Reviews

May 31, 2023
Mixed Feelings
Spoiler
There are not a lot of protagonists in anime and manga that are anthropomorphic animals, adjacent to that of the appeal of furries and whatnot. High School Inari Tamamo-chan takes a risk in centering the story around divine messenger sisters that appear to the human cast as anthro white foxes. For a story with an official english translation that could be found in Barnes and Noble, it certainly is an eyecatcher when spotted on a shelf.

While there is an overabundance of kemonomimi based characters nowadays, it is a shame that this manga is glossed over or judged for the inclusion of anthro characters. The art is gorgeous, and it's evident that the author put a lot of themselves into this story and it's characters. A lot of the problems that stem from this manga aren't entirely at the fault of it's creator.

Story: 5
This is a slice of life comedy manga, and it's rather surface level. Each chapter usually opens with information about Japanese myth regarding foxes and shrines. The pacing starts off really good, however, it is very clear that the last volume and ending of the story is rushed to completion. This hindered the story as a whole, as a lot of the development for these anthropomorphic characters who live for thousands of years feels a tad meaningless by the end. A whole school year that used to span over multiple volumes suddenly took place in single chapters near the end, which while it makes sense for foxes who live for millennia to have time fly by fast, it ends up feeling anticlimactic.

Characters: 8
The Anthro characters very prominently carry this story, yet oddly enough Tamamo is probably the weakest out of the whole anthro cast. As the MC, she was much more enjoyable when interacting with her family or the other anthros in the world. In all honesty, within chapters that solely focused on her and her human classmates and teachers, sometimes it was rather uncomfortable watching a lot of these interactions that transpired. Under the guise of a rather wholesome atmosphere, it was incredibly awkward watching high school aged humans try to take risque and erotic photos of Tamamo after they would constantly compare her to that of a pet dog who would try to catch balls thrown at her or since she would go "Awoo".

Tamamo's sisters are the strongest and most enjoyable element of this story. However, of Tamamo's three sisters, only two are properly introduced to the reader throughout the story. Without spoiling much, there was a lot of build up for a lot of these character's arcs that are suddenly and hastily completed by the end. If Tamamo and her sisters live for so long that a lifetime for a human is barely anything for them, then I would expect for there to be some profound or long-lasting development that would change their worldview by the end or at least impact them as individuals. Although Tamamo's main motivation for going through all of this is to have fun, there should have been a few other goals for these characters who have first handedly witnessed almost the entire history of humankind.

Enjoyment: 7
It's not a story that will leave it's reader changed by the end of it, but for enjoyers of intricate and detailed drawings of cute anthro fox girls, then this might be a great read. Even if anthro characters are a turn off for many, those who have their curiosity even slightly peaked by this manga will most likely enjoy what it provides. If anything, it's sad knowing that art of these characters will be rather scarce from here on out.

This is rather enjoyable for a slice of life manga with anthro characters, and there's a little bit of something for everyone to like. It is a shame that it feels like it was cancelled near the end. Tenko best girl.

Overall: 7
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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