on repeated re-watches konosuba has
on repeated re-watches konosuba has

cemented its place in my heart as one of
cemented its place in my heart as one of

my favorite anime of all time i love
my favorite anime of all time i love

everything about this show the wild
everything about this show the wild

comedy the superb animation and
comedy the superb animation and

especially the lovably quirky cast of
especially the lovably quirky cast of

mean-spirited idiots who drive its plot
mean-spirited idiots who drive its plot

forward but for as much as i love this
forward but for as much as i love this

stupid show there's one thing i don't
stupid show there's one thing i don't

understand about the reaction that fans
understand about the reaction that fans

myself included have had towards it the
myself included have had towards it the

girls of konosuba especially main girls
girls of konosuba especially main girls

megamin
megamin

aqua and darkness have become some of
aqua and darkness have become some of

the most prominent waifus in recent
the most prominent waifus in recent

memory
memory

aqua was the top seed and second place
aqua was the top seed and second place

finisher in this year's reddit best girl
finisher in this year's reddit best girl

contest while megamin and darkness were
contest while megamin and darkness were

both in the top 20 seeds and
both in the top 20 seeds and

only lost to quarter-finalists there's
only lost to quarter-finalists there's

half a dozen figurines of
half a dozen figurines of

each of these girls not to mention many
each of these girls not to mention many

of the minor characters with more coming
of the minor characters with more coming

out like
out like

every other month so what's so weird
every other month so what's so weird

about the girls from a popular anime
about the girls from a popular anime

franchise being widely loved and getting
franchise being widely loved and getting

lots of merchandise well the thing about
lots of merchandise well the thing about

konosuba's best girls is that they're
konosuba's best girls is that they're

kind of
kind of

the worst and i don't mean that in the
the worst and i don't mean that in the

subjective your waifu is trash kind of
subjective your waifu is trash kind of

way that the term gets bandied about
way that the term gets bandied about

online i mean that these characters are
online i mean that these characters are

intentionally written to be as
intentionally written to be as

unrepentantly awful as humanly possible
unrepentantly awful as humanly possible

kazuma and company are self-centered
kazuma and company are self-centered

capital j
capital j

jerks and while that's a large part of
jerks and while that's a large part of

what makes them so funny it also makes
what makes them so funny it also makes

them
them

more or less objectively some of the
more or less objectively some of the

worst potential romantic partners in
worst potential romantic partners in

anime
anime

aqua in particular has even been
aqua in particular has even been

canonically
canonically

identified as worst girl by kazuma in
identified as worst girl by kazuma in

the konosuba ova
the konosuba ova

moreover the main girls of konosuba are
moreover the main girls of konosuba are

specifically written
specifically written

as subversions of standard waifu tropes
as subversions of standard waifu tropes

designed to poke holes in common female
designed to poke holes in common female

character
character

archetypes initially aqua appears to be
archetypes initially aqua appears to be

your bog standard hottie tsundere but
your bog standard hottie tsundere but

within minutes of arriving in the other
within minutes of arriving in the other

world it becomes clear that she's really
world it becomes clear that she's really

just a whiny
just a whiny

entitled stupid like really stupid
entitled stupid like really stupid

[ __ ] megamin evokes the appeal of a
[ __ ] megamin evokes the appeal of a

cute little sister character but spend a
cute little sister character but spend a

few minutes with her and you'll quickly
few minutes with her and you'll quickly

realize that in line with her youthful
realize that in line with her youthful

cuteness
cuteness

she's a stubborn childish brat she's
she's a stubborn childish brat she's

impulsive and ill-tempered not to
impulsive and ill-tempered not to

mention so caught up in her tunibio
mention so caught up in her tunibio

delusions that she actively drags down
delusions that she actively drags down

her allies in combat
her allies in combat

on top of that she mercilessly bullies
on top of that she mercilessly bullies

her only other friend
her only other friend

union for basically no reason and she's
union for basically no reason and she's

probably the least
probably the least

awful out of the trio darkness is the
awful out of the trio darkness is the

stereotypical
stereotypical

older sister graceful composed and
older sister graceful composed and

self-sacrificing to a fault but why
self-sacrificing to a fault but why

would somebody in such a cynical world
would somebody in such a cynical world

as konosubas hurt themselves so
as konosubas hurt themselves so

frequently for the sake of others
frequently for the sake of others

in darkness's case it's because her
in darkness's case it's because her

selfless acts of heroism are driven by
selfless acts of heroism are driven by

very selfish masochism she gets such an
very selfish masochism she gets such an

extreme sexual thrill out of humiliation
extreme sexual thrill out of humiliation

