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Lovely Complex

Lovely Complex

2007Ended1 season24 episodes~24 min/epTV-PGMidcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

Love is unusual for Koizumi Risa and Ootani Atsushi, who are both striving to find their ideal partner in high school—172 cm tall Koizumi is much taller than the average girl, and Ootani is much shorter than the average guy at 156 cm.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Lovely Complex?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Lovely Complex streaming on Crunchyroll via Prime Video and Hulu.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Highlights

What stands out about Lovely Complex?

Lovely Complex earns 7 badges, led by Top 10% in Animation and Laugh riot.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Content

Reception

Is Lovely Complex worth watching?

Lovely Complex's Midcredits score is the 89th percentile of all shows, from 4.7K ratings across 2 sources. 86% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

89th percentile

Better received than 89% of shows

91st percentile among Animation85th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)89th
Approval (how many liked it)85th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

81 /100

89th percentile of all shows

91st percentile among Animation85th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

Approval

How many liked it

86% liked it

85th percentile of all shows

89th percentile among Animation81st percentile among 2000s
86% rated it 7–1014% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

77th percentile

4.5K ratings across platforms

73rd percentile among Animation70th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 18% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

It's a funny, low-budget shoujo anime about a tall girl and a short boy bickering their way into love.

Fans praised

  • hilarious Kansai-ben banter between leads
  • relatable insecure-tall-girl mc with strong personality
  • natural friends-to-lovers progression without forced drama

Detractors panned

  • female lead's passive acceptance of mistreatment
  • repetitive will-they-won't-they drags mid-series
  • contrived subplots after main couple gets together

What stands out

HumorDivisive85

Top-notch physical and verbal comedy; strongest early episodes

Dialogue82

Rapid-fire witty exchanges earn manzai duo comparison

Acting80

Kansai-ben voice performances praised for energy and comedic timing

CharactersDivisive72

Lead pair charming and relatable; side characters sometimes boring or cringe

Emotional impactDivisive72

Genuinely moving insecurities tempered by melodramatic crying

Plot and storyDivisive55

Friends-to-lovers arc feels organic but padded with contrived misunderstandings

PacingDivisive48

Repetitive episodes and sag after confession frustrate some viewers

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 10 points higher than under-30s.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 15 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2007 · 24 episodes

  • S1E1

    Freshman Year Summer! I'll Definitely Find a Boyfriend!

    Apr 7, 200724 min
  • S1E2

    The Ex-Girlfriend Love Triangle?!

    Apr 14, 200724 min
  • S1E3

    A Guy You Like, or a Guy from the Past?

    Apr 21, 200724 min
  • S1E4

    Kiss! I've Fallen For You!

    Apr 28, 200724 min
  • S1E5

    Send Forbidden Love Flying!

    May 5, 200724 min
  • S1E6

    A Maiden's Determination! Love-Love Confession Plan!!

    May 12, 200724 min

Watch experience

What is Lovely Complex like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and gentle — an even-paced watch that leaves you feeling good.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
JoyfulAbsurdRomantic
Heaviest: throughout
Warm humor
Register
PlayfulWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series plays its romantic comedy material with sincere affection and energetic humor, never winking at the audience.
The rideA consistently light-hearted, uplifting romp with comedic bickering and romantic tension that stays upbeat across the series run.
StructureThe series follows a conventional chronological narrative across 24 episodes, building from friendship to romance.
Episode formatThe series tracks Risa's romantic pursuit of Ootani continuously, with no episodic reset.
Season formatThe show is one season telling one complete romantic story.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe show leaves viewers with a warm, uplifted feeling, rooting for love to triumph over insecurities.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12% (this title): Romantic comedy 2% (this title) · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Romantic comedy: Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.

12% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA romantic comedy about a tall girl and a short guy navigating friendship and love in high school, with the central obstacle being their height difference and insecurities.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% (this title) · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Romantic love · 10% of showsSelf-worth · 7% of showsFriendship
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe central romance between Risa and Ootani is complicated by their height difference and Risa's struggle to be seen as more than a friend, tied to her need for self-worth and the supportive friendships that buoy her.
StanceThe series celebrates the possibility of love overcoming insecurities and physical differences, with a dual focus on Risa and Ootani.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanSuburbanInstitutionalStylized realism
PopOrchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Hironosuke Sato
Settinga Japanese high school where Risa and Ootani navigate love and friendship
MusicLighthearted pop themes and tender orchestral cues underscore the romantic-comedy tone.

Content guide

Is Lovely Complex okay for kids?

TV-PG

Lovely Complex is rated TV-PG. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (15/100), sexual content at mild (29/100), language at mild (21/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (9/100) and frightening material at minimal (12/100). Overall it is heavier than 8% of TV-PG shows.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • Canada14+
  • AustraliaPG
  • Brazil14
  • MexicoB-15
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 3% of all showsHeavier than 8% of TV-PG shows
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for a TV-PG show
heavier than 20%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a TV-PG show
heavier than 50%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a TV-PG show
heavier than 29%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a TV-PG show
heavier than 14%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for a TV-PG show
heavier than 19%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is sexual content, heavier than 50% of TV-PG shows.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Lovely Complex have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Lovely Complex?

Cast

Akemi Okamura
as Risa Koizumi
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Alejandro Saab
as Heikichi Nakao
Amber Lee Connors
as Risa Koizumi
Howard Wang
as Atsushi Ootani
Gianni Matragrano
as Kuniumi Maitake
Jacob Eiseman
as Additional Voices
Akira Nagata
as Atsushi Ootani
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kenjiro Tsuda
as Ryouji Suzuki
Saori Higashi
as Nobuko Ishihara
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Kazuko Kojima
as Chiharu Tanaka
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

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293 other shows share the rarest tag below, relationship: friends to lovers. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.