OP Sequence

OP: 「イヤヨイヤヨモスキノウチ!」 (Iyayo Iyayo mo Suki no Uchi!) by Spira Spica

「少年の壮大なる冒険が始まると思ってたら… え, どういうことだよこれ….」 (Shounen no Soudai naru Bouken ga Hajimaru to Omottetara… E, Dou Iu Koto Da yo Kore….)

“The Boy Thought he was Embarking on a Great Adventure…But, Uh, What’s Going on Here?”

Tsuujou Kougeki ga Zentai Kougeki de Nikai Kougeki no Okaasan wa Suki Desuka is admirably simple in its execution. By creating a no-frills anime about a teenage boy getting trapped in the closed beta of a video game with his mother, it already does 95% of the work it has to in setting the scene for a goofy isekai that wouldn’t need to reinvent the wheel. However, what the first episode of this anime proves is that something magical can happen when the script knows exactly what it should take seriously and what can be poked fun at with this very concept.

The animation might not be the most attractive feature of the first episode save for the character designs, but it makes up for it with the substance that the anime does give us within the first episode. The generational divide between teenager Oosuki Masato (Ishiya Haruki) and his mother Oosuki Mamako (Kayano Ai) make for some funny observations of video games and MMORPGs in general. The anime is self-aware of many of the conventions that come with RPGs with how the King openly addresses the whole enrollment process and the first steps that a player must take before entering the world, having Masato and Mamako go through the arbitrary processes that come with it. Mamako’s unfamiliarity with how video games evolved to incentivize new players since the NES provides comical scenarios such as Mamako miraculously breaking the game by grabbing two overpowered blades to dual-wield or using the game’s instruction book to justify destroying the entire front of their guild’s building. Gags about how sloppy the game is such as the NPCs having minimal detail to their faces compared to the player models or the overindulgent flavor text that comes with weapons also add to the tongue-in-cheek nature of the anime. In fact, there were quite a few moments where I was surprised how much I laughed at them like when the King ribs at Masato for entering his real name in the player survey, when Mamako was trying to cheer Masato up after he completely whiffed his sword’s beam and hit a stray bird or when Mamako immediately starts to treat building a party like interviewing potential suitors to be Masato’s future wife. They even go as far as to call MMORPGs and isekai premises “a young male power fantasy” when Masato is frustrated about how his mother is besting him in every single way despite being a dedicated player of MMO games. The characters can be a little eccentric, but it’s hard not to commend them for having a zany sense of humor that is referential to games yet isn’t reliant on them to create funny moments.

Similarly, there’s plenty of praise to go around with how they handle the relationship between Masato and Mamako. The OP and ED might deliberately court fans of mother/son bonds that are a little too intimate, but the show’s material handles their connections with a far deeper sense of maturity than you’d think. The first episode highlights the problems with how Mamako’s tendencies as a helicopter parent have given Masato mixed feelings about his mother. He’s open to repairing their strained relationship from a distance, but because of the lengths Mamako goes to close this gap, he never has time or space to reflect on his appreciation for his mother’s dedication to him. Because of her insistence on wedging herself into his life enough so that she forces herself into Masato’s dream space of the video game, Masato’s outlook on his mother’s behavior continues to sour further on him. It isn’t until he snaps at her when he can really take a look at himself and how his treatment of her could be playing a role in why he isn’t able to connect with his mom on an emotional level or reach out to her in a way that will allow her in his life and grant him some space to be his best self. I am thoroughly impressed with Tsuujou Kougeki ga Zentai Kougeki de Nikai Kougeki no Okaasan wa Suki Desuka‘s first episode as it uses its silly concept to play around with modern gaming conventions while trying to capture genuine mother/son woes between a mother and son desperately trying to find some reason to not feel alienated by one another. I’m optimistic about where the show is headed and am looking forward to seeing how forming a party with a team will answer some of the anime’s questions as to the role Mamako plays in the game’s structure and how Masato will be able to find a breakthrough in what exactly he wants out of his mother.

ED Sequence

ED: 「通常攻撃が全体攻撃で二回攻撃ママ」 (Tsuujou Kougeki ga Zentai Kougeki de Nikai Kougeki Mama ) by Kayano Ai

44 Comments

  1. I can honestly say that if I ever found myself in a game world with my own mother as an overpowered character alongside me, I’d give up and turn into a merchant. Or a ditchdigger. Or a farmer. Because the game wouldn’t be worth it. Oosuki Mamako isn’t acting like a medieval mother, she’s acting as a post-feminist modern-day helicopter mother. Did the two lose the father, and now the mother is reliving her life through her son? At some point the parent(s) got to step back and let the child sink or swim, or that child is never going to grow up. Likewise, if the child cannot feel/learn their own limitations and abilities, but always has the parent(s) outshining them, well, that leads to nihilism.

    I’ll wait and see how this develops, but if I don’t see some serious character development from Oosuki Masato, if the game’s design is to “make the son and mother grow closer together” (the way the survey suggested), then I’m out.

    jhpace1
    1. Just want to say that “helicopter parent” has a certain connotation that I don’t think is correct, it’s not like she harasses Masato’s teachers every time the slightest issue occurs with him at school. She just obsessively dotes on her son in a stereotypical motherly way.

