I first stumbled upon The Wallflower when I had Funimation and Hulu, and it was one of the anime available at the time. The only catch was that it was dubbed. I did not mind, so I gave it a chance and found it hilarious, unique, and really interesting.

Looking back, especially considering when both the manga and anime came out, it definitely feels like a product of its time. I have not read the manga yet, but it is on my radar and I want to start collecting it because this is a classic that should not be overlooked.

I loved the theme of a girl who is not actually ugly, but who ostracized herself from society after being called ugly when she confessed to her crush. That moment destroyed her, so she stopped taking care of herself. It is not the most feminist premise, but it still feels human. Then she ends up living with guys that everyone finds attractive, and their reasons for helping her are not pure at first, which is honestly hilarious.

Over time, they realize she is not ugly at all. She just let go. From there, the story becomes a journey of friendship and growth for everyone. Between the four guys, Noi, and Sunako, a friendship blossoms into something genuinely precious. Even while they try to help her become a lady and come out of her shell, they do not erase who she is or the hobbies she loves. That balance is a big reason why this series stuck with me.

This anime is older, so the animation is not the best, and that is okay. Keep an open mind with the gritty and unfinished look. I also suggest watching both the dub and the sub because both versions were done well, and I fully fell in love with it.