charming player sitting across from him, Ayumu inches toward making his confession with each exciting round they play together—even if it is one pawn at a time! [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience Consensus
Overall, audiences find 'Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru' to be a cute and wholesome romantic comedy, similar in style to 'Takagi-san'. However, the slow pace and lack of significant plot progression frustrated some viewers, especially regarding the unfulfilled romantic tension. While the characters are charming, the story feels repetitive and the ending unsatisfying, leading to a mixed reception.
Strengths
- Charming and endearing characters, especially Ayumu's straightforwardness and Urushi's reactions.
- Enjoyable and relaxing to watch, with a simple and inoffensive story.
- Good chemistry between the main characters, making their interactions fun and engaging.
- Art style is cute and complements the wholesome moments.
- Strong side characters, such as Takeru and Sakurako, add to the overall enjoyment.
- Music complements the show well and gives off a nice slice of life vibe.
Weaknesses
- Repetitive and predictable story, with limited plot progression.
- Teasing can become uncreative and redundant after a while.
- Lack of depth in the characters and their relationships.
- Ending feels like a letdown, with no real resolution or progress in the romance.
- Some found the side character Sakurako's hypnosis to be too supernatural and manipulative.
- The premise is gimmicky.