Full disclosure: I was absolutely, 100% ready to fully dismiss You and I Are Polar Opposites at first glance. And it was an arbitrary decision. It was seeing the clash of colors and simply going, ” Eh, probably not for me, and passing it off as the lesser slice-of-life of the season without the studio or animation team necessary to make it flourish.
I am an idiot.
Because the moment the OP starts rolling or, rather, the moment that the loud, brash, yet believably teenaged Miyu Suzuki (Sayumi Suzushiro) opens her mouth, you know you’re in for an absolute treat. Like the Suzuki, the OP is bursting with boundless personality and face-splitting infectiousness that ricochets across the screen. And this isn’t misleading. You and I Are Polar Opposites maintains that endearing quality throughout the premiere and beyond.
Based on the manga written and illustrated by Kōcha Agasawa, the basic premise is relatively straightforward. The outgoing Suzuki is popular and bubbly, using fashion and beauty as a means of self-expression. However, her crush couldn’t be more different. Yusuke Tani (Shogo Sakata) is introverted and to the point. Where Suzuki agonizes over how she’s perceived and keeping up appearances, Tani, at least in the first few episodes, could seemingly care less.
The series wastes little time in coupling up the main romance.
It’s that freedom and the refusal to be beholden to peer pressure that make him such a catch in Suzuki’s eyes. It’s not that she’s popular and he isn’t. Instead, it’s because he, by all appearances, is comfortable in who he is, while Suzuki is constantly working to figure things out.
The series wastes little time in establishing the two as a couple. There’s always something refreshing about stories that know there’s no need to drag out a will they/won’t they romance. Some of the best in the genre understand as much, cementing their central couple in the premiere and letting that dictate how the story will develop. Adapted by director Takakazu Nagatomo and produced by Lapin Track, You and I Are Polar Opposites couples the two up by the end of the premiere, creating intrigue in how they navigate high school and social groups as two opposing personalities.
While the story itself is cute enough, it’s the characters and the world’s vibrancy that make it a must-watch. And while Tani is an interesting lead, and the ensemble continues to grow, shining a light on more distinctive personalities such as the walking storm cloud Shuji Taira (Wataru Katoh) and the popular but awkward Shino Azuma (Miyuri Shimabukuro), it’s Suzuki who steals the whole show. Suzuki is an absolute delight of a character, and the animation team and Suzushiro appear acutely aware.
Suzuki is ridiculously charming as a protagonist.
Look at her go!
There are so many facets about this character that burst with unbridled personality and charm. The energized delivery from Suzushiro is reminiscent of Shion Wakayama’s Momo Ayase (DanDaDan) in its cadence. Sure, there’s a sweetness in how she speaks, but it’s often undercut by shouting. She’s loud, her voice punching through the scenes with a fantastic elasticity that highlights the pains of being a teenage girl. There’s only so much of a front you can put on before your inner, feral raccoon comes out. And it’s that aspect – the recognition that teenage girls are mini disasters kept together by will alone – is what makes her such a lively character.
That, and the animation. The character design across the board works well to distinguish everyone’s personalities, but there’s palpable glee in how the animators make Suzuki move. Sequences such as her running home full tilt after a successful date, her happiness radiating, or her becoming a a pink blob with fangs as she devours a burger demonstrate the artist’s intent. Suzuki is fully formed, relentlessly silly, relatable, messy, and launching herself towards her crush before she’s thought it through. Impulsive and sweet, she’s a wonderful lead for this particular brand of coming-of-age story.
Those visuals create such heightened humor that it’s easy to overlook some of the sweeter moments. And the series builds on itself. The moment where Suzuki admits she doesn’t know how to smile for photos will lead you to catch every ridiculous smile she makes in the background or in the OP. But the sweet moments are there, and it’s because the Suzuki, Tani, and co. are treated like real teenagers.
You and I Are Polar Opposites embraces the chaos of adolescence.
One of the best moments is when Suzuki realizes that Tani has been searching for the best way to talk to his girlfriend. They’re kids! They don’t have everything figured out but what makes it all so winsome is that they’re clearly all trying so hard. Because that is the essence of being a teenager. Trying desperately to be more than what you are, striving for maturity in an era where you’re meant to let go, let loose, and enjoy the springtime of your youth.
While it seems doubtful You and I Are Polar Opposites will ever probe too intently into darker or more melancholic storylines, it’s the context of other series that makes it such efficient storytelling. Because we know how teenagers can be depicted as being wise beyond their years, making the characters here all the more refreshing.
With a twinkling score from Tofubeats, playful character animation and physicality, and vibrant, neon-slick colors, You and I Are Polar Opposites is an absolute ball. Combining classic shojo sentiments with more Westernized, Adventure Time-style influences, the series catches you off guard. Bursting with contagious exuberance, the series blends expectations with genuine surprises with tremendous effect.
You and I Are Polar Opposites airs Sundays on Crunchyroll. Watch the trailer below.
Images courtesy of Crunchyroll.
Based in New England, Allyson is co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of InBetweenDrafts. Former Editor-in-Chief at TheYoungFolks, she is a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics and the Boston Online Film Critics Association. Her writing has also appeared at CambridgeDay, ThePlaylist, Pajiba, VagueVisages, RogerEbert, TheBostonGlobe, Inverse, Bustle, her Substack, and every scrap of paper within her reach.
