Tada Never Falls in Love

Plot

The story follows Mitsuyoshi Tada, a boy who has never known love. He is taking pictures of the cherry blossoms in full bloom when he meets Teresa Wagner, a transfer student from Larsenburg (ラルセンブルク, Rarusenburuku) which can be assumed means Luxembourg, a European country. She got separated from her travel companion upon arriving in Japan. Tada helps her and brings her to his grandfather's coffee shop. Teresa's travel companion and bodyguard Alec arrives and beats up Kaoru mistakenly thinking Kaoru was flirting with Teresa. They discover the hotel they're supposed to be staying at is actually next to Tada's cafe. The next day, they enroll in Tada's school and are in the same class. Alec agrees on joining the Photography Club on Teresa's request she wants to learn to take great pictures. Mitsuyoshi is actually an aspiring photographer and wants to follow his father's footsteps to be a famous photographer. Mitsuyoshi lost his parents in a car accident during his childhood. The one last photo his father took and his camera were the only things he has left from his parents. The story focuses on the adventures of Tada and his friends and their building relationships.

Characters

Mitsuyoshi Tada (多田 光良, Tada Mitsuyoshi)

Voiced by: Yūichi Nakamura (Japanese); Jessie James Grelle (English)

The main character, Mitsuyoshi is a second-year student at Koinosei High School attached to Ginga University. He is good at photography and belongs to the photography department. His parents died in a car accident ten years ago. Mitsuyoshi and his sister Yui live with their grandfather, helping him at Tada Coffee Shop. He aims to become a famous photographer like his father. Mitsuyoshi is loved by others due to her quiet, yet sincere and attentive personality.

Teresa Wagner (テレサ・ワーグナー, Teresa Wāgunā) / Teresa de Luxemburg (テレサ・ドゥ・ラルセンブルク, Teresa do Rarusenburuku)

Voiced by: Manaka Iwami (Japanese); Sarah Wiedenheft (English)

The Princess of Luxembourg and the heir to the Queen's throne, Teresa came overseas to Japan as an exchange student and has an encounter with Mitsuyoshi while traveling and ends up in his school. Energetic and an airhead with a heartwarming smile, she is an avid fan of the fictional TV series Rainbow Shogun. Teresa lives in Grand Palace Ginza, a hotel next to Mitsuyoshi's Cafe with her bodyguard Alec. In Japan, no one knows about her being the heir. During her introduction to the Tada family, she slipped a syllable uttering her name as "Teresa du-" before correcting herself and saying "Teresa Wagner". As a member of the royal family, Tereza is realistic in her expectations and does not show any arrogance.

Alexandra Magritte (アレクサンドラ・マグリット, Arekusandora Maguritto)

Voiced by: Shino Shimoji (Japanese); Avery Smithhart (English)

Nicknamed "Alec", Alexandra is Teresa's caretaker, assistant, and bodyguard who also attends school along with Teresa and has been with her since childhood. She is over-protective of Teresa regarding the activities she does and the people she interacts with. However, Alec has a weakness when Teresa asks her for something. She is constantly on guard with Kaoru for his flirtatious ways of interacting with her.

Production and development

The 13-episode original anime television series by Doga Kobo aired from April 5 to June 28, 2018. The series is directed by Mitsue Yamazaki, with series composition by Yoshiko Nakamura, character designs by Junichiro Taniguchi and music by Yukari Hashimoto. The opening theme is "Otomodachi Film" (オトモダチフィルム, Otomodachi Firumu) performed by Masayoshi Ōishi, and the ending theme is a cover of the Sambomaster song "Love Song" (ラブソング, Rabu Songu) performed by Manaka Iwami as her character Teresa Wagner. Sentai Filmworks has licensed the series and streamed it on Hidive outside of Asia while Muse Communication licensed it in South and Southeast Asia as well as Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Other media

A novel adaptation titled Tada-kun wa Koi o Shinai: Teresa Wagner no Jijō (多田くんは恋をしない テレサ・ワーグナーの事情, Tada-kun wa Koi o Shinai Teresa Wāgunā no Jijō; lit. 'Tada Never Falls in Love: Teresa Wagner's Circumstances') was published by Kadokawa under its Kadokawa Beans Bunko imprint on June 1, 2018, Tadako Nakamura as its author, Junichiro Taniguchi as the cover illustrator and Eri Kagami as the text illustrator.

Reception

The first three episodes of the anime received generally positive reviews by various critics.

Rose Bridges from Anime News Network wrote the anime "grabbed her" from its first moments stating that "It was a show you could really root for". She praise the first episodes by tackling how tourist interact with their "idolized place" versus how locals see them. Her review of the second episode in the other hand is quite mixed noting that the episode introduces a bunch of new characters "who are all fairly unmemorable anime archetypes". She called the third episode "show's best episode yet" saying that it "turned things around" after the last episode, noting that "Nyako Big" is the "best character" in the show and "Not everyone's going to be as much of a cat lover coming into this show, but it's admirable to see Tada Never Falls in Love take risks like this. That attitude could be key to the show's success as a memorable comedy." She ended Tada Never Falls in Love is "always has a bright and peppy feel" and "always a visual marvel" but noting that "The character and gag writing needs to catch up."

Dee from Anime Feminist wrote that anime is a "puzzle" saying that the "charming comedic and character beats periodically interrupted by broad slapstick and tropey anime cliches". She heavily criticize the second episode pointing out that it features "obnoxiously horny teen dudes who kept interrupting the nice club antics to shout about nude ladies and check out the girls’ chests." She commented that the third episode "won her back" stating that it is a "start-to-finish delight".