"You And I Are Polar Opposites" has one of the best first episodes im seeing this season.

Maybe im not watching enough newly airing anime, but the only first episode on par so far with it has been Sentenced To Be A Hero (first ep wise), and no im not counting new seasons. The romance I've seen air so far (Confessing girl in my party or some bullshit) is just not really great. Not mention the dub VAs are just MWAHHH chef's kiss!!! I think with time and as more episodes release, we may see an incredible romance (and a personal top 3 romance for me). **Drop your thoughts please 🙏**

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Commentaires

ParticularSimple8892026-01-17 05:40

romance genre really hasnt been in a good place these past couple years. only a few notable ones while most others are as slop as isekai slop.

tho i cant say anything about this anime since i havent watch it lol

Artsy7272026-01-17 05:45

thats what im saying, we are finally getting an AMAZING romance anime, you should check it out

abandoned_idol2026-01-17 05:47

It has unexpected characterization and plot development, within the scope of a romance story of course. It's not Dandadan, and planet Earth isn't going to be invaded by aliens.

Definitely try watching episode 1. It's worth x10 times the time you spend to watch it.

RPO7772026-01-17 05:48

The manga is one of the best romance manga to come out in the past 5 years. I'm beyond excited, especially since they did an AMAZING job adapting the first chapter into a fantastic opening episode.

Agasawa Kocha, the manga author, also wrote "The Ramparts of Ice" simultaneously to when she was writing Polar Opposites, and it's also fantastic... and THAT anime is coming out in Spring 2026. So the drought on strong pure-romance animes may be ending.

Dandadan (action), Skip and Loafer (slice of life), Makeine (comedy) all incorporate other genres too strongly to consider them pure romances, but they were fantastic romance stories in their own rights though!

Yesshua2026-01-17 06:12

Is Love Through A Prism that just dropped on Netflix hopefully a winner?

RPO7772026-01-17 06:21

Haven't seen it and it's an anime original so I don't know hardly anything about it. Ialso don't have netflix rigth now so... lol

Spidooodle2026-01-17 05:41

Yeah well Shiboyugi, Sentenced to Hero and Roll Over and Die exist.

Edit: It’s just so stacked this month, but as a preferential basis you not wrong.

Artsy7272026-01-17 05:44

not counting new seasons, but yea sentenced to be hero is amazing. havent heard of roll over and die though

otakupervert890-12026-01-17 05:49

Agree with SHIBOYUGI my favorite first episode of everything I started this season.

bob-loblaw-esq2026-01-17 06:36

This. There are SO many good shows this season and we just got Frieren back today too.

I’m also enjoying the spin on Isikei with the Vacation show that isn’t your typical Isikei.

I agree about with OP the other Isikei so far as just being sort of more spins on themes we’ve seen with the Kunon being about born being blind and Defense being about an underappreciated class, same with Bean Counter.

On HIDIVE, the two new ones are also good but sort of typical with Hell mode and reincarnated as a dragon hatchling.

schwiftybass2026-01-17 07:04

Is Roll Over & Die one of the highlights of the season for you? I hadn’t heard much about it but it’s much lower rated than the other series you mentioned so I figured there was something that was turning people off.

InternalIncome60362026-01-17 12:39

Not the op but Roll over and Die episode 1 a lot is standard kicked out of the heroes party setup but with episode 2 it seems to be really leaning into dark fantasy like Clevatess.

schwiftybass2026-01-17 20:21

Thanks, I loved Clevatess so that’s enough to convince me to give it a shot.

Kracko6672026-01-17 09:00

I haven't watched the third one but for the 2 first their length matters a lot to me. I'm more invested in Polar opposite even tho i've just seen 1 single 20min episode.

Shiboyugi took some time to start imo, the end of episode 1 is amazing but the beggining was a bit hard to watch (not much dialogue, not much camera movements)

Sentenced to be a hero is very cool visually but i'm not as hooked on the characters. It definitely gave me the feeling that they went all out on the first episode but i'm not sold on it being amazing story&characters wise on the long term.

