Ranked #1571

Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakama-tachi

Once upon a time there was a series of light novels by Masashi Okita that played around with certain well known fairy tales. Due to a strange twist of fate (or a complete lack of ideas), the series was chosen to be adapted into anime form, and they all lived happily ever after.

Well, not quite.

Directed by Iwasaki Yoshiaki (Gokujou Seitokai, Wagaya no Oinari-sama, Gunbuster, Love Hina), Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi (Ookami-san and her Seven Companions), follows the adventures of Ookami Ryouko and her colleagues from the Otogi Bank as they solve people's problems, right various wrongs, fight delinquents, and generally act as all round busybodies.

Now where have I heard that before?

The main problem with Ookami-san is that it suffers from the same flaw that almost every novel adaptation has - an inherent lack of detail. That's not to say that the story doesn't work as there are plenty of things already in the tale that are interesting enough. The plot, however, is haphazard in its approach, and a number of points never get explained over the course of the series. Because of these two factors, the story never really reaches the level where the viewer can become engrossed, and in all honesty the only reason I finished it was because I was playing "Spot the Fairy Tale".

As I mentioned before, the franchise plays fast and loose with several well known fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood (complete with wolf and hunter), Momotaro (with dumplings), The Hare and the Tortoise (which was changed to a turtle for some reason), Urashima Tarou, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Hansel and Gretel, The Little Match Girl, Puss in Boots, and probably a bunch more. Unfortunately, there's a side effect to incorporating specific elements of other stories into your own and that's exactly what happens here.

If one is able to disregard the lack of focus and detail, there's still the creativity barrier to overcome and it's here where the everything falls down. While the story may have some interesting aspects, the usage of fairy tales places quite a heavy dampener on innovation and it shows in Ookami-san in many ways, from relationships (Usami Mimi and Ryuuguu Otohime are inclined to hate each for example), to character design.

In all honesty, J.C. Staff have produced a fairly decent looking show for the most part. The animation is generally fluid throughout the series, but there are one or two telltale signs of corner cutting during the fight scenes. The backgrounds and settings are pretty standard fare for anyone familiar with high school anime, and while there are no real feats of originality, there are also very few major flaws. The real problem with the overall look of the show though, is the inherent lack of innovation I mentioned earlier.

This is where it all gets a bit tricky. On the surface the casual viewer may consider the design of certain characters to be quite original, for example Akai Ringo is supposed to be Little Red Riding Hood and this reference is prominent in her clothing throughout the series. Certain other characters follow this design pattern to highlight the fairy tale they are based on, while others are a bit more subtle with their reference. One of the main issues with this approach is that it impacts on the relationships between the characters, and the reason for it may not be obvious at first. Once the viewer understands the reference then everything becomes clear, however Ookami-san only really works on that basis.

One point in the show's favour is the sound quality, as the effects are fairly well realised and choreographed. Unfortunately the music isn't up to the same standards. That's not to say that it's bad, no, it's simply that it's all been done before.

Here's what I mean. The OP, "Ready, Go!" by May'n is a boppy J-pop track that doesn't leave any impact whatsoever. The ED, "Akazukin-chan Goyoujin" (Careful Akazukin-chan), by OToGi 8, is a strange mixture of J-pop and chip tunes that is equally forgettable. The rest of the music throughout the series doesn't really add much to the atmosphere of a given scene, and the proof of this lies in the numerous occasions where no music is used as there is very little difference in terms of impact.

One of the main sound problems with Ookami-san though, is the narration. There are far too many occasions where the viewer will be trying to pay attention to what the characters are saying, only to have it drowned out by Arai Satomi pretending to be an old time storyteller. As for the acting itself, the seiyuu are generally pretty good, with Itou Shizuka and Itou Kanae playing the roles of Ryouko and Ringo with a degree of aplomb (one does have to wonder if the casting was purposeful though). Irino Miyu gives a respectable performance as the sociophobe and prospective beau Morino Ryoushi, especially when he switches between coward and manly mode.

The rest pf the cast deliver some good all round performances but, like the rest of the series, the lack of originality means that they simply can't sink their teeth into the roles. The prime example of this is the fact that Ryouko is, yet again, quite literally the "sheep in wolf's clothing".

Now I will be honest here. I'm tired of the typical tsundere loli character and would personally like to see more variety in that department. Surprisingly, it seems as though Ookami-san has made some efforts to move away from the archetype. There are attempts to justify the persona of each character to a degree, and although the results are a bit of a mixed bag, the fact is that this makes the show more interesting than it would otherwise have been. The series takes great pains to delve into the personal history of its lead characters, and some of the resulting stories are handled rather well.

But that's all there is to it. Once their stories are told the characters go right back to how they were before, with the only real exceptions being Ryouko and Ryoushi. But that's not my main gripe where the characters are concerned, no, the real problem here is that there are no reasons or justifications, either in the story or otherwise, for the actions of Hitsujikai Shirou, and the lack of any information leaves the viewer wondering what the hell is going on.

Now, while Ookami-san isn't a truly great show, it's not actually that bad on the whole. The series has a number of interesting aspects and relationships, and is entirely watchable as long as you aren't overly critical about it. Unfortunately there are occasions where there is simply too much going on at once, and the viewer may find themselves going back over certain scenes in order to fully understand what has occurred.

One thing I did like were the cameos from ToraDora! and Toaru Kagaku no Railgun as, while they may not be my favourite shows, it made the anime into something more of a visual game (spot the reference).

It's strange how many shows these days are adaptations of other media, and it does make one wonder if anime studios have hit a creative wall. Whatever the case may be, Ookami-san is a decent attempt at adapting a novel series, and while it does have its flaws, the show is entertaining enough for at least one viewing. Granted it may not be everyone's gingerbread house, but those that like school based romantic comedies won't find themselves too disappointed.

Now can we please find a different character type as I'm tired of of all the tsundere lolis.

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Translating a book into a movie or show is always a challenge for developers. Why? Because taking all the information contained in a book and trying to cram it into a 2 hour movie is near impossible. So why do developers constantly try and do what seems impossible? Well it is my opinion that books have an uncanny ability to truly capture a readers attention with the use of two things, characters and story. The attention to detail and the ability many authors have to flesh out a character or grab a readers attention with interesting plot twists is what has kept books from dying out for so long. And so we come back to the question, why do developers try and do seems impossible? Maybe it is to try and reach a new demographic in a day and age where reading just isnt "cool" or "in," or maybe developers would just like to create there own interpretation of the original work or maybe they just want to cash in on the success of the book. Whatever the case, developers have tried countless times to try and recreate the magic of a certain book in visual form, and the outcomes range the full spectrum of great and horrible. When it comes to anime, in my opinion, there is one thing that will truly define whether the developers rendition will succeed, time.

Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi is based off the light novel of the same name and follows the adventures of Ookami, Ryoushi and the group they work for, Otogi Ginko (Otogi Bank). This anime's story really had everything going for it right from the start. While the story's structure is by the books, little details kept things fresh and exciting. With a change up of action and romance things were fast paced and while this is not unusual for an anime story line and maybe not original, I couldnt help but smile at parts or notice myself getting drawn in. And yet, this anime's biggest downfall is its story. Why you ask, after all my praise do I say that the story is this anime's achilles heal? It comes back to what I said in my opening comments, time was what brought this anime to its knees.

What Ookami-san (abr. title) really needed was 24 episodes, maybe even 32. While the story and characters are all very enjoyable, because of this anime's short length, you only seem to graze the surface of everything. You never seem to get the chance to get deep into things, get under the character's skins and see what they see, essentially immerse yourself. Even the story, we only seem to be looking at the tip of the ice berg in the anime, and even the more interesting elements, such as the antagonist only seem to be an after thought, a "reason" given to the "good" guys to fight evil. I have not read the light novels, but I feel as though the story was not given enough thought. With what I saw at the start, there was more than enough material to really delve deep and grab the viewers attention, and yet instead we are side tracked with usual anime shit such as the usual "moe moe" we all seem to want. And while much of the story may seem cliche at times, there was a lot of squandered potential. By the end of the anime, most would have realized that there would be no "real" ending, and things would be left unattended. Which is unfortunate because like I said numerous times, Ookami-san had so much potential, so many more characters which could have been developed more, so much more story to be revealed, so much more plot. It all seemed so rushed. My feeling was the developers were trying to cram as much of the story in as possible, but by doing this they were unable to get to the essence of the plot, and unable to draw viewers in.

Ookami-san does have some solid strong points though. The animation was very well done, with fight scenes that were enjoyable and smooth. The art was also extremely pleasing, with very good character models and detailed backgrounds. The sound was done very well also, with great voice actors for the main characters, and sound quality that while not outstanding, surely stands above other series in the same genre. Really, by the end of this series, it was these qualities that kept me coming back and allowed me to finish the last few episodes. But anime is not all about the quality of its art or animation.

As I stated at the start of this review, Ookami-san's biggest weakness was its time management. This show desperately needed 24 episodes. What started out as a great show, by the end left a bad aftertaste, and not because the story or characters itself were bad, but because of squandered potential. It is not impossible to adapt a book into an anime, as there are many examples of great adaptations, but what needs to be addressed when attempting such a difficult task is time. What amount of time is needed to truly convey what the novels were trying to convey? How much time is needed to truly recreate the story? How much time is needed to delve into the necessary characters and develop them? And unfortunately with Ookami-san, the developers didnt seem to ask themselves these questions. read more

It could have been something decent, but instead Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi reeks of mediocrity. The art work and animation was actually pretty and appealing, but the terrible story and cast of characters makes this series a pretty little scab you want to tear off. The rag tag bunch of characters have a very minor development and role so it'll feel as if most, if not all, of the characters are a side note. Even the story leaves you hanging till the last episode. At the end of the series, you will ask yourself, "That's it? What the hell was I watching this for?". I'm sorry to say this, but I felt as if the writer of the series did a half-assed job and produced a story about kids doing random things without any plot or motive. I say this series was a wild goose chase. I recommend it to those of you who have nothing to do and just want to kill time. read more

Too Long Don't wanna Read: Yea, Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi isn't bad, but its not good either.



REAL REVIEW:
The whole thought of an anime based on fairy tales intrigued me(which is why I watched the entire thing) yet fell short when they dropped the whole fairy tale thing near the end.

There are some logical fallacies like how the "hunter" in this story is in love with the "wolf" and not "little red ridding hood" - if I get my facts straight hunter kills wolf and saves granny-(not seen) and red ridding hood, but w/e.

Hansel and Gretal are seen at brief intervals during the anime with some-sort of incesty feelings towards one and another but they deny their incest so i guess its ok.

They do some referencing in the anime-notably ToraDora and some other anime.

Again these are just lentils compared to the real chunk in which we dive now.

The main characters work at a "favor" bank where they do favors for students expecting favors back. weirdly enough they seem to be spending favors faster than they could make em seen in a swimsuit ep(sigh) where they blow their savings on telling the students not to vote for their own bank employees.

Anyhoo that being the setting the real dilemma is that something happened to Ookami(wolf) by a mysterious guy which turned her mentally into a man, being aloof in trait and does boxing,

Due to that trait Morino(hunter) and Akai(Red Riddin) get attracted to her, where they get feelings of "ooh she is strong" and "I want to protect you" which seems to be the generic feelings these days of making girls strong yet need to be protected - because they are girls.

Also Morino is sociophobic which means he unable to look at people, reason for it- because he is a hunter and takes comfort in seeing and not being seen, which is weird because Snake in Metal Gear Solid takes this to an extreme and he himself is not sociophobic at the least. Anyway He confesses to Ookami because thats what sociophobes do, and tells her his confession to which he gets denyed but denial isn't something that bothers Morino because later he joins a team with Ookami and uses events and flag points to sway her to his favor.

Ending goes something with enemy school de la ghetto decides that even though they got beaten by Morino and Ookami, they can take the entire bank, which starts with kidnapping Ookami. Ohoho but soon they realize that it was all masterminded by Ookami's past loved one, and as Morino and (past loved one) fight it out, (which oddly PLO had a knife yet never used because advantages are unfair) Ookami gets over the past trauma and Morino and Ookami both win, which is to say until the Bank decides to leave them alone and negotiate through IMs.

Last Minute Notices:
Narrator talks over the people sometimes, which is annoying as hell.

This anime parody's scene shots which is funny till overused.

Morino has a lisp and is very bipolar with his sociophobe so take it to account.

Other than Ookami and Morino, all other characters are very minor, even the main bad guy.

So in the end this anime is like putting ketchup on potato chips, yes its something you might wanna try, but there are so many better things to eat, like potato chips in sandwiches.



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Ookami was one of the more popular series of the season. Why? Beats me... Was it because of J.C staff? Despite their many successes, I find Ookami to be an incredible bore.

Let's start with this: I really hate the narrator. I feel that shows that uses narration heavily are due to the director's lack of ability to convey plot and emotions, and that can't be more true for this show. And I hate Satomi Arai.

There are only a few instances where I can follow the character's train of thought, though that wasn't suppose to be hard due to the incredibly simple storyline. The main antagonist is so one-dimensional, it feels like he's a last minute addition as a plot device. The climax of the story is just... Can you even call it a climax? I don't even feel the slightest sense of excitement during that. It feels like a cheap way to end the series, and it leaves so many questions but I couldn't really be bothered any more.

