First Impression – Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou [NSFW]
A historic day as Guys In Suits make a treaty with Cute Monster Girls
One of the more promoted shows before the season started, or at least one with more imagery out than most shows, was Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou, or Everyday Life with Monster Girls”. Everyone’s probably already picked out their favorite chimera, so let’s find out how the show actually was.
Starting Off With a Squeeze
There’s no utensil you could call this…
The first episode focuses entirely on the main character, Kimihito Kurusu, and the first girl he’s an Interspecies Exchange host for, Miia the Lamia. Although who are we kidding, the main characters of this show are going to be the girls, and Kimihito is going to be the object they fight over. But as the boy character in a harem anime, Kimihito really isn’t bad. Railroaded into being a host by the alternately competent and lax Agent Smith, who accidentally dropped Miia off at his house, he’s thoughtful and animated (personality-wise), and has a nice mix of reactions to things, from the indignation and anger to caring for Miia. And he really does seem like he’s a more active protagonist than most.
Bathtime, huh?
But the main part of the opening episode here was squarely on Miia. Unlike Kimihito, she’s not particularly mindful of the “Prohibited Activities” that are the cornerstone of the whole Interspecies Exchange. She’s just in love with Kimihito, because he’s the first human who really welcomed her, even after they were introduced by accident. But it’s nice that Miia’s not a total ditz or anything, just seeming like your normal girl whose body is a huge snake.
And who wants her guy
Normal Harem-y Antics
Hey, what’s this for? (you sure wouldn’t know from watching hentai anime…)
The show didn’t shy away from your normal harem anime antics at all. Getting dragged into the bath, waking up in bed together, going on a date, ending up in a love hotel. Nothing was particularly new, but the jokes were tailored pretty well to the situation with Miia being a giant snake. Filling up the Karaoke Box, “warming up”in the bath and in bed, they both went pretty well. And I could relate to the uncomfortable nature of going into a lingerie store, because that’s not a good place for guys in the first place. At least guys who don’t want to be run out as pervs. Not that that helps Kimihito, who doesn’t realize what a pasty panty is.
I don’t think she’s scary, either.
And the conflict was played off pretty well, the unwanted attention of people on the street causing Miia and “Darling” to run… into a love hotel, because that’s the only place they could get away from the crowd. Having Kimihito realize that he can beat up humans so that Miia won’t get in trouble worked pretty well. And of course, from the info at the end, Lamias can only reproduce after getting it on with human males. So Miia’s going to be continuing to try to make Kimihito her first time, even if Agent Smith is still getting in the way. For his part, I don’t think that Kimihito would be against the idea, except that it would get Miia deported.
Now, where were we?
We were inviting Agent Smith to dinner, of course…
Even More Miia
A good start for the series. It wasn’t 100% original, but it did what it set out to do very well, with a cute girl / snake and a nice enough guy to believe that there’s actually some attraction there. Looks like next week we’re adding to the harem with Papi the Harpy and Centorea the Centaur. I do have to say, the names aren’t particularly creative.
About Highway
Proving that you don't have to be young to love anime, I enjoy all genres and styles of shows. If it's not hurting anyone else, you should never be ashamed of what you like!
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 163 comments
Well, they pretty much nailed the nature of the manga at least.
No, this won’t be a great show. Yes, it’s stupid. But it’ll work for those who want an echi harem show this season. The MC isn’t annoying (and in my opinion, he stays not-annoying throughout the manga), the humor sometimes works, the character designs are more or less OK…
It serves for what it is. If you want your fix, this is probably it. It sure beats out that dumb sky-city attacked by beetles show with the annoying girls… whatever it was called.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Wizard Buggistars!
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
I no longer rate any shows that are terrible. They all get lumped as equally terrible in the ‘key pile’.
I ask this of thee: Will there be any HCG to at least make it bearable?
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Monmusu’s mangaka, Okayado, actually has another monstergirl themed manga, 12 Beast. There’s still sexy antics, but it’s mostly action-adventure based instead of Monmusu’s ecchi slice of life.
Plot summary: Show ▼
Unfortunately, the manga’s on semi-hiatus at 2 volumes. Obviously Okayado’s decided to invest his energies on his real cash cow, Monmusu.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Fair warning as a manga reader; Kurusu is always depicted with that featureless derp-face throughout the series (except for serious situations).