Usually i take time to get invested in romance in romcom anime but here i was totally sold on it halfway through the first episode and the ending gives me the feeling that it'll be the best romcom of the season

abandoned_idol2026-01-17 05:45

Yeah, it's pretty good!

I was ready to attack it (anime only), but now I'm enjoying it and looking forward to more episodes!

Artsy7272026-01-17 05:47

that cliffhanger has me HOOKED!!!

abandoned_idol2026-01-17 06:17

I'm not a fan of Shiboyugi. I noticed others seemed to like it, though I can't picture why. I felt the characters were flat (in personality, I wasn't referring to their chests, the chests are quite voluminous).

DustyTurboTurtle2026-01-17 05:46

First episode of Shiboyugi was pretty dang good

Edit: shiboyugi, not shiboyuki lol

Artsy7272026-01-17 05:47

Haven't heard of it and I don't see it on anilist, is that the english title or romanized title?

DustyTurboTurtle2026-01-17 05:48

I mighta spelled it wrong, but the full title is shiboyuki: playing death games to put food on the table

Artsy7272026-01-17 05:50

i found it, you were so close it was just hte one letter typo made it not pop up on anilist lol, it was shiboyugi 😭thank you though thanks to this comment i know its on crunchyroll and has same day dubs, im checking it out NOW!

Artsy7272026-01-17 05:48

oh wait lol it was a typo the maid game one that is very good ive heard aswell

CompN3rd2026-01-17 06:34

ok but it was double length

Still amazing artwise, directionwise, performancewise - basically in every way, but still.

catalit2026-01-17 05:50

I haven’t full-belly laughed that hard at a romance anime since Kaguya-sama. It’s so good.

Kare Kano is pretty similar to Kaguya-sama, an oldie but a goodie. And Loving Yamada-kun at lv99 from a couple seasons ago was pretty good too, strong romantic development and good characters. Would also recommend Blue Box on Netflix, less on the comedy side but the romantic development feels natural, and I like how the leads inspire each other to grow.

Artsy7272026-01-17 05:55

it was less comedic for me and more cringing, but in a good way. i got second hand embarrassment multiple times in the best way possible.. also i love kaguya samaaaa, just wish the romance wasnt stalled out so long (still amazing and funny aswell).l ill check out blue box! ive only heard amazing things!

Ok-Cod52542026-01-17 15:10

Kaguya-sama's main premise for them make sense it wouldn't have a fast confession. It starts out with more comedy for ridiculousness of their situation than romance.

Artsy7272026-01-18 00:41

yes i get that, i just hate when we are waiting more than 2 seasons for a confession, ultra romantic and third made up for it tho!

Ordinal43NotFound2026-01-17 06:20

Speaking of Kaguya-sama, Polar Opposites will also have a character that's basically \[minor spoilers\]>!the new "ourguy" representative just like Ishigami. Craaaazy amount of "literally me" moments lol.!<

BaytaCosmico2026-01-17 16:12

Loved Polar Opposites. But Tamon's B-side is the one that gave me Kaguya-sama type belly laughs in the first, second and third episodes so far. Romance is a bit understated as of now but the comic timing is pretty perfect.

And it's a close one between Utage and Suzuki for best girl this season for me.

imro102026-01-19 04:14

I agree except for blue box, I watched 12 episodes of blue box and the pilot alone of you and I are polar opposites achieves more than the 12 blue box episodes that I watched

kaguraa2026-01-17 05:52

im a big fan of the manga and the first episode captured the energy and characterisation really well so i’m excited for the future episodes. its rumoured to be a 2-cour split so if it happens then we would get a full adaptation

Artsy7272026-01-17 05:54

ill maybe check the manga out, i just love the voices of the characters in this and the colors are just amazing... i hope all the episodes are as good as this

kaguraa2026-01-17 05:55

the manga is great, i reread it a couple of times. the romance is great but i love the cast and their friendships even more.

papakahn942026-01-18 04:25

Its such a shame we didnt get like a spinoff prologue for the final ship teased..we got blue-balled so hard

Ordinal43NotFound2026-01-17 06:22

Can't wait for you to discover the true best ship lol. If you think Tani and Suzuki are peak, just you wait for these 2 lol.