There's so little material for the main storyline that most of the series focuses on stories of the supporting characters... Which none was really interesting, but at least it's better than the main plot. I suppose Ryoko's tsundere personality is suppose to sell, but beyond that trait, her character got no depth at all. Ryoushi's really irritating as a main character. As a wimp he can't even go to GAR mode properly... You'd hope he'll actually grow up by the end of the series, but all he managed is to overwhelm the bad guys with the final blow like a typical Shounen protagonist.

The animation and songs were good. I wont expect any less from J.C staff though... Well... Let's just leave it at that.

I think the only thing that this show gotta sell of is Ryoko's tsundere... But come on, really? This is a lame piece of work.

Plot/Concept: Lame
Story Style: Booooooring
Audio/Visual: Great
Value: 3 read more

I began watching this series on a suggestion, I'd been complaining to a friend about the lack of well balanced and strong female lead characters. So he suggested I watch this because it was exactly what I was looking for, and I trusted that, he's hardly steered me wrong.

I was severely disappointed to the point where I was just overall very sad and upset. Sounds silly but, I went in expecting a good solid story line which a cast full of characters that were different in their own way, and a strong female character that really made the series. What I was greeted with was the same every day crap I was trying to avoid, "Women are weak and they need Men".

Ookami got down played once again by the male lead, which was exactly what I was hoping to avoid. I've never given an anime this low of a rating before, if I wanted flesh bags wagged in my face this would be the perfect anime to do it. Yet when looking for something with a lot more weight and meaning it fell short on all accounts and was a huge disappointment!

Not only that...seeing Ookami nearly hit the peak of a strong woman, only to be yanked back down by a man was too sad to watch. I tried to finish it but, I couldn't unfortunately. So I extend this warning, if you're looking for something that'll exhibit the true strength of a woman both physically and emotionally, you won't find it in this anime. If you're looking for fan service, then please, give it a shot, it'll be right up your alley. read more

If you want a short + straight answer, feel free to skim or just skip to the "OVERALL" part. :) My 2nd anime review:

STORY- 7
Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi has a stable storyline, which really just involves a group of high school kids called the Otogi Bank who fulfill students' requests. And in exchange for helping them out, their client has to owe them some sort of favor. Not an entirely exciting, nor original concept, but I do enjoy how this anime have a bit of a fairytale-like theme to it.. --mixed in with romance, action, comedy, drama, and even anime references (such as Zero no Tsukaima & To Aru no Railgun). The story doesn't progress too much from there, and they continue on each & every episode about helping a new client. It also often focuses the episodes on telling us more of the characters' past.. or more development on the romance between Ryouko & Ryoushi.

ART- 9
The animation is rather fantastic in this. I adore the cutesie looking character, despite the fact that they overdo it sometimes. Lots of pretty girls.. and several decent-looking guys. No complaints here.

SOUND- 8
Many famous + talented voice actrors/actresses we can recognize from here, like Irino Miyu (Syaoran-Tsubasa Chronicles), Itou Kanae (Amu-Shugo Chara!), Toyosaki Aki (Yui-K-On!), Kugimiya Rie (Shana & Taiga & Louise), Horie Yui (Yuuki- VK & Minori-Toradora!), and tons more. They are very well-suited for their roles, so no complaints here, either. I absolutely LOVE the narrator who's very much amusing through-out the series, giving us info. & random comments. ( I'm sure her voice will ring a bell, too.) The opening (sung by May'n-- also known as Sheryl from Macross Frontier) & ending themes are good, but nothing memorable, nor catchy.

CHARACTER- 8
There are a lot of development with the main characters and even the side characters' development. Lots of the characters' type are cliche, and we've seen them one too many thems. In this case, I don't mind because all the characters are entertaining. I must say that our main guy, despite being that same-o "plain" guy-type, he has 1 original aspect: phobia at being looked/stared at. With that, he is no longer that cliche "nice" & "average" guy. All the characters are to a satisfactory level. I like ALMOST all of them. :]

ENJOYMENT- 8
I really did enjoyed watching this series. It was possibly my favorite 2010 Summer anime. I laughed, and I may even have cried..(or maybe not..my memories are kinda blurry) for this one certain scene. Each episode were amusing, and a few of the stories seriously touched my heart.

OVERALL- 8
I think it is TRULY worth-watching. Not the best series.. Actually, FAR from it (it is what to be expected from a 12-episodes anime). But it has some pretty darn good contents. Give it another season, and Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi might turn into something BIGGER. I also will give it props for not turning this into another harem.. which is kinda surprising (considering how a HUGE majority of the characters are females). A few light fanservice here & there, but I won't label this series ecchi.

Thank you for reading. Hope it helps even if just the tiniest bit. ^^ read more

Alluding to fairy tales has become pretty common in modern television, and of course, quite prominent in anime. In the best case, the use of fairy tales can be woven into the fabric of the story and become something special like Princess Tutu. Adversely, the use of fairy tales can be nothing more than a quick gimmick with no substance behind it. Unfortunately, Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi (or Okami-San and Her Seven Companions) falls squarely into the latter of those possibilities.

The show fallows the exploits of the Otogi Bank, a club in Otogi High School which does favors for students in exchange for returning the favor later on. Among the members of the Bank is fierce and tough-as-nails Ryouko Ookami (the 'wolf' in the story as her name might indicate) and her best friend, and little red ridding hood lookalike, Ringo. Unknown to Ruouko she has a secret admirer in the painfully shy Ryoushi... unknown until he attempts to confess to her and subsequently joins the Otogi Bank. Ryoushi wants to get closer to Ryouko, but that is easier said than done as her past has lefter her with a scared and guarded heart.

If this is sounding like a typical rom-com with a tsudere at its core, it is because that is exactly what the show is. All the fairytale stuff is just kind of stapled on. The rest is the usual school-life anime fixings. From the cast of wacky archetypes, to silly episodic stories, to the tough girl and wimpy guy romance; it is all retread material dozens of other anime series also use.

Admittedly, the fairytale aspect does add a little extra flavor; seeing classic fairy tales being applied to situations and shenanigans the characters get themselves into has a certain novelty to it. Particularly amusing is the Turtle and Hare rivalry between Otohime and Mimi, along with a few other episodic spins on fairy tales, like the absolutely ridiculous take on Cinderella in the first episode. Not to say that the episodic stories are good, often they are rather hackney, but they can be fun. Another thing that adds some personality to the show is the narrator, who often makes snark comments; making fun of the characters and calling out tropes in the story. This shows that Ookami-san doesn't take itself too seriously, which is good, seeing how over-tread its material is. Still, when you have the narrator taking shot at the story, you know the story is in trouble.

