Cultural Exchange with a Game Center Girl — A Kawaii Romance

I consider myself a traveler. Some may disagree with that since I’ve only visited a small number of countries. But I spend far more time in them than most visitors do. All that time spent away from home has taught me that there’s no such thing as universal gestures. Something as simple as a thumbs-up can mean wildly different things, and people always fall into unfortunate situations because they don’t realize that. Your culture and its norms aren’t a monolith — always remember that. That cultural divide is what drives the plot of Cultural Exchange with a Game Center Girl (Game Center Shoujo to Ibunka Kouryuu).

In a season with romances like My Dress-Up Darling, Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus, and the GOAT that is Rent-a-Girlfriend, you’d think a moe romance would struggle. But you’d be wrong. Cultural Exchange with a Game Center Girl has several aspects that seem to work against it. Yet, I’d argue that the show will thrive because of them. But what’s it about, and more importantly, should you watch it? (Spoiler: the answer is yes!)

Game Center Shoujo to Ibunka Kouryuu — The British are Coming!!!

When Renji, an arcade otaku working at a game center, notices a foreigner at one of the claw machines at the arcade where he works, he thinks nothing of it. But when he clocks out for the day and realizes the kawaii customer is still struggling to win a stuffed koala, he opts to help her. Quickly placing a ¥100 coin into the machine, he wins and gifts the plushie to the hesitant loli next to him.

Realizing he overstepped, he uses Valentine’s Day as an excuse for gifting her with the shady-looking koala. But there’s a twist! While people in Japan see that gesture as a kind act, the loli’s home country interprets it as a declaration of love. When Renji realized his mistake and tried to rectify it, he received an unexpected surprise. The now smitten Lily Baker declares that she’ll do everything within her power to make him fall in love with her!

Why You Should Watch This Anime

As I mentioned in the opening, this season has some truly stacked romances. Whether you’re looking for a show with an actual couple (Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus) or an unrepentant, steamy yuri (There’s No Freaking Way I’ll Be Your Love! Unless), there’s something for everyone. And I do mean there’s something for EVERYBODY. Cultural Exchange with a Game Center Girl is for you if you prefer moe-filled, kawaii romances like Tonikawa or Tsuredure Children. Studio Nomad’s artwork in this anime is comforting. The soft and warm pastel colors give the show a fairy tale feel. That art style works well with the plot. Everything about Cultural Exchange with a Game Center Girl, plus its OST, is moe. And for a show that revolves around a thirteen-year-old’s crush, that’s a perfect choice.

The plot of this show is so novel, but so commonplace. Misunderstandings happen even among people who speak the same language, and they become even more frequent between those who don’t. Considering this, it’s surprising that anime focusing on language and cultural misunderstandings aren’t more common. Game Center Shoujo to Ibunka Kouryuu took an overlooked, relatable situation and turned it into something truly charming and heartwarming.

The characters are so well done. Lily’s pushiness and her quick fixation on Renji make perfect sense given the context. She’s an isolated kid who’s now living in a place with significant language barriers and is having a difficult time fitting in. At that age, who among us wouldn’t latch on and become infatuated with someone who showed us some kindness? Even the show’s opening montage depicts how Lily saw everything in muted colors until she entered the game center. All that eloquently sets up the story.

What’s Not to Like About It?

I don’t have any complaints about this show. Cultural Exchange with a Game Center Girl is my second favorite romance of the season (Call of the Night, #1). So, this is more of a “what other people would dislike about it” section.

The main gripe I see most people having with this show is the age gap between Renji (18) and Lily (13). Every time there’s an age gap like there is between these two, there’s an instant accusation of pedophilia. I’ve always wondered if this is moral grandstanding or if people are really ignorant of what the word “pedophile” means. Unless there’s a prepubescent kid in the series, there’s no pedophilia. The word people are looking for is ephebophilia, which describes a person’s attraction to adolescents (ages 14-19). So far in Cultural Exchange with a Game Center Girl, Renji hasn’t done anything improper. I haven’t read the source material, so that can change. But if and when it does change, Renji would engage in hebephilia.

Regardless, that age gap is enough to make many people uncomfortable. That’s not something that I’ll deny. My TED Talk on the different chronophilia isn’t a semantics rant. Calling everyone a pedo makes it easier for actual child molesters to hide. Don’t muddy the waters or make it easier for actual scum to rack up a victim count. Despite anime’s global popularity, many still see anime fans as obnoxious, and this behavior contributes to that perception. Don’t do that. Properly educate yourself about this. It makes a difference.

The Odd/Great Parts of Cultural Exchange with a Game Center Girl

I’ve been a fan of Sally Amaki since I saw the 22/7 anime. Being an LA native, her first language is English. And while there’s no such thing as a fluent English speaker in the whole of California, casting her as Lily is a solid choice. Yet it has some issues. Having spent my life around British accents, I find that when US speakers mimic an English accent, it sounds off. Making Lily speak in the King’s English to emphasize the cultural divide between Renji and her works well, but it can also be hit or miss. The shift from English to Japanese in Game Center Shoujo to Ibunka Kouryuu creates a strange mix that can both alienate and delight viewers. Sally’s off-sounding British accent will please some and turn others off. Still, that’s a minor flaw in an overall lovable show.

That said, I do agree with Peter-senpai’s thoughts about this show and why it’s a logical idea to have an English-speaking VA voice an English-speaking character. I can think of plenty of shows where the script forced a VA to say something in English, and it sounded like a Sanguisugabogg song.

Extra Deets

Hirokazu Yasuhara began serializing Cultural Exchange with a Game Center Girl as a manga on Pixiv and Twitter in December 2019. Fujimi Shono’s Niconico Seiga website began serializing the manga in May 2020. They have published ten tankoubon volumes. Crunchyroll simulcasts the anime.

©Hirokazu Yasuhara/KADOKAWA/Cultural Exchange with Game Center Girl Association

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