Kowloon Generic Romance – Anime Review & Episode Guide

In Hong Kong, there's a place called Kowloon Walled City. Thousands of people live in this tiny neighbourhood, all packed super close together. You'll find old apartment buildings and local shops, stacked side by side. Around the 1990s, the government planned to tear down the entire area. Many residents stay behind anyway, even though they know their time is basically up. Most of them predict this might be one of their last years in Kowloon before they're forced out of their homes.

Reiko Kujirai is 32 and living on her own in Kowloon Walled City. She works at Wong Loi Realty Company, a small real estate firm in Hong Kong. The Kowloon branch has a small team consisting of Reiko, her boss, and a guy named Kudo. Hajime Kudo is 34 and moved over from Japan for the job. He's a pretty relaxed guy who doesn't take things too seriously. Since Kudo and Reiko are both single, they spend a lot of time together. These two are always side by side, whether they're working, smoking, grabbing a meal, or just hanging out after they clock out for the day.

Reiko is secretly crushing on Kudo. They have great chemistry, but she can't tell if he feels the same way. Kudo acts like a straight shooter, but he's actually hard to figure out. One minute, he feels so close to her. Then, out of nowhere, he pulls back and gets all guarded. Reiko is confused by his mixed signals and has no idea where she stands with him. They recently grabbed a meal at a restaurant where the waiter, Gwen, addressed her as his girlfriend. Kudo didn't try to correct him. Reiko was left flustered and confused by their relationship status.

Kowloon Walled City is the home to Generic Terra, a unique system designed by Hebinuma Pharmaceutical. This advanced technology can back up your memories! The database floats in the sky, hovering above the neighbourhood. It looks bizarre, but most residents barely notice it anymore. Miyuki Hebinuma is the President of Hebinuma Pharmaceutical. He took over his father's business and has been growing it fast. Miyuki wants to open beauty centres across Hong Kong, including one in Kowloon. He contacts Reiko and Kudo for help with the newest location.

One day, Reiko is caught off guard when Kudo suddenly kisses her! But then, he goes right back to acting like nothing happened. Reiko spends the rest of her day in a daze until she finds an old photo in his desk. She's shocked to see an image of Kudo with a woman who looks exactly like her. Reiko's friend, Yaomay, wants her to investigate this mystery lookalike. After asking around, Gwen the waiter drops a bombshell: Kudo was engaged to that woman in the picture. Reiko is left more confused than ever. Why was Kudo in a relationship with Reiko's doppelganger?

Kowloon Generic Romance is a complex story that works best when you don't know much about it. Don't read the summary. Don't browse Wikipedia. Just hit play and watch it without a clue. The fun comes from getting lost in the plot twists and slowly figuring out the mystery on your own. Yeah, you'll be confused. And yeah, the anime is a total mindfuck, but that's what makes it so compelling. The series is great at piquing your curiosity. You'll think, "What the hell is going on!?" and immediately start the next episode.

Kowloon Generic Romance has similar vibes to Alice in Wonderland. The main character is stuck in a bizarro world, where she discovers a second version of herself exists. Whoa, twin alert! As Reiko digs deeper, her journey feels like wandering through a maze. Just when she gets close to the truth? She finds a new layer to the mystery! As a viewer, I understood most of the story. Only a few details were too tricky, so I looked up some online explanations after the series. Those Reddit threads helped clear things up, but I never felt totally lost. Even if the plot was strange and complicated, I could still follow along.

The story takes place in Kowloon Walled City, a historical neighbourhood in Hong Kong with a unique layout. It's old-fashioned, but in a cool 90s retro way. Outside, the buildings are rusty and crowded, with worn-out signs hanging overhead. Inside, you'll see antique furniture and little nostalgic details from a past era. I adore this vintage aesthetic, which sets it apart from other modern anime. The series also has a dreamy quality. The visuals are soft and hazy, like viewing a half-remembered memory. Even the rough parts of the city look strangely pretty because of the lighting.

This anime focuses mostly on the straight couple, so they get the bulk of the romantic scenes. Reiko likes Kudo, but he keeps sending her mixed signals. After a few episodes of their ambiguous relationship, they just don't feel right for each other. Honestly, Reiko seems way more at ease around Yaomay. The chemistry between these two women is so much stronger. Even though they're written as only platonic friends, that hasn't stopped me from rooting for a non-canon GL pairing. C'mon, Reiko! Ditch that boring man and give us Kowloon Lesbian Romance instead!

Episodes 6 and 7 have a few scenes dedicated to the BL romance. It's nice to see the couple flirt, kiss, and even have sex. Besides the physical intimacy, I don't find Miyuki & Gwen's relationship that interesting. They're just hooking up. It's not that deep. Compared to the straight pair, the BL subplot feels too basic. Reiko and Kudo have a complex story arc with more meaningful moments. That said, I like Miyuki's unique background as an intersex character. I wish the series had explored the topic more deeply instead of the weird revenge subplot involving Miyuki’s father.

Kowloon Generic Romance starts strongly. I was interested in Reiko's journey and eager to solve the mystery of her copycat's identity. As the story goes on, the later episodes get a bit boring. Most of the big twists happen early, so the series is less interesting near the end. Instead of wasting time with the dull filler scenes, I just want Reiko to talk to Kudo and interrogate him already! While the finale delivers many answers, I've run out of patience by then. Overall, Kowloon Generic Romance is still unique and intriguing, but it loses momentum in the final stretch.