First Impressions / Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon

「新生活、はじまる！（もちろんうまくいきません）」 (Shin Seikatsu, Hajimaru! (Mochiron Umakuikimasen))
“Start Of A New Life! (That Doesn’t Go Well, Of Course)”

This episode really knocked it out of the park.

Family Life for The Hikikomori

While it’s tough to make comparisons since we haven’t seen much of Kobayashi’s life before Tooru (and now Kanna) entered her life, I think the story is doing a fantastic job at illuminating the shift she’s made with the way it’s intentionally leaving out certain pieces of information. Based off of what we’ve seen, I think it’s pretty clear that before Tooru entered her life, Kobayashi probably spent more of her time slaving away at her job and using whatever time she had left to put back a nice cold beer with or without company. Without an interest at finding a romantic partner, she probably was someone who was simply focused on herself and probably fell into a pattern of just doing the same thing over and over.

But after seeing the “transformation” she’s had over these past three episodes, I think it’s clear that she’s become more of a well rounded human being that’s learned a lot from the experiences she’s been forced to deal with recently. From her slight hesitation to having a dragon named Tooru become her maid to the girl that let an cute and adorable baby dragon (at least in her human form) come live with her because of extenuating circumstances, Kobayashi somewhere along the line turned into the best “motherly” type of character we could have asked for. And as funny as it would be to credit everything to the fact that dragons have entered her life, it’s tough not to say that dragons had some influence on how she’s been changing. And while it remains to be seen just how much more things like this will continue to influence her, you can bet I’ll be waiting here when we’re suddenly hit with a super emotional moment that manages to knock some tears out of her face.

MY BOY IS FINALLY HERE

After some sentimental writing let me snap back into reality by taking a few short minutes to talk about my boy. Ever since we heard the magical voice of edgy Ono Daisuke, I’ve been waiting for Fafnir’s debut — and boy did it not disappoint. With the show being spot on with his personality while retaining the jokes that made him a funny character I was left feeling pretty content by the end of this week’s episode. And if you have no idea what got me, tell me, when was the last time you saw a dragon who loved video games but couldn’t overcome their natural instincts and kept dying in game?

A Quick Random Thought and Looking Ahead

With the third episode finally upon us, I think it’s fair to say that Maid Dragon has done a fantastic job at figuring out just what it wants to be — especially after a rough episode one. Since then we’ve watched the show find its pace as it struck a fine balance between being cute, funny, and sometimes overwhelmingly heartwarming. All the while maintaining an overarching story that not only helps keep track of the movement of time (characters growing) but blends the monotony of life with the crazy antics of magical beings into a stew of fun times. Not too shabby for a show that some people pushed aside because of Tooru’s chest in the PV!

Anyways, let me end the post here before it gets too long. I’m not a fan of having gigantic posts, but thanks to everyone who’s been coming back week after week and leaving comments down below. In any case, I’ll see you guys next week where it looks like Kanna is finally going to start school and MORE FAFNIR!

P.S. As hypocritical as this is going to sound, I loved the sound effects the show used with Kanna. I know it’s not the same as how they used the jiggle for Tooru since the sound effects were specifically there to enhance the narrative, but I just had to quickly point out just how ADORABLE they were. Okay bye.

 

Preview

47 Comments

  2. https://randomc.net/image/Kobayashi-san%20Chi%20no%20Maid%20Dragon/Kobayashi-san%20Chi%20no%20Maid%20Dragon%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2007.jpg

    Stupid unnecessary censorship! If it wasnt for that, I would have been sent to the ICU from Kana induced diabetes porn!

    https://randomc.net/image/Kobayashi-san%20Chi%20no%20Maid%20Dragon/Kobayashi-san%20Chi%20no%20Maid%20Dragon%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2040.jpg

    Im with Touru on this debate. A butler that isnt a middle age is no butler at all!

    Ginobi47
    Reply

  6. Yes this episode sure did knock it out of the park, can’t stop laughing and giggling throughout the episode 😉 With Kanna’s cute act slipped in here and there, it gives a heartwarming transition in the episode. Even the noisy neighbor is well-written (pretty curious how cooking get that noisy tho), good thing Kobayashi opened the door before Tohru swipe them.

    Also, Tohru’s eye is so pretty, kudos to the character designer/whoever did it, glad I joined the ride XD

    raxar
    Reply

  7. Surprisingly easy to watch and has it moments of
    tenderness that really standout.

    I was thinking of the back-washing scene. At first I was
    expecting a comedic “No, get out!” kinda thing, then
    maybe comedic play in the water, and so on. But it was
    well executed and thoughtful. I didn’t expect the real
    bonding moment; and when she paid her back by washing
    her on the roof, it tied it all together very nicely.

