Hi, nice to meet you again. How are you? With that one job that has been like that one recurring theme from last year finally settled this year, I am feeling really perked up. My publishing drought is resolved, I think, hopefully. I never thought that I could publish blog posts for Love Live Superstar season 2 and 3, Black Bullet opening theme song, my story on how I started getting anime merch, and Chuunibyou season 1's opening theme song. Well, that is quite a lot in March. Don't expect me to do that every month, though. Well, you see that when I could only come out with this weekly post in between this post and the posts that I published last March.

That moment...when he confesses...

Anyway, back to the topic. After watching it, I have been thinking about this anime for quite a while. It really made me wanna write about the anime's second season opening theme song. I decided against it because I haven't talked about the anime itself. SO...time for Boku no Kokora ga Yabai Yatsu! Oh yes, that means I'm gonna talk about that opening song when the time comes.

WARNING:-

SPOILER ALERT! This post is very likely to contain spoilers for this anime. So, if you are planning to watch the anime without any spoilers, you can either continue to read this post or move on and watch the anime.

P.S. If you want to be spoiled, well, go ahead and read it. You HAD been warned. Don't blame me for it if you INSIST on continuing to read this post.

Introduction

Season 1

The series Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu (僕の心のヤバイやつ), or in English, The Dangers in My Heart, started as a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Norio Sakurai. Oh, it's also known by its short form, BokuYaba (僕ヤバ).

Manga cover

Anyway, the manga started serialization in Weekly Shōnen Champion in March 2018 and was moved to Champion Cross, before being moved again to Manga Cross. It has been published in 11 tankōbon volumes. As for the anime television series adaptation, its first season aired from April to June 2023, while its second season aired from January to March 2024. Both of them are produced by Shin-Ei Animation. The series has a short spin-off original net animation (ONA), released in December 2023.

Season 2

Plot

Kyotaro...

The story started out...well, it was pretty cringe for me. The story talks about a young middle schooler, Ichikawa Kyotaro. He is a disgruntled loner student who is often seen reading a murder encyclopedia and learning about human anatomy. He fantasises about murdering his classmates, especially Yamada Anna, who is popular and beautiful in school and in class.

That moment that started everything

As he was hanging out alone in the library, he saw Anna's rather quirky side. He saw her eating sweets and snacks in the library—not just once but so many times that I couldn't remember. Because of this, he got to interact with Anna, get to know her personally, warms up to her, and then befriends her. Eventually, they fall in love. That's it. Too short? OK, let me go deeper into this, shall we?

What a horror fantasy

The story is pretty simple in its premise. It starts with Ichikawa Kyotaro, a middle schooler consumed by cynical thoughts and a morbid fascination with his popular classmate, Anna Yamada. His internal monologues, filled with violent fantasies and a detached observation of his peers, paint a picture of a protagonist teetering on the edge. It's a setup that feels almost like a psychological thriller, playing on the trope of the brooding, potentially dangerous loner. Gotta thank Gemini for this. But for real, the initial story almost left me uninterested and teetering on the edge of quitting this anime.

Pretty girl Anna

However, just as I had said (and also Gemini), the series quickly subverts these expectations. Because Anna consistently comes into the library to eat her sweets and snacks to avoid discomfort for her best friend, he starts to interact with her and slowly but surely moves away from all those yabai/dangerous thoughts. The word "Yabai" in Japanese can mean positively maddening, but in this case, it's actually dangerously maddening.

Yamada...such a sweetheart

Anyway, Anna's charm, eccentricity, and genuine kindness to Kyotaro (not knowing about his dangerous thoughts) start to break down his facade of darkness. He begins to want to understand her more profoundly, contributing to the gradual, almost imperceptible shift in tone from a potentially disturbing premise to a heartwarming slice-of-life romance. This change also allowed Kyotaro to build a genuine connection with someone and eventually fall in love with her.

That moment during the weekends...

