Orenchi no Furo Jijou

Orenchi no Furo Jijou is a 4-minute-per-episode anime about a guy who finds a merman, and their completely heterosexual adventures that all take place in a bathtub.

Story: 5/10
As minimal as it gets. Each episode has some central problem or event and it's always something very light. Nothing special, but this setup is pretty normal for shorts. You can watch it all in under an hour!

Art: 7/10
Decent but never astounding, not too much to talk about. Although, they did a good job animating and drawing the merman's muscles, those stand out as quality parts of the show.

Sound: 6/10
There was background music? I hate to keep ... playing the nothing-special card, but this really applies to the sound. The OP sounds nice but feels completely out of place.

Characters: 8/10
Now we're talking! The main character looks like a yellow eyed messy hair edgelord, but is actually a pretty nice guy, just not very talkative. His merman buddy is far more outgoing and flamboyent, creating a classic comedy duo. The merman's also got some monsterboy buddies that show up in a few of the episodes, they're all diverse and enjoyable for the brief times they appear. The one character I dislike is the MC's sister. She fits every annoying little sister trope imaginable, has a gross onii-chan fetish, and just adds loli to a show that doesn't need loli at all. She's only around for 2 episodes, so it's tolerable.

Enjoyment: 8/10
Sometimes the show is funny. More often then not the attempts at humor fall flat or just don't seem to exist, but the show always ends up being absolutely adorable, and it's never a chore to get through episodes (partially because they're so short).

Overall: 7/10
Orenchi no Furo Jijou ends up being an absolute fluff-fest starring some extremely straight characters. It's not groundbreaking, but hey, there's nothing wrong with cute boys doing cute things together.
You can get through the show in less than an hour, so it's a pretty low-risk investment even if you're not the biggest fan.


Did I mention how heterosexual this show is?

I had been looking for an anime like this for a very long time, something with a wonderfully soothing and calming vibe, so I was very glad when I stumbled upon this gem of an anime. If you're someone like me who's also looking for a quick pick-me-up that's not plot intensive but nevertheless has the capability of making you feel the most relaxed you've been in quite some time, look no further.

Orenchi no Furo Jijou is a slice of life comedy with episodes that span for only 4 minutes each, featuring the life of a boy who has a merman living in his bathtub ... (quirky, right?)

Story: 9/10
In all fairness, this is NOT a plot-based anime so there is no plot progression and definitely no plot twist. Each episode features the main characters (and their friends, who're introduced in subsequent episodes) going about their daily life and facing small, mundane day-to-day issues. It is very common to come across overused tropes in slice of life shows, so I was pleasantly surprised at the absence of any boring, cliched tropes. Then again I guess it is pretty hard to use the generic slice of life tropes in an anime with a story as unusual as this one.

Art: 8/10
Keeping true to the manga, the art of the anime adapts the same dual style, seamlessly switching between its normal realistic style and its cute chibi style. For an anime that has a bathroom as the main backdrop, the color palette is pretty warm, which goes a long way in adding to that idyllic, soothing vibe the anime gives off. The chibi forms of the characters, especially the merman Wakasa, are incredibly cute and I kept wanting to see more of the chibi style than the actual normal style, which is a first for me (lol)

Sound: 8/10
Considering this is an anime with episodes that span only 4 minutes, it would be tough to establish a recurring musical theme/background score. The OP is very dramatic and intense, and feels a little misplaced in a slice of life anime, but I have to say that I actually grew quite fond of it by the 4th or 5th episode and didn't feel like skipping it. The voice acting was very consistent, with each seiyuu's voice perfectly fitting the character they played. I personally loved Wakasa's VA the most, it was the PERFECT casting.

Character: 10/10
The main reason why this show shines, and why I loved it as much as I did, is because of the characters and the characterization. Due to the brevity of the episodes you don't really get any deep background story for the characters or some kind of astonishing character development but somehow none of that matters because you still get attached to them anyway. I don't think words can express how LIKABLE the characters are. All the characters - starting from the VERY lovable and cheerful merman Wakasa to the somewhat quiet but very thoughtful guy Tatsumi whose bathtub Wakasa lives in, to Wakasa's buddies who show up in some episodes - each and every character is very distinct and very original and very funny. Wakasa and Tatsumi have a dynamic that's very refreshing and somewhat reminiscent of The Odd Couple. They're the perfect foil to each other, and the hilariously funny situations resulting from their attempts to learn to live in harmony together is what makes the show what it is. The only character that I somewhat disliked is the MC's sister, who fits into quite a few of the annoying little sister tropes, and is also pretty annoying herself. Thankfully though we only get to see her for 2 episodes, and she's so forgettable you won't even think of her for the rest of the episodes which she doesn't show up in.

