Lovely★Complex
Summary: Love is unusual for Risa Koizumi and Atsushi Ootani, who are both striving to find their ideal partner in high school—172 cm tall Koizumi is much taller than the average girl, and Ootani is much shorter than the average guy at 156 cm. To add to their plights, their crushes fall in love with each other, leaving Koizumi and Ootani comically flustered and heartbroken. To make matters worse, they're even labeled as a comedy duo by their homeroom teacher due to their personalities and the stark difference in their heights, and their classmates even think of their arguments as sketches.
Lovely★Complex follows Koizumi and Ootani as they encourage each other in finding love and become close friends. Apart from their ridiculous antics, they soon find out an unexpected similarity in their music and fashion tastes. Maybe they possess a chemistry yet unknown, but could love ever bloom between the mismatched pair?
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Description
Love is unusual for Risa Koizumi and Atsushi Ootani, who are both striving to find their ideal partner in high school—172 cm tall Koizumi is much taller than the average girl, and Ootani is much shorter than the average guy at 156 cm. To add to their plights, their crushes fall in love with each other, leaving Koizumi and Ootani comically flustered and heartbroken. To make matters worse, they're even labeled as a comedy duo by their homeroom teacher due to their personalities and the stark difference in their heights, and their classmates even think of their arguments as sketches.
Lovely★Complex follows Koizumi and Ootani as they encourage each other in finding love and become close friends. Apart from their ridiculous antics, they soon find out an unexpected similarity in their music and fashion tastes. Maybe they possess a chemistry yet unknown, but could love ever bloom between the mismatched pair?
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Available At
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Lovely★Complex Pictures
Lovely★Complex Review
Lovely★Complex — Love is unusual for Risa Koizumi and Atsushi Ootani, who are both striving to find their ideal partner in high school—172 cm tall Koizumi is much taller than the average girl, and Ootani is much shorter than the average guy at 156 cm. This overview is intentionally spoiler-free and focuses on tone and intent rather than plot specifics.
Thematically, It sits firmly within Comedy, Romance conventions as a TV work and has garnered attention (MAL score: 8.03). This work explores character dynamics, tonal shifts, and the interplay between narrative ambition and execution. The story's pacing and tonal choices are crafted to complement the central ideas, often emphasizing atmosphere and emotional truth over explicit exposition. The show's ability to evoke a consistent mood — whether melancholic, exuberant, or contemplative — is a recurring strength, and the scenes are constructed so viewers can infer stakes without needing explicit spoilers.
Characterization is a core pillar here. Protagonists and supporting figures are written with distinct motivations and narrative roles; even when archetypal, the series invests in small behavioral details that make choices feel earned. Character arcs are handled with an eye for gradualism: development often arrives through incremental beats rather than abrupt, expository shifts. The interactions between characters create texture, and relationships are used to illuminate both personal flaws and larger thematic concerns.
On the visual front, production values play a significant role. The animation quality varies by sequence but frequently showcases thoughtful direction and composition. Background art, framing, and color palettes are used deliberately to support tone — quieter scenes favor muted palettes while action or heightened emotional beats employ brighter, more kinetic visuals. Direction choices, such as camera movement and shot selection, often elevate scenes beyond their raw script, creating moments that linger in the viewer's mind.
The soundscape — score, incidental music, and sound design — complements the visual language. Music cues are placed to maximize emotional resonance without manipulating the audience with melodrama; this restraint often leads to more authentic emotional payoff. Sound design punctuates key moments, and when the series leans on silence, those quieter moments are given weight by measured audio choices.
Pacing and structure are handled with craft. Episodes are arranged to build tension and release methodically, and the narrative rarely rushes through important emotional beats. That said, the deliberate pacing may feel slow to viewers who prefer faster plot turnover; the reward is greater nuance and an accumulation of meaning across the series. Accessibility is generally good — one can appreciate surface-level pleasures, while repeat or attentive viewing reveals additional layers.
No title is without flaws. Occasional unevenness in subplots or variable animation across episodes can be distracting. Some tonal shifts might feel abrupt if you expect uniformity; others will argue that those shifts are purposeful. These are worth noting, but they seldom undercut the larger achievements of the work.
In sum, Lovely★Complex offers a rich experience for viewers who value character-driven storytelling, considered visual design, and a soundtrack that supports rather than overwhelms. For fans of Comedy, Romance, this is an especially rewarding watch. It's recommended for those who appreciate layered narratives and artistry in animation, and best approached with patience and attention to nuance.
Characters & Voice Actors
Koizumi, Risa
Main
Okamura, Akemi
Japanese
Koizumi, Risa
Main
Dögei, Éva
Hungarian
Koizumi, Risa
Main
Favazza, Valentina
Italian
Koizumi, Risa
Main
Jeong, Mi Sook
Korean
Koizumi, Risa
Main
Connors, Amber Lee
English
Ootani, Atsushi
Main
Nagata, Akira
Japanese
Ootani, Atsushi
Main
Előd, Botond
Hungarian
Ootani, Atsushi
Main
Kang, Su Jin
Korean
Ootani, Atsushi
Main
Nissolino, Alessio
Italian
Ootani, Atsushi
Main
Wang, Howard
English
Akechi
Supporting
Yonezawa, Madoka
Japanese
Akechi
Supporting
Quinones, Anairis
English
Fukagawa, Haruka
Supporting
Onosaka, Masaya
Japanese
Fukagawa, Haruka
Supporting
Seszták, Szabolcs
Hungarian
Fukagawa, Haruka
Supporting
Pyo, Yeong Jae
Korean
Fukagawa, Haruka
Supporting
Brusa, Stefano
Italian
Fukagawa, Haruka
Supporting
Laflin, Tom
English
Fukagawa, Haruka
Supporting
Lovelock, Elsie
English
Ishihara, Nobuko
Supporting
Higashi, Saori
Japanese
Ishihara, Nobuko
Supporting
Oláh, Orsolya
Hungarian
Staff
Abe, Junko
Producer
Seki, Hiromi
Producer
Uda, Kounosuke
Director, Episode Director
Fukazawa, Toshinori
Episode Director
Fukutomi, Hiroshi
Episode Director
Iwamoto, Yasuo
Episode Director
Suzuki, Yuusuke
Episode Director
Tsuchiya, Yasuo
Episode Director
Inoue, Mio
Script
Yamada, Takashi
Script, Screenplay
BOUNCEBACK
Theme Song Composition
CHOKKAKU
Theme Song Arrangement
Hey! Say! JUMP
Theme Song Performance
Suzuki, Masaya
Theme Song Arrangement
Tegomass
Theme Song Performance
h-wonder
Theme Song Arrangement
Anzai, Yoshie
Key Animation
Fujisawa, Kenichi
Key Animation
Fujita, Masayuki
Key Animation, Animation Director
Fukuhara, Keiji
Key Animation