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Chihayafuru is, on the surface, a Josei anime about an obscure Japanese card game called Karuta. However, it would be a disservice to the anime to simply describe Chihayafuru in that way to anyone. It is so much more.

Most if not all of those who watch Chihayafuru will have no idea what the heck Karuta is, even Japanese viewers! Yet, Chihayafuru makes it known right from the start that this will not be a roadblock to our enjoyment. In fact, the centralization around a niche game is precisely what makes Chihayafuru so captivating. Through the competitive nature of Karuta and the degree at which ... the characters compete, we as viewers cannot help but become interested. Chihayafuru does a splendid job at portraying Karuta to be just as exciting as, if not more exciting than mainstream sports. It has the one crucial element: its mechanics are easy to understand, but the room for improvement is vast. There truly is more than meets the eye with Karuta (and symbolically, Chihayafuru as an anime). How could a game that has gone completely under your radar, be so profoundly enthralling?

That very thought is shared throughout every single last character. You don't realize it in the beginning, but your own growing interest in Karuta is mirrored by that of the characters. Chihaya, the heroine, is initially aware that Karuta exists but has never bothered to think of it as more than a casual card game. Then comes Arata, aspiring Meijin ("Master") of Karuta. He shows Chihaya, as well as us, just how many tiers there are to Karuta; it truly is no casual game. The better the players, the faster the game is played and the less mistakes are made. It's truly captivating to watch Arata, whose life passion is to become the Meijin, be so super good at something. Chihaya felt the same way from watching him, and upon entering high school, she made it her mission to share her love for Karuta with others, as Arata had done for her.

Her Karuta club did not set sail without bumps. Initially, it was hard to convince even her closest friend Mashima to join the club. However, every time they played, a thought like "Why is she trying so hard?," or "What's keeping me from beating her?" would pop into his head. Mashima finally joins the club, seeking the answers to those questions. Perhaps this is Chihayafuru's defining quality. It shows that your interest in something can grow just out of a want to get better at something or be passionate about something. As long as there's something in life that makes you go, it really doesn't matter what it is. Karuta was this spark in Mashima's life; something to which he could devote himself. The subsequent members were just as reluctant to join, to say the least, but like Mashima, could not help but wonder, once they joined, what it was about Karuta that was so exciting.

As the Karuta club worked together as a team by practicing together and participating in tournaments, we see the core theme of hard work being explored. Nobody gave this incipient team from Miyazawa High School a chance; they did not have enough "talent." Indeed, most of the club members were not Karuta players since childhood; and yet, that's exactly the element that allowed their hard work to truly shine. Working tirelessly every day to perfect their skills, everyone from Ayase down to Kana made great strides. They were even able to upset another high school in a tournament, before losing in a later round. Their first big win in tournament was a defining moment in Chihayafuru; it proved that hard work and dedication can achieve greatness. Life is not about talent. It is about passion.

One aspect of Chihayafuru that deserves particular mention is its soundtrack. The OSTs cover a wide array of emotion, spanning from triumph to failure, from sadness to ecstasy, from cheerfulness to seriousness. Chihayafuru truly is an emotional ride at times, and the soundtrack does wonders in reciprocating the characters' emotions to us. The opening and ending are done masterfully; every episode is sandwiched by a happy opening and a sad ending. This juxtaposition perhaps represents Karuta itself; though people like Ayase play it because of how fun it is, the game could also bring pain through losing. It is this mix of emotion Karuta possesses, so thoroughly represented by the soundtrack, that is what makes it and Chihayafuru wonderful.

Now, to avid watchers of anime, one may be concerned about the "sports drama" aspect of the anime. Thankfully, one does not have to worry about this with Chihayafuru. Though cards fly around and actions are sometimes rendered in slow-motion, the most important aspect of the matches are actually done accurately: the players' speed. Seriously, professional Karuta players really DO take cards that quickly (look on YouTube). I was shocked to find that the anime did not dramatize the speed. Knowing that this realistic element of Karuta was portrayed faithfully made Chihayafuru have an authentic feel to it, which makes its messages and themes all the more impactful.

Chihayafuru is about developing a passion, perseverance in the face of failure, and the inevitable rewards of hard work. If the thought of Josei and "some card game called Karuta" turn you off from watching Chihayafuru, don't let it. You'll be pleasantly surprised; Chihayafuru has a meaningful story to tell, and it does it in a way you didn't even know you would enjoy. When watching Chihayafuru, you just won't be able to help but smile.

Moderator Edit: This review may contain spoilers.
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Ever go into a burger restaurant, only to realize that it sells some of the most kickass tacos? That's what watching Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de feels like.

Came in expecting superpower battles, came out having experienced one of the best anime dealing with friendship. Right off the bat, this anime tells a story of a group of normal high schoolers (and one primary schooler) gaining superpowers. For some inexplicable reason, they are now held with the burden of functioning as normal students with these destructive weapons at their disposal. Not surprisingly, this presents quite a problem for them; ... and I think that's the purpose these superpowers serve. They were implemented as a device to see how the main male character, Andou, would resist his chuunibyou desires to use his cool-yet-dangerous powers. They were implemented to see how Sayumi, the most level-headed member of the group, would manage this newfound burden as the leader (and so on and so forth). At the end of the day, we didn't get many battles; rather, we received a story of a series of struggles that these high schoolers faced while possessing these powers.

There were many hints of romance throughout the series, but again, they were used as devices to highlight the friendship between the main characters. Tomoyo had to come to terms with her own self, accepting her chuunibyou and not being afraid to be who she was. In order to achieve that, she also had to come to terms with her feelings for Andou, as he was the one who truly allowed her to express herself. In a Sakurasou-like fashion, there was a side-story in which Tomoyo strove to be a light novel publisher. Initially hesitant, with the support of Andou, she boldly put her name out there (and got pretty damn far!). It's amazing how much an anime (that's technically a romance-comedy) can teach me about hard work and dedication. At the end of the day, it's not about how far you get; it's about how far you extended your efforts. Because of that, Tomoyo didn't have anything to regret, and Andou acknowledged her regardless.

Another "romance" of Inou-Battle came in the form of Hatoko's relationship with Andou. Admittedly, while watching her interactions with Andou, I could greatly relate to a lot of the frustrations she had. Unable to relate to Andou (due to not having the same interests--see: chuunibyou), she was hopelessly trying to grab his attention, and yet, unable to do so. So frustrating a effort finally culminated in one of the most emotional seiyuu performances I have ever seen in an anime. So much emotion was put into every word; I truly understood the magnitude of Hatoko's frustration. I would dare say this scene alone makes Inou-Battle worth the watch (for those curious, it is in episode 7). At the end of the series, Hatoko didn't fully understand the person whom she affectionately calls "Ju-Kun"; despite that, she certainly had matured as a character and became infinitely better at understanding those different from herself.

With the final episode, I think most who had been following Inou-Battle weekly would agree that there was a huge surprise; there was an actual battle with strategy! Indeed, a lot of confusion was cleared up with the explanations in the final battle, and it showed that there was a maturation process all the characters had to go through (especially Andou) in order to learn how to manage their powers. At the end of Inou-Battle, I think there are two main takeaways: with power comes the need for great responsibility, and friendships only strengthen when friends take the time to talk things out. Rather than harboring a silence anger, voicing frustrations is often the best thing that could happen for a friendship. It was a definite pleasure to watch such characters as Hatoko learn how to better relate to others, Tomoyo learn how to be honest with herself, and Andou learn how to balance chuunibyou with maturity.

With Inou-Battle, don't look forward to supernatural battles. Instead, look forward to deep themes of hard work, responsibility, self-honesty, and friendship. Inou-Battle will deliver.

"A picture is worth a thousand words"; I've never quite believed that saying as much as I did after seeing the last scene of this anime.

Ano Natsu de Matteru is an anime about a group of friends spending their summer vacation hanging out and filming a movie. Sounds simple, yes? Not quite. It doesn't take very long for the romance and the drama to kick in, where Ano Natsu is most focused. In fact, that STILL might be an understatement. Within the first 4 episodes, all of the love interests of the main characters are well established and/or heavily hinted at, and there is ... indeed one hell of a messy love polygon. However, this love polygon is not like most; there is actually a couple that is established (pretty much from the beginning), which ends up leaving every other character stuck in a rut.

