I'm a huge fan of healing anime, and it has been a while since we've had a good one on which the focus was actually healing, Yuru camp if I recall correctly, was the last one. So it has been a good year and on paper this anime has a lot going for it. It's relatable, especially for a Japanese audience where overworking seems to be the norm. Having something to come home to after a long work day however is something we can all relate to.
And that's basically the plot of this anime. A fox spirit named Senko is helping one of those overworked and depressed Japanese men back on his feet by simply having him relax. And I already said, on paper that can go in a miriad of interesting directions while still remaining one of those typical slow iyashikei plots.
Too bad the execution is just terrible, I'd rather describe this as a pervy fetish anime than a healing anime, and frankly it's something that's simply making me uncomfortable, which is exactly the opposite of what I want it to be. This anime is filled to the brim with weird fetish needs, the ever annoying tail "fluffing" they go in bath together, she steps on him as a massage, he finds her in weird suggestive poses, she's being dressed up in a maid costume by the pervy neighbour... This all while there's practically 0 character moments, not a moment in the now 7 episode run have I seen the 2 characters actually learn from each other or grown as a pair (whatever that could mean). This anime is completely built on its pervy moments, nothing happens in between and sometimes a joke is made about these moments.
The best one I recall can be found in episode 7 where the main character gets a massage from Senko, she simply steps on him with way too many foot shots and the main character returns the favour (he even massages her butt but she's SO sensative there). Then, the next day, the pervy neighbour comments on the fact that the main character is a lot happier and Senko makes the suggestive comment "that's because I stepped on him yesterday", the joke being that the pervy neighbour now gives Senko a strange look. The thing is, it's exactly what happened basically, it was just extremely vanilla hentai with all the suggestions that it's more or less a sex act here. Even the commentary during the massage scene was just filled with sexual innuendos. Her waist is so thin that my hands completely fit around hers, she's sensative around the base of the tail etc. This while the anime constantly reminds you: This isn't supposed to make you feel uncomfortable, she's 800 years old, how's this pervy???
Well anime, it is pervy, and if this is your way of relaxing your audience, I can see why sexual harassment is so high in Japan. As of the writing of this review, this anime has a solid 7,66 on MAL, directly below it is Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight, The Quintessential Quintuplets, and Amagi Brilliant Park. All flawed series, absolutely, but at least they have something going for them. This anime doesn't, it's just an uncomfortable mess. If you like that pervy stuff, good for you, if you like healing, don't watch this, there are better choices this season that aren't even advertised as healing anime.
