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It's hard to believe that a decade has passed since the release of My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, or the simpler name Oregairu. This beloved anime series has captured the hearts of fans around the world with its relatable characters, witty dialogue, and thoughtful exploration of youth and personal growth. As we commemorate its 10th anniversary, let's take a nostalgic trip down memory lane and celebrate the impact this series has had on the anime community.
The Premise that Resonated
Oregairu introduces us to Hachiman Hikigaya, a self-proclaimed loner who is forced to join the Service Club, a place where students seek advice and assistance. Hachiman's cynical and pragmatic outlook on life, along with the complexities of interpersonal relationships, struck a chord with viewers who could relate to the challenges of navigating high school and the uncertainties of young adulthood. One of the series' greatest strengths lies in its well-developed and nuanced characters. Hachiman Hikigaya's sharp wit and unique perspective make him a fascinating protagonist. Alongside him are the charming and enigmatic Yukino Yukinoshita and the cheerful and outgoing Yui Yuigahama and the sly Iroha Isshiki. Their interactions and personal journeys create a captivating dynamic that keeps viewers hooked from start to finish.
Themes of Growth and Self-Discovery
The series delves deep into themes of personal growth, friendship, and self-discovery. It explores the protagonists' struggles with social norms, the importance of genuine connections, and the difficulties of finding their own paths in a world that often feels overwhelming. The series encourages viewers to embrace their flaws, question societal expectations, and strive for personal happiness. While romance is an essential aspect of the series, Oregairu takes a refreshing approach by subverting traditional tropes. The love triangle between Hachiman, Yukino, and Yui is complex and layered, devoid of easy answers. It is messy and confusing. The series challenges the notion of a fairy-tale ending and focuses on the characters' growth as individuals, prioritizing their emotional well-being over superficial romantic resolutions.
Oregairu in Japan
Anime subculture in Japan is truly amazing, allowing you to experience your favorite shows in daily life. The popularity of the series has, of course, led to many collaborations. In Akihabara alone, every few months there is a new pop up shop or collaboration featuring the girls in different attire.
Any big anime event will have some kind of Oregairu related merch and the occasional display. Art exhibitions have been held showcasing original illustrations for the series from the official illustrator/character designer, Pokan8.
While all of the characters are named after locations in Kamakura, the setting of Oregairu is in Chiba, Japan. Many of the locations depicted in the anime exist in real life and can be visited if you are in the area.
With this fact, businesses in and around Chiba have capitalized on this and continue to sponsor stamp rally’s and merchandising campaigns using Oregairu for its marketing. The hope is that while visiting some of the real life locations, you will support local business in the area.
Some things, like this place holder image of Yui for a rather important scene…
...have been removed, but Oregairu is still alive and well.
In Japan, for reasons that escape me, Iroha is considered the best girl. While the merch usually sells very well, Iroha is consistently the one that sells out, and it happens very quickly. It is also unfortunate that Sensei and Komachi are relatively unrepresented in most of these campaigns as they are great characters themself.
10th Anniversary Events
So far, for the 10th anniversary several events have been announced. Back in March, Anime Japan had a stage event featuring several of the voice actors to talk about the show. The radio show will be revived but no official date has been announced as of writing. Radio shows are very common for currently airing anime. They have the voice actors provide a bit of banter and fun to increase interest in the show. A special 10th anniversary blu-ray box set and new music CD will be released. A rather unexpected collaboration with Kotteri Ramen Naritake was held, featuring the main crew ready to prepare your bowl of ramen. The third visual novel was released in April. And finally, an all night screening of the whole series is being held at various locations around Japan, with some of the VAs attending. You can also score a neat little can badge if you go. The year is only half over so you can expect a bit more to come!
The Best Figures Available for Oregairu
Since it’s been a decade, it should be no surprise that there are about 100 figures available from the series. There have been figures for just about everything imaginable. From the usual swimsuit outfits to a… casino party version… and an outfit inspired by pandas they really have done it all. Here is a short list of some of the best figures available to showcase your love for the series!
The Ending Scene Recreated in Beautiful Detail
The series may be over, but you can re-experience all of the feels with this 1/7 scale figure of Yukino and Yui! Using the anime’s ending sequence, the figure captures the two in a heartwarming scene of friendship.
Yui’s smile reflects that adorable cheerful girl that will always put a smile on your face. Yukino’s softer expression next to her was also masterfully recreated. Adding in the pose of a carefree, affectionate embrace and this is the must have figure for die hard fans.
