Or, to channel some egghead, “Japan’s #1 Brand: Why I’m Not a Jaded Anime Fan.”

Yeah, I used that trick in school, too.

When I last visited High School Girls on this blog, I didn’t have much to say. In reality, I did have something to say… I just wasn’t sure how to say it. Now that I’ve finished the series, however…

I think it’s fair to classify High School Girls as an intentionally bad show. Obviously, it’s not the first of its kind in that regard. Some intentionally bad shows work. Others tank. Why some shows tank while others succeed, I don’t know. However, I think I can understand why High School Girls works (for me, at least): it toes the line. In other words, it doesn’t go out of its way to be blatantly bad, yet doesn’t try to be overly subtle about things, either. It embraces its badness without being full-on parody. I suppose you could say the show is just kind of goofy.

Of course, whether you see the good in the bad is very much a personal thing. Even I would self-consciously think, “Why am I watching this? I can’t admit to watching this. They’re all going to laugh at me.” Of course, disliking the show is one thing. Being embarrassed for actually enjoying it, however? Don’t be ridiculous, Cousin Larry! We’re anime fans, after all. We go out looking for the lowest common denominator. And then we devour it. High School Girls is a wonderful reminder that, yes, even the lowest common denominator provides life-giving sustenance.

Why?

When the show first premiered, the talk was all about the fanservice - the obvious, in your face, bordering-on-disgusting-yet-strangely-compelling-because-it’s-kinda-funny-fanservice. Anyone who stuck with the show would soon discover, however, that the fanservice wasn’t really the point. In fact, it all but vanishes a few episodes in. The first and final episodes probably contained more “true” fanservice than every other episode combined. So, what looked to be nothing more than a throw-away fanservice vehicle early on turned out to be everything but. Rather, the real draw was the dumb humor.

Early episodes were actually a bit hit-or-miss, as the dumb humor was more “dumb dumb”. That is, it was as annoying as it was funny. As the show picked up steam, however, it transformed into something surprisingly funny. “Silly dumb”, if you will. By its final act, it was classic farce comedy. I was very much surprised. For all of those who wrote off the show early on: you missed some good stuff.

Still, what makes High School Girls different from other farce comedies? It plays games with its genre, for one thing. For example, what’s a high school show without romance? Where’s the romance in High School Girls? Nowhere to be found, really. The show is framed in a fashion that focuses solely on the girls and their relationships with each other. The thing with Ayano and Shimo[ano?]tani-kun is just a gag. The girls may pine for love every now and then, but that’s all it is: pining. Even when they do have the opportunity to get close to a guy, they find a way to blow it. Or scare him away. Or make his life miserable.

Because, after all, they’re losers. Lovable losers, but losers nonetheless. In the final episode, as the girls contemplate why they’re the only members of their class present at the school’s culture festival, it’s revealed that, “the quiet girls are at some doujinshi convention (NERDS!), and the loud girls would never show their face at something like a culture festival.” That’s all fine and dandy, girls, but what does that say about you?

Losers, indeed. Each girl fits a stereotype of sorts - but not the stereotypes one would expect. And, furthermore, there’s nothing particularly “cute” about them. They’re in no way appealing. They’re outcasts - a point the “looking back” episode hammers on. And how do outcasts survive?

They stick together.

So, what does this have to do with not being a jaded anime fan? Well…

… I think you pretty much have to be a lost cause to appreciate this sort of stupidity.