and pain that she classed as a paladin
and pain that she classed as a paladin

just so that she could be closer to the
just so that she could be closer to the

monsters who might molest her
monsters who might molest her

even though she can't swing a sword to
even though she can't swing a sword to

save her life now to some people that
save her life now to some people that

might not sound like such a bad thing
might not sound like such a bad thing

and i'm not here to kink shame anyone
and i'm not here to kink shame anyone

but darkness's masochism borders on
but darkness's masochism borders on

insane her
insane her

life goal is to be captured and tortured
life goal is to be captured and tortured

by the demon king and her ideal husband
by the demon king and her ideal husband

is an abusive alcoholic who would force
is an abusive alcoholic who would force

her into prostitution she has zero
her into prostitution she has zero

self-control or sense of boundaries
self-control or sense of boundaries

making everyone around her profoundly
making everyone around her profoundly

uncomfortable
uncomfortable

and unsafe as she frequently puts her
and unsafe as she frequently puts her

friends in
friends in

actual danger thanks to her proclivities
actual danger thanks to her proclivities

all three of these girls are written to
all three of these girls are written to

comedically suggest that
comedically suggest that

irl your average perfect anime wife
irl your average perfect anime wife

would almost
would almost

certainly be some brand of ruin your
certainly be some brand of ruin your

life crazy
life crazy

while wiz eris and union the less tropey
while wiz eris and union the less tropey

girls who don't gravitate as closely
girls who don't gravitate as closely

around the equally awful kazuma
around the equally awful kazuma

tend to come off as a lot more sane
tend to come off as a lot more sane

likable and genuinely kind
likable and genuinely kind

yet if you look at their popularity it's
yet if you look at their popularity it's

no contest
no contest

the fandoms behind konosuba's deranged
the fandoms behind konosuba's deranged

main girls dwarf those of
main girls dwarf those of

every supporting character except for
every supporting character except for

aerys who's big in japan but not so much
aerys who's big in japan but not so much

in the west
in the west

and pat's her chest people love these
and pat's her chest people love these

girls who have been
girls who have been

explicitly designed to be hateable and
explicitly designed to be hateable and

looking at that r anime poll they seem
looking at that r anime poll they seem

to love the worst one of them
to love the worst one of them

the most so why is that part of it is
the most so why is that part of it is

almost
almost

certainly the so-called mere exposure
certainly the so-called mere exposure

effect people tend to develop a
effect people tend to develop a

preference or affinity for things simply
preference or affinity for things simply

because they're familiar
because they're familiar

with them konosuba is a really good
with them konosuba is a really good

anime that's been
anime that's been

watched to death and meme through like
watched to death and meme through like

three levels of undeath and naturally
three levels of undeath and naturally

that means that every anime fan and
that means that every anime fan and

their mom
their mom

has been exposed to a lot of each of
has been exposed to a lot of each of

these girls and their popularity does
these girls and their popularity does

line up roughly with the amount of
line up roughly with the amount of

screen time they get
screen time they get

but if that was all there was to it then
but if that was all there was to it then

rem wouldn't be more popular than
rem wouldn't be more popular than

everyone else in re zero and toru would
everyone else in re zero and toru would

have won the best girl contest in a
have won the best girl contest in a

landslide because she's in
landslide because she's in

every shot of my hero academia so we've
every shot of my hero academia so we've

gotta look beyond people's affinity for
gotta look beyond people's affinity for

the show
the show

itself the simplest possible explanation
itself the simplest possible explanation

is definitely their looks
is definitely their looks

if you look past their obnoxious
if you look past their obnoxious

personalities the girls of konosuba are
personalities the girls of konosuba are

undeniably cute as heck
undeniably cute as heck

and a lot more animated and expressive
and a lot more animated and expressive

than your average anime girl
than your average anime girl

and sure a lot of their expressions
and sure a lot of their expressions

aren't what you'd call conventionally
aren't what you'd call conventionally

beautiful
beautiful

but i'll be darned if they don't make me
but i'll be darned if they don't make me

smile pretty hard and stick in my memory
smile pretty hard and stick in my memory

especially the many distressed faces of
especially the many distressed faces of

aqua and the classic
aqua and the classic

smuggamine on top of that their designs
smuggamine on top of that their designs

are really strong
are really strong

aqua's fancy hairdo and fine clothes
aqua's fancy hairdo and fine clothes

exude an elegance that clashes
exude an elegance that clashes

beautifully with her uncouth attitude
beautifully with her uncouth attitude

the ribbons and wing-like shoulder
the ribbons and wing-like shoulder

guards on darkness's armor match her
guards on darkness's armor match her

outward persona of angelic purity while
outward persona of angelic purity while

her long tied up hair
her long tied up hair

suggests she's trying to restrain
suggests she's trying to restrain

herself and mega man's youthful
herself and mega man's youthful

enthusiasm and tunibio delusions are
enthusiasm and tunibio delusions are

reflected in her asymmetrical patchwork
reflected in her asymmetrical patchwork

robes and rough haircut
robes and rough haircut

each one is drawn almost entirely with a
each one is drawn almost entirely with a

