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「もにょっとした気持ち」 (Monyottoshita Kimochi)
“A Funny, Squirmy Feeling”
Dear reader, please don’t do anything any character in this anime does, ever. Signed: Your Local Police.
Today the Anime World brings you Watashi ni Tenshi ga Maiorita!, AKA Wataten!, AKA Winter 2018’s lolicon thing. But I want to quickly assuage your fears! The main protagonist, Hoshino Miyako (Ueda Reina), may be a criminal in training, but she’s not the lewdest thing about this episode! That distinction belongs to the french toast. You know it’s a Doga Kobo series when there’s an unnecessarily luscious cooking scene. Hat tip Mikakunin de Shinkoukei, you are missed.
Is Wataten! funny? Yes, mostly! Though people who protest and say it’s not a lolicon thing aren’t being entirely truthful, so you’re going to have to at least not mind that aspect. To me it’s more unvarnished than, say, Ro-Kyu-Bu!, which was a lolicon thing and a sports thing, whereas a series built entirely around the desires of an older character wanting to get closer to a younger character doesn’t really have that critical and. There’s no Miho-sensei forcing the plot to start, is what I’m saying. But the show improves considerably once the apple of Mya-nee’s eye, Shirosaki Hana (Sashide Maria), realizes that she has to keep Miyako happy to keep getting that sweet, sweet candy sugar, if you know what I mean. That makes her an active participant in the proceedings, rather than a party acted upon, which you know. Good! Or better than the alternative, at least. Lust, meet Gluttony. I’m sure this won’t end badly.
Really, the greatest injustice is that Miyako doesn’t give enough attention to her little sister, Hoshino Hinata (Nagae Rika). Hina is so considerate of her big sister, she just wants her to be happy/to get attention from Miyako! Pay attention to her, you rat bastard! What are you doing jeez. You’re going to break Hinata’s heart one day, when she realizes you’re a lolicon hentai. At least pay attention to her now. Though her sleeping habits are less cute than even Hana’s fashion sense. Do not want feet in the face, no thanks.
Would I suggest this series? I dunno, maybe. If you read the premise and though, “Heh, that could be funny!”, then you’ll probably enjoy it. Director Hiramaki Daisuke and his crew at Doga Kobo executed on the idea well. If you were skeptical of the content, though, you won’t find much to disuade you. So go forth and be happy, friends! Either with Wataten!, or elsewhere. Just don’t take these characters as role models. Literally all of them are doing almost everything wrong, except the mom, who has the right idea. Not because it’s good parenting generally, but it is funny, and because Miyako deserves it more than she realizes. No touchie!
My second novel, Freelance Heroics, is available! (Also available: Firesign #1 Wage Slave Rebellion.) Third book in progress now! Sign up for my email list for updates. At stephenwgee.com, the last two posts: Celebrities’ Political Opinions, An Author’s Review of: Freelance Heroics.
Preview
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OP Sequence
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OP: 「気ままな天使たち」 (Kimama na Tenshitachi) by Wataten☆Five
Sometimes I wonder whether “don’t do anything any character in any anime does” is an even better rule of life.
But as for this particular anime, I’m a little surprised that it didn’t elicit comparisons with Doga Kobo’s previous ouvre, UzaMaid. Apart from the obvious similarity in subject matter, there are things like the sakuga in the initial episode (I really don’t think I’ve ever seen the making of French toast animated so lovingly):
https://randomc.net/image/Watashi%20ni%20Tenshi%20ga%20Maiorita/Watashi%20ni%20Tenshi%20ga%20Maiorita%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2002.jpg
We even had Uncle (well, Auntie) Low Angle. Although the photo sessions then degenerated until Miyako was recreating her favourite Prisma Illya special.
I think, though, that it’s in comparing Wataten to UzaMaid that you find its weakness, which is that the whole setup is a bit too believable. UzaMaid was so outrageously over-the-top that virtually none of the scenarios it presented could be taken seriously, and I could enjoy it without feeling complicit in what is basically the attempted seduction of a young child by an adult. This show is just relying on the “oblivious to love” trope to legitimise the same thing, and it’s just not working as well for me. Or maybe that’s all just an excuse for me not finding Hana as cute as Misha!
Would probably be an apt comparison, had I watched UzaMaid. I’m not even planning on watching this one any further.
even ecchi bloggers have their standards
Definitely agree. UzaMaid being so over-the-top made it enjoyable without feeling dirty in doing so. Not to mention that almost every character is quite likable and enjoyable to watch whereas it looks like most of the other characters here are just…there.
And seriously, who didn’t love the Psycho-like BGM that played with Tsubame to Misha at times, or the electric guitar riffs whenever Midori randomly appears? lol
Also, despite the general content, there was still very real emotion unrelated to the content that made you feel for Misha and Tsubame (especially the last couple episodes) and so while one may not support a romantic relationship between them, you could still see how much they actually relate and so at least could be good friends.
The Twilight Zone
yabai… this show can cause A GOOD DIABETES.
UzaMaid had a plot and character growth. Whether it was an unorthodox
way to “help” the Russian girl Takanashi Misha move beyond her grief
with losing her mother, well, whatever. It was actually pretty okay.
Dunno how this will play out. Other than straight loli-comedy, there
doesn’t seem to be any initial tension with the characters to overcome …
We’ll see …
“Lust, meet Gluttony”
It’s probably not a coincidence they made a team in Fullmetal Alchemist.
I’m now realizing the true beauty of having a manga you enjoy adapted by Dogakobo
https://randomc.net/image/Watashi%20ni%20Tenshi%20ga%20Maiorita/Watashi%20ni%20Tenshi%20ga%20Maiorita%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2004.jpg
This author makes the best faces
That Heartcatch Precure reference though :3