When the show gets dramatic, it gets mixed results, mostly underwhelming. While the silly stories in each episode can be funny and amusing, but are all rather weak dramatically. Attempts to appeal to your emotions, like Otsuu's (the maid in the Otogi Bank) need to repay favors or Ringo's relationship with an upperclassmen, ring hollow. Your never really invested with most of the cast to begin with, as they are mostly just background, and trying to make you sympathies with them with only a single episode focusing on them (if even that) feels very forced and ineffective. The only drama that does work is regarding Ryouko's past, and to a lesser extent her relationship with Ryoushi. Unlike a lot of tsuderes, Ryouko has a fairly viable reason for being so fiercely asocial; hiding past hurt behind a brave face. It is also cute to see her warm up and confide with Ryoushi and see him become more bold for her sake. Still, these development are pretty conventional and lack actual complexity, giving the show very little weight.

Visually and musically, the show is rather uninspired. Character designs aren't bad by any means, just generic. Ryouko's design may as well be a billboard with the words "I'm a tsundere!" written on it, not to say her flat-chested figure isn't cute. Ringo is looks like the token cute and mischievous munchkin that she is, and Ryoushi looks just as flat as most male ecchi protagonists. The animation is fine, and character designs stay on model most of the time (usually losing form a little in action sequences), but it feels flat because there is honestly no real inspiration behind it. The music follows suit. Bubbly electric pieces and a few orchestrated ones, the soundtrack isn't really bad, but exactly what you would expect from this type of show, and ultimately unmemorable. Only the cute opening and ending themes are even remotely memorable, and even then, still pretty generic.

Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi is the kind of show that will fade to the back of your mind shortly after watching it. It really doesn't do anything with its fairytale premise. It is but a single high school rom-com in an ocean of high school rom-coms. The only real compliment that can really be given is that the show does not do anything tremendously wrong. read more

Oh look! Another moe-moe animu! Is it just another merchandise driven and annoying piece of crap or is it something actually pretty decent and enjoyable? Fortunately, Ookami-san is the latter, although I have some qualms with it.

In a nutshell, the plot is pretty simple. (Go read MAL's synopsis.)

We’ve heard the “We help people in an episodic fashioned!” plotline many times before. Wash, rinse, and repeat. Bakemonogatari, To Aru Kagaku no Railgun, and a lot more basically, but Ookami-san gets away with it, because its just so damn likable, despite the very derivative nature of it. Ookami-san is not trying to be the most unique or original, its just one of those non-pretentious anime where you can sit back, relax, and watch the characters do some crazy stuff. And in that regard, Okami-san delivers in its fairy tale referencing glory. If the characters weren’t so enjoyable, this anime would have utterly failed.

Now, the characters themselves are pretty much all moe/harem stereotypes that we’ve seen before, but with a slight tongue-in-cheek air about them. We have the socially inept guy, the classic tsundere, the meido girl, the mad scientist, the token loli, the obsessive lover, the list goes on and on. But somehow, I actually liked the characters and they’re quirks. They’re not too annoying or aggravating and I enjoyed all of the cliched situations the characters would find themselves in. From popularity contests, pool time, Meido dress up, fireworks, mock dates, you name it, this anime has it all. I know it sounds like played-out drivel, but Ookami-san’s self aware nature makes it all worthwhile. I mean, Ookami-san plays the genres tropes so straight that it has to be a homage or a parody, adding the fact that there is a narrator, who points out the cliches in the story also proves my point even further. Although, the narrator can get overbearing and unfunny at times, she does a great job of saying exactly what the audience would say of the cliched nonsense and for the most part, shes pretty hilarious.

The characterization for the male lead Ryoushi is very well done. He starts off as a pitiful loser, but then becomes a stronger individual through his ambition and determination to protect Ryouko and love her. Which makes him the most layered and rounded character unfortunately, because everyone else just stays grounded in they’re archetypes with no real drive of their own. Sure, some of the cast receive episodes catered to them, but they never really add anything new to their stereotypes or even get anything important to the plot accomplished. Which will turn off people who have no tolerance for moe or harem, since Okami-san is very much one of those “otaku-centric” anime. I honestly didn’t mind it, but Ryouko’s character really pissed me off the most. Despite several of the hardships Ryoushi endure in order to prove himself to her, she stays seated in her tsundere bullshit. *Slight Spoiler* Instead of having her character develop and finally confess her love to Ryoushi, since its painfully obvious, you know what she says “I don’t dislike him” Are freaking kidding me? That’s all you have to say Ryouko after all of the events in episode eleven!?! Give me a break. This alone completely shattered anything I liked about Ryouko previously, and made her just another poorly written tsundere. The conclusion as a whole itself, is unsatisfactory as well. It just ends. No real resolve to anything or goal reached. Hopefully J.C. Staff will produce another season.

The production values for Ookami-san is excellent! Easily one of J.C. Staff’s best animated works. Filled with fluid, realistic, and fast paced movement with wonderfully fanciful, vibrant, and colorful artistry. Attractively cute moe character designs and highly detailed backgrounds. I was actually in shock by the pure effort that was put in the imagery. Ookami-san is in no way a bad looking anime. The music is pretty well done too. Even though Ready Go!; the opening theme, Is not May’n’s best performance, it fits with the upbeat and whimsical nature of the anime. The ED is also pretty catchy too.

Another great aspect about the anime is in the voice work. The seiyuu voice all of the characters with such life and cooperation with one another. I especially like to point out Ryouko’s voice actress; Shizuka Itou. I’m so glad J.C. Staff used another seiyuu for one of their ‘premiere’ tsundere’s. Rie Kugumiya is over used, thank goodness Shizuka played Ryouko with such differentiation from Tiaga, Louise, and Shana. Ryouko is more brash and masculine than your average tsundere, so of course she’ll need a different voice and Shizuka definitely fitted the bill perfectly with her performance. Also, Satomi Arai as the narrator is freaking brilliant! ‘Nuff said. In fact, any fans of the To Aru series will definitely get a kick out of the voice work as many of the seiyuu from Raildex return here.

Overall, Ookami-san is all out otaku pandering fest. You’ll love for all of the stereotypes and clichés or you’ll hate it for that same exact reason. It was a fun ride, but damaged by the lack of development, a terrible ending, and a lack of progression in the plot and characters. Its basically one of those ‘time-waster’ anime. Not excellent or riveting, but not disposable either.

Copy & pasted from my Tumblr: http://chibimonogatari.tumblr.com/post/1144220277/ookamisanteenchibireview read more

Foreword:


Due to the lack of (In my opinion atleast) intelligent reviews for this anime thus far, I figured I would take the time to write one. I would like to note however, that this is only designed for users to see if they might be interested in spending their time watching this show. I have no idea how this show will end, as I am only a few episodes in, however, I will try to make this as helpful as possible. So, if the show magically starts being terrible don't come after me with flaming sporks. This is only a review for the first 3 episodes (for now).If you think I didn't do a good job reviewing those episodes, then please, bring your spork army. On to the review!




