Omamori Himari

Title:Omamori Himari
おまもりひまり (Japanese)
Overall:Rent
Keywords: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Notables: Animation - Zexcs
Seven years ago, Amakawa Yuuto's parents died leaving him living alone without a single relative. Ever since then, his childhood friend, Kuzaki Rinko, has woken him up, cooked for him and generally taken care of him. The only thing he has from any relative is a mysterious charm, a red ball, given to him by his grandparents as a good luck charm (an ↗Omamori).

From the day of his 16th birthday, his charm is said to not be able to protect him from evil spirits anymore, and into Yuuto's life walks Himari. A cat spirit-samurai girl and demon huntress who, aside from wanting to crawl into bed with him, swears to protect Yuuto. There is only one small problem: Yuuto has a severe allergic reaction to cats. (Source: ANN)

Based on a shounen manga by Matra Milan, serialised in Monthly Dragon Age.

New series set to air Jan 6th, 2010
12 TV episodes (~24 min)

2:47 series promo - YouTube Video

Read the translated manga online at MangaFox.
Episode Details 
Neko, Yuto, 99, 1894
OverallArtAnimationCharacter Design MusicSeries StoryEpisode StoryReviewer
Watch 8 8 7 6 7 6 Dreamer [series:2223#2279]
This one took me over a month to finish off. Not because it's long, or that I lacked the time to watch it. Rather, I just had a hard time getting into it.

Art, Animation & Character Designs
Artwork and animation wasn't bad at all. It was actually nicely done with a good amount of color and depth. As for character designs, not bad either but some of the characters weren't too original (artwork that is). Still good though.

Music
The OP was nothing more than a common pop piece with female vocals. Boring in my opinion. The soundtrack wasn't too bad. There were some elements of techno, new age, some orchestraic chants and such. Mostly during the fight scenes. Not bad at all. The ED , much like the OP, was another pop piece with female vocals. Nothing really interesting here.

Series and Episode Story
I just had a hard time with this one. I tried to watch it, but after about the third episode, I couldn't, so I put it away for a bit. After about a month, I finally decided to pick it up again and see if I had a change of taste. Well, I still found it barely watchable. I think what did it was the characters. I just didn't find them or any, that interesting. I also found the protagonist pretty boring and annoying.

There were some funny moments here and there but not much that had me really chuckling. A lot of this series elements have been done plenty of times over in various other series. For the most part, there wasn't nothing much new. The plot barely held my interest. Although, the very end was slightly more interesting compared to the rest of the series combined.

Overall, I tried to like it but just couldn't. I was just a marginal "ok". If you like harems with a protagonist who's a weakling, and without balls, then you might enjoy it. Otherwise, move on.

Last updated Friday, November 12 2010. Created Friday, November 12 2010.
Unevaluated Forbin [series:2223#1573]
Analysis : 7 Fansubs Watched

Doh I forgot to review this!

I like it so far, this being the only true Harem for 2010 Winter season. Baka to Test is one too but it's not really focusing on the harem.

Keep an eye on the opening (Where Rinko destroys the house), it changes EVERY WEEK! Whee!


Characters
  • Yuuto - Clueless guy - He really reminds me of Kazuki of Maburaho. Knows what's going on but just wants to help people.
  • Rinko - Childhood friend - Ooo I want her to go all Kaede (Of shuffle). She's a bit much of a TSUNdere
  • Himari - Chosen Girl - That's a cat? oh my.
  • Water Girl - Loli!
  • Cup Girl - Clumsy Girl.
  • Kuesu - Forceful girl - I don't like her design at all.


Last updated Tuesday, February 23 2010. Created Tuesday, February 23 2010.
Rent 8 9 9 9 7 9 Silence [series:2223#2939]
All episodes watched.

Amakawa Yuuto is a demon slayer, but he does not know that. One day, a demon cat called Himari came by his side, proclaiming that she is his family's body guard, protecting him until his demon slaying powers are awakened. And she likes to get very intimate. The thing is, Yuuto has a cat allergy, and a very jealous childhood friend who visits him every morning, catching him in compromising situations. Soon, girls of different caliber are collected in his harem, and so begins Yuuto's journey through steamy and dangerous situations.

The lighthearted and comedic mood is very well done, and is definitely one of the top runners for comedy in this season. Jokes are decently amusing, like "I am no ordinary messenger. I hold everything in my stomach. Bleeeeehhh...." and the show is fun and enjoyable, though not very original.

So it should have stayed. But to let the plot progress, more serious and darker elements are introduced. However, Omamori Himari does not escape the common pitfalls of its genre. Once the serious stuff comes in, the very common plot devices are employed. For instance, to make the final victory impressive, the main protagonists have to suffer defeat at the hands of the villains. So, while the villains have utterly crushed our heroes, they stop short of finishing them off, so we can insert another token and press start before "Continue?" falls to 0. No surprise when the heroes win in the end is there? Another common pitfall of the fantasy/magic genre is that there are no clear rules governing the abilities. So from a difficult position, our heroes can awaken some unknown power and defeat the boss with a special. While this certainly saves effort on the producer's side, it makes the victory unexciting and not very believable.

