First Reaction: Nisekoi Episode 1

So, after the failure that was Magical Warfare, I decided to watch another show that I had originally decided to wave off, Nisekoi. The reason why I wasn't initially interested was because it was being produced by Shaft, of which I've had a mixed relationship with. For one, I think that their shows are brilliant from a critical perspective, but on the other hand I wasn't the biggest fan of Madoka Magica personally and Bakamonagatari basically bored me to tears. Their animation quality, however, was very unique and artsy, so I've decided to keep tabs on their shows to see if any might interest me. This is Nisekoi. 

I had heard that this romantic-comedy anime was kind of like Romeo and Juliet means the Japanese Mafia, and since I like romantic comedies I decided to check it out. My first impression is that this is...very Shaft-like. Its animation was outstanding, its dialogue was creative, and it felt like a less-serious Bakamonagatari anime with a unique romantic twist. It did a great job of introducing its characters and their personalities, and while they're slightly clichéd, they're still fun to watch. Ichijou is the main character, and he seemed like a relatively nice guy who lives in an insane household. Chitoge Kirisaki is most likely the main love interest (no spoilers here), and is half-American and half-Japanese. Some could argue that she is a tsundere character, but in my personal opinion, the only reason she acts defensive and hates the main character is because he snapped at and provoked her in the middle of class, so I would disagree. Finally, there is Onordera, a friend of Ichijou who may have shared a past with him...but we're not sure yet. 

The main aspect that is keeping me interested is the ending of the first episode, because I really want to see how it turns out. The characters are interesting, the story itself is probably going to be fun to watch, the animation is outstanding (pretty standard for Shaft), it seems like a good show and a nice way to recover after wanting to punch out my screen watching Magical Warfare. So, this along with Noragami should keep me satisfied for the winter season. I'm looking forward to more episodes.