Thus far, Ookami-San is a rom com WITH A TWIST. *cue what a twist soundboard*. Like a standard romantic comedy, it has some interesting characters that slowly seem to bond from various events. Lame, I know. The way Ookami san does it is interesting however. A majority of the episodes are parody's of classic fairytales.

The way its done is not only smooth, but exceptionally entertaining. It's to the point where if you know of the story, you can catch the references immediately and if you have never heard of the tale the show is still crisp and you won't be left confused for the most part.

The show is full of plenty of colorful characters, from the main ones Ryoushi(Wimpy kid who has a crush on Ookami, I'm sure you can guess how character development will go with this one) and Ookami (Translate for epic giggles) to the typical lolis and ladies man. There really isn't a character that will make you go crazy for, but there is not any characters that will annoy you to the point you will immediately drop the show, so I can't really complain.

While not a huge deal, I'll toss this in here. The opening theme is decent. Not good, but not horrendous. I can stand watching it instead of ffing past it which is a pretty big deal for me atleast.

Overall, the show is enjoyable and just that. This isn't an angel beats or code geass or whatever anime really tickled your peach in the past. Its just a show that is refreshing, humorous, and darn entertaining.

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There’s nothing I love better then ranting about bad anime in the afternoon. Which is why I’m here to talk about Ookami-san to Shinchinin no Nakamatachi, such a long title.

Anyway, this show is like having a glass of milk after having it sit on your counter for about a whole night after your house party. All your drunken friends and standing around it and they want you to drink it and you do after all the peer pressure. At first, you’re thinking it’s a bad idea, and after listening to your friends you think that this is a chance to redeem your personless self. So you drink it and giggle before it gets in your mouth, and when it touches your tongue you’re going to spew all over the place because you had so many god damn drinks last night and rotten milk does not mix with your girly cocktails!

And if you people say I’m wrong and that this is a great show. Then you ain’t worth reading this review to see how much you’re wrong. Plus, if you think I’m wrong, you’re probably one of those Type A viewers…

This show makes me just as angry as True Tears did. It went nowhere. NO WHERE.

Let’s talk about this wretched show… Why? Because I like to cause myself pain.

I need it grab it out of my recycle bin. Hold on.

TL;DR version: needless action, stupid antagonists, antagonists with no goal, protagonists with no goal, plight, or drama, stupid romance, no character development, sudden introduction of characters, characters with typical personalities, characters whose personalities change randomly back and forth, no reason for romance, forced romance, stupid club concept, no humor, overused jokes, simple plot (if one exists), it’s a picture slideshow that moves and makes noise, and and the stupid narrator they should've cut after the first episode, show stuck in one dimension, doesn't connect with the view, you have no reason to care for the characters.

(I love your Onee-sama voice, Satomi-chan, but I can't deal with it in this show)

Himura is the best character in this show. She has depth! But she's only in it for one episode...

The antagonist is stupid too. I like how they try to make his past with Ookami dark and spooky to make you hate you him. There is no reason for what he does and what he will do. He just does them. Because he's a bad man that runs evil school in town and he's all like, "you guys are going down!!!!111!!1111! D: read more

Remember the times as children when the concept of bears living in a cozy home, fairy godmothers and candy houses owned by witches were believable? Remember the times when everything you believed in didn't seem all that far-fetched? Such a time of innocence can best be described as either a calm nostalgia, or an embarrassing realization. What if someone were to tackle these well-known stories and mix them into a light novel series of his own original creation? You would get Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakama-tachi, or simply Ookami-san for short.

The setting in Ookami-san takes place in a supposedly far off city in a far off time, only to be immediately dismissed by the most prominent part of the series: the narrator. Just like most well-known fairy tales, this anime comes fully equipped with a fully functioning narration! But I'll discuss more about her later. The plot is centered around Ryouko Ookami, a seemingly strong and independent high school girl and her tiny compatriot, Ringo Akai, who in itself is a spoof of the little red riding hood, as they take on tasks assigned to them as part of the organization they work for, named the Otogi Bank. As the two are walking home one day, they are attacked in an alley by some thugs, whom they take care of with ease thanks to a crafty invention and some assistance from an unknown third party. This third party is revealed to be Ryoushi Morino, who suffers from scopophobia (fear of being seen) and is thrown into the plot after he confesses his undying love for Ookami. As these awkward developments take place, she is influenced to bring Morino into the Otogi Bank organization to show him the ropes of becoming a full-fledged member, and the promising build-up of their relationship begins as well.

Now that I've begun with most of the formalities, I'd like to refer back to the narrator of the series, which presents one of the first problems I had with this anime. The concept of having a narrator within a series parodying fairy tales is an arguably genius concept, but the execution of using said narrator within the show takes a very forceful turn for the worst. She literally begins to speak as much as possible at any point in the series, whether it be in between other characters' dialogues or during inappropriate situations. For me, this greatly disrupts the flow and enjoyment of watching the characters build off one another through wit and conversation, as she gives off either information that can already be picked up, or something that doesn't deem necessary to the plot. Although at times humorous, such as the openings and (sometimes) endings of the episodes, the narrator was used in the wrong places throughout the anime and serves more as a distraction than a guide.

The plot progression in Ookami-san serves as a double-edged sword. At times most dramatic, it can deliver, while it can also give off that light-hearted effect of a care-free slice-of-life within the same story line. Unfortunately, during most of these trying times, the story can't back it up. The fact that this series is considered a parody doesn't help the case either. When Ookami-san puts on its serious mask, the plot and reasoning behind it is only paper thick, showing flaws with the shear amount of ridiculousness set forth with the cause. This kind of atmosphere can be considered humorous when done correctly, but the problem is, it's completely serious! When this anime decides to try and set a riveting plot device, not a joke is said, not a reference flies by, everything is set in motion in order to progress the situation as if it were the most crucial event in the course of human history, and for what? If I say any more, it would only riddle this review of spoilers, which isn't my intentions. All that can be said is that the show's plot moods are almost pathetically over-exaggerated when shown to be dramatic.

The characters within the Ookami-san series are as bright and colorful as their appearance. Besides the already mentioned characters above, among the cast there is also Liszt Kiriki, the president of Otogi Bank and a master of disguise, Majolica le Fay, an eccentric girl who thrives for scientific experiments, Otohime Ryuuguu and Tarou Urashima, who share a very complicated yet supposedly explicit relationship, and Otsuu Tsurugaya, the group maid who bears an uncanny resemblance to Kanade Suzutsuki from Mayo Chiki!. Each of these characters have their own role to play within the Otogi Bank in regards to taking orders, assigning orders, collecting information and appearing completely adorable, which they excel at. Most, if not all, of these characters are fairly likable, along with other minor characters introduced later in the series (Yes! There's more!). The only problem with this within a one-cour length anime is that not all of these characters are going to get much screen time, which hurts possible opportunities to find recognizability within the characters' personalities. Instead, the anime focuses mostly on the moving-ever-so-slightly relationship between Morino and Ookami. Ringo is also around to (force) assist them in getting closer together through her (manipulation) guidance as the third member of the group. However, thanks to many of the serious-but-not-so-serious scenarios I covered above, their relationship seems to be based on the premise of a princess with her knight in shining armor. Yet another fairy tale parody, especially with the irony of the main characters' personalities.

