First Impressions / Hataage! Kemono Michi

OP Sequence

OP: 「闘魂! ケモナーマスク」 (Fight! Kemona Mask) by NoB and Konishi Katsuyuki

「レスラーx召喚」 (Wrestler x Shoukan)
“Wrestler x Summon”

You may be tempted by the few anime this season that feature anthropomorphic characters, but why not settle for one that centers around a guy who really loves to pin them down into submission? With Hataage! Kemono Michi, we enter territory that is figuratively and literally hairy when pro-wrestler Genzou Shibata (Konishi Katsuyuki) is teleported into another world to take advantage of the local wildlife, one glomp at a time.

On paper, it would sound like nice, harmless fun to see a wholesome animal lover thrown into an isekai setting to create a pet shop for otherwise horrific beasts. In fact, it’s a novel concept for an isekai battle to be won by having the main protagonist turn monsters into calmer, more friendly creatures through the power of wrestling. However, our first impression of Genzou by the end of the episode is that his love for animals comes from a less pure place and the heart-warming veneer of his bond with his puppy Hiroyuki is merely a facade to mask his brazen lust for animals. People thought he was a pervert when he ran around town wearing his wrestler trunks, but their suspicions would end up being unfortunately true when he locks eyes with Wolfgang von Craftman (Kenichirou Matsuda), a wolfman eventually becomes the first victim of Genzou’s urges. Him rubbing Wolfgang’s belly is made far worse when you see the undisclosed darkness of Genzou’s groping and a flower bloom to coincide with the wolf man’s submission. This wouldn’t be as questionable if later in the episode, his solution for defeating a Cerberus wasn’t to pin the monster to the ground and sniffing its butt until its yelps signify its defeat. Genzou’s antics make it difficult for jokes to land that are centered around his love for animals because of how much it borders on outright molestation or how much of it is framed as him seeking out animals to violate. It’s funny not because it’s genuinely hilarious, but because of how flippant the tone of the show is with Genzou gleefully takes advantage of animals.

The saving grace behind the cringe humor that comes from Genzou’s uncouth exploits into pseudo-zoophilia is how strong the supporting cast is in elevating the show’s comedic relief. Misha (Tamegai Hana) manages to make Genzou a funnier character with her peeved and disturbed reactions to by his reaction to the wrestler’s proclivities. Likewise, the guildmaster’s response to Genzou’s interests in owning a pet shop are funny as he tunes out of the passioned speech Genzou makes about his love of animals. But the most humorous standalone character in the anime is Shigure (Sekine Akira), an eccentric dog girl who tries to weasel her way into risky economic ventures and attempts to get sold into a wealthy household where she can eat filet mignon for every dinner. Hataage! Kemono Michi looks like it will be a diamond in the rough if the anime is able to get past the initial shock factor of Genzou’s desires and tap into the humor that would come from a pacifist wrestler looking to open a pet shop. It might be distracting for Genzou wish to cuddle with monsters against their will to look as crude as it does, but if the supporting cast can help reign in some of the lewder aspects of Genzou’s interactions with animals, it might be able to become king of the ring this season.

ED Sequence

ED: 「アネクドット」 (Anecdote) by Momosu Momosu

24 Comments

  2. It’s really not sexual since he just wants to give ’em heatpats and bellyrubs, though much of the humor in the first episode comes from that misunderstanding.

    If you want really crazy Isekai involving an obsession with animals, I’d suggest “The Ride-On King” which involves a Vladimir Putin/Saparmurat Niyazov mashup character who is obsessed with riding things, especially animals, being Isekaied into a fantasy world where he tries to ride all the fantasy animals.