    Just enough sexual innuendo but not vulgar – a surprise
    good-watch this season.

    mac65
    Reply

  8. What I find very interesting about Kobayashi-san Maid Dragon, is the entire exploration of the idea of family. Kobayashi sliding into the life of acquiring a family from her previous life as a single salary-woman was extremely heartwarming and made moments such as Tooru, Kobayashi, and Kanna taking a nap together in the living room deeply impactful.

    It’s even more fascinating because functionally, the three main members of the cast are essentially living in the normalized version of a homosexual family if you stop to think about it for a moment. While Kobayashi Dragon isn’t Yuri, in the sexual sense, Kobayashi’s current family life is the logical end stage of a successful Yuri shipping taken seriously.The stereotypical structures of the “normal” Nuclear family as a Japanese might understand it has been replicated within the space of three episodes – Kobayashi representing the Salary (wo)man, Tooru the “housewife” and Kanna the “child”. And that’s a very socially liberal message for Japanese media.

    Of course, rather than humans, the show invokes the device of dragons to enable the premise, but I think the metaphor is clear, especially when Kyo-ani could have easily altered the source material (as they are infamous for doing) such that the androgynous looking Kobayshi is male.

    There are many other reasons, of course, to deem Kobayashi-Dragon a Slice of Life exemplary well, with the potential of being one of Kyo-ani’s top works yet (up there with Hibike Euphonium and Hyouka) – one of which just how dignified this work is written even though it’s meant to be a comedy and Kobayashi’s response to Tooru walking into the bath is just one example of the dignity with which this work is written in. But the choice to keep both Kobayashi and Tooru female and staying true to the source in that respect makes it a bold slice of life.

    Andmeuths
    Reply

    3. Aren’t they both female because he didn’t want to have any romantic physical tension.

      The thought process went like, “Let’s write a story about family where a two people just wind up living together at random. Ahh… but the focus is on family instead of sexual and romantic tension so how should we handle this. Oh! Make the love interest a girl too, then it’s impossible.”

      It’s blatantly obvious this thought process was the predominant factor mentality Cool had in mind when something special happens to Kobayashi later on that I wont spoil.

      TitanAnteus
      Reply

    4. While I definitely agree there’s more to the series than comedy + a few ecchi moments, have to agree with TitanAnteus in that I don’t think the mangaka intended this to be a yuri romance social commentary. There’s definitely some yuri “subtext” at times, but as TitanAnteus’ post notes there are future developments which go against that. Tooru is just really into Koyabayashi period. I’ll leave it at that to avoid spoilers.

      I also agree that the same sex pairing is more towards a way to avoid having to romance/sexual tension (on top of perhaps the species difference). Koyabashi even says she’s “straight” to avoid that. If this was intended to be yuri, then well, Tooru’s up for whatever anytime. All in all, I don’t think this is really a “bold” move by Kyo-ani to stick to the source material here. Is the manga considered “bold” in this regard? JMO, but seems to me there are “bolder” yuri series out there (maybe not the best examples, but Sakura Trick and Yuri Kuma are certainly more yuri romance).

      To me the theme is one of general acceptance (i.e. people of different race/culture/etc.) via humans & dragons. My impression is that the anime has conveyed that to some extent, but IMO it is toned down a little from the manga. Didn’t reply, but Seth’s posts last episode made a fair point. Not sure if I’d call it a “cruel” smile, but the anime did tone down Tooru a bit in that scene in terms of her “dragons are superior to humans” belief. In the manga, it was one of those “Muhahaha. Silly humans! A simple smile and you give me free stuff! Dragons win!” type of deal. Personally, I prefer the manga’s version.

      Beyond the comedy fish-out-of-water type stuff (e.g. what’s a car? It must run on magic!), there is the adjustment for the dragons here of putting aside the ages old dragons vs. humans by default that they knew in their own RPG fantasy world. There’s definitely some comedy from that, but there’s also a serious part to it as well (again, the theme of acceptance and putting aside old beliefs).

      daikama
      Reply

  10. Was that wooden gorilla miniature…Harambe? He Lives!

    I am surprised Fafnir didn’t kill the male salaryman when he covered his eyes. I thought Fafnir would have a hair-trigger temper. XD

    Okabe_Rintarou
    Reply

  11. Kanna so hnnnnnnnnngggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!

    Also funny how the game Fafnir plays is a Demon’s Souls / Dark Souls style game where, IIRC, dragons are a huge deal, lol. So instead of him doing all the killing, he’s the one being killed. XD

    HalfDemonInuyasha
    Reply

  13. FINALLY!!
    An anime that isn’t:
    Stupid harem with cookie cutter male MC
    I mean, seriously, Japan has been cranking out one crappy harem show after another
    It’s always refreshing to see something different being brought to the table
    I myself can’t stand harem anime, but I love yuri anime
    It doesn’t get the attention it deserves, I feel

    King of the Cheese Wheels
    Reply

    2. Your bias is showing. There’s barely been any harem series for the last two seasons.

      Also this isn’t yuri.

      Kobayashi is straight.

      I have no idea why you’re not offended that Japan’s handling your sexuality like this. If it was the opposite where it was straight romance where the girl falls for a guy but the guy is almost ALWAYS gay, I’d get mad.

      Tohru being gay is completely and 100% a joke. It’s even more noticeable to me, since I’ve read the other manga this guy’s written where there’s sexual and romantic tension on both sides of the spectrum.

      I quite literally don’t care if it’s yuri or not. Whether it’s enjoyable is what matters to me. I don’t care for lesbian representation or wtv, though I have to say it bothers me when people are looking for enjoyment in the weirdest parts of a show.

      TitanAnteus
      Reply

    3. Tohru’s yuri-tinted love is played mostly for laughs. I’d be greatly surproised if anything serious resulted form her p[asses at Kobayashi. You can even argue this is more of an interspecies romance if anything, and yuri side was taken to make it blatantly impossible one?

      ewok40k
      Reply

  15. It’s amazing how Kanna manages to catch your attention with the little things she does even if she spent a bit more time this week in the background, and then there’s that bit where she was trying to find a place in the house to sleep. She’s precious. It’s also great to see Tohru has come a long way from her starting days as a maid dragon. From simply roasting her own dragon tail, she can do the shopping and prepare breakfast properly now.

    Zhinvu
    Reply

    1. Not to mention I loved that Fafnir was playing a Demon’s Soul/Dark Souls looking game. The interface of the game is enough to spot it but what definitely identified it as a Souls game was that Mimic chest.

      Zhinvu
      Reply

  17. I’m seriously digging the Nichijou vibes with the random short sequences. I suppose it should be expected as Nichijou was also animated by KyoAni. Sasuga KyoAni.

    Also, I don’t recall Kobayashi moving to a larger apartment in the manga, so the entire moving sequence was Anime original. I think that was nice added touch (animators and their attention to detail!) to tangibly show that Kobayashi now has something she can call “family” and that it’s too big for her current apartment. My only surprise was how easily Kobayashi was got moved to a new apartment. She must be loaded if she can choose whatever apartment she wanted given how expensive Japan is. Then again, didn’t Yui get like a $2-3k guitar in K-on despite not knowing how to play a guitar? There must be a correlation between Anime studio budgets and anime characters with a lot of money. Anyway, Kobayashi’s move was all for her adopted Maid Dragon and Weapons Grade Loli, which I lovingly refer to as “Kobayashi’s Dragon Harem.”

    Man, I want my own dragon harem now…

    Aoihoshikage
    Reply

  18. @Aoihoshikage. Personally the “short sequences” are OK, I guess. I like the included material, but I’d rather the anime either seamlessly include them (e.g. Tooru “car” washing) or just put them at the end after the ED as a little extra. Just sticking them in with the “… X O” symbols transition screens & shorts breaks episode flow IMO, and is just kind of a lazy way to throw in some extra material. That type of presentation can work, but it’s not working 100% here.

    Yes, pretty sure Koyabayshi moving is anime only to pad the run time. IMO it was fine/OK. It does fit the story logically enough as presented – now got 3 people living in a place designed for 1-2. OTOH, not moving wasn’t an issue for me when reading the manga (and the “family” aspect remains no matter what.. Agree about the potential rent issue. I did wonder how much Koyabayashi makes to afford such a place. She doesn’t have a high salary job. In the end, I found the anime-only move OK. New place, old place, works either way.

    daikama
    Reply

  19. Ep 04:

    Yes, yes. This Kanna-chan moe is their Joker, and they know how to use her. It was an joy to watch this episode (for me). I saw myself many time smile for and with her. i look forward to next week

    also, it is really handy if you have “magic”

    Worldwidedepp
    Reply

    1. a note from me of the Background designs: it is all green. it is okay, not to fancy, not stealing the show of the cast. It is like Background Music, pleased to watch but not stealing the show from the stars

      Worldwidedepp
      Reply

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