Kirio Fan Club Episode 1 Review: A Grounded Josei Premiere
The premiere's late reveal that Nami's crush is not on Kirio reframes the series as a potential romance between the two female leads, a direction that distinguishes it from typical love-triangle setups in anime.
Reporting from 1 sources: Anime Feminist.
The first episode of Kirio Fan Club, now streaming on HiDive, introduces Aimi Miyoshi and Nami Sometani, two girls bonded by their shared crush on classmate Ken Kirio. However, the premiere quickly subverts expectations: while Aimi appears genuinely attracted to Kirio, Nami's feelings are revealed to be directed elsewhere, hinting at a romance between the two friends rather than a love triangle. The episode spends little time on Kirio himself, who is absent for most of the runtime and depicted with a blank expression when present. Instead, the focus is on the girls' awkward, realistic interactions and their mismatched perceptions of their crush. The art style blends realism with willingness to show unflattering expressions, and the creative team includes several newcomers to the industry. The manga ran for six volumes, suggesting a full adaptation is planned. The review praises the show's grounded take on josei storytelling, comparing its conversational tone to O Maidens in Your Savage Season and Migi & Dali.
The premiere of Kirio Fan Club, directed by a largely new creative team, establishes its tone through the mundane yet revealing conversations between Aimi and Nami. The episode's humor comes from their obsessive but shallow knowledge of Kirio: Nami cites his niceness and sleepy demeanor, while Aimi lists his internal organs. The show's willingness to depict the girls making awkward faces and looking uncute reinforces its grounded approach. The review notes that the series, based on a six-volume manga, has room to develop its ensemble and the central relationship. Comparisons to O Maidens in Your Savage Season and Migi & Dali highlight the niche appeal of such character-driven stories, and the HiDive streaming platform may limit its audience. The creative team's inexperience is framed as a strength, lending freshness to the execution.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Anime Feminist Kirio Fan Club - Episode 1