As a comedy harem, Omamori Himari worked well. But the more serious side failed rather terribly. It could have been a very nice series, but it fell short, like many of its kind.

Last updated Saturday, March 27 2010. Created Tuesday, February 23 2010.
Buy 8 9 8 8 Xenoknight [series:2223#2967]
watching now... 9 eps watched...

Ep 9:

OUTRAGEOUS EPISODE

If you watch the episode, you'll understand: Story, Drama, Ecchi Fan-service, Semi-graphic scenes of blood, and Comedy. This title consistently proves that it can give a top tier story, but still throw in the fan-service and comedy. Some things that raised the red flag with me is the Naruto reference with Tama being the nine tailed fox and the ridiculous censorship!! The more I watch this title, the more I think of it's amazing contributions to this anime season. Hmmmm, I wonder how I can represent this notion (LOL). This ep more than any other needs to be seen uncensored and I have a link that's up to ep 5 right about now. Just a little longer... Astounding ep...

Ep 8: Another light-hearted episode. The recovery process for Himari was rather 'enjoyable' and funny at the same time. Finally stepping up for change, Yuto decides to have a chat with Kuesu and the results were rather favorable. They both found common ground (since their reasons were both noble) and a notion they both could agree on (for now at least). Himari's weapon inventory was disturbing, but funny as hell. The final scene shows a new girl that is about to stir things up again for Yuto and the gang. The best part in the ep though, was probably in the beginning as we see Shizuku and Rinko begin to feel the harem heat (if you will) and both of them vow to get serious!!! The harem battle isn't over just yet! This series is still the best of the season. Great ep...

Ep 7 : A repeat performance for sure. Himari's powers aren't to be trifled with and this ep proved that quite well. However, Kuesu isn't the passive type and she intends to fight her whats been promised to her. As such is the intense conflict between the two. This ep featured plenty of scenes from the past that helped shed further light on the current situation Yuto finds himself in. The harem/comedy elements were pretty high as well, but the shining moment of the ep had to be the fight with Himari and Kuesu. There is a much deeper reason for Yuto's cat-allergy (what a low blow). The battle is fierce and both of their reasons are noble, but Kuesu's views are certainly misguided. Her offensive methods were cheap as hell and nearly came at the cost of her very life! I laughed and enjoyed more well-written story/action elements this title is now known for. It still made my jaw hit the floor. Great ep...

Ep 6: ....... What in the world am I supposed to say to an episode like this? It was Amazing? It was Sensational? How about I just leave it at my signature

ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDING!!!

Action lovers rejoice, romance/harem seekers indulge, and story appreciators delight in an episode that truly brings the best of anime's many facets to one stage. Hot Damn, this was one hell of an ep. Ridiculously Incredible ep...

Ep 5: Things are really beginning to fit into place for this title. All is explained with the events of the previous battle. Light Ferry is the Amakawa family power and Yuto is fully equipped with this unstoppable power to imbue his target with magic. This title gets extra cool points for Rinko saying the Light Ferry was like an RPG power. A fearful truth (that will undoubtedly play a part in the ending string) is revealed regarding Himari's bloodline as well as her unholy rage. Shizuku's idea for training Yuto in controlling his previously dormant powers was certainly questionable, but funny to say the least. After a quick scene with Yuto and Himari just wanting to be together, they are attacked by a member of one of the 12 demon-slayer clans, Kuesu. Things are heating up. Great ep...

On a final note - the fog cover-up for a nude loli-themed female character is understandable (for multiple reasons), as is not fogging up the hanging cleavage of a fully-matured female character. That's the old anime standard at work for you.

Ep 4: Another amazing episode. Himari wants Yuto to fully accept his family lineage as a Demon Slayer and comes up with the idea to take him back to his roots. Little did they realize that this trip would be their biggest battle yet. It's always refreshing to be reminded that this is a full-on action title despite the incredibly high levels of comedy and fan-service. It's like I've been conditioned to laugh hysterically when I hear Yuto tell himself to "calm down". It cracks me up every time! Himari is able to jog some of Yuto's memories from the past, but their official reunion is quickly brought to screeching halt. With an unrelenting amount of fighting wherever he goes and continuously putting his friends in danger, Yuto decides to make a change. The resulting super-saiyan scene was insane (except for a mere branch being able to block an unholy demon's sword swings). As per a recently increasing effect in anime, Zashiki-warashi is also referenced again. Amazing ep...

