Going into Scum’s Wish, I knew what I was getting into. Provocative stuff. Selfish relationships. Sex scenes that are graphic but, let’s be real, also kind of realistic. I was mostly curious, honestly. How far would they go? Would it just crash and burn?
Scum’s Wish: A Unique Take on Love and Desire (Review)
Turns out, it surprised me. The darkness wasn’t just there for shock value. It actually meant something. It shaped the messed-up relationships and, somehow, helped untangle them. The show flips the whole “love is good” romance trope on its head and explores how personal growth changes how we love. Hanabi and Mugi are the perfect example. They both want what they can’t have, so they cling to each other for comfort. As things progress, they start to figure out what they really want, how to deal with being lonely, and what love actually means to them. Hanabi’s especially interesting because she’s so clueless about love and herself. The pain of unrequited feelings ends up being the kick she needs to grow.
But, yeah, the show definitely has its issues. Sometimes, it feels like it wallows in the darkness a little too much. Akane and Sanae are the biggest examples. They’re both crucial for Hanabi‘s development, but damn, their actions can be a lot. Sanae’s arc, for example, makes you think about how people “use” each other. Her initial behavior is just…ugh. She gets better, and her strength in the face of rejection is actually impressive, but they could’ve dialed her down a bit and still gotten the same result. Akane’s just as unrestrained, though people tend to blame Narumi more than her. The fact that Akane and Sanae get people talking proves the show’s point, though. They’re both provocative, but they both grow in ways you don’t usually see in anime. Even Moka’s arc, which I wasn’t expecting much from, ended up being a favorite because of how much she learned about herself.
Scum’s Wish isn’t the best romance anime ever, but it gives you a different look at love – how messy and irrational it can be. Not every crush is a fairytale like Ore Monogatari, and not every fight is easy to fix. Sadness and pain are part of the deal because someone always gets hurt. It’s refreshing to see a show that isn’t afraid to go there. I was skeptical at first, but Scum’s Wish won me over. It gave me a lot to think about, even if I was wrong about some things along the way. It was a wild ride, and I’m hoping we get more anime like this in the future.
Last Updated on February 5, 2025 by Yu Alexius
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