As a highly successful rom-com airing in 2014, Monthly Girls Nozaki-Kun earned widespread popularity by parodying the conventional tropes found in typical romance anime. While the manga is still ongoing, its anime adaptation only received a single 12-episode season by Studio Doga Kobo. Here's why Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun still deserves a second season for its originality and comedic genius.
As a daring parody that pokes fun of the most beloved tropes in anime, Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun defies audience's expectations in a satisfying way. The series stars Chiyo Sakura, a bubbly girl who develops a crush on her classmate Umetarou Nozaki after he helped her on their first day of school. When Chiyo finally gets the courage to confess to Nozaki, he mistakes her confession for an offer to help him with his manga work. Not knowing he even wrote manga, Chiyo agrees to be his assistant so she can spend more time with him.
However, their romance doesn't play out how Chiyo and the audience initially expect. Nozaki is quirky and completely oblivious to her feelings, which leads to several misunderstandings that leave Chiyo disappointed. When he invites her to ride on his bike, he pulls out an absurd tandem bike and makes them both pedal. After trying hard to set the mood, Chiyo offers to share her umbrella with Nozaki but he spills water on her because he's too tall. Toward the end of Season 1, the pair watch fireworks at a festival together in the hopes that a confession or kiss would finally occur, but Nozaki slowly leans into Chiyo's ear to tell her he loves fireworks. These deliberate trope-breaking moments is what gives Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun a unique charm, by keeping viewers on their toes.
While Chiyo and Nozaki's romance takes center stage, this rom-com features several unconventional relationships that are highly unpredictable and whimsical. Kashima is a stereotypical princely character -- despite being a girl who has a crush on her senior, Hori. She goes above and beyond to help him but her efforts often backfire and ironically cause him more trouble or physical pain. Meanwhile, Hiro is a kind basketball player who gets along with everyone besides Seo, an aggressive female classmate who terrorizes the men's basketball team. Despite this initial hatred, Hiro falls in love with Seo's singing voice as she ironically becomes both the cause and cure for his insomnia.
Not only does Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun have a desirable and entertaining premise that would carry its popularity into additional seasons, but the manga it's based on is still ongoing with plenty of source material that has yet to be adapted. There are currently 13 volumes, with the latest being released as recently as August 11, 2021 while the anime left off around Volume 5. Since over half the original source material has yet to be adapted and remains ongoing, there's enough content for roughly two additional seasons.
As one of Studio Doga Kobo's most successful series, Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun could reclaim Season 1's success with an announcement of a second season. While the studio has recently focused its efforts on less popular titles like Himouto! Umaru-chan and My Senpai Is Annoying, its resources would be well-spent by continuing and returning to this unconventional hit rom-com.