Love, Election, & Chocolate

What do you get when you cross student council elections, romantic entanglements, and a suspicious amount of chocolate? No, this isn't a weird fever dream you had after eating too much fondue — it's Love, Election, and Chocolate, the anime that somehow makes high school politics look more dramatic than an actual election night. Set in a school where the student council wields more power than most small governments, this show follows a group of teenagers who are about to learn that running for office and falling in love have one critical thing in common: they both require you to expose parts of yourself you'd really rather keep hidden.

Our protagonist is your standard-issue somewhat-directionless high school guy — you know the type, the one who joined a club because the recruitment flyer had a picture of a snack on it and he thought, "Sure, free food, why not?" That club happens to be the Food Research Club, which is essentially a group of students who sit around eating treats and trying very hard not to think about the future. But when the student council election rolls around and a reform-minded candidate threatens to eliminate clubs that don't contribute anything "meaningful," our heroes are forced to enter the political arena themselves. Because nothing says "democracy in action" like fighting for your right to continue eating pudding cups in an empty classroom.

And then there's the chocolate part — and by chocolate, I mean the romantic kind, though actual chocolate does make several important cameo appearances. Because it turns out that navigating an election is nowhere near as complicated as navigating your feelings, especially when you're surrounded by compelling people who each bring something different to the table. The show bounces between campaign shenanigans and heartfelt moments of connection with the kind of energy that makes you feel like you're watching a really good school festival — you know it's going to end eventually, but you're having too much fun to care. It's got humor, it's got heart, it's got a surprising amount of political intrigue for a show that prominently features snack foods, and by the end of it, you'll be looking at your own high school experience and thinking, "Man, I should have run for something." Or at least joined a club with better snacks.