Growing Words — Recovering After “Recovery of an MMO Junkie”

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See, that’s what the app is perfect for.

Sounds perfect Wahhhh, I don’t wanna

Recovering After “Recovery of an MMO Junkie”

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Originally posted by loserwhowatchesanime

I was somewhat late to video games, but I did take part in a text-based RPG online back in the day.  I made some wonderful friends, and even met my first boyfriend through it.  Overall, it was an incredibly formative experience for me.  Later, I would bond with another boyfriend (who I would later marry) through an MMORPG - World of Warcraft.  He played more often than I did, but it was something fun to do together.  

These experiences made me sympathetic to the premise of this season’s hit romantic comedy, “Recovery of an MMO Junkie.”  A young man and woman bond through a video game and begin to develop feelings for one another.  At first, neither knows the other IRL, but things begin to change, and the real world and game start to overlap!

 I couldn’t help but think of “You’ve Got Mail” as I watched it, and yet it was a lot more enjoyable than that film.  The characters were refreshing.  Morioka, the 30-year old introverted NEET, was easy to relate to.  I used to struggle with body image and overall confidence when I was younger.   The slightly more outgoing Sakurai deals with his own anxieties.  Thankfully, it’s a short anime, so the pacing felt right.  However, if it weren’t for their mutual friend Koiwai and his (sometimes over the top) antics, I wonder if they would have ever come together on their own.  

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Originally posted by saki-yama-hime

Through all the ups, downs, and will-they-won’t-they moments, the story explores the intersection of games with friendship and romance.  Gaming itself is never shown in a negative light.  Morioka’s journey is not really one of recovery from gaming.  Rather, she is learning how to connect with people outside of the virtual realm - a place she turned after what I suspect was an anxiety attack at her former corporate job.  The friendships she makes in the guild are supportive and try to help her find a balance.  She does not stop gaming, but she learns that she is capable, and even deserving, of relationships both in and out of that world.

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Originally posted by saki-yama-hime

One aspect I found both impressive and timely (though subtle) is the exploration of gender fluidity. Morioka and Sakurai play the opposite gender on the game and, in doing so, get in touch with their respective masculine and feminine sides.  They flirt in game as if they were that gender, and Sakurai enjoys dressing his avatar, Lily, in the most stereotypical cute, feminine styles and colors.  

The series ended on Friday.  I’m going to miss watching these adorable nerds fumble over the initial hurdles to their relationship.   It was such a fun show, and, again, personally relatable.  I cannot wait until the OVA comes out on the 15th.  Thank you for that, Crunchy Roll!

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