There are so many little moments that moved Kyotaro away from his fantasies, his world, his facade and horrific thoughts. Their shared lunches in the library, awkward encounters in the hallways, and witnessing Anna’s carefree personality...They all contribute to the shift in the series' tone away from the gloomy and scary tone. Grok, Gemini and I all agreed. Well, I think Chatgpt agreed with this, but indirectly. Anyway, of course, that change in Kyotaro's world comes with the struggles that he has to overcome.

That moment...

Kyotaro's initial gloomy and dark internal monologues and thoughts slowly disappeared and were replaced with his observations about Anna's quirks, causing confusion, which caused him to question his own cynical worldview. The tension and struggles in his mind and thoughts are evident throughout the whole series. The more he hangs out with her, the more he gets to know her deeper. For example, when he saw Anna during work, he started to understand that the work behind all that glamour was as a model. He also changed his mind about her, from just seeing her as that popular model with a radiant smile and a personality that feels miles out of reach to a goofy, snack-obsessed, and refreshingly relatable female classmate.

That moment when Kyotaro hugs her

Kyotaro's journey also shifts from a detached observer to someone capable of genuine empathy and affection. The series masterfully portrays his internal struggle, as he grapples with the realisation that his initial assumptions about Anna and about himself were entirely wrong. He saw that relatable vulnerability, a quiet loneliness in her multiple, like when she was crying about having to her modelling job because her nose was broken and when she was upset that he was suddenly shunning her, thinking that she had done something to upset him.

Takoyaki time together!

Her genuine affection for Kyotaro, insistence on spending time with him, and subtle expressions of happiness when he’s around him become a beacon of warmth in a story that initially seemed so cold and dark. This anime, BokuYaba, is a GREAT testament to the power of human connection. The breaking down of one's preconceived notions, challenging one’s own dark thoughts, and finding unexpected warmth are the major themes of this anime. Just as ChatGPT said:

BokuYaba is more than a school romance. It’s a coming-of-age story told from the margins, capturing the raw, often hilarious, and deeply moving process of emotional awakening. Through Ichikawa’s perspective, we watch a boy learn what it means to love—not through grand gestures, but through the slow, vulnerable work of growing close to someone who truly sees you.

I agree. I believe in good, genuine human interaction. It can change even the most cynical of personnel and allow true connections to others to blossom. This is why I love this anime. It is truly a story of how gentle and endearing characters can change even the darkest of hearts. Well, there are exceptions in real life, but can't we JUST enjoy the fact that this anime turned from darkness into a gentle, endearing romance anime?! Anyway, let's move on.

That moment after the sports event...

Anime Rating

Season 1

Story (Rating: 10/10)

I initially thought that it would be a normal slice of life, but sometimes cringeworthy anime. But man, it really caught my attention as the main characters' relationship (namely Anna and Kyotaro) gets closer and closer. What a story plot! It's also easy to understand, easy to relate to, and great for enjoyment. The pacing of the story is quite decent for a story like this; it's not rushed.

Interesting moment between Kyotaro and Anna

Art and Animation (Rating: 10/10)

The anime has great art and great animations, with great consistency. The anime is just beautiful to behold. What more could I say?

What a scene...

Sound and Music (Rating: 9/10)

I like the opening song and the ending song. They are both beautiful. Even though I love the opening song in the second season better, I can't deny that they are good, too.

Opening sequence for season 1

Characters (Rating: 10/10)

Man, oh, man, Kyotaro's growth journey as a young boy is just good to watch. From a cringy, chuuni boy to a slightly more approachable boy, he has made that transition slowly and steadily, like most people when they have the determination to change. This male MC is truly unique and one-of-a-kind. Nobody can match...I think. Falling in love through hanging out and getting to know each other is really an experience that I would love to have. Anna is so cute, kind-hearted, and so sweet that you can't help but love her.

Anna's blushing moments

Enjoyment (Rating: 10/10)

Well, well, I enjoyed it despite the multiple cringeworthy moments of Kyotaro's thoughts. As I continue to watch the series, I start to like it and enjoy it more and more. What more could I say?

What a moment...hand holding. Lewd.

Overall Rating: 9.8 (9.75)/10