I was so unsure about reviewing this show when I came into it, it took a lot of joking around for me to even decide to take a look at it. Due to it’s length and the nature of the show, I ended up dropping weekly coverage but this bars nothing on how I felt about the show in the end. I LOVED this show. Yes, some of the early episodes were super awkward and I had a hard time figuring out what I thought of each character as they were introduced so quickly. In the end though, I got to really enjoy each of the characters and their wacky hi-jinks.
For anyone who doesn’t know, Orenchi no Furo Jirou is a 4-panel comedy short about Tatsumi, a regular working college student and the circumstances of how a Merman came to live in his bathtub. Each episode is four minutes long and features either the introduction of a new character. [Normally one of Wakasa’s friends.] or the wacky hi-jinks of the existing characters which could include worrying about having enough food on Tatsumi’s paycheck, first time using bubble bath and other silly everyday scenes.
Favorite characters are Tatsumi and Wakasa, hands down and YES I ship it. I tried, i REALLY did. You could see me trying not to ship it as the series started and progressed but about halfway through the series I stopped caring. Also, ‘because we’re both guys, that makes us friends.’ You show me two male friends that take baths together like that and then we’ll talk about being ‘friends’ that was the stupidest way to try to tell the audience they weren’t gay EVER and like…in the last 2 minutes of the series. Not even, like an episode before or even like episode 6, you try, in the middle of episode 13 to tell us that they’re just ‘friends’…
Sure, and I’m The Doctor, my Tardis is parked in the back yard and Oki is my red-headed companion. -rolls eyes-
Gah, shipping and everything else set aside it still holds up it’s own as a comedy series. Each episode has it’s own merits and funny parts, some ones that stick out rather well in my memory are the Halloween episode where all of the fish people that visit Tatsumi’s house dress up and have him do trick or treat for them, neglecting to remember that he’s the youngest one there and should be trick or treating himself. Second off, is the 7 transformations of Tatsumi’s bathroom. Just watching all the insane things they fill his tub with is amazing….also, an alcohol bath. Guys, I don’t care how old you are or that you’re mythic creatures. I’m sure that can’t be good for you!
I think the only thing I can say that I truly hate in this series is Tatsumi’s little sister…..
-deep breathe-
Here’s an example of how to do the little sister trope and make her so insufferably annoying that you can’t stomach it if you try. She’s demanding, whiny, way too obviously wants in her brothers pants [CREEPY.] like, you can’t even pass it off as a brother complex. The show all but tells you straight out she wants to have sex with her brother. She’s not cute, she’s not charming and she pisses me off! I haven’t seen a little sister character that’s bothered me this much since I played Corpse Party and had to suffer through THAT little sister. Is it because i’m an only child, or are these characters just flat out annoying to other people too? Like, what’s cute about this? She pays Wakasa to send her pictures of her brother, which since Wakasa lives in his bathroom are probably ones of him bathing…so she’s paying Wakasa for NAKED PICTURES OF HER BROTHER.
Fuck Kasumi, can I switch her out for a well written female that would give me reason to maybe believe that Tatsumi and Wakasa aren’t gay? No, well damn…
As for the other characters, they all got their own fair amount of screen time however, I’m still a little confused about that ‘true nature’ of Mikuni that Takasu and Wakasa talked about before. Like, is he really sadistic or something? They kind of never bring it up again and I never noticed any significant change in character from Mikuni that would warrant the kind of response they had to him. Maybe it’s explained a little bit better in the comic? From what I can tell from the wiki we only met a small chunk of the characters so maybe there is more time to explain what Mikuni is really like.
Maki is probably my third favorite character being so small and down on himself all the time. I just can’t handle how cute he is! What a cute little self-deprecating snail, you’re so precious. I want to take him home with me but I don’t think he’d think he deserves it.
Takasu and Mikuni come up next because while they were around the longest other then Tatsumi and Wakasa, I just don’t feel like they left much of an impact. While I would watch a show entirely about the cute snail adventures of Maki or the ‘totally just friends’ adventures of Tatsumi and Wakasa. I don’t feel like I would watch a series about just these two characters, their personalities did nothing to stand out against the others.
But Midnight you say, Tatsumi was probably the most bland of all. The way he’s animated and the way he acts about everything is just so generic. To that I say, you’re probably right. However, I feel like there is something a little more to him then that. Yes, he doesn’t do anything outstanding and he’s mostly the straight man to the other characters antics but I think that’s kind of interesting. You have to kind of wonder about a guy who can be so totally cool with humanized sea creatures invading his house….I mean, if it were me I’d be super freaked out to see these guys hanging around….I mean, Wakasa. Sure, he’s a Merman….Takasu…well, that’s strange but I’ve seen the little Mermaid so whatever…..Mikuni….getting a little weird. Then you get to Maki, who is a tiny guy in a snail shell and you should be flailing about questioning your own sanity. It’s the fact he’s bland and just accepts these things without freaking out that makes him a funny character.
Overall I’d say this series is busting in the feels, it makes you feel warm and happy and most of the episodes left me shaking from just how cute they were. I am glad that all the joking around we did got me to watch this show, I have no regrets at all. It’s nothing special but it achieves what it’s trying to do, which is make you laugh and feel for these characters. Even if you’re a little apprehensive about watching this show, you should give it a try. At four minutes an episode, what do you have to loose?
One last question though, about the opening….like…what was with the rock opening? I mean, this is like in the vein of having a rock opening to a swimming anim….-looks at ‘Rage On’- Oh…Yeah. Never mind. Carry on.
Overall: 8/10, because Kasumi…..just Kasumi….
~Midnight