Anime
‘My Clueless First Friend’ is an important show on bullying
‘My Clueless First Friend’ is an important new anime series about bullying and how it impacts the victim’s own perception of themselves.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, it’s estimated “64% of students who are bullied do not report it.” (Petrosina, Guckenburg, Devoe and Hanson 2010).
This show is vital watching to parents unaware that their children might be shielding them from the truth of their school life at the dinner table.
This editorial contains spoilers for My Clueless First Friend Episode 1 currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
In My Clueless First Friend, girl Akane Nishimura has fully internalized “The Grim Reaper” nickname other students mockingly call her.
With the moniker comes social exclusion, ongoing rumors, insults & lies about Nishimura’s character… And an ocean high tidal wave of students joining in to be socially accepted at her expense.
According to Very Well Family, “19 percent of bullied students say that being bullied has had a negative effect on how they feel about themselves.”
When a transfer student by the name of Taiyō Takada becomes infatuated with Nishimura’s ‘grim reaper’ nickname in a positive way, she pushes back at first. Warning Takada to stay away from her or others will start rumors about him too. Essentially, tying the nickname to her own self worth.
Worse Nishimura tells Takada she is called the name because of the way her eyes look and general appearance… And that it doesn’t have much of anything to do with something she does. Meaning Nishimura is self aware she is being discriminated against for looking different.
According to Education Corner, “90% of students in grades 4-8 report having been harassed or bullied”.
Nishimura implores Takada constantly to join the popular kids and not sink his popularity with her around. Really going to show how much work after the fact it takes to undo the damage bullying creates on a child.
My Clueless First Friend – ©Taku Kawamura-SQUARE ENIX,GUIGUI Production Committee
Takada’s kindness toward Nishimura throughout the first episode makes her realize how lonely she’d really been all along. For some time, Nishimura had been lying to her father that she’d made friends in school.
When it finally comes true, she’s unable to reconcile the fact of a real friend. Steering Takada away for his ‘own good’. Showing Nishimura’s rock bottom self esteem.
The slow, gradual change in Nishimura’s behavior from something as simple as a held hand, shows all it takes is one person to show genuine, gentle kindness.
– The ‘My Clueless First Friend‘ English Dub began streaming on Crunchyroll on April 16, 2023.
We’ll be watching how this dubbed anime series develops closely this Spring Simulcast season and recommend you do the same.
-‘My Clueless First Friend’ Episode 1 is entitled “The Grim Reaper and the Transfer Student”.
‘My Clueless First Friend’ Dub Cast – Principle Voice Actors
Molly Zhang as (Akane) Nishimura
Madeleine Morris as Taiyō Takada
Alex Hom as Akane’s Father
Dani Chambers as Umi
Lindsay Sheppard as Kasahara
Belsheber Rusape as Hino
Morgan Lea as Yamamoto
Kyle Ignecz as Kitagawa
Michelle Rojas as Kurokawa
Rachel Thompson as Moriguchi
Naya Moreno as Yanagieda
Alex Mai as Tanaka
Confirmed Additional VAs: Drew Breedlove, Celeste Perez, Paul Cline (also a crew member), Comona Lewin, Ciarán Strange, KyLeigh Zimmerer, Bev Mageto, and Morgan Lauré.
Principle English Dub Crew:
ADR Director: Helena Walstrom
ADR Script Writer: Macy Anne Johnson
Script Supervisor: Katelyn Barr
Assistant ADR Director: Kevin Thelwell
Assistant ADR Engineer: Paul Cline (also providing additional voices)
Lead ADR Engineer: Jaman Roberson
ADR Prep: Christian Thorsen
‘My Clueless First Friend‘ is made by Studio Signpost.
My Clueless First Friend: Plot Synopsis and Trailer
My Clueless First Friend – ©Taku Kawamura-SQUARE ENIX,GUIGUI Production Committee
“Takada-kun, the new kid at school, has no idea that everyone in the class calls his classmate, Nishimura-san, the “Grim Reaper.” His only thoughts are about what a cool nickname it is.
Nishimura-san is relentlessly teased while her classmates snicker behind her back, and Takada-kun is oblivious to the whole situation. Nothing beats being clueless and honest, and
that’s why his feelings reach right to her heart.
This story that starts in an elementary school classroom will make anyone remember those days by reaching right to their hearts.”
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