Enjoyment: 10/10
With slice of life anime, more often than not, there's a huge chance of the jokes falling flat or failing to hit the mark, but Orenchi no Furo Jijou has none of those issues. Not once does it feel like a joke is put there for the sole purpose of trying to draw out a laugh from you. All the humor in the show is completely organic, and it flows so well it actually feels like there's zero effort to try and get the audience to laugh, but you end up laughing anyway.

Overall: 9/10
Orenchi no Furo Jijou is a very light-hearted, feel-good show that by the end of its 13th episode will, no doubt, leave you feeling a lot calmer and a lot de-stressed than when you started watching it. I kept wishing the episodes were longer, just so I could have kept feeling happy for a little while longer. 13 episodes didn't feel like enough, and I sincerely hope they decide to make a second season someday.
So if you're looking for a quick, light-hearted show to cheer you up when you're down and/or to unwind after a long day, look no further than Orenchi no Furo Jijou.

Oh and if you're wondering if it's BL/shounen ai-ish, then all I have to say is that this does have BL-ish undertones, but that's only if you squint :)

(Not an in-depth review here) "Short and sweet." Sums this series up very well.

The story is bizarre with little backstory but since no story goes very deep, it is not an issue.
Each episode has a stand alone issue which Wakasa (Free loading Merman) and Tatsumi (Teen whose bathtub has been taken over) both overcome usually in a pretty adorable way.

I love the voice actors chosen, they are absolutely perfect for the characters, especially Maki, his voice made me giggle at times XD

The artwork is not super detailed but personally I think it is fantastic, it suits the light-hearted theme and the chibi forms of ... each character are adorable.

To me, this is short episodes done right, I cannot say I have extensive experience of shorts like this, but a few of the ones I did encounter cut corners with the artwork, some things had a lot of detail but the backgrounds were just dragging the whole thing down and then the story seemed rushed, but with this, nothing seemed rushed.

If you like light-hearted comedy and adorable characters, then I will be surprised if you do not enjoy it. I recommend giving it a try since the episodes are so short, no time wasted even if you find it is not for you.

If you're looking for a short, light-hearted anime with jokes poking fun at hentai/BL - you've come to the right place.

Orefuro is a short 4-min per episode anime which features a boy and a merman who lives in his bathtub.

Story: 5/10
Story is very simple and most of it is just poke-fun at usual anime cliches.
There's not a lot of story at all to be honest, the time limit makes sure of that.

Art: 6/10
Not bad, but not amazing either. The art style for the opening is like-wise to a painting, which is amazing other than the fact that it is ... the most misleading opening to any anime, ever.
For a most part, art is consistent throughout the series.

Character: 9/10
This is where Orefuro shines, the characters (and the seiyuus that give them life), are amazing.
Each of the characters are quirky in their own way and their antics make you laugh just for the sake of laughing, and they join together to do the wackiest things.

Although to be honest, I loved the characters because knowing the seiyuus have Daiya/Free!/Boueibu history. The similarities/differences/parallels just make everything funny.

Enjoyment: 8/10
A LOT OF FUN. I love the jokes in this series, a lot of slice-of-life jokes fall flat but Orefuro didn't run flat for me at all. It gave me a good laugh!

Overall: 8/10
If you're looking for no-drama, no-stress, and a good laugh. (And if you're a sports anime fujoshi) - this is an anime for you.

It's a real good brether from a lot of heavier toned animes and well, I do highly recommend it. Especially if you're interested in the seiyuus of this work, they did a really wacky and fantastic job in Orefuro.

For what it is, Orefuro is pretty good. It's short, sweet, and to the point. Quite fitting that an anime of a 4 panel comic has 4 minute episodes.

Story: 5
Basically nonexistant. Each episode contains its own small plot. Due to the rather unnatural circumstances of a merman living in the bathtub, though, the episodes generally don't fall into boring, overused slice of life story tropes. However, the premise is almost overly simplistic, and rarely are the practicalities of the situation brought into question.

