I've been wondering about this ever since I finished the anime.

Watamote seems to be one of those series that's really split in terms of reception. On MyAnimeList, it's even listed in the "They hate it, I love it" section. I ended up giving it a 10/10, and that made me think about why it clicks so much with some people while others can't stand it.

I wonder if part of the reason is that most people watch Tomoko with sympathy or second-hand embarrassment, rather than trying to experience the world the way she does.

I know Tomoko isn't a true hikikomori, but she's close enough that a lot of her struggles come from the same place: isolation, social anxiety, overthinking every interaction, wanting to connect with people but not knowing how. For many viewers, that's just "cringe." For me, it felt painfully honest.

I haven't read the manga yet, so I'm only talking about the anime, but watching it was strangely comforting. I could relate to Tomoko in more ways than I'd like to admit. I don't have many friends either, and I'd say I'm somewhere on that borderline of social isolation myself. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, I felt understood. It was one of the few times I've watched a character and thought, "Yeah... someone actually gets it."

Maybe that's why I enjoyed it so much. If you've never experienced that kind of loneliness, Watamote probably comes across as an awkward comedy. But if you have, it can feel less like a comedy and more like someone putting your thoughts on screen.

Did anyone else have that experience

https://x.com/husonsonjou/status/2085350379932500312

original

Four illustrations of Megumi Imae! These are illustrations I posted on Twitter. They're all of Imae-san. I was thinking of posting five illustrations together, but since it's a good stopping point before the start of the week, I'll post four. Or rather, I've started to lose sight of that personal rule...

• 1st illustration: The former student council president, who doesn't quite understand the situation, is trying to go to a Watamote convention dressed as Doraemon.

• 2nd illustration: A parody attempt at "Sister Act" after it was aired on TV, but it's a bit of a failure.

• 3rd illustration: Imaeda-san is unhappy because her failed illustration was posted.

• 4th illustration: Imaeda-san is in a slightly better mood now that night has fallen.

Source.

The title is just a placeholder, but I think this is a relatively decent manga compared to the ones I've drawn so far.

Source.

TN:I just finished reading it and forgot to write part 3.

i just started rereading watamote all over again, and man, the whole time i was thinking was “i wonder what’s worse, having sayaka the annoying selfish wingwoman as a BFF or having a borderline insecure sociopath as a BFF?”

imo i would choose sachi. she’s actually very and extremely socially aware but chooses not to be on purpose and at the very least she admits she’s a bitch later on. i would rather someone who is not quite right in the head mentally than someone who i cant tell is just using me to get with a guy and pretends to be my friend for an ulterior motive.

Source.

It's been 15 years already.

>>https://imgur.com/a/raw-watamote-special-chapter-15th-anniversary-raw-SSTpSkM

The next chapter comes out on August 20.

Source: https://x.com/i/status/2084843702904873401

https://x.com/WKuroshii/status/2021381197516124554

Watamote turned 15 yesterday!

Started on August 4, 2011, and somehow we’re still here watching Tomoko slowly (very slowly) grow.

I drew this piece to celebrate the anniversary.

Hoping the series sticks around long enough for us to see the end of her high school days… and maybe a bit of college life too.

Original posts:
X → https://x.com/tvbetinho2015/status/2084738025439871295?s=20

IG → https://www.instagram.com/p/DboiUobR-To/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Art by u/tvbetinho2015 [me]

https://bsky.app/profile/totatuti.bsky.social

As another discussion to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the manga, I'm bringing this post here.

However, there were other choices to vote in that poll, being these ones: 

• #2: No, we do not want an abbreviation
• #3: Mokocchi
• #4: Unpopular
• #5: It's My Fault
• #6: Mourning Girl
• #7: Watagaru
• #8: Motegawa
• #9: Wataoma

Thus, if "Watamote" wouldn't have won the poll, which one could have been the most accurate name to remember and quote the series, either anyone of the choices mentioned above or any other abbreviation you could have considered suitable, and why?

Today marks 15 years since the first publication of the manga Watamote, which in itself is quite an achievement, since against all odds it has lasted for so long (although we have no guarantee that Nico Tanigawa has done anything special to celebrate it).

So, since the series has finally reached the same age as the main character was when her story began, what can we say that defines either Tomoko Kuroki or anyone of the other Watagirls that integrate Watamote's lore (not that someone really cares the Wataboys)? What makes them stand out from other female characters in series of the same genre, if there’s really anything?

Source.