Cool Doji Danshi

I feel like whenever it comes to anime that hope to appeal to some people, it's always going to have viewers that vibe with it and viewers that don't vibe with it - like comedy animes, you either find it funny or not. I am usually a huge fan of the feel-good, chill, let's-showcase-some-cute-moments type of anime, and I had high hopes for this one as well, but it seems like that this one in particular (so far) seems to be a miss for me. It feels like being force fed a delicious cake - yes I like cake, yes it's delicious, but being force-fed ... kinda ruins it.

In my previous experience, one of the cool things about anime is that even if they decide on a theme (e.g. cool boys doing cute things), Japan just somehow manages to make it feel authentic, genuine, and sensible. It doesn't feel like a student writing an essay on a topic, but instead it feels like a story that they want to tell from their heart and THEN they wrap it up in that theme. However, Cool Doji Danshi somehow doesn't seem to be able to do that. There is such an emphasized deliberacy as they showcase each moment that it feels like that moment when someone tells an okay joke but the way they wait for you to laugh at the end just makes it so much worse. I think it partially has to do with the pacing of the animation, but also some of the moments they decided to showcase just really don't make me go "ohh haha that's cute yeah", it just makes me go "... well yeah that happens i guess".

That being said, if you DO happen to vibe with it, then it can be a really nice anime. The animation, the art style, the voice acting all make for a really nice bundle of an enjoyable experience, and it surely warms you up from the inside. I would especially like to emphasize the voice acting, I think that's a crucial part for this genre and they did a really good job with that. I would also like to add as another advantage that the show is quite episodic, and each episode (so far) seems to focus on a different individual, so even if you didn't vibe with one of them, there's a possibility that you'll enjoy the next one!

Pretty cute, light, and fluffy. The way character relationships are allowed to build from meeting to meeting is interesting and really made this anime special. It’s slow-paced, with no central plot, so the character development was essential and well done. The art style is lovely. I also enjoyed reoccurring jokes and themes throughout. The voice acting is well handled. Sometimes characters’ goofs were emphasized more than necessary, but I rarely felt like that. If you’re looking for something fluffy, this might be a good pick for you! It struck me as queer-bating and fetishizing male relationships, or I would rate it more highly.