Agni7atha2026-01-17 10:02

I remember the manga also has incredible hook on 1st chapter and I end up binge-read it. The anime studio Lapin Track has done great on 1st episode. If they can keep up with the quality, I think we can safely enjoy the first season before checking out the manga.

Nghtmare-Moon2026-01-17 05:56

Normally it takes 13 episodes to get to where we are at the end of episode 1

Artsy7272026-01-17 08:39

I hate prolonged confession. Horimiya & Tonikawa lover over here!

pikachu__u2026-01-18 20:10

Couldn't agree more that's why You and I is a breath of fresh air. Best pilot ep for me!

Selknam222026-01-17 05:58

The thing it got me was that it subverted mi expectactions a LOT. Like i thought it would follow the typical trends and scenes of standard romcoms but it didnt and i respect that. Not going with the flow of what ppl “expect” and just focus on writing characters and scenes that feel “real”

Artsy7272026-01-17 08:39

and that peak cliffhanger ughhh

duncandun2026-01-17 06:10

That’s how I felt about journal with witch. Really good.

EclipseTM2026-01-17 09:41

This one took me by complete surprise, the trailer looked interesting but as of right now it’s my second favourite anime this season. (Might change to third next week when the medalist finally starts airing if it’s as good as season 1).

Gorexxar2026-01-17 09:54

Journal with Witch is a series that will live or die on the Voice Actors.

...And they are doing an amazing job.

Opperbink2026-01-23 13:46

This is the reason why I'm on this sub(lurking 99% of the time). Both Journal with witch and polar opposites look right up my alley and I hadn't even noticed them.

ActualRound76992026-01-17 10:45

Journal the Witch gave me an entirely different idea of what it would be based on the title. But after getting the premise from the first episode, the show has so much potential

littlecolt2026-01-17 18:51

Journal With Witch is so amazing! I didn't think I was going to like it very much, so I delayed watching it until it had 2 episodes, and I am kind of glad I did. It's fantastic!

Awful_At_Math2026-01-17 06:11

To me "Journal with a Witch" is the best one so far. Which is hard for me say because I'm a huge yuri fan and we have 1.2 yuri shows this season.

FurFurKanga2026-01-17 07:43

I only know that Omagoto as a yuri show this season. What’s the .2?

LutheX_232026-01-17 08:07

"Does it count if you lose your virginity to an android?" he said it's a 0.2 bc the episodes are short af.

FurFurKanga2026-01-17 08:16

I don’t usually check seasonal shorts which is why a probably missed it. Thanks!

x_typo2026-01-17 08:07

Prob means this https://myanimelist.net/anime/61694/Android_wa_Keiken_Ninzuu_ni_Hairimasu_ka (I'm guessing its because of ".2" which the episode above is an anime short

FurFurKanga2026-01-17 08:16

Thanks!

gui_odai2026-01-17 06:12

Ep. 1 was a really pleasant surprise, but I’ve seen my share of romance anime that have a strong or decent start and then fade away. I’m looking forward to more of it, but will keep my hopes in check.

Artsy7272026-01-17 08:38

exactly thats why i said with time we gotta see

ClemFire2026-01-17 06:24

As a huge romance enjoyer I couldn’t agree more. This is my favorite first episode of a new show this season and it wasn’t even close. Last year my favorite anime was My Dress-Up Darling S2, and I felt a similar type of warmth watching this show’s premiere. Really looking forward to more and this season it is right below Frieren for me.

Falsus2026-01-17 06:26

I think Shiboyugi had the best first episode of the new shows.

Artsy7272026-01-18 01:04

it was amazing, but i still like sentenced to be a hero and polar opposite's first episodes more personally

BiggieCheeseLapDog2026-01-17 06:39

I’m not a huge romance guy but this one was infectious. My favourite premiere from the ones I’ve seen.

polmeeee2026-01-17 06:58

Same. The quality is insane. I'm hooked.

