Tonikaku Kawaii, a romantic comedy serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday, is scheduled to be adapted into an anime starting in October. It is the next work from the author of Hayate the Combat Butler, and the style seen in that work, including parodies and numerous nerdy, extremely detailed jokes, is still alive and well. There are so many of them that it's impossible to introduce them all, and it would be impossible to keep track of them all, but we'd like to introduce some of the nerdy parodies and jokes that can be seen in Tonikaku Kawaii.
Extraordinary Little Joke ① It's Just Like "Artist Sa●toshi"!!
This is the scene where Tsukasa serves Nasa-kun his home-cooked meal. The original story is by Tosh Sensei, the illustrator of "Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma," which was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. It's basically a "food war" after all. Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma is a cooking manga with stunning artwork and beautifully drawn illustrations. The story follows the protagonist, Yukihira Soma, as he grows through cooking battles with numerous rivals at the prestigious culinary school, Totsuki Academy. His undressing reactions, so intense they're almost like an adult manga, are a famous and eye-catching highlight. The series concluded in 2019, and the fifth season of the anime is currently airing.
Anyway, Small Details ②: Nasa's Apartment
The terms Saint Quartz and Servants on Fuji TV's Today's Dog show were a reference to the smartphone RPG "Fate/Grand Order." There's a famous quote in FGO that says you should only pay rent, which is likely the source of the reference. The cute, tiger-like cat in the photo is "Tama," a meta character from the previous game, Hayate the Combat Butler. It's highly likely that this shop, Tachibana Store No. 3, is also related to the character "Wataru Tachibana," from the previous game.
It's here!
The world of Hayate the Combat Butler is supposedly set in 2004, but the numerous parodies make the time setting a bit loose. Based on the films released in the series, the time is set between 2018 and 2019, 15 years after Hayate the Combat Butler. However, when Nasa and his friends return from a trip, their apartment is struck by lightning and burned down. A familiar boy and maid appear.
Anyway, Tiny Titties #3: Bunshun Cannon
The method Kaginodera Chitose tried to use to lead Nasa-kun to ruin. It originated from a celebrity scoop by Shukan Bunshun. It's the ultimate and most destructive special move, exposing cheating and infidelity, leading countless celebrities to ruin or even apologize. Its targets include countless national idol groups that ended up disbanding, as well as Gesu and Becky, dramatically changing their destinies. It's a terrifying superweapon.
Trivia #4: Shark Movies and Other Classic American Comic Book Movies
Nasa-kun's house didn't have a TV. Tsukasa loved movies, so he decided to buy one. He mentioned shark movies and many other American comic book movies. The movie Nasa-kun tried to rent from the 18+ section, "What's Wrong with the Valley of the Wind," is a terrible parody of a classic Ghibli film, but there are actually quite a few 18+ movies with terrible titles. Incidentally, "What's Wrong with the Valley of the Wind" may have originated from doujinshi or a uniquely Japanese internet culture.
Trivia ⑤: A Minor Local Show
This is a minor local show that Nasa-kun used to watch. The story about the long-distance bus drawn by rolling dice is based on the "Dice Journey" episode of "What's Up Wednesday?", which aired from 1996 to 2002. Originally broadcast late at night in Hokkaido, it later became a popular show that expanded nationwide. Recently, Wednesday-themed content has been incorporated into the show due to the connection with Yasuda Ken, who appeared in Yakuza 7.
Anyway, Small Facts ⑥: The PlayStation is a More Fun Game Console
What started as a takoyaki party turned into a gaming competition. Tsukasa was also an avid fighter (Street Fighter 5), but Aya was overwhelmingly stronger, resulting in a humiliating 20-game losing streak. Feeling overwhelmed, Tsukasa decided to challenge her on a mysterious game console he happened upon. The console in question was the Sega Dreamcast, released in 1998. At the time of its release, it was a groundbreaking piece of hardware, similar to internet-based online shopping and downloadable games. However, due to infrastructure and internet issues, it never gained traction compared to the PlayStation, resulting in its defeat.
Cyber Wars Virtual-On
SEGA's 3D fighting game still has a passionate fanbase. Renowned as a successful robot game, it was beloved enough to have its own dedicated controller, the "Twin Stick," and even a twin stick for the PS4. I think the reason SEGA couldn't gain market share is because it was too ahead of its time. Apparently, the creator's mentor is a passionate fan.
Anyway, a Little Trivia ⑦: Nisekoi
This is a work serialized in Sunday that Nasa-kun was reading at the inn. When she entered the mixed bath, she was wearing a swimsuit—it's a boys' magazine, after all! This scene seems similar to a character from Nisekoi. There are a lot of references to Jump, so I think that's probably true.
Nisekoi
This romantic comedy was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. Ichijo Raku, the son of a yakuza, and Kirisaki Chitoge, the daughter of a gangster, are forced to pretend to be engaged to each other in order to prevent a conflict between the two organizations. They start off with a terrible first meeting, and their likability levels are at their lowest, but they end up together. It's a cliched, conventional work that contrasts with Tonikaku Kawaii in every way. Hata-sensei, please turn down any offers for a live-action version.
Trivia 8: Solid Stake
I thought it was about a legendary hero who loves cardboard boxes, but it turns out it's actually an outdoor item. Apparently it's used for setting up camp. Reviews of the cardboard boxes on major online stores include many favorable comments like "It was useful for undercover investigations." What on earth is this?
[Tonikaku Kawaii] A Compilation of Trivia 8
As expected, Tonikaku Kawaii had a lot of nitty-gritty, nerdy stuff. There are probably many more parodies that are too numerous to introduce, and some that are so incomprehensible that you might not even know what they're parodies of. There are so many jokes that will make you chuckle once you understand them, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how they turn out when they're adapted into an anime. The Tonikaku Kawaii anime is scheduled to air from October 2020.