Art: 8
This is definitely a part that benefited from short episodes. The art is smooth and vibrant, often seamlessly flipping between its ... normal style, a more "bishoujo" sparkly style, and a simple chibi style. The way characters are shown adds a lot to the feel of a scene. There isn't much variation in backgrounds, as the majority of the show takes place in the bathroom. I really couldn't think of a way to score the art higher--it's not particularly outstanding, because it didn't try to be. It did what it needed to do, very effectively.

Sound: 7
While there were no particularly memorable themes, music was another large factor to the mood of the show. Of course, due to the length of the episodes, any kind of recurring musical themes would more likely become tiring rather than adding anything. All the songs were appropriately placed. ...except for the somewhat strange opening theme, which is a lot more intense than the show itself. Voice acting was also great. Every character was distinct in their tone and manner of speaking, with their voices fitting their characters quite well. Sound is similar to art in the fact that it does exactly what it needs to do.

Character: 8
Due to the brevity of the series and relatively simplistic situations, character depth isn't explored much except for one episode. Despite that, the characters are all very distinct and enjoyable. It was cute to see how each character had adopted some of the characteristics of the animal they were based off of. My one critique would have to be the protagonist's sister. Her attachment to her brother seemed a bit beyond sibling love. Nothing is explicitly stated though, so it may just be my cynicism reading into it too much.

Enjoyment: 9
Normally, I'm not a fan of slice of life animes. Orefuro is different in that it kept things fresh with its short episodes and simple yet cute stories. It's light, easy to watch, and a very good feel-good anime. I was skeptical at first, but after watching it, I was pleasantly surprised. My major issue is that there isn't more of it! It works quite well with shorter episodes, but I almost wonder if it would handle a 10 minute episode length. It would keep the brisk pace of shorter episodes, while also allowing for a little more depth of story. Either way, 13 episodes just didn't feel like enough.

The short episode lengths definitely make this an anime worth trying. Just ten minutes of your time means two whole episodes!

A really short, simple, and sweet anime. With each episode only 4 minutes long, it’s easy to binge in one sitting or something simple to watch in your spare time. It’s a fun concept, and the characters were fun as well. The art style was nothing groundbreaking, but the animation was excellent. Binging this after some hard-hitting episodes of another anime was an excellent pick-me-up! Part of me wished there was more, either more episodes or longer episodes, but either way I actually loved the show. And if you’re unsure, it’s total runtime is less than an hour, so it’s not something big you have ... to get invested in.

In times like this, I think we all dream of having a gorgeous himbo merman live in our bathtubs to shake up our mundane lives a little. At least, that's how I felt right after watching this!

Orenchi no Furo Jijou or the aptly titled "Merman in my Tub" is about just that. 13 bite-sized episodes chronicling the everyday life of a stoic teenage boy living alone who brings home a merman of all things to freeload--in his bathtub. And as one would expect when picking up fantastical strangers off the side of the road--er, river, and dumping 'em tail and all in your bathroom, quite ... a bit of chaos ensues. And it's really quite fun to watch!

Seeing as this was adapted fron a 4-koma manga, I think the format of the episodes, stories, and the entire series in general is just right. There's no overarching plot, no confusing twists and turns; you could randomly pick out any episode to watch and you'd get the gist of the whole thing without really missing out on anything else. The overall tone of the anime is very upbeat and quirky (in contrast with the seemingly dark, depressing and out-of-place opening PV & song--which I personally think was a kickass move on the studio's part. Way to positively bamboozle your audience!) I watched the entirety of this while eating lunch with my little brother, which should give you an idea of how easy & quick it is to watch. And even if you didn't like it after watching the whole thing, it ain't that much of your precious time lost.

Orefuro's concept is endearing, fun, and (almost) all the colorful characters of it's world are as cute as a button. There's quite the lively cast of aquatic amigos we've got here; besides the main merman Wakasa, you've got a rough'n'gruff octopus, a shockingly sweet jellyfish, and a tiny albeit hilariously bespectacled self-loathing hermit crab (who seems to be poking fun at the unloved bespectacled hermit nerds of today...and I can wholeheartedly relate.) Of course, there is ONE other character I just couldn't stand: Tatsumi's infuriating little sister. Granted, it's quite clear they threw her in there on purpose; everything about her screams overused loli cliche, from her Nico Yazawa-like character design to her dreadful & vomit-inducing "Onii-chan complex." Thankfully, though, we're only cursed (or blessed, depending where you stand on the lolicon spectrum) by her presence for a couple of episodes until she gets the bin.

