Komi Can’t Communicate has been gaining traction ever since its release in 2021. It now released 2 seasons by far, with the 3rd season still being speculated. Given its popularity, it is highly possible that the anime will still continue.
One of the protagonist, Komi, the beautiful girl with long black hair, is easily the fan favorite. Not only does she look attractive, but also her personality is considered unique. She is very timid, and does not speak at all. She has difficulty in communicating, hence the namesake of the anime. But why can’t she talk?
Komi Has Severe Social Anxiety
The simple answer to Komi’s struggle is that she has crippling social anxiety. There are numerous signs that Komi may be having social anxiety disorder (SAD).
According to WebMD, people with SAD tends to experience an overwhelming fear of social interactions. It applies even with just small talk or eye contact. Hence, it is hard for them to initiate or maintain relationships. They are also very uncomfortable when they are the center of attention. They also display physical symptoms like blushing, sweating, and trembling. All of these can be seen on Komi in the anime.
Whenever she has to talk, even just by making an order at an establishment, is enough to turn her into a nervous frenzy. She constantly overthinks on what she has to say, and feared that it may not be the correct one. Her thoughts are expressed on the anime quite vividly, so we are able to feel the anxiety she is experiencing.
She also shakes in fear whenever someone tries to talk to her or acknowledge her. She fears that what she might say might offend or make people judge or reject her. This led to some of her fellow tudents getting confused as to why she doesn’t respond to them. Tadano, her very first friend, then has to explain her situation.
Her mouth is also noticeably tiny, and she would only make small noises. She would prefer to write down what she meant to say instead of using her voice. This indicates her lack of confidence in being able to say what she wants. However, as the anime progressed, she managed to get some words out. This was made possible due to the efforts made by Tadano and her friends. Who knows, we may get to witness Komi speaking more often in future episodes.
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What Led to Komi Having Social Anxiety?
Although the anime has never explicitly explained why Komi has social anxiety, we can still get clues.
Her father has social anxiety
It was revealed that Komi’s father, Masayoshi, also has difficulty in interacting with others. Studies have shown that social anxiety is highly heritable, alongside environmental factors. Everyone in Komi’s immediate family does not talk much, except for her mother, Shuuko. Her younger brother, Shousuke, does not seem to have social anxiety. Instead, he just talks when it’s necessary.
Masayoshi is able to communicate with his own way. He shows it in his actions as he takes care of the household and looking after his family. In comparison to Komi, his social anxiety seemed to have been improved. He was able to communicate silently with his family through non-verbal cues, which is impressive. Komi will surely get there.
Komi is put on a pedestal in school
Despite Komi’s inability to make relationships, she is still the most popular girl in school. This is because she is beautiful with her long black hair, catlike eyes, and tall stature. This led to her being worshipped like a queen or goddess in her school. Her quietness is also appealing to the majority of them, as she looks demure and graceful.
However, it is with this admiration that led to people not seeing her as a regular or fellow student. They do not see her as a normal high school girl that they can talk to anytime. She is like this superior being to them, and they felt unworthy of approaching her. So, no one ever made an effort in reaching out to her until Tadano came along.
Therefore, Komi felt isolated from her classmates due to how they view her. She doesn’t seem comfortable with how they put her on a pedestal. She still feels lonely despite her popularity. She just wants to be seen as a normal girl, and wants everyone to be fine with talking to her. However, due to her social anxiety, she was unable to express this.
She also harbored the desire to have 100 friends, as she genuinely wants to connect with others. She just doesn’t know how. Given with all of her classmates seeing her as someone superior, this has proven to be difficult at first.
Due to the extensive effort made by Tadano and eventually, her friends, her goal of 100 friends is near. Truly, Komi deserved it, as no man is an island. She is getting slow and steady progress, which is enjoyable and heartwarming to watch.
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