David Production delivers again... Well, at least for me they did.
This show hit all of my fangirl buttons from start to finish, so my opinion is pretty similar to my first impressions. I fell in love with the cast of characters pretty quickly, finding them each charming in their own way. Some of them did come off a bit flat (I wish that the lesbian character wasn't so one-note) but for others a single joke was all they needed. One character's entire gimmick is that he categorizes inanimate objects into "S" and "M." Normally I would really dislike a character like that, but he's portrayed in such an over-the-top way that I couldn't help but laugh at him. Karuta, another favorite, is adorable in her endless love of food. It's a good thing that I found the characters so likeable, because the story is character-driven. It's also one of the pitfalls of the show; if you don't like the characters, especially Ririchiyo and Miketsukami, then you're not going to like this show at all. Pretty much everything else in the show, including the supernatural element, takes a backseat to the personal and romantic drama surrounding the two main characters as they try to figure out how to function socially. Since I was initially drawn in by the supernatural side of things, I was disappointed at first but the development of the characters (especially Miketsukami in the second-to-last episode) easily made up for that.
However, the show sure does take its time getting there. The pacing is the other pitfall of the show and plays into the first. It delights in spending its time drawing out every interaction the characters have, and while it can be fun and cute to watch, if you aren't sold on these characters then I can easily see it becoming annoying. Despite all my love for this show, it tried my patience as well. In one plot point, Ririchiyo decides to invite Miketsukami to have some coffee with her to get to know him better, but it takes one episode for her to work up the courage to ask him and another for the supporting cast to completely distract from the point (Spoiler: They never have coffee). When the show does get good though, it's really good; Miketsukami's backstory is exactly what's needed to explain his odd character, and the finale is one of the best I've ever seen for an ongoing manga. Yet I can't readily recommend it to other anime fans like I can with Ben-To, David Production's show from last season. The enjoyment (and the plotline) hinges so much on the characters that the show is going to be pretty hit or miss with most people. This is the kind of show where you know right away if you're interested in it or would rather run for the hills. If nothing else, this show proves that David Production really knows how to make the target audience of their show happy, no matter what they're adapting. I recommend giving it a look if it sounds interesting; you'll know right away whether you'll enjoy it or not.
Images from Crunchyroll.com.
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