Ranked #1688

Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo!

Mamoru-kun is a cute little romantic comedy that is often overlooked. It's not really a masterpiece that's going to end up on a lot of people's top-10 lists, but it's quite enjoyable for what it is. I'd put it in the same category as Kamisama Kazoku and Midori no Hibi - light romantic comedy that's not meant to be taken too seriously.

The very first thing you need to figure out is if you are able to accept the concept of a male lead who looks like he's 10 years old. Some people have a hard time accepting Mamoru and if you feel the same way, you're not going to be able to get very far into the show.

The characters as a whole were very entertaining. Ayako does her take on a different type of tsundere. The student council support staff each have their quirks and each bring a little something to the show. I loved that they "borrowed" the student council girls for some funny temporary harem situations, but on the whole the story focused on Mamoru and Ayako.

The humor in the show was better and more innovative than I was expecting. That's not to say the show doesn't indulge in a lot of school life romance cliches, but they love throwing little unexpected twists in there sometimes. One example is the obligatory onsen episode. They definitely take it in another direction and it's my favorite onsen episode in any romantic comedy anime.

The story was pretty decent as far as romantic comedies go. I thought the ending arc was pretty weak, though. What I did like was that the confession came in the first episode so we don't have to spend a whole series watching awkward school kids try to figure out how to confess to each other. The series instead spends its time showing how the two main characters develop the relationship.

So, to sum up, Mamoru-kun is an enjoyable romantic comedy for people looking for something in that genre. It's not a masterpiece, but it has enough good points to be a solid recommendation for folks looking for a romantic comedy. read more

What's the most generic romantic comedy you can think of? Not a harem situation, just a love triangle. Is it set in a high school for magic-users/monster-trainers/psychics? Presto: Mamoru-kun.

It's not that this show is egregiously bad - the OP is a little annoying and the art and animation is rather lame for a show that aired in 2006, but you can skip the opening and comedies don't need stunning visuals to be funny - it's that there's nothing compelling to draw in the viewers.

The story here is pretty basic: Mamoru, the shouta-looking untalented hero joins a prestigious school to become stronger, and immediately falls in love with the notorious, hot-tempered, and powerful Ayako. The problem with this is that Ayako falls equally as hard in love with Mamoru, so any attempted romantic drama falls short of being convincing. People familiar with romances will notice scenarios like: "Ayako/Mamoru is avoiding me, does she/he not like me anymore?" No, they were just busy making you a present.

Being set in a school based around super powers, there are also a number of villains that appear who are made out to be menacing, but once they appear, they do little aside from trying to break up the main couple. By the time everything is over, everyone is friends, because friendship/love is the greatest power in the world.

Perhaps the best thing that could be said about the show is that several of the minor characters absolutely shine in the comedy department. The antics of the student council president, Maya, who also has feelings for Ayako, and his younger sister, Shione, with her ridiculous hair, in their attempts to tease/cheer up Ayako are delightful. The large, muscular dude who is constantly spouting Engrish is a hoot as well. Ayako's romantic rival, the short, flat-chested Emelenzia, is hilarious in her repeated failed attempts at seducing Mamoru. But all of this just reflects back on how weak the leading pair are: while Ayako avoids the tsundere stereotype by being constantly lovey-dovey towards Mamoru while thrashing anyone else who irritates her, the report between the two lacks the tenderness that makes established couples like Keiichi and Belldandy or Aoi and Kaoru enjoyable to watch.

Because the superiority of the supporting cast and the mediocrity of the primary couple, the best episodes are the light-hearted ones, like when Shione suddenly shows up with her hair hanging straight, the Valentines episode when everyone (muscular Engrish-speaker include) make chocolates for Mamoru, or an explosive - literally - mission to peep on the girls in a hot spring. The serious episodes lack a sense of danger or an original twist to make them interesting.

The art is utterly forgettable, except for a fireworks display in one of the episodes that makes one think that the person in charge of animating it was an amateur who had just discovered 3D CG effects. Sound was likewise passable but left little lasting impression.

All in all, this show has it's moments, but there are much better ways to spend your time. read more