Ep 3: This ep was harem central 101. Shizuku makes her position clear regarding Yuto and the path he wants to take concerning their kind. His answer is predictable and her response is something that will drive the series in a direction of more insane amounts of comedy, fan-service, and harem elements! She makes Himari and Rinko feel like absolute trash and it was great. With everything finally under control, they go to a tea cafe where Himari has recently secured a job and another well-endowed girl, Liz, makes her appearance. Acting in self defense off of a false prejudgment, she acts on removing Yuto from the establishment. Himari was a sword swinging fool in this ep as nothing she did was very helpful to anyone's situation and only caused trouble for Yuto. All is resolved in the benefit of harem kind (though I still think they figured Liz out waaaaay too easily), and the next girl is previewed just to tease the fans. This title is great, Nano - as Shizuka would say. Great ep...

Ep 2: Great fun. This episode featured tons of fun at the beach followed with slight comedy, top-heavy fan-service, interesting character chemistry, surprising levels of action, and certain hints of romance. That Shizuku is pretty strong for saying that her water powers could drown a fish! Another excellent ep from a title that will be constantly on the up and up this season. Fantastic ep...

First Impression: Now that's what I'm talking about! That's how you start off an anime series. All of the characters introduced: Yuto, Rinko, and Himari, all are incredibly fun to watch. The legend of the past was interesting and made sense for the way this show set itself up (I loved how Himari swore to be his shadow and sword from now on). Rinko's jealousy will be a constant factor of entertainment as well. The story is sound, harem element looks good, and the ecchi/action is top tier. Looks like this title is an instant favorite for this season. I loved it. Kick-a** ep...

Check out my award list to see some of the best anime titles in the world!

Never forget Xenosaga.

Last updated Saturday, March 06 2010. Created Tuesday, January 12 2010.
Rent Stretch [series:2223#628]
(All episodes watched):

My first impression was that with the cat allergy, memory loss, a girl neighbor who wakes the guy up each morning, transfer student, etc, etc, it seemed that Omamori Himari might well have been made by splicing together bits and pieces of various popular shows rather than attempting to come up with much of anything original. But I was getting desperate for at least one credible action-comedy after all the fanservice-without-action-or-comedy shows which had been coming out lately, so I decided I wouldn't complain too much. OH definitely had it's share of fanservice, but it also had enough of a story and some humor (with a few decent laughs) to justify itself--or rather, enough to allow me to watch this without feeling that by doing so I had admitted something shameful about myself. With the demon hunting premise this show at least made a pretense of having a little action and excitement of the non-ecchi sort. I thought the fight scene in the episode was actually animated rather well, though it was over quickly. Beggars can't be choosers, so I'd be watching Omamori Himari.

During episode two I got the feeling that this was actually a fun show, despite being very generic. Himari is an entertaining character, being extremely loyal, but also tough, smart, and quick-thinking. It's clear that she's doing what she wants to do, and could kick the ass of anyone who tries to make her do otherwise. And, compared to shows like Ladies versus Butlers!, a show with only this much fanservice seems quaint and innocent by comparison. Episode three was fun too, especially the scene where Yuuto asks how he came to be wearing a new set of clothes. The characters in this show, like water spirit girl, and teacup girl, seem to have a good deal of originality and personality to them, and some good jokes are always nice. The facial expressions are well drawn and often good for a laugh. The general sense of humor attracts me, and I got the feeling that this might turn out to be one of my favorite series of the winter 2010 season.

What can I say, this is a fun show! Considering how milquetoast harem leaders tend to be (in order to identify with unexceptional viewers), I was surprised at the transformation Yuuto underwent in episode four. Likewise the risk of Himari becoming "tainted by bloodshed"--it gives this show a serious and intriguing dimension which cheesy comedies seldom have. Seriously, I have gotten so used to mediocre 'watch' series that I cannot help being surprised by the cleverness and interesting plot of this show. It makes me sit up and take notice. The way episode eight skillfully transformed Kuesu from a bitchy girl who you don't particularly like into a sympathetic one was impressive. Somebody devoted some serious thought and talent to this show. Oh, and Shizuku is my favorite character with her witty observations.

I liked the series best when it was goofy and comedic during it's first half or so. It lost something as it became more serious towards the end, though it was always enjoyable. The climactic battle was sort of corny and predictable, but I felt good at the end. There seems to be a rule in harem shows that the male protagonist may not make a final choice of which girl is his favorite (even if one has been dominating the story all along), and thus what the viewer sees as a heaven-like situation will continue indefinitely. So it was here. In general, Omamori Himari was a fun show with a highly likeable cast, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Also fun was the OP and especially the ED sequence, which had the amusing song "Beam My Beam" (whatever that means). Thinking back about this show brings a grin to my face; that's generally a good sign.

Catch Himari's montage at the Kendo Girl Scrapbook page!

My favorite line: "I'm one of the brighter demons" --Shizuku

Last updated Thursday, December 09 2010. Created Monday, January 11 2010.

Other Sites
NameURL
Official website http://newtype.kadocomic.jp/omahima/
おまもりひまり公式サイト (Japanese)

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