Saiunkoku Monogatari
2006
Rating: 8.9/10
2 seasons | 39 episodes
Adventure
Japan
Anime
Synopsis: How much can we trust appearances? The popular girl is actually the perfect housewife, and the class nerd is cool but gets terrible grades. When the truth comes out, these two characters unexpectedly grow close at an absurdly fast pace and end up discovering love and a new version of themselves.
Where to Watch: -
Would I watch it again? Yes!
Opinion: I love the main character’s strength—she follows her dream, always overcomes obstacles, and gives it her all. The anime itself is great, but it’s a bit long; 78 episodes is a lot, which usually means the plot will develop slowly. The characters are well-crafted and developed, which is a relief, because with so many episodes, the least we expect is good character development.
Final Thoughts (Spoiler Alert): The only reason my rating isn’t higher is because of the ending, and because, honestly, I started shipping the main character with a villain who showed up along the way, so the “destined couple” lost its appeal for me after he appeared. Female empowerment really shines in this anime, and not even love can distract her from her dream.