The jokes were generally quite amusing, and one episode especially had me surprisingly in stitches. I guess there's just something about a mer-himbo dumping extremely obscene amounts of bubble bath into water and then unintentionally causing an explosive impact akin to one you'd see in Dragon Ball Z that really cracks me up. The art and colours are all so damn pretty and the characters are always such a treat to look at against the neutral backdrop of Tatsumi's bathroom. I particularly loved how there were a whole bunch of different art styles used depending on the situation, from the normal style, to a more serious and dramatic one, to an exaggerated otoge-Bishie style (roses, sparkles, the whole shebang,) and to the token chibi style from the comics. The way everything is shaded, drawn, and animated is really well done, especially when you take into consideration how short it was. The sound was great; all the voice acting was spot-on (especially Maki; Tsuda's dual-tone delivery is just stellar) and that OP song is a definite banger. They cranked up the quality over quantity dial a good deal when making this, and I appreciate it.

I should mention that this series is more self-aware than many have noticed. That is, it does a great job at pandering to a slew of different sub-cultures found in the anime community. You've got the devilishly handsome fairy tale beings for the bishounen fans, that godforsaken little sister for the lolicons, siscons and moe enthusiasts alike, a very feminine looking jellyfish for the trapsters, literal softcore tentacle porn for...well, you know who you are. And the entire concept of 2+ pretty boys sharing a cramped tub is basically tasty bait for the hotblooded fujoshis and BL lovers. Well played, Asahi, you sure got me with that last one.

Orefuro is a definite gem among shorter series, but I can see it being a hit or miss with the majority of viewers. It all comes down to how much you personally enjoy all the zany tropes and gags in it, which I definitely did. If you like mermaids, hot baths, and even hotter boys, then by all means, bon appetit.

Want to know what life is like when you have a merman living on your bathtub? Watch this anime to find out!

I almost didn't watch this thirteen episode anime because each episode was only four minutes long, but I'm glad I did! It was super cute and straight to the point, not to mention it was hilarious! I wish there was more to watch, but I'm sure anyone would.

All episodes put together makes up less than an hour, and there are only about seven characters, but each get great development. I was really impressed, given how short the series was.

If you have an hour to ... kill and nothing to do, I suggest watching this little anime. You can find all episodes on YouTube and trust me, you won't be disappointed!! 

Art and Music: The opening is especially well done and the art style matches my personal preference.
It made me think that it's one of those "serious" type anime like the Blue Exorcist, so I was quite disappointed that this anime is only 13 episodes and 5 minutes each.

Character: The characters are all very unique and good looking. The stories were all unique because of that, even though it only has few characters and single setting.

Story: Well put within the short time frames. Something new happens every episode (well, I mean, of course) and I never got bored. Overall it was pretty sweet, casual and easy ... to watch.

I wish there was a second season.

If you're after a light and short series to while away 50 odd minutes of your time then this is certainly worth it. The characters are nicely written and designed, meeting a certain level of Shoujo fanservice whilst remaining fun and interesting enough for 13 short episodes. The world of anthropomorphic sea creatures that it builds up is charming and engages with the imagination and yet intentionally traps itself within the mundane confines of a bathroom. Whilst all the aesthetic aspects of this show are pretty average, the characters and the humor are charming and effective enough to keep the viewer engages and enthralled.

WOWOWO The dotty-otty reviews are back! At least for now!! On today's review we have "Orenchi no Furo Jijou" or "Merman in my Tub", let's go!!

-Story 6/10-
The plot is really simple "a I found a merman that didn't have a home and now he's living in my tub" each episode is pretty simple, following Tatsumi, Wakasa and their friends/relatives every now and then

-Art 10/10-
Art-syle was amazing. Something that I really want to point out is how the opening is "dramatic" and makes you think that you're about to see something super action packed yet the anime isn't that. Also I loved the character designs

-Sound 10/10-
Great ... opening, Great VAs, nothing much to say

-Character 8/10-
Listen, I loved the characters and all but Wakasa was a little too whiny for my liking and the side characters felt the same but with a different appearance

-Enjoyment 7/10-
I really enjoyed it, well most of it. After a while it felt was if I was watching the smae thing over and over. Not that I'd drop it because of that

-Overall 9/10-
It was really nice, you can binge watch it if you're bored and need something quick to watch