Artsy7272026-01-17 08:38

truly, lets hope its like this the whole season

steven48692026-01-17 07:18

I'd say it was a really nice first episode but Journal with the Witch and Shiboyugi has my votes for the best first episodes, with Sentenced to be Hero a close second.

oops_i_made_a_typi2026-01-17 18:49

haven't watched Journal yet, but yeah Shiboyugi is probably the biggest surprise so far. Maybe Fate Strange/Fake too, but weirder to say because of the ep0 and ep1 situation that were released year(s) ago

Theeyeofthepotato2026-01-17 07:22

Totally agree. It's been a good while since a high school romcom brought back that feeling of rush and thrill of first love quite like this first episode did. Really excited for more

Artsy7272026-01-17 08:40

ITS TRULY PEAK!

runevault2026-01-17 07:33

Really is crazy how much good stuff is coming out right now. I loved You and I, also really loved Tamon's B-Side, still need to check out journal of a witch. Shiboyugi I'm intrigued by but might retroactively become my favorite thing or something I really do not like depending on the whatever reveals we get in the weeks ahead. Also thought Tune Into the Midnight Heart was fun though I'm currently not putting it on the level of Polar Opposites and Tamon's B-Side.

I also hope people with Netflix check out Love through a Prism, I binged it and adored it to bits as well. Lili's faces were incredible.

And all of that isn't even including returning stuff like Frieren and Hell's Paradise.

Artsy7272026-01-17 08:40

i love al the sub + dub releases recently. might we one of the best years for anime folks.

runevault2026-01-17 08:44

Yeah decent number of dubs that seem good including Polar Opposites. The girl playing the FMC sounded like she had a blast recording that part.

EienGem2026-01-17 07:48

Idk about that but one thing for certain is that the EN VA's (especially Miyu's) bring so much life to the otherwise "plain" story for me.

Artsy7272026-01-17 08:39

the VAs are AMAZING

Scodo2026-01-17 08:10

Tbh I think the opening for the anime is actually better than the opening of the manga. It gives just a little buildup of the characters and their attitudes in a completely visual way that suggests the animators really cared and understood the source material.

enewssg2026-01-17 08:31

I think shiboyugi easily wins this title. One of my favourite first eps ever.

Artsy7272026-01-17 08:36

Im watching it rn, its shiboyugi vs sentenced to be a hero with polar opposites as an HM

Kracko6672026-01-17 08:53

I litterally just watched the first episode with no prior knowledge and holy shit i'm extremely surprised.

Usually i take a few episodes to get invested in the characters' main romance in romcoms but here i'm already totally invested in their relationship. I'm a sucker for romance with characters having atypical behaviour and being overall unpredictable and it fits the bill. Seeing a confession in the first episode was also very surprising and the handholding scene caught me as offguard as Suzuki haha

I finished watching Dangers in my heart a week ago and i was craving for more but unlike the former Polar Opposite actually has a super strong debut. Can't wait for more !!

MozartDaniel2026-01-17 18:40

That was exactly what I thought. The Dangers in my Heart is the best romance anime for me, but we all know the first episode can put many off. You and I Are Polar Opposites is, well, the exact opposite of that. It is, in my opinion, the best first episode of a romance anime I've ever seen.

Kracko6672026-01-17 20:52

So can we say that Dangers in my heart and You and I are polar opposites ARE polar opposites ?

MozartDaniel2026-01-17 21:25

Say that again.

Yep, that's exactly what I'm saying lmao. Not in terms of quality though. Not yet at least.

Artsy7272026-01-18 03:34

its truly peak, also is dangers in my heart s2 the last season? i watched season 1 like two years ago and didnt know there was a second season

Kracko6672026-01-18 05:49

It's the last season released yeah. Although there'll be a recap movie with brand new scenes releasing in a short time(and according to MAL these scenes will be post-season 2 timeline wise)

I think the manga is still ongoing so i hope we'll get a 3rd season

kasugakuuun2026-01-17 09:19

Suzuki's dub actress absolutely crushed it, I was dying at her inner monologue

*"Ohhhh don't do it- aahhh i did it ohgod I'mgonnapuke"*

Artsy7272026-01-18 01:02

I LOVED IT i just hated in the beginning the CONSTANT abbreviating, like doa af and whatnot... nobody actually says that..right?

