Silence of the Lamb: Why We Love Soft-Spoken Komi-san! (Komi Can’t Communicate)

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You know that feeling when words just seem to get stuck in your throat? Or that awkward moment when you have to speak up in front of a crowd but you kind of just freeze instead? No big deal, right? But for Shouko Komi from Komi-san wa, Comyushou desu. (Komi Can’t Communicate), this is a very real problem. Sweet, subtle and socially anxious, Komi is a bundle of nerves that desperately yearns for human connection but is constantly hindered by her own anxieties and crippling fear of rejection.However, over the course of 12 episodes, we see of Komi begin to transform into a slightly-less-anxious, vaguely-social butterfly. With all the buzz surrounding this anime, given that it was one of the most highly-anticipated shows of the Fall Season, it’s only natural that we’d want to take a closer look at the source of the hype; so we at Honey’s Anime decided to put Komi in the position she dreads most (sorry, not sorry!): the spotlight.

The Beautiful and the Damned

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Komi-san is aloof, mysterious, and graceful with a kind of quiet dignity. She has that je ne sais quoi, that kind of effortless coolness that we all want but could never hope to possess. And if that wasn’t all, she looks like a supermodel in the making. A tall, elegant figure with long, dark tresses and a beautiful sharp face— she is downright enviable in her loveliness. However, still waters run deep, and Komi’s depths are a far, far, far cry from what her classmates can even begin to imagine.

Komi’s Quiet Countenance

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A picture can speak a thousand words and while Komi is as a pretty as a picture, a thousand words is a thousand too many for this socially anxious bundle of nerves. Komi is beautiful, yes, she’s dignified and graceful but is she cool? Absolutely not, she has zero chill! In fact, she overthinks all social interactions, real and potential ones alike, to such a degree that people mistake her quiet countenance as something intentional rather than the immobilising panic it really is. Her fear of rejection is so acute that it overpowers any desire she has to speak and more often than not, her thoughts spiral out of control, completely arresting her ability to communicate effectively. That aloof and unapproachable aura of hers is a misconception as a result of Komi’s quiet countenance. People just take her freezing up for elegant sophistication, her default of non-verbal communication for quiet dignity, and her lack of participation with her peers as reason to place her on a pedestal above the rest of her peers (because according to them, Komi has no peers). We’ve all experienced those moments of crippling social anxiety, whether it’s about mustering up the courage to address a packed room or trying to find the right words for the perfect introduction. Unfortunately for Komi, her most relatable quality—her social anxiety—alienates her from her classmates. It’s a vicious cycle really, Komi’s too anxious to communicate which reinforces her unapproachability to her peers keeping her alienated which only serves to make her more anxious about communicating. Sigh. What’s a girl to do?

The Heart of the Matter

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Komi is somehow simultaneously the most relatable un-relatable person we’ve come across. On one hand, she’s popular, extraordinarily beautiful, accomplished, and high-achieving. On the other, she’s a fearful, anxiety-ridden stress ball on whom these very many finer qualities are wasted because they constantly put her in pressurising social positions way out of her comfort zone. However, what truly makes her an endearing protagonist is her earnest desire for human connection. Komi, like any of her classmates, just wants a fulfilling, refreshing youth with friends and classmates alike, not a pedestal to be idolised on. She wants to be able to make 100 friends on her own. This wholesome wish and Komi’s really adorable attempts at making it come true (with the help of her band of merry men) make us all want to root for her, right through every cringe, painfully awkward moment.

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Final Thoughts

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We can wax poetic over the most inconsequential things over at Honey’s Anime but poor Komi can’t even make an earnest request when she needs something. We really hope she manages to get past that, and with friends like Hitohito, we’re sure she’ll figure something out. We look forward to following Komi’s plight and wish her well in her endeavour to make 100 friends (god, that sounds like 90 friends too many). So what do you think of our silent, little lamb? Do you relate to Komi’s innermost fears? Are you going to stick with this anime through a 2nd season? Let us know in the comments below!

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