single primary color along with an
single primary color along with an

accent tone corresponding to their
accent tone corresponding to their

personality aqua's outfit is blue with
personality aqua's outfit is blue with

pure white trim the fitting of a goddess
pure white trim the fitting of a goddess

mega means hat and cloak are demonic
mega means hat and cloak are demonic

black and darkness has pure white armor
black and darkness has pure white armor

that lets her less than pure true nature
that lets her less than pure true nature

peek through the cracks you'll note that
peek through the cracks you'll note that

whenever she's stripped down to her
whenever she's stripped down to her

black bodysuit she tends to get even
black bodysuit she tends to get even

hornier than usual
hornier than usual

all of the girls and kazuma have yellow
all of the girls and kazuma have yellow

trim on their outfits as well that
trim on their outfits as well that

signifies that they're all part of the
signifies that they're all part of the

same group
same group

these great designs naturally make for
these great designs naturally make for

great merchandise especially figurines
great merchandise especially figurines

mega means flowing cape and aqua's
mega means flowing cape and aqua's

flowing hair lend themselves really well
flowing hair lend themselves really well

to dynamic figurine poses
to dynamic figurine poses

and they fit together so nicely that you
and they fit together so nicely that you

really want to have a full set of them
really want to have a full set of them

regardless of whether or not they
regardless of whether or not they

actually are your waifus there's a good
actually are your waifus there's a good

chance that you'll want to put them on
chance that you'll want to put them on

your shelf because they just
your shelf because they just

look great but most importantly in terms
look great but most importantly in terms

of design and i am being 100 serious
of design and i am being 100 serious

here
here

aqua doesn't wear panties or maybe she
aqua doesn't wear panties or maybe she

does and she used magic to turn them
does and she used magic to turn them

invisible so that cosma can't peep at
invisible so that cosma can't peep at

them that's a popular fan theory but the
them that's a popular fan theory but the

fact that fans are theorizing about this
fact that fans are theorizing about this

at all should tell you that konosuba's
at all should tell you that konosuba's

character designer hit
character designer hit

gold with this decision not unlike the
gold with this decision not unlike the

plot thread that somehow holds up
plot thread that somehow holds up

hestia's
hestia's

plot this is that but for booty lovers
plot this is that but for booty lovers

not only is this somehow a debate but
not only is this somehow a debate but

people are using figurines to push both
people are using figurines to push both

sides of it
sides of it

and the fact that some have panties
and the fact that some have panties

while others don't only makes it more
while others don't only makes it more

contentious
contentious

this single brilliant marketing decision
this single brilliant marketing decision

has surely moved
has surely moved

aqua figurines and coming back to the
aqua figurines and coming back to the

mere exposure effect if you got an aqua
mere exposure effect if you got an aqua

or two up on your shelf you're naturally
or two up on your shelf you're naturally

going to be more inclined to declare
going to be more inclined to declare

your undying affection for her or at
your undying affection for her or at

least say that she's pretty neat if
least say that she's pretty neat if

someone asks you to pick a favorite girl
someone asks you to pick a favorite girl

from the show
from the show

but picking a waifu can't really be
but picking a waifu can't really be

something so superficial can it
something so superficial can it

surely there's more to winning a place
surely there's more to winning a place

in our cold dead weep hearts than just
in our cold dead weep hearts than just

putting a really cute girl in front of
putting a really cute girl in front of

us a lot
us a lot

well i mean when i say it out loud that
well i mean when i say it out loud that

makes a lot of sense but uh
makes a lot of sense but uh

stop doubting yourself jeff that was
stop doubting yourself jeff that was

supposed to be rhetorical and in all
supposed to be rhetorical and in all

seriousness there is
seriousness there is

more to the primary motivator behind
more to the primary motivator behind

choosing a waifu the ephemeral feeling
choosing a waifu the ephemeral feeling

of moe than
of moe than

simply liking how an anime girl looks
simply liking how an anime girl looks

moe is a feeling of
moe is a feeling of

adoration and devotion a desire to
adoration and devotion a desire to

protect something precious
protect something precious

so maybe aqua by virtue of being the
so maybe aqua by virtue of being the

single most pathetic creature in
single most pathetic creature in

existence
existence

naturally inspires our protective
naturally inspires our protective

instincts as does megamin in her
instincts as does megamin in her

limp post-explosion form or maybe just
limp post-explosion form or maybe just

maybe
maybe

we do like these girls for their
we do like these girls for their

personalities after all
personalities after all

because as awful as they can be they
because as awful as they can be they

sure as hell
sure as hell

are entertaining the way that aqua
are entertaining the way that aqua

smugly looks down on others for their
smugly looks down on others for their

embarrassment
embarrassment

only to inflict it on herself 10 times
only to inflict it on herself 10 times

worse the way that
worse the way that

megamin wears her emotions on her sleeve
megamin wears her emotions on her sleeve

