First Impressions: Koe Koi (eps 1-3)

It is a typical shoujo drama where a girl and a boy have feelings towards each other, but they are too afraid to admit it and the cycle continues. On top of that, they added on a ridiculous gimmick where the main girl falls for a boy who wears a paper bag on his head. But this ridiculous gimmick actually works and it’s hilarious.

Yuiko (Mei Nagano) missed her first day of high school because she’s sick and has to stay home. Then, she gets a phone call from the class prefect, Matsubara (voice by Takahiro Sakurai), telling her to get well soon and hopes to meet her in person. Yuiko has never seen this guy, but she immediately falls in love with his voice. I have to admit that his voice is very soothing. When she does finally see him, she wasn’t expecting to turn out like this...

After the shock, she quickly accepts him for who he is and wants to learn more about him. Her friend, Aki (Karen Otomo) wants know why he wears the paper bag, since everyone in the school is afraid to ask. She boldly goes up to him to ask. Yuiko doesn’t want to cause any trouble as she helps defend him from anybody who questions about his appearance.

My guess as to why Matsubara wears the bag because maybe he’s hiding his true self. You can’t see his face, you don’t know what emotions he’s expressing. Whatever he’s going through, I feel like he’s hurting on the inside and he’s trying hiding it. But there could also be many other reasons like maybe he’s insecure about his physical appearance or, it could be an artistic expression like what Shia Labeouf did. Like always, the answers will probably reveal itself at the end of the drama.

It looks like it will be a hilarious, satirical commentary on judging someone who is different. I do like to know why he’s wearing the paper bag. I wonder if they are really going to reveal his face because if the character is voiced by someone else, then who’s under the bag?