While I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince may be the most unconventional anime of Spring 2024, A Condition Called Love stands out for its problematic portrayal of romance and toxic relationships.
The Spring 2024 anime season is in full swing, and while fans eagerly await the premieres of heavy hitters like Demon Slayer and Mushoku Tensei, a new series has already sparked discussions about its portrayal of romance.
A Condition Called Love, based on the manga of the same name, aired its first episode and introduced viewers to the story of Hotaru Hinase, a 16-year-old girl with little experience in love. However, as the episode unfolded, concerns arose about the show’s depiction of a budding relationship that seems to romanticize toxic love.
Hotaru, despite being loved by her friends and family, has never found herself in a romantic relationship. One day, while out with her friend Kyo, she witnesses a popular student named Saki Hananoi being dumped by his girlfriend.
Moved by the sight of Saki sitting alone in the rain, Hotaru offers him her umbrella as a gesture of kindness. The next day, Saki surprises Hotaru by proposing to her in front of their classmates, asking her to be his girlfriend.
Initially, Hotaru declines Saki’s proposal, expressing doubts about her ability to love someone. However, Saki refuses to accept her answer and begins a persistent pursuit to win her affection. He cuts his long hair short after learning that Hotaru prefers shorter hairstyles and even spends an entire snowy night searching the school grounds for her lost hairpin.
Impressed by Saki’s dedication and the lengths he goes to for the person he loves, Hotaru eventually agrees to date him.
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How ‘A Condition Called Love’ Romanticizes Toxic Love?
While these grand gestures might seem romantic at first glance, it’s important to look at the messages they send. The fast pace of Hotaru and Saki’s relationship hints that strong emotional bonds can form based on surface-level actions instead of real connection and understanding.
Saki’s obsessive behavior, like asking Hotaru out right after his breakup and pushing her to say yes, sets a bad example for what love and devotion should be.
The show’s focus on Saki’s constant chase, even though Hotaru said no at first, supports the bad idea that “no” is just a challenge to overcome, not a clear boundary to respect. This pushes a toxic situation where one partner’s discomfort is ignored in favor of the other’s non-stop pursuit. Showing this can make manipulative and emotionally abusive behaviors seem normal or even romantic.
Hopefully going forward, Saki’s personality will become less obsessive and we will get to see a great character development for him. In case you would like to watch the series, Crunchyroll is simulcasting A Condition Called Love. The series will have a total of 12 episodes.