How do you rate Episode 1 of
ONIMAI: I’ m is now your sister! ?
Community Score: 3.8
How would you rate it Episode 2 of
ONIMAI: I’m your sister now! ?
Community Rating: 4.2
How would you rate Episode 3 of ONIMAI: I’m your sister now! ?
Community Score: 4.3
© Nekotofu・Ichijinsha／Onimai Committee Okay guys, hear me out: Onimai is the best anime of the season. Sure, the content isn’t for everyone, but nothing else this season can match the show’s level of visual direction and 2D animation craftsmanship. The story involves stereotypical NEET otaku Guy literally became Little sister, this is a truly novel take on the trope of two very rote characters. It also has core meaning: the siblings quickly adjust to their new dynamic, mending the slowly widening rift between them. The first three episodes are very consistent in their approach to storytelling. Mahiro struggles to accommodate certain aspects of female gender expression, like buying clothes or doing chores, but gives it a chance to be sincere. After some mild mischief, his sister or one of her friends helps him out, and he appreciates them in a new way. He never asked Mihari to return his male body, even after ordeals such as painful periods or long queues at public toilets. Even though Mahiro has been using masculine pronouns to refer to himself, suggesting that he feels better about himself due to gender-swapping could make aspects of the story relevant from a trans or gender fluid perspective. The openness of characterization is generally good for the story, although it may make Other viewers were frustrated. Depending on how you read it, this narrative can come across as gender essentialist, or even transphobic; it starts with a non-consensus transition, and it doesn’t do any good in that regard. But there is also an element of wish fulfillment, the ability to shift in an instant, to find the answer to an existential question before you even fully figure it out. It’s worth noting that the story doesn’t begin until after the transformation, and we’ll never be able to directly see what Mahiro was like before. No matter how you interpret his gender identity, who is he is far less important than who he wants to be now. Essentially, it’s a story about personal change not being scary in itself, which I think is a relevant theme for anyone.
The elephant in the room here is of course Fan service . While the anime’s overall aesthetic is innocent and endearing — pastel colors, rounded character designs, and snappy action — there are a few devious elements thrown in. Mahiro has a morbid fascination with the female body of his early adolescence in the first episode, which is reflected in how the camera lingers on him from a distance as he stares at his own body parts. In this case, the frame is the extra snooper, as if you’re watching events unfold through a secret camera. Subsequent episodes have a more traditional direction, but they also feature their fair share of sexy nudity. Even if you don’t see the characters in their undressed state, the animation still has a weird appeal to showing them going to the toilet, all animated in excruciating detail on one or two people. If you have a strong stomachfanservice about (fictional) Minors — a big “if,” I know — is a genuinely rewarding show whose heart is in the right place. Even when using their powers to make questionable artistic decisions, the animators’ technical prowess always shines through. Whether it’s Mahiro posing as Catwoman while Mihari cooes at her, or Mihari’s friend Kaede carefully making lunch, every character move is rendered with loving detail. It’s an animation-heavy show, in fact the lead animator is even recognized in the opening sequence rather than being relegated to the middle of the closing credits. I’ve always been a fan of the director Shingo Fujii Since he started with Motion Animator. His directorial debut has not disappointed me so far. This is a must watch for any animation fan. Rating:
