Domestic Girlfriend (2019)
[ドメスティックな彼女]
Director: Shota Ihata
Studio: Diomedéa
Starring: Taku Yashiro, Maaya Uchida, Yoko Hikasa
Episodes: 12
Synopsis:
When his father remarries, a student finds that the teacher he has a crush on and a girl he had a one-night stand with are now his step-sisters.
Impressions:
When watching the PV for the (as of this writing) soon to be released My Stepmom's Daughter is My Ex, I saw references to this series and could vaguely recall mentions of it here and there, so I decided to check it out. If the comments I browsed are in any way reflective of general audience reception, this isn't all that well-received. It certainly has a bit of a trashy soap opera vibe, but I generally liked the character work. The premise is fertile ground for drama or comedy depending on how you want to play it (and this series leans more into the former than the latter). I won't say I liked every turn the story took, but I didn't find myself half as frustrated at the end as I've been with most Japanese romances I've watched. Make of that what you will. Now, if you're strongly opposed to a depiction of a student-teacher romance that is in any way sympathetic to both parties, you'll want to steer clear, but I will at least give a nod to the fact that the ramifications of such a relationship get addressed. Then there's the whole incest angle, especially if the whole "they're not blood-related" excuse doesn't wash with you. I'm not condoning either, of course, but I won't shy away from an exploration of either in a story if executed well. As far as this story goes, I won't say the execution is superlative, but I thought it was above average (which is more than many viewers seem to think). I didn't watch the uncensored version and I can't imagine the more explicit scenes adding anything narratively (and there's one scene in particular I wouldn't want to see under any circumstances). Also, as the series ends at about the quarter mark of the manga, the conclusion isn't too conclusive at all, but it might be just enough to lure you into pursuing the manga if the story and characters connect with you. In light of the subject matter, I'm going to lean toward a take it or leave it.
Rating:
50/50