      Player
  2. Character designs are by hentai mangaka Iida Pochi, famous for her supernatural slice of life series Ane Naru Mono/The Elder Sister Like One (based off her ongoing same-named series of hentai doujinshi manga – Vol 8 came out December 2018).
    https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=130755

    She also started being a virtual Youtuber this year too. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC22BVlBsZc6ta3Dqz75NU6Q/videos

    She does drawing sessions, game videos (Minecraft, Monster Hunter) and chatting sessions. However, they are all in Japanese with no subtitles.

    zztop
    1. Oh wait, so that’s why it looks so familiar! Oh no, that’s the same artist that did all of those Dagashi Kashi doujins, including the one where Hotaru gets proposed to with a Ring Pop. What a legend

      Choya
      1. “Oh no, that’s the same artist that did all of those Dagashi Kashi doujins, including the one where Hotaru gets proposed to with a Ring Pop.”

        Show Spoiler ▼

        Also, here’s another bunch of numbers in exchange:

        Show Spoiler ▼

        (If you’re a regular visitor of the r/animemes subreddit, you’ll know what the numbers mean.)

        Incognito
  3. Definitely a very different kind of funny, and that’s good.
    I’m not expecting anything real deep other than some belly laughs
    as she forces every situation through her protective motherly eyes.

    If I left one of them here,
    the holy swords would get lonely, right?

    Also —
    Him :: Rushera the heavy knight. Torino the thief. Sallitey the elf.
    Mom :: They’re all cute girls. Which is your type?
    Him :: It’s Just a Coincidence They’re All Girls. Got That? Wipe That Smirk Off Your Face.

    mac65
  4. omg that kind of mother, if he recruits girls, she treats them as potential brides…
    I bet if he took all-men sqaud she would suspect him of being gay
    this is one isekai that will be ruining your power fantasies, boys!
    down to using holy swords as cooking utensilies

    ewok40k
    1. omg, thats why her attacks are so devastating…
      considering all other stats of goth characters are single digits save for HP…
      I wonder if someone purposefully “hacked” her stats
      looks suspiciously at that “information dispenser” woman
      (and her online alter ego)

      ewok40k
    2. I missed that too — I rewatched it to confirm.
      So she’s like Satou’s level 311 (or whatever it was).
      “Don’t mess with me ’cause my Mom will kick your but!”

      I wonder how strong she really is compared to other
      players / characters in this “Beta” demo.

      mac65
    1. It feels like there is some emphasis to how slapped together the game was when Mamako took two of the starter swords with her or that exceptions to the game’s mechanics are made specifically for certain players. The King didn’t give much of a vote of confidence that the game they were playing was stable or tested properly.

      Choya
  5. https://randomc.net/image/Tsuujou%20Kougeki%20ga%20Zentai%20Kougeki%20de%20Nikai%20Kougeki%20no%20Okaasan%20wa%20Suki%20Desuka/Tsuujou%20Kougeki%20ga%20Zentai%20Kougeki%20de%20Nikai%20Kougeki%20no%20Okaasan%20wa%20Suki%20Desuka%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2015.jpg
    Firmament. Awesome heavenly name aside, that spiky crossguard looks likely to hurt the user as much as the enemy–textbook “Awesome, but impractical.” (Kylo Ren’s lightsaber, anyone?) OTOH, Terra di Madre and Altera have more practical crossguards (not to mention they complement each other well and are perfect for dual wielding). I wonder if that was a subtle expression of the adage “Mother knows best”?

    Also, the side of me that religiously watches Jim Sterling’s Jimquisition couldn’t help but cringe at the legendary swords being obvious “Beta-tester Bonus” items (the MMOG equivalent of a “pre-order bonus”), especially in the wake of his video, “The Addictive Cost Of Predatory Videogame Monetization.”

    https://randomc.net/image/Tsuujou%20Kougeki%20ga%20Zentai%20Kougeki%20de%20Nikai%20Kougeki%20no%20Okaasan%20wa%20Suki%20Desuka/Tsuujou%20Kougeki%20ga%20Zentai%20Kougeki%20de%20Nikai%20Kougeki%20no%20Okaasan%20wa%20Suki%20Desuka%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2023.jpg
    Mamako: “You’re being a meanie, Ma-kun. Your mom is very upset!”

    Reminds me of another absurdly youthful mother who also calls her son “Ma-kun“…

    Other thoughts:
    – (*Watches the opening credits*) Ah, so here’s one isekai series that’s under Kadokawa. (And a possible shoo-in for inclusion in Isekai Quartet season 2, though I’d rather have Shield Hero in that crossover first.)
    – Was that Satomi Arai as Shirase/Shirarase?
    “Obvious beta game is obvious.” *ding*
    – (*Listens to the ending song*) “Ara ara Mama, Ufufu no Mama~” OH… MY GOD… They even included the cliche lines usually said by attractive older women (MILFs, onee-san characters) in anime and “off-brand” stuff… XD
    – Looking forward to some fanart of Mamako cosplaying as Katori, Kashima, (*insert any Ai Kayano-voiced character here*), or better yet, LalatinaDarkness.
    – And finally (slightly spoiler-ish question): Are Mamako and Masato blood related?