Perhaps the most frustrating part of Ano Natsu de Matteru is the fact that the creator seemed to ship his own characters, while disregarding the feelings of everyone else. That leaves a disgusting feeling in many viewers' mouths, including mine. Why establish a love polygon if it is not going to contribute to the plot at all? Honestly, most of Ano Natsu de Matteru was slice of life, more so than romance, and even when there was romance, you were never really in doubt as to who was going to get together. That lack of suspense (especially for a romance drama) is puzzling, to say the least.

With that out of the way, I must say that both the art and sound of Ano Natsu are two highly redeeming qualities. Really vivid colors to truly capture the essence of an anime about summer, and a great opening/ending to match the mood throughout the series. The characters themselves are actually really great (especially Remon-senpai, oh that rascal). They'll seemingly always put a smile on your face, no matter who it is.

A respectable romantic drama that is unfortunately kept from greatness by the aforementioned problems, Ano Natsu de Matteru is also plagued with an awkward Sci-fi element that derailed my interest. I think most would agree that including heavy amounts of aliens/robots/lasers in a slice-of-life anime is quite contradictory. That element certainly turned me off, as it made a lot of the scenarios seem so unrealistic. Towards the end of Ano Natsu, I was getting really afraid that the anime was going to have an open ending. Thankfully, that was not the case, and this brings me back to my original point.

That final scene provided all of the closure in the world to secure a solid rating for Ano Natsu. Up to that point, I was a bit disappointed with how the plot turned out (to say the least), and it left a sour taste in my mouth. The producers completely saved this anime by including those last few seconds. All in all, despite its various shortcomings, Ano Natsu de Matteru is a solid member of the romance drama genre, and gets a recommendation from me for its great characters, art, sound, and satisfying ending.

[Spoiler Warning]

When looking upon the surface of Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?, one may find that it is "just another romantic comedy". However, it is much more than that. Yes, the interactions between the characters are hilarious and they will get you to laugh every time. However, the true genius behind this show is its strong "parody" element.

The plot of this anime involves many different girls invading "Apartment 106" (the Rokujouma), a place in which our main character, Koutarou, lives. For one reason or another, everyone seems to have great affection for this particular building (Koutarou because it is extremely cheap to rent). Thus, the characters are ... locked in a never-ending conflict against each other, always duking it out to see who can lay claim to the apartment. Truth be told however, their resolve isn't that great; all of the girls end up befriending Koutarou and each other, and by the end of the anime, they all live together in harmony. So if we have a plot that doesn't exactly pan out how it was supposed to, what is there left in Rokujouma no Shinryakusha? The characters, the characters, the characters.

Every last one of the girls were created to mock the various stereotypical anime character archetypes. Two of the biggest parody characters are the cosplaying Mahou Shoujo and the tsundere mage. Does the tsundere mage (Theia) not totally scream Louise from Zero no Tsukaima? Her entire character seemed like a shoutout to pettankos everywhere, and how seemingly ridiculous their tsundere personalties are. Then there's Yurika (cosplayer), who just cannot seem to convince those around her that she's an actual Mahou Shoujo. Instead, everyone writes her off as just another girl in "that" phase, never really taking her seriously. In a similar vein to Theia, Yurika's character was used as an absolute jab against Mahou Shoujo anime of all sorts.

Then we have the ubiquitous Senpai, damsel in distress, and "daughter of a magnate" characters. The main character, Koutarou, is in love with his senpai Sakuraba, who happens to love him as well. However, the two of them are never able to profess their feelings to each other (gee, where else have we seen THIS situation before...) Another girl who is in love with him (ghost girl Sanae), seems to not be able to do anything without Koutarou. In fact, she can't even eat without him; he needs to allow her to "possess" him in order for her to intake food. Then there's Kiriha, who is probably the most mellow of all the girls. However, it is later discovered in the anime that she is the daughter of an incredibly powerful man, and he is the reason why she has to invade the Rokujouma. Instead of listening to her father, the princess runs away and leaves her past, opting to live with her friends instead. (Rich girl refusing to listen to her pre-ordained fate, anyone?)

As can be seen, I could talk about the characters for days. They are simply that lovable, and that's what sets Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? apart from most other harem anime. Whereas others would focus on fanservice and romance, Shinryakusha is more interested in character development and solid comedy. I honestly cannot express just how funny this anime was for me (from Sanae "possessing" Koutarou, to just about every single Yurika moment). A certainly refreshing take on the harem genre, Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? is a must-watch parody-anime for those seeking enjoyable characters and great laughs.

***THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS***

Friendzone: The Anime

The plot of Isshuukan Friends consists of a young boy (Hase) who is in love with a beautiful yet estranged girl (Fujimiya). The girl suffers from a condition in which parts of her memories are erased on a weekly basis, on each Monday. This makes it so that Hase, in order to befriend her, is required to introduce himself to her constantly just to keep up their friendship. It also makes for one of the most frustrating anime to watch; it contains one of the biggest "love that never was".

Isshuukan Friends is structured in a way that every single episode, ... more or less, plays out like each other. It is the same uniqueness that makes it stand out that also hurts it. For Hase and Fujimiya, developing a friendship is already difficult enough, let alone a love-relationship. If you are looking for some sort of intimacy between the two main characters, you won't find it here. Of course, Hase and Fujimiiya's relationship isn't the only thing that is worth noting of Isshuukan Friends. The core side characters, Kiryuu and Yamagishi, are absolutely hilarious. They honestly make up for half of the show's enjoyment; one is stoic and carefree (Kiryuu), the other is clumsy and careless (Yamagishi). Together, they make the various slice-of-life moments in Isshuukan Friends a little more crazy, and all the more enjoyable to watch.

The "turning point" in Isshuukan Friends (if you can even call it that) occurs around episode 7-8, in which a new character, Kujou Hajime, is introduced. Since "Hajime" is a perfect pun of a name, we can assume that his introduction will lead to the climax of the story. And for a while, it does indeed seem like that. However, just as quickly as Kujou was introduced does Isshuukan Friends revert to its original plot. What could have been a suspenseful, possibly drama-filled ending ended up falling flat on its face. It's such a shame to see something that great go to waste.

Now, one of the things that Ishuukan Friends was able to capitalize on was its art. Fitting nicely into its Spring debut time, Isshuukan Friends used quite palatable colors, mainly light ones. Its color scheme is definitely something that is not commonplace in most anime, and that uniqueness in itself makes it a refreshing change of pace. With heavy focus on yellow, orange, and white, this is an anime that simply radiates "springness". If springtime flowers come off as beautiful to you, Isshuukan Friends's art should do the same.

Originally a promising prospect, Isshuukan Friends took an unfortunate nosedive toward a circular plot, one in which the beginning resembles the end. In a romance anime where the main characters do not develop a love relationship, the main draws would then be its art and side characters; and it's true, those two aspects really do serve to hold this anime together. For what it's worth, Isshuukan Friends is an enjoyable watch. However, don't expect to get anywhere by the end; this is an anime in which you really should focus on the ride, and not the destination. However, is this a ride strong enough to overcome the lack of a destination? To that, I would have to say no.

This manga's title, Nisekoi, means "False Love". However, it should also have a second meaning: "False Genre".

Naoshi Komi's Nisekoi is deceiving. At first, it starts off with a genuine low-drama love triangle, in which the story is based around solving the mystery behind Raku Ichijou's childhood lover. It is never doubted for any moment that comedy is the main focus of this manga; however, it also has a great amount of romance. As the plot thickens and the story progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult for the reader to predict which girl the male protagonist will end up with. (And that's what all romance manga should ... strive for: unpredictability). Unfortunately, Nisekoi could not take the momentum of its great start and carry it throughout its entirety.

After the end of the anime adaptation, I (along with MANY others) went to the manga seeking a continuation of this enticing love story. I wanted to find out more about Raku Ichijou's past. I wanted to know how his relationships with the various girls would be resolved. Did I get what I was looking for? Not quite. What I did get, however, was a continually-growing harem that seemed to solidify the fate of Nisekoi, which is that Raku Ichijou will never choose a lover. As the chapters progress, the main premise of Nisekoi becomes increasingly muddied, to the point where you forget that it even had a plot. It simply becomes a never-ending slice-of-life manga with dashes of romance here and there. Nothing too major though, as its premise has changed to pleasing the male demographic with more and more beautiful girls instead of providing a solid romance story.

