On one hand, I sort of understand it. NieA Under 7 is a very unassuming series, and at first glance, it looks like any old slice of life anime from the early 2000s. On top of that, our titular character can be really grating at times, and with other characters like the...walking Indian stereotype? (wow, that...has to be racist, right?) It makes sense why so many people would be quick to write this one off.
But, with only thirteen episodes, I highly recommend you hang on.
NieA Under 7 is the type of SOL show that digs deep into the aspects of every day life, and contemplates the characters' feelings and circumstances. It paints the picture of a marginalized immigrant living with a poor college student and their every day lives trying to get by. The marginalization of the aliens is mostly treated as set dressing at first, so the small moments where they dig deeper into it tends to be insightful. Mayu's poverty is treated similarly; it's not necessarily treated un-seriously, but rather it's such a normal factor of life it tends to be brushed over and joked around about---much like how living in poverty actually is. So, just like the marginalization of the aliens, it hits so much harder when they take the time to reflect on it and how deeply it affects the characters. NieA Under 7 is a quirkly SOL, but it manages to capture the exhaustion and misery that the hollow acceptance of your poverty brings.
And it's not just marginalization and poverty. Mayu as a character is one just coming into her young adulthood, the age of discovery and figuring yourself out, but she's much too stressed from work and school to be doing that. She struggles socially and isn't sure what she wants to do with her life. She internalizes her problems and sabotages things for herself even though everyone around her likes her and wants to help. It's such a frighteningly realistic depiction of what it's like to be this age in such dire circumstances that suck the life right out of you.
NieA under 7 is an odd slice of life series that seems rather mediocre at first glance, but it also touches on themes of identity, discrimination, coming of age, melancholy, cultural assimilation, class, and social alienation. It may not be perfect, but these reflective moments hit somewhere deep and resonant within.
Don't pass this one up.