HemaG332026-01-17 10:11

Does Fate Strange/Fake's intro episode count if it was released, like, 2 years ago lol

oops_i_made_a_typi2026-01-17 18:50

yeah its a weird one in this situation, but also top tier along with Shiboyugi and Polar Opposites.

Sentenced was top tier animation wise, but story/characters were a bit lacking until the very end of the ep

Cloudup3652026-01-17 10:40

I just found out about it in the past like 3 weeks and i started reading the manga as i thought i could speed read it and then be on time for the anime but i didnt get the time to speed read the manga so im still reading it (Im almost done) and then i think i will watch the anime. But the manga has been really amazing

Artsy7272026-01-18 00:51

you will LOVVEEEE the anime

Cloudup3652026-01-18 01:30

I hope so

ActualRound76992026-01-17 10:44

This is a tough one for me. I think a lot of shows this season have great openers. The issue for me is that this season is absolutely stacked with interesting titles. I wound up following 32 shows this season because I found so many interesting titles.

As far as romance goes, Polar Opposites is amazing so far because it eliminates a common complaint I see with romance “I wAnT aN aCtUaL cOnFeSsIoN” well…here ya go…first episode 😂. The manga is really cute and I am very excited to watch the show unfold. If I had to pick maybe six titles I think that will stand out this season, I think they’ll be:

* Shiboyugi
* Sentenced to Be a Hero
* Journal the Witch
* Holy Grail of Eris
* You and I Are Polar Opposites
* Frieren

And honorable mention to:

* Darwin Incident
* Champignon Witch
* Wash It All Away
* Jujutsu Kaisen
* Hell’s Paradise

Kuramhan2026-01-17 14:21

The first I've heard of Holy Grail of Eris. I really enjoy the other five on your list, though. What makes Holy Grail on par with them?

ActualRound76992026-01-17 16:07

Seems like it’s gonna be a good Supernatural revenge story

Artsy7272026-01-18 00:50

i wish hells paradise s2 released wth dubs... i loved s1

wanakoworks2026-01-17 10:53

I just finished reading the manga and I thought it was absolutely beautiful. I was very pleased with the first episode and look forward to the rest of it.

Artsy7272026-01-18 00:49

me too!!!!! i loove all the positive opinions

Zado1912026-01-17 12:31

It was alright. I find the main girl a bit annoying bc her design is a little goofy, and the guy is a non character right now. But we did pass the whole 10 episodes of blue balling trope that used to plague these types of shows so that's nice

Definitely worth turning on another episode at least

Artsy7272026-01-18 00:48

interesting opinion! i loved her character design, but to each their own. and remember this is the first episode we will for sure see them develop!

BiskyBreb-07112026-01-17 12:39

I think what really makes it work is how this anime takes typical romance clichès with its character tropes, same for the formula but they dial it up with slapstick comedy that aligns well with Suzuki's inner-monologues and her being a awkward teen here helps trail it onto subversion while also embracing how the story is clichè, therefore it further transforms the narrative later on when the confession comes in, which also trails onto subversion yet leaves itself open-ended for further development.

But to put it more straight-forwardly I definitely think the very "awkward teen romance" story going on here feels classical as always, so it's no wonder its easily hitting off with us but it also feels very la Gen Z because it utilizes that to invite relatability. In other words this anime is a work of genius that is being carefully executed by how episodically the story is structured and the voice acting and visuals help elevate that further as well by giving us a memorable first episode!

