The majority Komi Can't Communicate takes place at the Itan Private High School, where Shouko Komi is attempting to make 100 friends. As the most popular girl in the school this should be an easy feat, however, the young lady is marred by intense social anxiety, leaving her paralyzed with fear every time she attempts to speak.
Kimi's quiet nature does not deter her long list of admirers from idolizing her, to the point where they get quite obsessive, crossing many boundaries in the process.
Himiko Agari
This quirky character's sexual orientation has not been officially identified, but Komi Can't Communicate fans don't doubt that Himiko Agari is probably into S&M. When Agari first meets Komi, her masochist nature is quickly revealed when she begs the Class Goddess to treat her like a dog, as that is the most respect she expects from her new friend.
This imposed power dynamic makes Komi extremely uncomfortable, not to mention every time Agari openly drools over the beauty. She later requests that the Culture Festival follows a wack-a-mole theme, in the hopes of getting beaten by Komi herself.
Inaka Nokoko
Another unconfirmed lesbian character is Inaka Nokoko, who also appears quite obsessed with Komi, however, but her interest does not come across as sexual. As an introvert and a country girl, Inaka finds herself quite isolated living in the city and decides to gain confidence by observing the most popular girl in the class. Although her motives are innocent, Inaka throws out some strong stalker vibes as she follows Komi around wherever she goes, keenly watching her every move.
Not terribly discreet, Inaka is regularly discovered, often scaring poor Komi in the process. Thankfully, the two awkward girls figure out a way to communicate and realize that they suffer from similar social anxiety issues. Inaka clarifies that she is not someone who needs to be feared and from then onwards she is very respectful of her new friend's personal space.
Ren Yamai
Possibly the worst out of all the love-struck Komi worshippers, Ren finds herself completely infatuated with the class Goddess, and her emotions quickly get the better of her. Viewers are regularly given a glimpse into the redhead's thoughts, which are excessively perverted, often objectifying Komi as a sexual conquest. Ren's affections grow increasingly obsessive to the point where she becomes unwilling to share Komi with another soul and threatens those closest to the awkwardly beautiful girl.
Ren reached almost psychopathic levels when she kidnaps poor Hitohito Tadano, her greatest competition, and ties him to a chair, gagged and trapped in her home. When Tadano is discovered, Komi is horrified and puts up firm boundaries with Ren, insisting that she will not be forced into any kind of relationship. However, the yandere disregards these boundaries and continues to pop up, uninvited, whenever Komi and her friends go out.
Another disturbing episode is "It’s Just the Pool," where Ren 'coincidentally' bumps into her love interest at the pool. Her first toxic act, after seeing that Komi brought a full swimsuit, is to force the anxiety-stricken girl to purchase a revealing bikini. Komi was clearly uncomfortable with the idea, but Ren was only concerned with satisfying her own perverted urges and took full advantage of the situation. Ren could not contain her excitement at the thought of changing alongside Komi, and acted inappropriately throughout the event. The rest of their time at the pool involved Ren relentlessly trying to lay hands on the unconsenting Komi, giving the impression that members of the LGBTQ+ community are pushy and perverted.
Deeply Disturbing
Although Agari's character is very submissive, some fans felt that she did make sexual advances on Komi by constantly bombarding her with the request of engaging in a dynamic that she is not comfortable with. If viewers know anything about Komi, it's that being dominant is a poor fit for the quiet girl's personality and would very likely push her way out of her comfort zone.
Ren's conduct towards Komi is exceedingly aggressive and, although her character appears to fit in the category of 'comic relief', the messages that she sends the audience regarding the LGBTQ+ community are problematic. Ren is one of the few identified lesbian characters in Komi Can't Communicate, making her an un-bona fide representative of how lesbians think and act. If Ren were a male character, the aggressive and toxic undertones would not be laughed off - on the contrary - many fans would likely be appalled at how disturbing those thoughts and actions are. However, because she is a female and a lesbian, these sentiments are passed off as harmless and even comical. For a show that focuses so intensely on social issues, and after doing such an impressive job with Najimi (in a non-binary role), Komi Can't Communicate missed the ball on giving fair representation to the lesbian community.
Season 2 of Komi Can't Communicate is due for release on Netflix on 6 April 2022.