Nisekoi is listed as belonging to "Romance, Comedy, and Shounen" genres. While that is absolutely appropriate for its beginning, it does not stay that way; it can only be seen as a harem manga as it progresses. Every single girl that is introduced in the manga eventually falls in love with the main protagonist, Raku Ichijou, who is even initially "bland" and "unappealing" in the eyes of said girls. Clearly, this is not an element of the standard romance manga.

Perhaps Nisekoi's one claim to fame would be its characters. Their extremely appealing personalities and mannerisms are clearly reflected in the occasional character popularity poll. Just the fact that so many people are willing to express their support of their favorite character shows how likable each and every one of them are. All of the girls act cutely and are lovable. Any one of them have the potential to become one of the reader's favorite characters; that's how appealing they are. The same can be said even about the side characters, like Kosaki Onodera's mother or the various members of Raku Ichijou's gang. No character ever comes off as being bland (which is ironic, because the "bland character" Ruri Miyamoto actually serves to provide some of the funniest punchlines).

Overall, Nisekoi will appeal to readers who enjoy watching characters interact with each other in a slice-of-life fashion (with hints of romance) and those who do not mind a stagnant plot. However, if you are one who absolutely despises a genuine romance manga being ruined by the addition of a harem element, steer clear of Nisekoi. You know best what type of reader you are.

A review of Winter 2014's worst anime? Uh-oh. This can't be good. But before that, a quick anecdote.

So a while back I stumbled upon anime legend "Mars of Destruction". For those of you who don't know, Mars of Destruction is one of the finest creations of the anime industry. In fact, it was so great, that I was met with disbelief when I realized it was the worst-rated anime on MyAnimeList. The worst-rated anime on MAL, can you believe it?! I became compelled to watch all 20 minutes of it, just to see if it truly deserved all the flack it got. For such a ... fine creation, it just had to have been the victim of severe underrating.

Well, I was wrong.

Mars of Destruction actually did turn out to be a pile of crud, not because it did anything to specifically anger the viewers per se, but because it did NOTHING AT ALL. That's right, watching Mars of destruction is the equivalent of staring at a blank wall with classical music playing the background. Ah yes, because apparently the producers thought that classical music could save that P.O.S. Nope, they were wrong...

So what does this have to do with our "beloved" anime Wonder Momo? It's like a repeat performance over here, baby. That's right, this time we're staring at a blank wall, except with no classical music playing in the background. The "plot" that the producers attempt to have? Yeah, random-girl-turning-into-a-superhero certainly hasn't been done before. How about the characters and sound? Nope; in fact, if there were negative numbers, this would be the first time an anime truly deserved to go into the minus zone. Momoka's voice actor was PAINFULLY bad. That was the most unfitting and misplaced voice for any character I've ever seen. It simply did not fit at all for such a bubbly and cheery high school girl. Oh well, at least the art's decent, so if you're a fan of boobs I guess you could stare at Momoka for a couple of minutes. Wait what? The animation's so choppy that those boobs end up looking like squares half the time? Yeah, sorry fanservice enthusiasts; Wonder Momo won't be pleasing you either. I'd even say it isn't worth a curious watch as Mars of Destruction was; there's nothing that should compel you to watch this.

Trust me when I say that this is 7 minutes that would truly be better spent staring a blank wall. At least you'd be getting some zen going on.

The only rating that is truly mediocre is the story; for obvious reasons, I give Mahou Shoujo Sonico Magica a 5 in that category.

In all other aspects, this parody opening excels. The production was really clever, cute, and on-point. The art was very well-done, and the characters were very well-drawn. The Madoka Magica opening being one of tne of the better anime songs, the sound was obviously great. In some weird twist, I actually enjoyed watching this 1:30 opening more than I did the actual series. At least this didn't waste 12 episodes worth of my time only to be some half-assed Matrix piece of ... crap.

“He’s already seen my panties twice, and even touched me there… I’ll just have to marry him…” (ep. 9).

Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru is easily the #1 anime of Fall 2013. A lot of people would love to disagree with that statement, but let me explain. You need to have refined tastes in order to fully enjoy Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru. If you're a heretic who cries at every instance possible to complain about boobies and panties, well... this anime will be making you cry. On the ... other hand, if you watch anime with a laid-back attitude and you soak in all of the nuances that it has to offer, you will definitely like Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru.