The animation, done so by J.C. Staff (which they like to point out whenever possible [refer to episode eight]) is done with splendid fashion to make the characters' designs look fashionable and, well, straight out of a fairy tale. However, a minor issue I have is concerning the edges around the characters' eyes at certain points in the animation. This typically occurs when the characters' expressions tend to soften their expressions, which results in their eyes losing a bit of their oval shape. Not a horrible tragedy, but something that distracted me as I watched the show is all. The background and notable places were also quite colorful, but not very attentive to detail. Very few scenes are shown more than once every few episodes other than the Otogi Bank headquarters and the school's girls' dormitory. Overall, the art was suited right for the occasion, which is as effective as the viewer's attention to their surroundings.

Music would normally associate with typically fairy tales, wouldn't they? Apparently not with Ookami-san. Apart from the opening and ending themes, the sound and music heard throughout the anime doesn't seem to invigorate any sense of emotion from the viewer. The show makes up for that with its visuals. Not to say that effort wasn't put in, but perhaps my attention toward the narrator's constant chattering neglected me from noticing any soundtrack whatsoever among each episode. Whether that be the reason or another, the music is not something one would typically remember after finishing this series.

With a premise as easy to comprehend as a parody of classic fairy tales, one would expect that this show would focus more on the parody of others instead of its own ventures in story-telling. Perhaps that was Ookami-san's downfall. While the story itself isn't anything dull, it feels as though it not only borrows its morals from fairy tale stories, but also their predictability. Ookami-san benefits from the interesting combination of mixing western fairy tales with eastern Japanese customs, but overall, the story feels as cliched as fairy tales intend to be. With some more character development and a dose original story-telling, Ookami-san could be an anime worth showing to everyone. But with how it is, it only seems like an experiment of a writer's first draft with a creative twist. Add in an excessive amount of characters, a comedic narrator and some occasional fan service and you have yourself a show! read more

Truth be told, the only hook I was given while being dragged in to watching this anime was that the male protagonist speaks like a Prinny. After finally finding some time, I sat down and watched the whole series.

Now the start looked very promising. We are introduced to our bumbling male lead and the apple of his eye, the titular Ookami-san. A few episodes later introduces the rest of the members of the Otogi Bank before seguing in to an ominous shadow. Now at this point, the story gets switches rapidly between the ominous Onigashi thread, the characters and reinserting some light-heartedness back in to the mix for variety. It isn't that horrible a mess but I find the pacing off. That aside it even leaves the main conflict between our leads and their antagonists unsatisfactorily resolved. A real shame but it may have more to do with the short nature of series (ie it is only 12 episodes long).

The animation however is constant in quality despite the number of action scenes worked in. Funnily enough, it also runs the gamut in terms of variety, showing off serious situations and slapstick comedy with equal attention to both without taking anything away from the scenes. Solid showing.

Props as well to the sound, and one of the few times a voice actor really does make the show better for me. More specifically, the lemony narrator as voiced by Satomi Arai. That's not to say the sound falls short in the other departments. The background music shows variety to accompany the various scenes and supplements the art well. Especially when some damn heroic stunts need to pulled off and succeed, set to the tune of the opening no less. What mars this good sound direction are the sound effects. There is one grating flaw and it is that damn meow sound effect used by the Neko Knuckles. Of course that's some would no doubt find it funny that a punch is masked or glossed over by it but it really really bothers me.

In terms of character I say the effort put in is adequate. Here as well, variety is a watchword. We are treated to our expected stereotypical characters and then there are those that evolve as the show runs its course. Mostly its our male lead, which I find pleasingly not stuck with his neuroses and weaknesses and who moves forward.

Which brings me to the end of my musings. I'm a sucker for lemony narration though and this one is really well done, which is why I was laughing most of the time when it was twisting well known fairy tales with the fight scenes alleviating the boredom when humour could not. I can't say Ookami-san is a bad anime though but it wouldn't be the first thing I recommend this season. Give it a try and see for yourself. read more

Ookami-san To Shichinin No Nakama-tachi was an all around average series. It had some interesting elements, such as the revamped story book characters and the overall plot was good however it often missed on its pacing, progression, and overall wow factor.

The art was Good throughout featuring unique looking characters and the scenery and backgrounds were clean as well. The characters themselves being based on fairy tale characters was a unique concept though this could of been expanded on throughout the show and made into a more interesting feature.

This series features a narrator which to be blunt was the most annoying thing I have yet to incounter in any anime. Not only was the narrator there for comic relief mostly, but in addition to the inaffective jokes, she would talk over the characters conversations often at crucial plot points. The narrator became even more agrivating as the series went on and she began to repeat character introductions. Furthermore when the transition from the anime talking to the narrator butting in happened it often caused the sound quality to lowered, and the volumn would fluctuate on the transition. This series would of been better off without this feature.

The character progression focused mostly on Ryoushi and Ryouko who grew as the story moved forward. The side characters changed little and though I was mostly watching for the story between the two characters it seemed the others around them went through a lot as well but hardly changed. It made the story feel closed off and distanced the Ryoushi and Ryouko from the rest of their group.

Finally the pacing of the story was not great. It seems to me first of all that episode 12 should of came before episode 10 and 11, from a climatic standpoint. Furthermore the progression of Ryoushi was all over the place as in some episodes he would do better with his phobia but then the very next he would seem much worse. I more or less like pacing that has a grand cressendo with a nice neat finish, which this series did not have in my opinion at all.

However, despite the many set backs I did ultimately get caught up in the love story, laugh with the puns and comedy, and feel the struggles of the hero and heroine as they made their way through their ordeals. So as entertainment goes this anime series did its job for me there, though I will probably not recommend it unless it seems to fit an individuals personality or anime likes.

Overall Rating 5/10

@GameJok3r
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Honestly this anime for me is like new age red ridding hood (i don't expect people who never heard of that story to understand...) but it is like this atleast for me because we got wolf ( who isn't that strong ) , got red ridding hood (even thought she is friends with the wolf) , and we got a hunter ( who is hunting the wolf but in a different way). So it makes this anime more interesting to watch if u know about Red Ridding Hod fairy tail!.

