Character Breakdown: Shouko Komi from Komi Can't Communicate

I came across Komi Can't Communicate earlier this year. The premise (a girl with social anxiety wants to make 100 friends) intrigued me. I started watching it and fell head over heels in love. Komi and I are alike in so many ways and the show was just so cute.

I want to do a whole post on it, so I won't go into my loves too much here. But I thought Komi would be the perfect character to breakdown today. I think she's also my first anime character I'm doing a breakdown for. (Which means I should do more!)

Personality

•Sweet. Komi can come off as distant or scary because she doesn't project emotions like a lot of other people. But she's actually a very sweet girl when you get to know her. She loves cats and cares for Tadano (the other main character) when he's sick.

•Socially anxious. Due to this, she can barely talk to other people and writes most of what she wants to say. Her anxiety also makes her come off as aloof and makes it hard for her to have friends.

Virtues

•Thoughtful. Like most shy or anxious people, Komi is very observant. She notices what others like or think and tries to do kind things for them.

•Ambitious. She wants to make 100 friends, even though she can barely speak. She's willing to try new things and push herself outside of her comfort zone. I love that about her.

Flaws

•Shy. Before the show starts, Komi spent a lot of time allowing her shyness and anxiety to rule her life. That's why she doesn't have any friends at the start. Shyness isn't necessarily a flaw, but allowing it to rule your life is.

•Worrier. Her anxiety also leads to a lot of worry. Relatable, but it's still something she needs to work on letting go of.

Skills

•Good student. Komi does well in all her classes, even if it's physical fitness. She works hard, studies hard, and gets her homework done on time.

(I wanted to have another skill, but since most of the show takes place at school, I can't remember another one.)

What I Love About Her

•Her love of black cats. This is such a cute part of her character. She loves all cats, but especially black cats. Tadano gets her a cat keychain and her friends get her a giant cat pillow for her birthday. She even gets cat ears as a sign she's excited in the anime.

•Her struggles. It's so nice to see a character with social anxiety and how she's working to overcome it. Also how it gives people a reminder that even though someone may seem stand-offish, they might just be shy or scared. Again, I've never related to a character so much.

I just had to show you her cute little excited face

Have you see Komi Can't Communicate? If you have, who's your favorite character? Tell me in the comments.

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