The crux of Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru's plot is its comedy (well gee, it's not like the title gave it away or anything). The story revolves around Kanade Amakusa, a boy who carries a curse. His curse is that, at random moments, a God-like entity will come into his mind and force him to say embarrassing things or commit heinous acts. Thus, his "mental choices completely interfere with his school romantic comedy". Not to worry though, as although Kanade acts like a nut in every other scene, the truckload of girls that surround him are just as ridiculous.

Every single female character in Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru is fantastic. How do you say "extremely varied cast" in Italian? Because that's exactly what was present in this anime. No two girls are similar, no girl is generic, and all of the girls are cute. God it just makes you want to hug them all. Chocolat, Furano, Reikadou "Silicon" Ayame, the Super Imouto, the Seito Kaichou... there are too many great girls to list in this anime. I tried to limit only one female character from Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru to put in my Favorite Characters list, and let me tell you; that wasn't easy.

In fact, a quick interlude---let me give you a sample of what this anime's all about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifKK8fjk3tI

Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love Comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru is extremely ridiculous, as can be seen in that video (that video also happens to be my FAVORITE scene in the entire anime). However, that is also why it does so well. The comedy is so on point, so clever, and most important of all, so NATURAL. Never does Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love Comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru try too hard to be funny. You can tell the producers had a great time with this one (think back to the Erabe-god's laugh; god that was amazing).

Technically Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love Comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru follows Kanade Amakusu's quest to get rid of his "Mental Choices" curse; however, let's be real. The "story" is a pile of crap. Instead, the producers use that as quality comedy-fodder. From his mental choices, hilarious situations ensue. Just from reading the synopsis I could already tell Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love Comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru was going to have a stupid plot. Fear not, as Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love Comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru doesn't mind that it doesn't have a plot, we as the viewers shouldn't either. Just sit back, relax, and soak in the comedy of this anime.

You want to know how an anime qualifies as "perfect"? When it makes you laugh your ass off every episode; that's how. Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love Comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru single-handedly made my Wednesdays something to look forward to, and it was the only Fall 2013 anime to do so (I would usually put off the other simulcasts until I had more time to watch them, but not with this anime). And now, you too have a choice to make... to watch Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love Comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru, or not to watch Ore no Nounai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love Comedy wo Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru?

p.s. If you picked the second option... well, the Erabe-god will be laughing at you too.

This was probably one of the most polar animes of Fall 2013; either you love it, or you thought it was boring. Enjoyment of Yuusha ni Narenakatta Ore wa Shibushibu Shuushoku wo Ketsui Shimashita (Yuusha-ni henceforth, damn..) relies entirely on the perception of Fino Bloodstone, the main character.

Fino Bloodstone is an aloof, kind, and incompetent girl who has come to work at the Leon magical appliances store due to not being able to become the next Demon Lord. There, she meets Raul Chaser who is also working at Leon due to not being able to become a Hero. From that description alone, you can ... already tell that "I Couldn't Become a Hero, So I Reluctantly Decided to Get a Job" (the direct English translation of this anime) has a mediocre story. Even though this anime has its dark moments and attempts to tell a dramatic narrative, let's be honest; it fails at it. You can't really take an anime seriously if it's shoving breasts and panties in your face every other scene.

The fanservice in Yuusha-ni is probably the first noticeable polarizing aspect of it. Breasts. Panty shots. Suggestive scenes. Expect lots of them; Yuusha-ni has no intent on hiding its ecchi glory. There are the people who absolutely hate fanservice, claiming it to be the Demon Lord's offspring herself (see what I did there?). Then, there are the ecchi enthusiasts who watch anime solely FOR fanservice. You know which kind of anime watcher you are; delve into this anime accordingly.

For all intents and purposes, Yuusha-ni should be seen as a (light) romantic comedy, with ecchi elements to it. You should watch it with that exact mindset; otherwise, you'll just come out disappointed. For what its worth, Yuusha-ni is fantastic. It had me laughing like crazy every episode. Fino is such a fun character, and this anime is just plain silly. If you love light-hearted ecchi-based comedy, Fino's personality (her cluelessness in particular), or hell, even her looks, you'll love Yuusha-ni. However, if you are neutral to fanservice, no one can tell you if you are compatible; this is just one of those anime that you have to dive in and watch the first episode to find out for yourself.