the way that darkness gets
the way that darkness gets

way too into being attacked by monsters
way too into being attacked by monsters

yet can't stand the humiliation of being
yet can't stand the humiliation of being

called la latina
called la latina

these girls are hilarious their antics
these girls are hilarious their antics

make me smile with much greater
make me smile with much greater

frequency and strength than
frequency and strength than

any waifu who's more conventionally cute
any waifu who's more conventionally cute

and
and

sane i find a similar appeal in the
sane i find a similar appeal in the

harem of abrasive
harem of abrasive

violent jerks surrounding ranma and
violent jerks surrounding ranma and

ranma in his girl form for that matter
ranma in his girl form for that matter

but it's not just
but it's not just

comedic value that makes me love these
comedic value that makes me love these

girls for me the real
girls for me the real

heart of what makes them so fun and
heart of what makes them so fun and

lovable is
lovable is

the shitty personalities themselves
the shitty personalities themselves

because for as annoying and crazy and
because for as annoying and crazy and

downright
downright

insufferable as they are at least
insufferable as they are at least

they're not fake well i mean as
they're not fake well i mean as

fictional characters obviously they're
fictional characters obviously they're

the definition
the definition

of fake but so many waifus and moe
of fake but so many waifus and moe

characters are made
characters are made

less for the sake of advancing the plot
less for the sake of advancing the plot

or having good chemistry with the
or having good chemistry with the

existing cast
existing cast

and more just to tick boxes and pander
and more just to tick boxes and pander

to otaku there are so many anime girls
to otaku there are so many anime girls

out there who are just
out there who are just

cute for the sake of being cute who play
cute for the sake of being cute who play

into worn out tropes is a cheap way of
into worn out tropes is a cheap way of

making our kokoro's go doki doki without
making our kokoro's go doki doki without

having
having

anything of substance beyond that and
anything of substance beyond that and

while it can be fun to indulge in that
while it can be fun to indulge in that

occasionally
occasionally

it's the moe equivalent of empty
it's the moe equivalent of empty

calories at a certain point the
calories at a certain point the

transparent
transparent

attempts to seduce us into picking best
attempts to seduce us into picking best

girls get exhausting
girls get exhausting

the girls of konosuba by trying their
the girls of konosuba by trying their

hardest to be
hardest to be

unlikable ironically end up being much
unlikable ironically end up being much

more charming
more charming

there's something nice about knowing
there's something nice about knowing

that someone is comfortable being their
that someone is comfortable being their

absolute worst around you
absolute worst around you

it breeds a level of familiarity and
it breeds a level of familiarity and

affection that you really
affection that you really

don't get when people are putting on
don't get when people are putting on

airs in a transparent attempt to impress
airs in a transparent attempt to impress

you
you

and be attractive with most anime waifus
and be attractive with most anime waifus

you never really get past
you never really get past

that first date awkwardness but aqua
that first date awkwardness but aqua

megamine and darkness
megamine and darkness

basically jump straight to that level of
basically jump straight to that level of

invasive familiarity where they can
invasive familiarity where they can

puke in front of us hold a conversation
puke in front of us hold a conversation

on the toilet or confidently push us
on the toilet or confidently push us

into a tiny corner of our shared bed we
into a tiny corner of our shared bed we

end up loving them
end up loving them

in spite of and even because of their
in spite of and even because of their

faults
faults

especially darkness because she is crazy
especially darkness because she is crazy

dtf
dtf

and if that's not true love i don't know
and if that's not true love i don't know

what is or maybe it's just that they're
what is or maybe it's just that they're

all really cute and we're all sheep
all really cute and we're all sheep

let me know in the comments below who
let me know in the comments below who

your favorite konosuba girl
your favorite konosuba girl

is and why and while you're down there
is and why and while you're down there

don't forget to hit that subscribe
don't forget to hit that subscribe

button and ring the notification bell to
button and ring the notification bell to

make sure that you catch
make sure that you catch

every mother's basement video that comes
every mother's basement video that comes

out from now on i'm jeff
out from now on i'm jeff

though professional [ __ ] bag signing out
though professional [ __ ] bag signing out

from my mother's basement
from my mother's basement

you
you