There is no sugar-coating it, it is a costly figure. That price is, however, reflected in the amazing level of detail throughout. There are folds and wrinkles modeled on the clothing that provide good, realistic texture. The figure gives the illusion of a slight gentle sea breeze clearly visible in the hair while simultaneously creating another dynamic sense of motion by Yukino and Yui embrace. A challenge to do well, but perfected by Shibuya Scramble.
We also have nice details in smaller areas like the buttons and seams on the shirt, the shoes and bags.
The beach themed pedestal adds an additional level of complexity by featuring a sandy look and seashells as they stand just by the water’s edge. It completes the figure nicely and anyone who has watched the anime will know exactly what the inspiration was!
Service Club Meeting
Majority of the series takes place at school so a figure depicting daily life as a student only makes sense. From Kotobukiya we have a 1/8th scale figure of Yui and a matching scale figure of Yukino. An added bonus for these figures is the inclusion of Yukino’s stuffed panda, Pan-san and Yui’s pet dog Sable.
Yui’s pose of gently brushing her hair while leaning against a chair, combined with her warm, friendly smile captures her essence very well. Shown in her uniform and a soft summer knit, a lot of small details have been modeled. We have realistic wrinkles and folds in her clothing and they included the bands she wears around her wrist.
With a pose and facial expression that screams Yukino, we have a great figure to pair with Yui. The melancholy atmosphere that Yukino creates as she sits listlessly in a chair with her chin in her hand is spot on. We have the same level of detail as Yui, with a lot of effort going into subtle detail like the way her heels are raised and the shoe is bending.
Looking great individually, the pair can also be displayed together. Placing them side by side will look great since they have the same design and theme but Kotobukiya thought one step further. By only utilizing one chair, you can have them displayed on a single base, ready to welcome you to the Service Club!
Your Wedding Day Has Come
There is always the chance for wedding dress figures to look tacky, boring and lacking inspiration. That is not the case for this set from FuRyu! While the overall style is the same for the girls, each one has its own distinct look which was simply achieved by focusing on each character's representative color. With Yui given pink highlights, Yukino with a pale blue theme and Iroha featuring yellow, the trio can be appreciated for their own unique attributes.
This collection of figures uses the shiromuku or traditional Japanese pure white bridal kimono as the basis for the clothing and it is a head turner. Furyu goes above and beyond by imprinting the model prior to painting to give the figures real texture.
You've just got to love the sight of Yukino's blushing cheeks and smile. Her long, beautiful black hair has been carefully sculpted with the delicate flow of hair that flutters in the wind. Her hair ornament of white lilies and the elegant and flirtatious pose enhanced by the fan she is holding truly bring out the beauty and cuteness of Yukino.
For Yui, they captured her innocent smile and she looks like she is innocently running up to you without holding back. Her bright hair blends nicely with the pink water lily hair ornament. The choice of colors and modeling of the bouquet further enhance the cheery atmosphere that Yui brings and adds to the overall cuteness. For Yui fans, this figure is sure to make your heart skip a beat!
Even if you don’t love Iroha, FuRyu absolutely nailed this one. Her finger on her mouth and devilish smile make her charm really stand out. The orchid hair ornament with some additional light blue brings a good color mix to the overall visual of the figure. Her accessories and color palette are a bit more subdued compared to Yui but it totally fits the character.
If you are not too into the wedding style figures, they do make a kimono version for the trio as well. Still very elegant and go together nicely but they do have a bit more of an ecchi vibe to them.
I hope you enjoyed reading!
Comment (1)
Really well written. It’s cool to still see some big appreciations for this show even after it ended. Part of my enjoyment of this particular series was reading the episode reviews by Richard Eisenbeis on the animenewsnetwork site. This article felt like a similar vibe to them, which made me nostalgic for the show all over again.
Iroha is popular because of the insanely long or rather, back to back arcs that involved her with Hachiman. The chemistry between them was incredibly strong and it looked like for a while, that they naturally fit together. This was especially true considering Yui was always carefree and not really pushing to hard toward anyone except her fixation to always touching Yukino. And Yukino herself seemed above a boyfriend girlfriend relationship.
Of course the show veers away from that to the inevitable Yukino+Hachiman pairing. But Iroha had just some fantastic scenes and was such a delight to watch that I’m not surprised she’s still best girl even after losing. Maybe not best girl Hachiman, but best girl in our hearts.
It is really surprising to not see Hachiman or Sensei in many of these collabs. Especially that I think that’s his sister in one and she had such small screen time compared to the rest. In the States, I believe Sensei was had a following similar to Iroha in Japan. It’s interesting to see what kind of girls we value. Her and Iroha were top in my opinion, but oh well.
Thanks for the write up. I have been wanting a figure from the show for forever, but I’ve yet to find one I’m willing to pull the trigger on.
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