Fujoshi Kanojo is a delightful light-hearted romantic comedy with a somewhat unique plot: a very normal young man attending a Japanese university starts dating a slightly older woman who quickly confesses to having a strange and obsessive hobby; she is a fujoshi, or in other words a fan of guy-on-guy homo-erotic comics/cartoons/novels/games etc.
I think the reason some people are put off by this movie is that it changes gears quite abruptly. The first half of the story is all about the boyfriend coming to grips with her (to him) bizarre hobby and just how deeply immersed she and her friends are in it, with lots of scenes where he stares on in a mixture of googly-eyed amazement, abject horror and embarrassment at the antics of his girlfriend. It is played for laughs, with everything being depicted in a totally over-the-top fashion. Just as he starts to adapt to her lifestyle the movie shifts it's focus in a 90 degree turn and becomes all about the drama; she is offered a dream job in England, and must decide whether to stay with him or go. This last half of the plot is a very typical romantic drama with no comedic overtones, and because of the difference between the halves of the story neither folks who want all comedy nor folks who want all romance will be satisfied. The acting is mostly exaggerated at first, then becomes subdued for the drama, so many people will be unhappy with one part of the performances or the other. The use of graphic FX such as floating hearts and ribbons is standard for Asian rom-coms, but might throw off viewers unfamiliar with such fare.
So, after all of that, why do I like this movie so much? It's because I am quite willing to take in both parts of this charming film, and I found the drama of the last half of the story a perfect(if somewhat standard) method of bringing closure to the "romance". I prefer my romantic comedies to start off silly and end seriously. Perhaps it's also because this is an Asian film and you really aren't sure how it will end, which means that the drama is actual drama (something that, alas, would be lost in a Hollywood remake). And, in the end, I just love the subject; a normal boy and strange otaku girl trying to have a relationship, and I think the treatment given that by this movie is appropriate for a rom-com. If you or the one you like have at least a passing interest in otaku culture I would recommend this as a good date movie.
