I’m always up for a good comedy, and when you throw an otaku into the mix, you have my interest. That is what you get with Tadaima, Ojamasaremasu, with a little bit of a twist. Every comedy needs a good hook to reel someone in, but can this do enough to do just that?
Let’s go!
First Episode Synopsis
Rinko Nakama is an office worker who gets overworked nearly every day, and her only saving grace is that she gets to go home and watch anime. Being 24, she likes to keep her otaku lifestyle a secret; however, whenever she watches anime, her neighbor bangs on the walls unless it’s a specific show. Her other neighbor, Akito, is always checking up on her and even offers to confront her unruly neighbor. When he doesn’t answer the door, he puts things to the test by turning on different anime.
Suddenly, the guy bangs on the wall… then kicks a hole right through it. Instead of fearing for her life, Rinko is enamored by the guy because he just so happens to be the mangaka of her favorite series, which explains why he wasn’t banging on the walls when she watched the anime adaptation of it. He’s an over-the-top grouch, but falls in love with her cooking, so he demands that he feed her. Meanwhile, Akito invites her over to his apartment when Usada falls asleep. There, she can watch other anime in peace… that is, until Usada breaks down another wall and intrudes again.
All the while, Akito proclaims to be Rinko’s boyfriend when they’re not even together, all because Usada assumed they were already a couple.
Worth Watching?
NO – Sadly, in this case, the hook wasn’t all that good to keep me wanting to see more of this show. The comedy is loud, brash, and is trying too hard to be funny. Rinko’s over-the-top reactions would be tolerable had they not happened over every single thing that happens to her. I get that she’s supposed to be a bit on the weird side because she’s an otaku, but she’s an absolute hot mess, and I can’t stand characters like that.
On top of that, Usada is also unlikable. Acting like Bakugo from My Hero Academia half the time, then turning on the charm over food seems to be his unique quality, but it just doesn’t work. When you already have one character overreacting to every little thing, the last thing you need is someone constantly yelling and screaming at the top of their lungs. It’s just an absolute mess from start to finish.
If there is one redeeming quality about this show, it’s that Akito provided the best comedy. It’s painfully obvious that he likes Rinko, and it became obvious the very moment he suggested that he would pretend to be her boyfriend. Then he purposefully sat right next to her when he invited her over, only to pass it off as teasing her. His overprotectiveness toward her for no apparent reason also lends credibility to the idea that he has a crush on her. He is quite possibly the most humble and polite creep I’ve seen, and that’s amazing. I did get a chuckle or two over his antics, but those were the only parts that I could bring myself to laugh at.
There are much better comedies out there, so I would suggest you seek those out and let this one play out in silence over the next 11 weeks.
