|
|
||||||||||
| Overall | Art | Animation | Character Design | Music | Series Story | Episode Story | Reviewer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rent |
 Stretch
|
[series:4480#628] | ||||||
|
(Rent- or Watch+) (All episodes watched): Apparently about the only things which actually set Oni apart from humans is that they have one or two small horns on their foreheads and possess magic tiger-striped underpants (Oni pantsu) which, when worn in full view, allow them to transform into whatever they wish. Oni king Yama himself has sent these three girls to clear up other, harmful, beliefs--such as that Oni like to eat children. Needless to say, this show had a silly premise and tone, though as usual it was not LOL funny. How a mere three girls can possibly reset centuries old misconceptions remains to be seen, but I was left fairly curious and willing to watch some more. I noticed that the three principal VAs all seemed to be newcomers with no major roles in other shows to their credit yet. I wish this show was at least a little funnier, because it seems to have some heart, likable characters and an amusing premise. In episode two at their new school the girls encounter a classmate who claims to be the direct descendant of Japanese folk hero Momotaro, who was the arch enemy of Oni. I sort of felt that it would be a shame to stop watching this show, but no matter how I look at it, I can't say that it is brilliant. In episode three the girls solve a problem by cooking some indescribably delicious food. OK, but I don't get it. I don't recall any implication that Oni were fantastic cooks, or held secret recipes, or anything like that. Did their magical underpants make this possible? I guess (but later on it is claimed that they only affect their appearances). Things are funny when they make sense in an unexpected way, but this did not make much sense. In episode five Momo asks the three Oni to act as judges in a contest to decide who will be the official Momotaro hero for the next year or so. Why let your traditional enemy make such an important decision? It was amusing but not truly funny. In episode six the Oni girls discover the secret identity of a famous idol. In episode seven we learn the true identity of Kuma, the teddy bear sort of creature who accompanies the girls. In episode eight they must pass a test in order to be issued a new set of magical Onipan. This one was a little funnier than most, I thought. In episode nine Tsutsuji is named head of the school festival committee out of the blue. Each episode is around twelve minutes long, which is about right for a show of modest quality like this. The thought occured to me that these three girls haven't really done all that much to clear up misconceptions about Oni since episode one. In episode ten the girls try to create a sort of podcast to do just that, but they are total amateurs. It devolves into a test of how spicy (hot) the food they eat can be, and I can't help grinning as I remember it. In episode 11 the girls go to an Idol audition to cheer on Momo, but are drafted to serve as Idols themselves. Again, an amusing episode. And in the final episode the girls must pass yet another test or be replaced by more competent ambassadors. This show was never uproariously funny, but the oddity could be amusing and I sympathized with the three Onikko, and as a result watched to the end and was even a little sorry to see it go. Last updated Monday, July 11 2022. Created Friday, April 29 2022. | ||||||||
