Anime Review: Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions is a really, really fantastic series.  The original name is Chūnibyō Demo Koi ga Shitai! and is a really fun, upbeat kind of show.  When we watched it in the anime club a while back, we referred to it as "8th Grade Syndrome".  This manifests as odd and, in hindsight, embarrassing behavior that a young teenager believes is the "cool" way to act.  This show is super-fun, and if you haven't seen it, I'd highly recommend it.

Our main cast is just entering high school, and our protagonist has chose to attend a different school than his middle school classmates in order to avoid the embarrassment he suffers from his now recovered case of 8th grade syndrome.  As the former "Dark Flame Master", Yuta is just trying to be normal and fit in with his new classmates

Rikka, on the other hand, has a full-blown case of 8th grade syndrome and has no intentions of giving up her delusions anytime soon.  Making dramatic poses, having catch phrases, and wearing an eyepatch for the style of it makes her stand out in the crowd.  Despite his reluctance, Yuta and Rikka begin a friendship.  

Other characters come into play, each dealing with their current or former case of 8th grade syndrome.  Are the characters who have given up their 8th grade syndrome the ones free from delusion, or have they just created a new, less eccentric delusion?  As the characters struggle between who they enjoy being and who they wish to be seen as, the animation of their "delusions" and the antics they perform are out of this world.   

If you ever had daydreams about having super powers, fantasized about a different kind of reality, or just want an original, funny high school anime, this may be the show for you.  As an imaginative and relatable tale of self-discovery and self-expression, this series hits some great points, and remains hilarious throughout.  The second season came out this winter, bringing the total to 24 crazy episodes.  

Hope Burns Bright