Welcome to the most culturally PEAK and most sexual show of 2020 (and maybe of all time). A show that first flew under most people’s radars, but soon exploded in what became one of the most unexpected and controversial shows to air, causing a ripple of discussion, memes, and changes to flow throughout the anime community and here on MAL.
When we think of ecchi, we think of flashing tits, “accidental” groping, the Monogatari toothbrush scene, walking in on your crush getting changed, and lesbian couples stranded on an island French kissing & pleasuring each other to turn into powerful weapons. We truly had some good ecchi series that aired in the past that provided us with good fan service, but this show takes ecchi to the extreme in terms of how far they can push the limits of what they’re allowed to air on TV. Comparing this series to the manga, the manga is tame in comparison. The manga doesn’t have ANY nudity or sex scenes, so the director decides to bless us by going far and beyond what the manga has done so far to make this series what it is today, even catching the censors in Japan off-guard. Seeing how the show is borderline hentai, in terms of ecchi and fan service, this show takes the cake as being one of the best in the genre.
There isn’t much of a story in this show, only loosely-connected plot points that allow the series and characters to develop and continue after each episode. This show is very episodic in nature and the premise of the show is quite simple; it’s about the gang heading to different brothels to experience different types of species and fetishes. I can say that the world building is also quite good for an ecchi series, seeing how the main cast of characters are adventurers, having to fight different monsters and go to distant lands to visit new brothels.
The comedy in this show is incredibly funny and oftentimes vulgur. This show also is both politically correct and incorrect when exploring different topics about human nature and the body, and different groups of people. What I mean by that is when exploring very crude and used-to-be unspoken topics in media such as intercourse, sex & gender, body types, size, age, fetishes, and races, the show pushes these discussion points and issues into the limelight and without hesitation of backing off or pandering to minority groups or the Twitterati, and instead they embrace them and use them to portray a message of inclusivity, body positivity and giving the TV censors the middle finger.
However, there were quite a few people who probably aren’t as knowledgeable on anime, especially what to expect of an ecchi series (especially this one), that were outraged or triggered by the show’s “apparent” portrayal of prostitution and female body types, even if they're out of proportion (it's fiction and it's not representative of real life) – most likely just for the sake of being outraged and gaining brownie points online *cough cough* ANN. You would surely expect to see different body types if a show was all about exploring the idea of having sex with prostitutes of different body types and species. The producers and the show take jabs at different groups of people such as critics and reviewers. If you’ve seen South Park, then you might have seen the “You’re Not Yelping” episode; this anime somewhat parodies what that episode focused on (watch it if you haven’t, season 19, episode 4).
A good ecchi show isn’t complete without a good set of characters. The main trio of reviewers are Crim, Stunk and Zel; characters with different tastes and preferences and who are of different species. They are often joined by another side character when they enter a different brothel, though there are some good and sometimes funny side character inside the bar and some brothels who have their moments. One factor that makes the cast and show so interesting are the different scenarios they are put in and the struggles and limitations of having sex with certain species or viewing different perverted and often disturbing stuff. One example is having sex with someone who is many times smaller than you, another is when the group head to an egg-laying brothel, which for the main trio, they felt very uncomfortable, whilst snake species and mermen highly enjoyed it, as they can purchase the freshly-laid eggs that are auctioned off. Their interactions with each other as well as the show’s comedy is funny, adding more to their character dynamics. It’s great to see them arguing amongst each other about which type of girl is best, as well as the show’s self-deprecation and character’s self-awareness. The OP & ED are alright as well, they’re more like meme songs just added with a lot of nudity, and the opening is very similar to YMCA by Village People.
I honestly think Passione has done a great job of taking the reins and adapting the manga, even taking the extra steps in adding a shitload of hentai-esk material and fan service whilst staying true to the manga. The art style is clean and the animation during the action and sex/ecchi scenes were nicely and smoothly animated. It’s clear that the studio took great pride (if they have any left) and passion when creating the show, and if they keep up that level of care and quality, you can hopefully look forward to future projects such as High School DxD season 5 (hopefully soon) or another season of this show. Maybe it’s a good idea to keep Passione on your radar for future projects.
If I have to choose what the best episode of the series is, and what would rival most top-tier ecchi series, then I would have to go with the gender bender episode (ep.3), as that left me in a state of shock and confusion and with an erection wondering as to how something that great was allowed to air on TV, it’s also what lead to creating all of the controversy and de-platforming. Make sure you watch it uncensored for all of its glory. Overall, I think this a marvellous adaptation of what is an alright manga. This show is perfect for any ecchi-loving degenerate such as myself to watch, make sure you lock your door and plug in your headphones when watching the crazy ride that is Interspecies Reviewers.
Overall score: 9/10
