Relationships are sticky business - even moreso when the internet is involved. On the popular community site F.I.L. Gate, users Kakeru and HAL are the most adorable rabu rabu couple imaginable. However, their real world counterparts Shinjou and Haruka are rough, short-tempered, and violent. Their relationship is rocky at best unless they are busy emailing or texting each other adorable hearts and silly emoticons. Another F.I.L. user saves up money to buy a "girlfriend," but accidentally bids on the wrong one and finds himself saddled with a girl he has no feelings for. What happens when he's given the chance to date the girl he really wanted for free? Bringing all these people together are the secret "moderators" of F.I.L. Gate, the pilots. Pilots hunt down scammers and keep F.I.L. Gate running smoothly. But even with help from the pilots, not all relationships can work out.
People are confusing enough already, but throw in internet relationships and things can really go nuts. People portray themselves differently online, not always intentionally. It's easier for scammers to pick up weak prey, and the anonymity can lead to some very uncomfortable situations. Mel Kano depicts these relationships well: characters with dichotomous personalities, unmet expectations, and the struggle between any couple to keep a relationship together. The lead character, Shinjou is easily identified with. Between a rough personality in real life and a gentle one online, it's hard to tell which is the real version - maybe it's both. His feelings are genuine, and his struggles are painfully real. Unfortunately, he's the only character with any sort of depth. Other characters are sadly two dimensional in nature, and serve only as basic stereotypes to move the story along. Not that there's anything wrong with a light-hearted romp through romance land, but with the complicated emotions that Shinjou has, it's hard to accept that everyone else is so flat.
If you're looking for a shounen-seinen romance with just a splash of Densha Otoko flavor and some clean artwork, check out Mel Kano. If you hate frustratingly slow romantic relationships, guys who seem to wait too long to make hard choices, and cliched characters who just happen to be blackbelts or geniuses for no good reason, you might want to pass on this one.--Ou-bento
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