However, it is hard for me to say that I was wholeheartedly behind this show from the get-go. You see, a short PV was soon after posted online. That promo allotted a decent portion of its time to shots of panties and nosebleeds, and as a result, I became a bit more apprehensive towards the upcoming premiere of this show. Truth be told, ecchi definitely plays a part in the plot of Punch Line, but that does not necessarily hold the show back. For example, the main protagonist certainly does receive a power up when he's turned on, similarly to a certain future Harem King, but Punch Line wields its pervert card in a slightly different manner.
The setting is a boarding house and the main character Yuuta. He's your typical young lad who looks out for his friends/apartment mates and can cause the end of the world if too aroused. Events in the action-packed beginning of the show lead him to become a spirit forcibly separated from his body. Go figure, right? I say "typical", but he really isn't so reminiscent of any one other character that I ever saw him as boring or annoying. Overall, Yuuta is given a fair amount of time and depth as a character.
Narugino is the idol-by-day-superhero-by-day-as-well character. She is sweet, kind, shy, and kind of annoying at first. She's your stereotypical nice girl character, but eventually Narugino receives enough backstory and development that she actually sort of grows on you, so give her a chance. I saw her panties.
The resident techie and bespectacled dorm head goes by the name of Meika. Unless you literally started watching anime yesterday, you've undoubtedly heard her voice in shows such as Zero no Tsukaima and Shakugan no Shana to name just two. However, Meika's character is severely different from the usual tsundere archetype you've seen before to the point that its a breath of fresh air to not hear squeal and yell before attacking some pitiable male teenager. She aid Narugino in her hero endeavors, and she's fairly cool. I saw her panties, too.
Ito plays videogames and keeps a pet bear. She is a bit of a shut-in, meaning she does not possess that much self-confidence, but she still cares her friends and breaks out of her shell as the story calls for it. I also saw her panties.
The last resident of the dorm is Rabura the so-called exorcist. I'll be honest and say that while everyone else feels equally like main characters, it was hard to see her beyond the capacity of a supporting role, not that that's a bad thing. I suppose she is still fairly likeable, albeit more plot device than protagonist. She's your mature older woman who cannot get a boyfriend and helps her friends in a pinch. You will see her panties.
Chiranosuke, the flying spiritual cat who loves porn and guides Yuuta gets a special mention as he was one of my favorite parts of the show. Alas, he does not wear panties. Not even spirit panties.
If the multiple paragraphs devoted to character descriptions wasn't enough of a hint, Punch Line begins as a show mostly depicting the interactions of the boarding house residents, despite the overarching story premise set forth in the first episode. As a result, one believes this anime will be focused on moving forward the grand, mysterious plot from the start. However, the pace feels pretty slow until mid-way through, as it transitions back from character-oriented to a progressing plot.
Even still, this unsettling change-of-pace left me interested in the show and I looked forward to seeing where Punch Line would take me. It displayed above-average animation and solid voice acting. The plot kept me invested. In fact, I would not have been surprised had it been a two-cour show. Therein was the problem that arose. Namely, the ending did not quite live up to expectations. It fit, and I suppose it was not entirely a bad ending, but I was hoping for more. To use an analogy, it was like building up a thirst and being handed a cold can of soda. You're feeling great as you anticipate that carbonated, unhealthy, cold, sugary drink. But upon that first gulp, you realize it's slightly flat and not all that cold. It has by no means lost its carbonation and bubbliness, nor is it warm, but it simply did not live up to the hype you forced onto it.
Though I say this, don't misunderstand. I enjoyed watching Punch Line and I believe it to be pretty decent show. It was a fun watch with a varied ensemble of characters with good chemistry. Ecchi didn't ruin or hinder the quality and was sparsely used for the most part. My advice is to not walk into the world of Punch Line with high expectations and you, too, can have a good time. My other advice is to (re)watch Shingeki no Bahamut.
