Understanding Minare’s Character in “Wave, Listen to Me!”

Halfway through this anime it keeps getting out of control yet it all comes full circle when you know who’s making things up.

From the ramblings, to the many assumptions, and even the struggles of a grown-up. For those who actually watched the show, it’s already obvious. Who is it you ask? It’s Minare Koda herself! Don’t get me? I think you’re watching a different anime.

I could listen to her show all day.

When the season started few people gave it a chance with how loud and brash she is. Emphasis on the loud there. Her voice is the reason she landed a job of being an amateur radio personality from her waitress stint at a curry restaurant. Hell, we even get a glimpse of how she got the job by being drunk in front of Mato, the man who handles the radio station. Props to the voice actress and this is her second main role so far. Do you think another adult female character would be the main lead in a different show? Maybe, but not as lively as her. And I’m here like: that’s who she is.

Minare tends to think a lot of things in her head satisfying her line of thought. All of that is done in a flip of a switch and she’s always too forward for some characters in the show. Some of these led to a lot of accidents along the way. Despite the fact the she is held accountable for some, Minare is willing to be a better person with all of the ruckus.

Another aspect to note is how she handles various situations.

If she’s alone, she would watch a B-grade horror movie while eating a bowl of cereal after losing her job at the restaurant. This hits different for those who’ve been through it. And Nakahara, the guy who works in the curry restaurant with her, is the one who’s been with her for so long. He witnessed her being fired, saw her break down at the park at night, and outright said he wanted to have a curry restaurant on his own with her. Her response? She brushed it off like it was nothing and she has her new job at radio. What comes next would test her patience.

Another woman comes in. This is due to an accident involving the restaurant’s manager leaving Nakahara all by himself. Minare suddenly handles two jobs at once. She teaches the woman named Tachibana her kitchen skills. Tachibana turns out to be a natural and is willing to be a regular employee. The moment Minare is about to have her radio debut, she assumed Nakahara would do things to Tachibana as he offered her a chance to stay at his home.

At this point most of you thought they did it. Well, they didn’t. The anime shows it to the viewer what actually happened and it further points out the flaw of Minare’s personality. I’m not saying that having a flaw is bad but it is what makes them who they are.

Same gurl, same.

It’s also entertaining to see her presence among other characters. When Mizuho (pictured above) is in the picture, Minare at times teases of wanting to make love to her unconditionally and I don’t mind. Mizuho didn’t interact with many people and seeing her slowly accepting her odd behavior is such a sight to see. Compared to the radio station’s regulars, Mato made a good decision there because she has a striking demeanor.

As of this writing the series didn’t discuss further details about the radio station and other technicalities. Yet, that didn’t drew me in. Minare did. Adding to the fact there is cast of adult characters which, in itself, is a rarity.

Having adult characters in anime is hard to pull off. But if a series knows what they’re doing, then this should be how one does it.

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