While this may not sound all that interesting, and perhaps down right gross with the drool aspect, Mysterious Girlfriend X stands out as one of the most unique and charming romance anime's I have ever seen.
I'm not going to beat around the bush - the drool part is a bit disgusting to begin with, even if it's generally limited to licking it off fingers. The first episode serves to set up the circumstances and plot of the rest of the show, and while it's mildly intriguing to begin with, it's not until the end of the episode that you get the first glimpse of the more honest approach the show takes with young and/or first loves.
This is the first hint that MGX is going to be different from most other Anime. Love and relationships with teens is usually dealt with in love triangles and harems/reverse harems, with the entire show mostly having unresolved sexual tension for either Japanese cultural reasons or just because it's the done thing. A lot of these and other relationship tropes get subverted throughout the show, and it doesn't get preachy about the romanticised pre-conceptions of love in media either.
You don't have to wait long for any of this to start though, as the second episode is when the story really gets going. By the third you'll probably have gotten used to the drool aspect, and by then you'll be hooked. The drool is just a mechanism for the two main characters to understand each others feelings, both emotionally and physically, and aids them in the developments of their love life. Understanding is a big theme in the series, and leads to some genuinely tender moments.
It's not just about the two characters getting to know each other, the viewer themselves is in on the process of getting to know the protagonists and the meaning of the show. While Akira Tsubaki, our eyes into the world, is portrayed as a fairly normal and relatable guy, Mikoto Urabe, his girlfriend, is a mystery. As the name of the anime suggests. However, while she has the almost supernatural drool, an odd manner, and is freakishly adept with a pair of scissors she keeps in her panties, it all seems like an allegory for the mystery and unknown of being in love for the first time.
There is a bit of ecchi in the series as well - with the two main girls drawn as being quite busty. I honestly think this is commentary on how teenage boys see the world, and how love can sometimes alter your perceptions of your partners. Which in this case is shown by giving the girls big tits, as you do. The art style in general though is a little retro, which fits the atmosphere of the show a lot better than spindly limbs or soft moe features.
Compared to the manga, it's usually very spot on, and any small changes made to the story, whether they're chronological or characters reactions, mostly better the flow of events. Due to the short nature of the anime, and the fact the manga is still ongoing, some stories have been dropped or blended together. However nothing feels rushed, forced, or out of place, and it at least means there's probably enough material for a second season if it gets that far.
There are a few words that have been tossed around in this review that do manage to sum up the show better than others - that it is a charming, sweet, honest look at young and first loves. I hope they make more after the OVA.