Story: About story i can say few things ... Its warm , innoncent and funny. Warm because of friendship , innoncent because of not accepting feelings and funny because its romance comedy!. Anime is centered around so called "Otogi Bank" in which people work ( carries out what people asks them to do that u will find out on ur first episode... ) but for doing so they ask a payment but that doesn't include money or anything valuable its more like request for request with the motto " Helping each other" ... And in that "otogi bank" we got our protoganists Wolf , Red ridding hood and Hunter who are the main characters of our story. Story goes on and many mysteries surounding The three characters are revealed which intrigues and makes u want for more. Many misunderstandings happens and many Lovely situations occurs as also Dangerous situations accompanies everything. Little love storie is involved i would call it "innoncent" love story because of not accepting her feelings even thought u can clearly see when she gets embarassed by simple things ... And also how could i forget about the Story Teller which is funny on some corners but sometimes gets on ur nerves ... its something new but what would u expect from fairy tailo recreation ? :). So with misunderstandings , love situations , and Danger on every corner we Have ookami-san anime which gets 9 marks from me...

Art: Beutiful no ecchi finnaly ! :)

Sound: Just love the opening song!

Characters: All kinds of : Strange , Powerful , Scaredy cats , Lovable , Players , lolita and so on and on just u watch and see!.

Enjoyment: I tell you one of the best summer animes !

Overall: Just watch and see because its a great anime for romance/comedy lovers. read more

Here goes my first ever review! ^_^ for Ookami-san to Shinchin no Nakamatachi, or just, Ookami-san

STORY
I'll try to be as spoiler-free as possible. The main female protagonist is Ookami Ryouko. She works for the Otogi Bank, which helps people, but in return, those people should help them if the need arises. The main male protagonist is Morino Ryoushi. A scopophobic (afraid of being stared at) boy who falls for Ookami. The story revolves around the two as their relationship deepens, as the Otogi Bank encounters various requests. It may sound simple, but the twist is that, some of the request are parodies of fairy tales. It may sound like a whack idea, but they made it work.

ART
Fight scenes are awesome to look at. Scenery is cool too.I honestly couldn't find anything wrong the art itself. It's still up to today's standards, and if you've watched other J.C. staff works, you might feel at home here.

SOUND
The OP theme "Ready, Go" by May'n is fine. It doesn't suit the story as much, but it goes well it anyway. The ED theme is also pleasant in its own way. In terms of voices, my only complaint was that the narrator would sometimes overlap the characters, making the scene confusing at times.

CHARACTER
Basically, you only need to focus on Ookami-san and her seven companions, because there's not much character development. It's not as bad as it sounds, really. Ookami's character is great. There's something about her that makes her cool and adorable at the same time. Ryoushi's character is your not-so-regular hero, but, he is also pleasing to watch.

ENJOYMENT
I enjoyed it a lot ^_^ It's one of those short but sweet anime that makes you want more of it.

OVERALL
I highly recommend this one to those who want a light, funny, and sweet anime in their memories. If not, then I still recommend it to anybody ^_^ read more

And so it ends, another 12 episode series that could've made a perfectly good 20+ episode show. I fear this is becoming a trend in the world of animes; well, why not? 12 episode moe-ecchi fests are much cheaper to make than something with a complex plot or characters.

But Ookami-san is not one of those animes.

I originally started watching this show because I heard about the fairytale references; I love twisted fairytales, so I gave the show a try. But what I found was much more potential than a few laughs, though you get a lot of those too.

Story - 7

The plot is fairly simple; Ringo Akai and Ryouko Ookami work as part of the school club, Otagi Bank (i.e, translate all those names if you want a few giggles); a club that can solve any problem you bring them, and in return, you must pay them back in a favor, if/when they might need your help.

But after an incident where Ookami-san is saved by another student during a mission, the club owner realizes that their fieldworkers are shorthanded and recruits said student, Morino Ryoushi, to work alongside Ookami and Ringo.

The story sounds cliched... until you realize this show is parodying almost every single tsundere anime ever written. And both the characters and the narrator are well aware of it, which is gold to watch! The show pretty much hits every classic moe/tsundere anime reference, and while it milks them for all they're worth, it seems to be laughing behind their back at the same time. And then there are all the fairytale references; everything from the obvious Little Red Riding Hood to some sneaky little in-jokes (my personal favorite is the Puss-in-Boots characters, humorously named Nekomiya, who un-intentionality ends all his sentences with "nya").

One of the most original parts of this anime is it has a narrator, who tells the story as though reading a book. She is a little annoying, talking over the show from time to time, but she mostly acts as the voice of the viewer and gets some of the best lines. I grew to like this over time. :)

The story is usually very episodic; each episode covers a new mission and usually a new person in need of a favor, with the exception of 10-11, which is the only two-parter. The end result of this is a VERY large cast for 12 episode anime, and it often feels like we never get to connect with the characters enough because of the setup.

That is one of the only reasons I rated the story low-ish; it's a great concept, but the length doesn't give the story enough room to grow, even though the show seems to try anyway, which makes the ending even more awkward. Makes me wonder if this wasn't originally intended to be +20 episodes...

Art - 9

The art is probably the main reason people keep comparing this show to Toradora; the animation styles are almost identical, which is no surprise since they were made under the same studio. xD

Nevertheless, the animation is stylish, fluid, bright colored, always cutesy but somewhat deformed, which gives it a certain individuality. The characters are easy to tell apart and the backgrounds are actually very well designed. There are some obvious moe eyes going on here, but it's nothing to the level of Air TV or the like. No complaints!

Sound - 10

The score for this show is always on-par and always fun; the background music never seems to get repetitive either, like some shows do. The voicework is quite skilled, as expected from J.C group, and like the animation, the voices stand out from each other and are very memorable.

The best part of the sound in this show, however, is the OP/ED themes; they're so addictive! The opening, "Ready! Go!", is sung by May'n (who many may know from her work in Macross Frontier as Sheryl) and keeps the mood bouncy and fun, and the song itself makes a wonderfully catchy J-pop single. The ED, "Little Red Riding Hood" by OToGi8, has the potential to be annoying, but for some reason, kept me watching every time. I almost never skipped through either theme for the entire show; I loved them too much!

Character - 10

I personally think that if the story doesn't get you hooked on this, the motley crew of teenagers running it will. xD The characters here are so gripping and fun, it's harder not to like them, despite the plot flaws.

The main characters, Ookami-san, Ringo-chan, and Morino-kun, are the best developed in the show, as expected.

Ookami-san is, at her most basic, a moody tsundere with a bad temper and trouble expressing what she really thinks. But what I really enjoyed about her is that she is the way she is for a reason; her backstory is actually pretty tough, and you come to understand that her actions and will to fight are not simply meaningless character traits. I kinda felt that the creators didn't develop her character fully, but that may just be me.

