Karen's Anime Blog

Sometimes you can tell a show is really good when practically nothing happens and it’s still engaging. In this premiere, novelist Fuji finds an abandoned “dog” (actually a tanuki), takes it home, gets it the shots it needs, and both tanuki and woman take a bath; that’s pretty much it. It’s tremendously soothing, one of those anime that just melts your stress away.

The real meat of the premise is the fact that, since the tanuki is not a mere dog, he has abilities far beyond that of normal house pets, like the ability to write and hold up signs. Watching the tanuki (still nameless as of this point) communicate with Fuji and other characters adds just enough spice to keep things from becoming dull. It’s also hilarious that Fuji keeps insisting he’s a “dog,” when everyone who meets the tanuki can tell it’s not a dog. I think she’s in denial.

They also made some interesting choices with the design of the tanuki. If I had heard about this premise but not seen the show, I would assume that the tanuki would be portrayed with big, sparkling eyes– traditional cuteness style. Instead, we can’t even see the tanuki’s eyes. It’s a fairly realistic depiction that makes the cuteness of a more subtle and refined variety, if that makes any sense.

Saori Hayami as Fuji does a lot with a fairly limited script, always sounding cautiously curious about the new little creature that just dropped into Fuji’s life. I’m interested in learning more about her– what kind of novels does she write? Is she lonely, living alone in an apartment as she does? Does she feel like she’s succeeded in the world of literature, or is she still chasing her dream?

This isn’t the kind of show that one writes recaps about, but you can bet I’ll be watching it on a weekly basis– probably after a really chaotic show like Dan Da Dan or something, when I need to gear down and get to sleep. These calming shows usually aren’t what comes to mind when people make “Best of Anime” lists, but I’m so glad they keep making them.