Softenni

If you are curious soft tennis is a modified version of normal tennis using rubber balls, and was created after being introduced to the east in the early 1900's. Thus, five airheads entertain us with their insane antics and personalities as they play it. Softenni is one of the most hit or miss comedies I have recently watched.

With a comedy it comes down to the characters and how they interact. The captain Chitose who is unable to hit a single ball, enjoys eating, and is basically the most annoying and least important. Compared to her we have Asuna, who is the instigator of all ... that is ecchi with her delusions, and her partner Kotone whom has fallen in love with their coach and is aiming for Wimbledon. We have the foreigner Eli who is the rival in love, and Kurusu who is a hardcore cosplayer. Typically Asuna and Kotone are the ones training and playing while Kurusu and Eli do random things in the background.

Unfortunately, there are only a few occasions where there is an actual match. There are two different teams we meet throughout the season, and while kotone his hard headed and competitive they act more as friends than rivals. The matches in general don't matter, as they turn into a giant joke within the first few seconds. Despite the huge focus on comedy, there is a general plot as they aim towards the nationals, but no huge progress.

On a whole I would like to think I enjoyed this series a lot. However there was two occasions I gave the episode a 1/5 and the rest of the scores are all either 2's, 4's, or 5's for the most part. This is a issue with a lot of comedies that are do not split the episode into mini sub stories. With the focus on something, let's say a windy day on the tennis court, for a whole episode it can get old fast if it doesn't provide any laughs in the first place.


As a tennis coach I was able to enjoy the insanity that was softenni. A combination of ecchi, tsukkomi, as well as situational humor there is no doubt that it can be entertaining. I wouldn't strongly recommend this show as there are slightly stronger comedies out there, but there wouldn't be any harm in trying it out. Well, one of the 1's was episode one as well so maybe try two.

Softenni is primarily a slice of life comedy with ecchi. There is soft tennis in it, but that is more a reason to bring the characters together than a genuine focus in the actual series. I should make it clear that this is NOT a show for someone looking for a sports anime.

Being slice of life there is little substance in ways of the story. The basic setting is the Soft Tennis Club want to win nationals and then go onto Wimbledon. A rival tennis club is introduced part way through the series as are more girls and so on.

The heart of the ... show are the characters. Each of them manages to bring something different to the court in terms of appeal. Each has their own little gimmick, for instance, Asuna tends to think a lot of things are sexual innuendos (when they are not), to hilarious results. How much you enjoy each gimmick is probably how much you'll like each character.

Like any show in the genre, it has to make you laugh. Softenni does not offer as many huge moments some other over the top shows (like say Sora no Otoshimono) offer, but the running gags and overall quality of the humor are a lot higher.

Visually, the show is kind of middling. Pretty average detail, etc. However, it's not really a problem. Voice acting is fine. Elizabeth's voice is probably the least bearable, but it's passable due to the characters background.

I suggest watching this show if you like to laugh. If you enjoy things like Otoshimono and K On, Softenni is sure to be an ace.

Softenni is a series full of nudity and comedy and finds a way to use them both in a masterful way.

Softennis is pretty much about a female tennis team trying to overcome al thel challenges that come their way, whether it's team-work or playing against another team with an extreme mixture of comedy. The two main female protagonists (Asuna and Kotone) are a soft tennis pair that drives the plot forward every step.

If you start watching this show, it will seem weird that it starts out on a farm, but you'll understand why later on.

Characters 8/10
Although the characters are not unique, they show a unique ... element to an already dysfunctional tennis team. A lazy-drunk coach, a pervert, a stubborn athlete, a clumsy-gluttonous leader, a foreign adventurer, a medium and a mysterious costume-wearing girl. They all play a role in making a weird concept/plot into a very funny story.

Art 9/10
Although the art isn't genre defining, I must compliment the use of backgrounds. In many shows I see that the borders are often uncolored or the backgrounds are often undetailed, and I was pleased that some detail was used in Softenni.

Sound 8/10
The dialogue was the main focus of the show, and the characters' true personalities were brought out very well. There were a few notable moments where there was great music being played, and I even got the OST (Sound Track).

Enjoyment 9/10
Softenni is something I have been looking for. It has a great dose of nudity (unfortunately in my case, censorship) as well as a good dose of comedy. Although I do not know a lot of the Japanese refrences, I was still able to laugh my ass off most of the time. I hope others enjoy this show too.

Subs used: Ayako-Nishishi