ChampionshipIll61712026-01-17 12:50

Totally agree. The first episode did an amazing job setting the tone and chemistry without rushing it. The contrast between the leads feels natural instead of forced, which is rare for romance premieres lately

Artsy7272026-01-18 00:47

really hoping the other eps live up to the standards of the first

ChampionshipIll61712026-01-17 12:54

Agreed. The first episode nailed the character dynamics and pacing. It feels natural and grounded compared to a lot of romance premieres lately. Really strong first impression

Mons90902026-01-17 13:21

I agree tbh. Watching that first episode made me feel like I should just speak my mind instead of overthinking the whole thing

Artsy7272026-01-18 00:47

agreed

Secure_Extreme21752026-01-17 14:16

Chamignon witch is also great so far if you haven't watched it yet!

Artsy7272026-01-18 00:46

ill check it out

Dustyprune2026-01-17 15:50

I kinda felt the opposite, i loved the manga. The quality of the anime is fantastic however, I don't really feel like the pilot episode translated very well from manga to anime.

Hopefully with time that will change though :)

Artsy7272026-01-18 00:41

im hearing that its a 100% adaptation, but i dont read the manga, so i dont know lol.

Throwaway7853202026-01-17 17:00

One of the best first episodes in romance imo

Artsy7272026-01-18 00:39

i liked tonikawa's first episode a LOT

FelixAndCo2026-01-17 17:39

So, I watched it after this post. Pretty good episode, but the factors that made it stand out IMHO were that there was a character arc with a resolution. You don't often see that in the first episode. That they could pull that off instills confidence in the writing of what will follow, but it doesn't convince me 100%. Got to admit I was biased; was going to skip this show, because of the generic title and seemingly cliché pairing. Really liked the characterization of the MC with her flaws though, so maybe I'll keep watching.

Artsy7272026-01-18 00:39

exactly i was gunna skip it lol but since theres only 1 ep rn i decided to give it a try, im lovin it and i cant wait to see the relationship grow

littlecolt2026-01-17 18:52

I am a Polar Opposites manga reader, so I am biased, but it is absolutely one of the best shonen romance manga. The adaptation is truly a 10/10 effort, too. I couldn't be happier!

Artsy7272026-01-18 00:38

the adaptation is amazing

Minnymoon132026-01-17 21:18

It was sooo cute

Artsy7272026-01-18 00:35

it really was :>

TonyBarrios2026-01-18 01:00

"Sentenced To Be A Hero destroys the chat just to please the Goddess Of Swords"

Artsy7272026-01-18 01:03

goddess of the swords? it doesnt pop up on anilist

Throwaway7853202026-01-18 03:59

Dunno if sentenced to be a hero and death games count since they have double to runtime of a normal episode

If polar opposites had that much run time too then yeah I can see the comparisons but this being only 23 mins and being this good should be in consideration

Artsy7272026-01-18 04:06

lmao sentence has like triple the runtime its crazy, but i would still count them, if thats what they need to make you come back thats what they gotta do. but yeah, its an unfair comparison, yet i actually think polar was better than shiboyugi's first episode.

NocandNC2026-01-18 05:23

My favourite of the season to be sure

MastermindAggie2026-01-19 00:12

I have not felt this surge of excitement from an anime since I watched Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro and My Love Story!!, so I’m really excited to see how this goes.

izacktorres2026-01-19 01:42

Does it? I was only able to watch half of the first episode before dropping it. Nothing about it seemed unique or interesting (might sound silly since i only watched half of the episode but Im getting really fatigued about highschool romance animes). Should i still give it a try?

Artsy7272026-01-19 01:50

yes finish the episode 😭 its one of the greatest first episodes this season

izacktorres2026-01-19 01:55

Ill try to at least finish the first episode, i doubt it will be able to escape my "highschool romances" fatigue but we'll see. Thanks for the reply.

Artsy7272026-01-19 02:22

'course, i'll believe it'll exceed your expectations

ehe_tte_nandayo2026-01-19 13:03

Thanks for this, I went to check out the episode after reading this post and thoroughly enjoyed it. If anything, the characters and their interactions were really heartfelt.

Artsy7272026-01-19 22:50

YAYYY im glad i actually made somebody watch it!!!! IM GLAD YOU LIKED IT!

Objective-Aardvark192026-01-21 23:52

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