Ringo is a loli-ish girl who is usually quite polite and thoughtful, but also quite devious. She's a rather enjoyable character with another surprising backstory, and as Ookami's best friend, nicely contrasts the "attack first, talk later" attitude that Ryouko often has. And for a cute little girl, she's really quite the manipulator! It's usually for the sake of my best friend and pushing her to be honest with her feelings toward Morino, but really... she's such a devil! ^-^

Ryoushi is a shy boy with expert hunting skills. Out of everyone, I felt like his character stood out the most. There's just something really cute about a scopophobic having to fight alongside a girl like Ookami, and having a crush on her of all things. His devotion and fervor to Ookami may annoy some, but I found it refreshing in a land of cold-hearted, overtly pretty male leads in anime. He's a sweet kid with a lot heart, and brings some of the best humor into the show.

The rest of the cast, sadly, doesn't develop very much beyond their basic characteristics. They're fun, but as I mentioned above, it often feels like you never get to know them well enough. The only ones that maybe evolve beyond the secondary are Tarou and Otohime, both of whom are simply awesome both separately and as a couple!

Overall- 8

I started this show when it was only two episodes into the Japanese airing, and stayed all the way through. Despite the fact that I watching Kaichou wa Maid sama and second season of Kuroshitsuji weekly as well, this show really became the thing I looked forward to the most! It's a shame it ended so fast, the potential for a full length series was great and I had so much fun watching it, but they kinda hint to a second season, so... *fingers crossed*

But my overall feelings for Ookami-san are this: the story is simple and definitely shorthanded, but the characters are excellent and the concept is fun. So I would recommend it to anyone who likes humor and parody, as well as good dose of tsundere, or even if you've got 6 hours to kill; it may just surprise you how much you like it! ^-^


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I wasn’t sure about the title at first; about what it was, what to expect and whether or not it would be good. Well it turned out to be a lot of things and good is one of them. This is one of the rare great shows I’ve had the chance to see lately.

Opening sequence: 8/10
Ending sequence: 7/10
My Age Rating: 8: Fanservice is light, violence is moderate and bloodless and the mature themes are handled very well.

Ookami-san’s plot is something that is better left undescribed for when you finally watch the show yourself but as a comedy with a bit of drama it is certainly not stellar nor does it have to be. It is the small elements and the characters that carry this show and they do this splendidly. It mixes in elements from several fairy tales and adds them with an anime setting (high school) and throws in drama, comedy, great characters and some light yet fun fanservice. It does all of these masterfully too without going overboard on any element, which is a surprise since comedy (or romantic comedies) often fail to introduce serous storylines or mature themes (anyone recalls Magikano’s ending, just horrible) but this show succeeded.

The characters are drawn from fairy tale characters and have several attributes of said characters but their personalities are tweaked to befit a more mature and humoristic series in the anime format. They have their flaws brought to the extreme, evil characters are depicted as truly evil, some of their light hearted traits are twisted for comedic purposes and some of their fairy tale elements are not transferred literally but serve as a metaphor for some of the characters’ personalities. Overall it is entertaining to see what they did with our most beloved fairy tale characters and they also provide genuinely good characters that are original in themselves rather than easily recycled cast from the various stories they come from. This is one point that is to be praised, they could have used the simple unaltered cast of the fairy tales but they decided to be cleaver and take a shot at something original instead which I appreciated.

The voice acting was fine and spot-on and the dub was entertaining enough with some lines being tweaked but for the better.

I liked how despite being a fanservice comedy they decided to play the fanservice for laughs rather than arousal and how they unexpectedly added a touch romance: they really did a romance and not just an awkward “we’ll never admit our feelings” thing. While the main character is reluctant to give into Ryoshi’s love, he on the other hand does actually confess his love to her and tries to make her see he’s serious. She also as good reasons for acting the way she does (tsundere at times).

The series also added the more serious theme of sexual abuse: it is revealed early on that Ryoko (The main character) was assaulted when she was barely a teen. The series deals with this in a realistic and believable manner with the psychological effects that accompany such an event and show us how that shaped the person she is today. But they also made it so that she managed to escape being raped so it was simply an assault. While that may seem like a cop out, it is far from it: the attack was more than traumatizing enough on a kid the age she was and as such its effects are believable, had it been rape the effects would have been far worse, and it gives the main villain’s motivation as well. It also draws the metaphor of how she is a sheep in wolf’s clothing (thus the wolf of the story) by showing us how she became stronger to take care of herself and stopped trusting others in the process and not having it going to the worse possible scenario allowed the show to be serious when it needed too but still be light hearted most of the time without too much heavy drama. Make no mistake though, you will most likely hate the main villain and his presence as well as scheming will be a source of stress at times if you get attached to the characters.

What really drew me to the series are the little light hearted moments with the characters, how their relationships were sweet yet funny at times and how the characters’ little quirks were pleasantly offering constant comedy. It also had interesting action which was funny as well as entertaining.

No matter how you look at it it’s a nice story that offers everyone something: May it be comedy, romance, action or drama and even dealing with serious and often mood killing (for comedic series) mature subjects in a believable manner. I recommend it to anyone no matter what they’re looking for. read more

Wow. Just wow is all I have to say to this anime. It's heartwarming and very funny. I thought the idea of a bank that helps people with problems is such an unique idea and that's what I loved most about it.

However there was many things missing that could have made it even better. For example, the allusion to the attempted rape of Ryouko could have been better shown if they didn't refer to just flashbacks. I had to look up what happened to Ryouko to understand what was going on between her and her ex-boyfriend. It's like they touched the surface of the important even in Ryouko's life when they should've dove deeper into her past.

I didn't like the ending but it's not like it was bad for it ended on a good note.

I personally like to dub it as the "fruits basket ending" syndrome where it ends on a good note but leaves the audience hanging with what they wanted to see.

The most disappointing part of this anime is that there's no sequel/OVA. There are hundred of fairy tails they could've put into the anime. For example, the Hansel and Gretel siblings? I would have liked to seen them being part of the plot instead of just being allowed to just a few lines.

Bottom line: It was a great anime but I was let down by the shortcomings of what they (the animation studio) could have done.
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When I watched this anime I thought that I might get a decent love story... but the love story sucked. But the jokes were pretty funny and the fight scenes were pretty enjoying.

The Characters are all pretty boring except Ringo and the club president. They are awesome!
The main character Ryouko is afraid of attention witch is pretty funny at times :)

The main thing I hated about this anime was the damn narrator voiced by Arai Satomi... I wouldn't have anything against her because I love the voice she is making, but she narrates while the other characters are talking. And she keeps telling us what the characters are thinking and I think that is unnecessary at times.

The love story was just boring it was like "I love you" and that was it almost... that was the only thing I got from it.

But like I said the fight scenes is both good and funny.

SPOILER WARNING!!!

This might be a spoiler so I’ll try to make it short. There is a reason why Ookami is the way she is. And that reason is the bad guy. I didn’t really get if they actually defeated him because Ryouko was getting his as handed to him, and then he threw one punch at the bad guy… and that was it! Did they defeat him with that or is he coming back… come on! ><
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