    LoliHat
    Reply

    1. I’ve read some of the manga. Surprisingly good worldbuilding and plot (IIRC the mangaka was more known for his fighting manga titles like Golosseum and Karate Soukoushi Kohinata Minoru.)

      zztop
      Reply

  4. Original manga story written by Akatsuki Natsume of Konosuba and Combatants Will Be Dispatched.

    If you enjoy his brand of slapstick humour (weirdos, eccentrics and idiots bouncing off each other for max comedic effect) then you’ll like this one.

    zztop
    Reply

  5. I think that for a show like this, if you don’t like the humor, it’s mostly worthless to you. I like the main heroine, but I can’t stand the humor… I had heard the Konosuba author wrote this, so I had high hopes, but I don’t think I can handle another episode, despite usually being able to see the best in isekai shows. Maybe if I hear that it drastically changes within an episode or two, tapping into that pacifist wrestler-oriented humor you mentioned…

    Player
    Reply

      2. Actually it isn’t too far off in terms of proportions. You may be too use to seeing WWE or American wrestlers but Japanese wrestlers, especially in the amateur leagues have similar builds as depicted in the show.

        The only part I find off is that his abdomen is toned rather than having a bit of a belly. But how they drew him is forgivable in this type of anime. It’s more important for a wrestler to put on weight rather than muscle so they got lots of him general physique right. Especially his round face and legs.

        Goodwill
        Reply

      3. The joke is that when presented with a nekomimi and a wolfman, he goes for the wolfman cuz he’s fuzzier. He may be bisexual, but such distinctions don’t really get much play with how friggin weird he is about animals.

        Guile
        Reply

    2. Yeah, I agree the undertones are off putting at best and I’m
      not sure if it’s worth it to see if there’s a story there.

      When he flipped the princess, I was like “Huh?” How was that
      part of anything meaningful? Oh well…

      mac65
      Reply

  7. https://randomc.net/image/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2003.jpg
    This is how I envision the Newspapers the next day. “Pro Wrestler LITERALLY disappears live on wrestling stage, what could be?! Abduction by Aliens or Summoned into another world?!”

    https://randomc.net/image/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2006.jpg
    If you see enough Isekai manga, like Nidome No Yuusha, you know quickly that the human princess and human Kingdoms are EVIL and they likely indulge in slavery with non-human races. Smart move, in his case, to side with Human’s enemy. I would do the same by siding with the demon lord. If this was more dark, I imagine the main character would take the king’s head, or princess’s head, and offer it as a peace offering to the demon lord.

    Greed
    Reply

    1. On the side note, while I know I shouldn’t use common sense, in anime, but I am pretty sure using the stone floor, to hit the back of someone’s head, can lead to death. So our main character must have tried to kill the princess.

      Greed
      Reply

      1. Actually that suplex is a very safe move when executed by a professional. Most of the impact is absorbed by the back and the abdomen curl acts as a spring to absorb the impact. He never intended to kill her because he probably could’ve if he so wished to.

        Goodwill
        Reply

  8. https://randomc.net/image/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2006.jpg
    What I wouldn’t give to see Mal-…err, B***h on the receiving end of a German Suplex. (And for a second, I thought that unnamed princess was voiced by Sarah Emi Bridcutt.)

    https://randomc.net/image/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi%20-%20OP%20-%20Large%2003.jpg
    https://randomc.net/image/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi%20-%20OP%20-%20Large%2004.jpg
    Looking forward to the dragon(?) and vampire(?) girls.

    As for Genzou, he’s bound to make a killing (in the business sense) taming the creatures (and the occasional animal-eared beastmen/women) of this strange new world. I also wonder what other pro-wrestling moves he can do.

    Nice to have two isekai comedy anime this season.

    Incognito
    Reply

  9. https://randomc.net/image/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi%20-%2001%20-%2006.jpg
    Initially felt sorry for the princess (eventhough I laughed), but then realized she’s probably one of the ring leaders of the kidnappers. Payback for public abduction?

    https://randomc.net/image/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi/Hataage!%20Kemono%20Michi%20-%2001%20-%2024.jpg
    Certainly looks like a dangerous pervert to me. XD
    If he does all the things he did to humans, I’m sure he’d be arrested for sexual harassment. Or maybe that should be assault….

    theirs
    Reply

  11. I know they are playing it for laughs, but the “animal lover” thing was too much for me. These are clearly sentient beings for the most part and this kind of behavior is not ok without consent.

    Void
    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *