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Komi Can’t Communicate looks like it’s shaping up to be a show that takes advantage of the exaggerated aspects of slice-of-life anime to communicate the difficulties of human communication. Last episode was all about establishing what the series would be revolving around: the fact that a particular character has a communication disorder that she needs to overcome. I understand that some people might look at this setup and think that it’s all strictly for laughs, but there is a certain degree of care and understanding here that goes beyond the surface slapstick. In a lot of ways, this episode represents what I hoped this series would turn into – a story about communicating and the difficult hurdles that many people take for granted. So what better way to do that than by throwing one of the most extroverted personalities you can muster in the face of such a nervous wreck?
Najimi Osana is in a lot of ways just an amalgamation of many tired tropes, but I do appreciate the fact that the show is extremely self-aware of the mileage it can muster out of such an enigma. We need someone who represents the antithesis of Komi, so let’s get somebody who just naturally gets along with others by virtue of the fact that they just happen to be everyone’s childhood friend, and throw in some gender androgyny in there for good measure, even if I personally think that last part feels a bit unnecessary.
What isn’t unnecessary, though, is the whole tried-and-true idea that lack of communication leads to misunderstanding. You might think that it’s weird for the beautiful, capable girl to have no friends, but unless you actually sit down and talk with her, it’s very easy to make up or assume anything you can about them. If someone refuses to talk to you no matter how forward you are or how social you are with others, you might think that either you’re the problem, or that you two just aren’t compatible. But sometimes, all it takes is a little extra effort or even a different approach entirely. This episode highlights that it’s not just a struggle on the part of the person with the actual disorder because, as with real life, you have to find people that are willing to work around and understand that particular struggle even if it’s something that they just don’t immediately understand.
It’s not always going to be seamless, and if I’m being honest, I think the final segment of this episode was just a little bit too mean to Komi as it’s literally the epitome of what a Neurodivergent person like her probably fears the most. I wonder if there will be an adequate follow-up that could lead to a confrontation with Najimi or if it was all for the purpose of a one-off gag. Either way, I’m very happy with the direction that the show is going in and I look forward to seeing what other hurdles are presented in the next episode.
Rating:
Komi Can’t Communicate is currently streaming on
Netflix.
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