    Incognito
    1. The framework of the game behind does remind me of the more predatorial aspects of MMOs and OS games. Especially the fact that they give away powerful weapons that are high tier enough to make people want to stay along until they have a chance to throw money at the game. The onboarding process or re-rolling process also encourages the idea of giving you the false illusion of fairness by giving you items that can help clear you through a certain point in the game up until the game becomes “pay-to-win”.

      From what I found, yes, Satomi Arai was Shirase! Good catch, her voice is distinct, but it’s been some time since I’ve encountered a role where she had that same tone as Kuroko. Not sure about the blood-relation questions or if it gets answered, but I could see it possibly arising in the light novel.

      Choya
      1. Satomi Arai has been trying to diversify her roles as of late (Re: Zero‘s Beatrice comes to mind), but her voice remains quite unique. On the plus side, her unique voice plus impeccable timing does add a lot to any comedic scene–in this case, as a comically serious government worker.

        Thanks to Gigguk’s videos about Domestic na Kanojo, the quote “If she’s not blood-related, she’s free to be dated” echoes in my head. (That and DomeKano‘s opening song, Minami’s “Kawaki wo Ameku”.) But I did read that “Okaa-san Online” (fan nickname because actual long title is long) is also a parody of incest anime (*cough*OreImo*cough*Eromanga-sensei*cough*Yosuga no Sora*cough*), so I’m looking forward to moments that make fun of those kinds of series.

        Anyway, if you saw Jim’s video, I can’t help but recall that lecture from that one…sociopathic slimebag wearing human skin (ugh) about the “Three H’s” of mobile game monetization: Hook, Habit, Hobby. They “Hook” you first with awesome items (for example, those aforementioned swords) in order to get the player to form a “Habit” of constantly playing the game until it gets intentionally grindy to the point it becomes a “Hobby” that requires spending real money for a chance (just a chance, not a guarantee) to get something good or better from the game–which is dangerous for those prone to addiction. And then I’m reminded that there are people still willing to defend such deliberately s**tty mechanics–they deserve to be treated as acceptable targets as much as the executive jacka**es who implement those mechanics in their “games”.

        Incognito
  6. The humor here was kinda hit or miss for me, and strip down the mother stuff and you’re left with a pretty bland run of the mill Isekai, so the humor’s going to be important going forward.

    I’ll give it another episode and see how I feel about it

    hjerry2000
  7. https://randomc.net/image/Tsuujou%20Kougeki%20ga%20Zentai%20Kougeki%20de%20Nikai%20Kougeki%20no%20Okaasan%20wa%20Suki%20Desuka/Tsuujou%20Kougeki%20ga%20Zentai%20Kougeki%20de%20Nikai%20Kougeki%20no%20Okaasan%20wa%20Suki%20Desuka%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2002.jpg
    POCHI EYES.
    Note: So her name is Mamako Oosuki. “-ko” from “Mamako” is a common female name suffix and “Oo” from “Oosuki” can be read as dai which means big or very much. Her name is a pun of “I love mom very much”.
    The first town’s name is Kaasan which literally means Mom.

    One Pinch Man
    1. I love it when other readers can contribute these insights.
      It really shows that the Anime makers aren’t just throwing
      stuff together, there’s some thought and depth to their work.

      Thanks One Pinch Man!

      mac65
  8. K this is the most precious, adorable mom in all anime and he doesn’t deserve her if he even makes a joke about disowning her. I’m glad he apologized and she forgave him, but man this anime is going to STRIKE me in the heart if any more drama arrives.

    starss
  9. Greed
  10. theirs
  11. Sounds intriguing. I’ll have to give it a few episodes before I’m sure of it. Just hope that…well, I hope that it’s relatively wholesome.

    Pleasenoincestpleasenoincestpleasenoincest…

    Prime_pm
  12. After finally getting caught up with the new stuff ( having no internet while camping has it downsides i guess ) i couldn’t help to think of the neptunia games while watching this.
    Nep has a habit of breaking the fourth wall where-as this whole series seems to be bent on doing the same thing.
    The thing i am worried about though is how they will make sure all of the party members are growing in their own role with the mom being so broken overpowered.

    Damrod
    1. I laughed loudly when I saw the Okaa-san Online title. That’s stuck in my head from now on. 😀

      I suspect the long winded “Tsuujou Kougeki ga Zentai Kougeki de Nikai Kougeki no Okaasan wa Suki Desuka” was an intentional play on long light novel adaptation show names.

      According to anidb.net, you’re right: They say that’s Arai Satomi

      Hanover Fist
      1. So I was right!

        If Shirai Kuroko makes cameo in Accelerator… That’ll be a double dose of Arai Satomi

        I’d like to see a 4 way battle royale among LENN, Pitohui, Mamako and Kirito

        Henrietta Brix

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