Apparently it’s humour by the mangaka to emphasise Kurusu’s status as a self-insert character for Monmusu’s target readers.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Not bad a start. Standard harem formula while not following absolutely everything. The notable difference is Monster Musume is basically giving the spotlight to the less famous monster girls who’ve been continually overshadowed by the more staple ones.
I mean, how often do we see a lamia, harpy or centaur in anime? When it comes to the non-human species, and take note that the factor is dominantly female if you look past this series, their particular presence are a rarity.
Miia is insecure but she’s a good girl. Still, much pity to Kimihito for his trials. An emotional female lamia who doesn’t know her own strength… Without a doubt, that’s cause for concern.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Do you think the monster-people harem fandom could expand to female anime fans too?
Because I’m wondering if a reverse-harem/otome version of Monmusu could ever work: girl surrounded by various species of hot monster-guys.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
*coff*Twilight*coff*
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Tread lightly, friend. Because even I might lynch you if you use that carelessly. 😉
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
*imagines the carnage Shalltear will exercise….*
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Maybe something more exotic than vampires and wolfmen.
Maybe bishonen male kitsunes, satyrs, etc. If all else fails, maybe kemonomimi/animal-ear people ala Dog Days.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I would like to see the monster’s be beautiful, and exotic, but awkward. They’ve compounded the male POV about how hard it is to imagine sex at a young age, might as well continue with that…
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
I can imagine one. Incubi. Touhara Naoya.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Still, you’ve got to ask yourself what you can tolerate. Here, the term “monster” is very loose, there’s nothing precise when using the term. You got the half that maintains a mostly humanoid form while sporting extras like horns, claws, fangs, gills, wings and maybe a tail. Then you have the half that’s showcased like Miia, with the entire lower half of the body being that of an animal’s.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Well, I think we should show some restraint. It’s not very classy to make inquiries about a lady’s….uh…lady parts. ::sarcasm ends here…maybe…::
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Well, there are ice men, mermen, incubi, angels. The trouble is the majority of the non-human ideas are used on the women and hardly anyone’s put any effort into using them on the men. Whether we’d like to admit it not, a lot of anime have been geared toward the male audience.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
The trouble is the majority of the non-human ideas are used on the women and hardly anyone’s put any effort into using them on the men.
Yet. Given how saturated non-human women designs are, eventually someone will realise non-human men designs are the next frontier to conquer!!
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Start running. We will give you a headstart.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
MonMusu is still a better love story than coffTwilightcoff…
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Patton was a better love story than *unmentionable*. Sure, it was about a general’s love of war, but still…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
That’s an unpredictable, unstable affair considering the implications that come with harem and reverse harem aspects. Even if nothing more gets shown by the end of a series, you tend to imagine beyond the happenings for possibilities. Likely the most predictable subsequent thought that comes to mind.
In a regular harem, a guy has multiple girls and therefore, multiple options. Were they monster girls and the guy gets a harem ending, he can get a handful of children. Each child of a different species because they’d come from different mothers.
A reverse harem doesn’t have such a liberal option and ultimately, the girl ends up picking one guy.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
The only “monster guys” anime I’ve ever seen was Orenchi no Furo Jijou which has “merman” themed characters like an Octopus, hermit crab, jellyfish and a merman.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Fox, dog and raccoon? I don’t really consider those “monsters” as much as half animal/half human types since the others can hide as humans, but they are a close second.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Kamisama Hajimemashita 2. Nanami was surrounded by bishi non-humans.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
#1, too.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
Inu x Boku SS as well, sort of. Though some were half-bloods. And they spent probably 50% of the time in human bodies. But for the most part, in both series they were yokai.
To be honest though, do female anime fans even really want to see humanoid monster guys? There are some manga out there, but for the most part they’re few and far in-between, and most aren’t popular.
Although personally I’ve never understood the appeal of a mixed-race humanoid. Besides elves. Because elves are beautiful (both sexes).
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
I’m considering the term “monster-guys” to exclude vampires, yokai, and oni, because those three are fairly common. I’m pretty sure Monmusu is just an animal crossed with a human.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
Hmmm, I was planning on skipping this, but your first impression piqued my interest enough to see how it goes.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Woo! I love when that happens! I do hope you like it.