Reviews

Umaru-Chan is one of those comedy anime that revolves around a very simple light-novel-title premise which is then stretched into 12 episodes. This time the premise is straight-A student Umaru who acts perfect in public and then turns into a lazy child when she's home alone. It's totally made for hardworking high school or college kids to relate to, with the exception being that most of us don't come across as perfect by day, but as tired, caffeine-addicted drones who lose all work ethic the moment we get home.

The style gimmick of Umaru's physical transformation into this hamster-looking thing fits the show very well, and makes for a super-recognizable, simple character who looks great on merchandise. Umaru is transparently trying to be the Garfield of anime girls here, an infinitely marketable icon of sloth for the zoomer otaku to relate to.

It's enjoyable for an episode or two, but unfortunately, the show goes nowhere with this idea, unless you count vague incestual undertones with her creepy older brother. Had this been a series of three-minute shorts I might be praising it, but stretched out to about four hours of content you'll find your appreciation of Umaru-chan fading fast.