The Japanese light novel "Weak Character Tomozaki-kun" is so popular that it has even consistently ranked highly on the "This Light Novel is Amazing!" website. Its appeal lies in the fact that it is not merely a romantic comedy, but also depicts the characters' growth as human beings. The second season of the anime is scheduled to air early next year, and it is already generating a lot of buzz. Many people are probably curious about how such a popular work came about, what it is based on, and what themes it contains. In this article, we will explain the story behind the creation of this work, its models, themes, and more!
Story Summary
High school student Fumiya Tomozaki considers life a "crappy game," but he also possesses the skill to reign supreme in the legendary game "Attack Families" (abbreviated as "AtaFami"). Tomozaki himself truly enjoys the game. One day, he meets the second-ranked player in real life, who turns out to be a heroine in his class, Aoi Hinami. She cannot accept that Tomozaki, a player she respects, is running away from the "god game" known as life, and urges him to take the game of life seriously. A strange master-disciple relationship develops between Tomozaki and Hinan, and Tomozaki spends his days completing the tasks Hinan gives him one by one in order to become a "real-life happy person."
The Story Behind the Creation
Original author Yuuki Yaku was originally a comedian. At the time, he thought that if he turned ideas he had into novels and turned them into characters, they might become popular, and he gradually began to seriously develop the concept. The accumulation of ideas and the structure that became the basis for "Weak Character Tomozaki-kun" became a complete novel. He likely had many opportunities to create material during his time as a comedian, and I believe that experience was put to good use in his novel-writing.
The work is inspired by a famous game
Super Smash Bros. Melee was a major influence on Yaku's work, and it could even be said to have been the inspiration for the piece. Released in 2001, it's 22 years old, but it remains one of the most popular titles in the Smash Bros. series. Yaku was born in 1991, so he likely played Melee when he was in elementary school. The rules for the "AtaFami" game featured in the work were inspired by Melee, and Yaku has stated on social media that the work would have been completely different without Melee. Additionally, while the official name of the AtaFami is "Attack Families," "Attack" is an homage to "Smash" and "Families" is an homage to "Brothers." Yaku was also influenced by "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate," and there are scenes in the anime that appear to incorporate elements from that game.
About the Style and Themes
"Weak Character Tomozaki-kun" is classified as a "school romantic comedy" or "youthful romantic comedy," but romance is not the main focus of the story. Rather, it focuses on themes of human growth. Through their personal growth, the characters learn the importance of "connections with others." Additionally, the female characters in this work are depicted as realistic women who could exist in real life, something that author Yaku stated he was "conscious of." Despite being an anime, this emphasis on realism is likely to resonate with many readers and viewers.
A Summary of Behind-the-Scenes Commentary
Knowing the background, models, and themes of the work will help you enjoy it even more. This work is a little different from other romantic comedies, so if you think "all romantic comedies are pretty much the same, right?" I highly recommend checking out the original light novel and the anime. You'll be pleasantly surprised! That's all for today. Thank you for reading.
