High school biology teacher Tetsuo Takahashi may look like your average everyday instructor, but beneath his gentle appearance lies something less ordinary: his fascination for the "Ajin," more commonly known as "Demi." Although these half-human, half-monster beings have integrated into human society, Takahashi believes that much about them will remain unknown unless he interacts with them firsthand.
Demi-chan wa Kataritai follows Takahashi's daily life in Shibasaki High School together with his three Demi students—Hikari Takanashi, an energetic vampire; Kyouko Machi, a gentle dullahan; and Yuki Kusakabe, the shy snow woman. Along the way, Takahashi also meets fellow teacher Sakie Satou, a succubus with an aversion towards men. To fulfill his goal of learning more about the Demi, Takahashi decides to conduct casual interviews with the girls to learn more about their abilities, psyche, and interaction with human society. As Takahashi strengthens his bond with his students, he soon discovers that the Demi are not as unusual as he initially believed.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Skittles
Monster girls to ecchi are like strong characters to shounen. Just like how a shounen anime would feel strange without a cast of muscular fighters and hotheaded heroes, an anime about monster girls would feel insufficient when lacking the presence of slender harpies and buxom centaurs. But is it possible for monster girls in anime to be presented as something else other than fetish fuel? What if they possess charm, cuteness, and character worth sympathizing for? Enter Winter 2017, and Demi-chan wa Kataritai arrives to answer my call. At first glance, Demi-chan wa Kataritai seems to be a harmless slice of life with a dash of supernaturalelements. Cute girls? Check. Pleasing visuals? Check. No solid plot whatsoever? Check. All these common tropes are present, so some might simply pass it off as another moe-fest destined for the backlog. But don’t be fooled! Beneath an otherwise generic sounding premise lies an anime consisting of likable characters, great social commentary, and the right dosage of comedy.
Since it lacks a distinct plot, Demi-chan wa Kataritai primarily markets itself using an all-lovable cast. In this feat, it really succeeds. You’ll be expecting a trio of BFF schoolgirls, a teacher with hilarious romantic issues, and a biology instructor who looks like Okabe Rintarou twenty years after Steins;Gate ended. The catch? Except for our eccentric teacher protagonist, all the main characters are monster girls—or demi-humans, as the show calls it—of various species.
What makes these characters entertaining, however, aren’t their abnormalities, but rather their struggles in coping with them to adapt to human society. Hikari is an upbeat vampire girl who quarrels with her sister often because of issues such as placing her blood packs in random places. Machi is a dullahan who feels that her headless presence would forever create tension between her and everyone else. Yuki the snow woman is worried that becoming too close to others would cause them to meet a cold demise. Sakie is a succubus teacher who dresses conservatively from fear of seducing males in her vicinity. Rather than merely being demi-humans for the sake of vanity, the characters of Demi-chan wa Kataritai learn to deal with problems that stem from their irregularities. It’s an interesting formula that always provides each new episode with a fresh perspective.
Of course, how can we forget the protagonist himself? Tetsuo might be the only male and human of the group, but such normalcy only makes him even more intriguing. As both a mentor and father figure to the girls, Tetsuo tasks himself with the mission to discover more about demi-humans by conducting casual interviews with them during recess hours. Some interviews will make you laugh, others will educate you more about the girl’s species, and in few instances, these interviews can bring you warm feelings. Whatever the case, Tetsuo's dynamic conversations with the girls represent the soul of Demi-chan wa Kataritai.
Admittedly, the show can sometimes veer dangerously into harem territory whenever the girls show borderline lust for Tetsuo due to the intimacy of the interviews. But since Tetsuo is their sole source of help to cope with human society, how can we blame the poor guy for inviting unwanted attention? Thankfully, this point isn’t major enough to turn the show into a full-blown harem like Monster Musume.
Demi-chan wa Kataritai also surprises its viewers with a good deal of social commentary. Think back to the girls struggling to adapt to school life because of their differences; doesn’t that sound a lot like contemporary issues regarding prejudice? Though Demi-chan wa Kataritai appears to be fluffy on the surface, it’s certainly not afraid to tackle serious matters during certain points. In one episode, a visiting detective named Ugaki discusses with Tetsuo about the state of demi-humans in Japan. Despite being regarded as perpetrators of crimes in the past, says Ugaki, demi-humans have now come so far as to become respected members of the national police force. Another episode involves Tetsuo realizing the struggles of Hikari’s family to make their vampire daughter feel welcome at home—a responsibility that doesn’t burden them even one bit due to their overwhelming love for their daughter. These problems might only be a fleeting extra for most people, but attentive viewers would be quick to draw parallels between these subtle messages and real-life contemporary issues. Small tidbits like this make Demi-chan wa Kataritai an engaging show to just about anyone.
Now that the darker stuff is out of the way, what about the humor? In a time where most slice of life rely too much on their moe factor to produce chuckles from the audience, Demi-chan wa Kataritai thankfully carries a brand of comedy that feels surprisingly genuine. Loudmouthed Hikari is obviously the main perpetrator of laughs, but I also had fun watching Sakie struggle with romantic concepts and Machi being oblivious to non-academic pursuits. During the second half, however, the show feels somewhat less funny, but that may be due to the story trying to wrap things up for the finale.
Character designs in Demi-chan wa Kataritai are nothing groundbreaking, but the show’s bright color palette creates a good match with the uplifting nature of the story. The hair color for the girls and the scenery of the backdrops give me the impression of a city version of Non Non Biyori, another slice of slice series which ironically bears many resemblances to Demi-chan wa Kataritai. The OP and ED themes are catchy enough, but what’s most interesting about them are their visuals. For a small treat, pay careful attention to them as you progress through the show.
Proving that anime with monster girls can be something different, Demi-chan wa Kataritai marks itself as an endearing slice of life that plays with the not-so-similar elements of cuteness and social issues. Despite being buried underneath this season’s big hitters like KonoSuba S2 and Masamune’s Revenge, Demi-chan wa Kataritai won’t fail to surprise viewers with its interesting take on an otherwise unremarkable premise.
My only wish now is that I can find a real-life figure like Tetsuo to be my life coach.
3xTripple
“The warm and fuzzy feelings are strong with this one” - Darth Vader This series truly deserves its popularity, because it was so much more than just another generic “cute” anime. I watch a lot of anime regularly and often dislike most moeblob anime, so it’s pretty unusual that I truly enjoyed this series enough to be smiling in excitement when each new episode aired. This is a review without any plot spoilers beyond the first episode. TLDR/Summary at the end What if rare and terrifying monsters were actually cute teenage girls that attended school ordinarily like humans? At first glance, this anime may seem like justanother ordinary fun “cute girl” series, but there is something special---something much more unique about this series that sets it apart from the others. This anime distinguishes itself by beautifully conveying some of the different social consequences of being a monster or “demi-human” trying to assimilate into human society, while the series also injects you with a profound dosage of “cuteness” in the process.
Story: 8/10
Tetsuo Takahashi or "Takahashi-sensei" is a male biology teacher who has been fascinated by the biological nature of demi-human for a while. He’s well-respected throughout the school for his warmhearted approach to students, but he’s never actually encountered a demi-human before since they are extremely rare beings. By a huge stroke of plot---I mean luck, four demi-human girls end up in the same school as him. The story begins from there while primarily following Takahashi as he works to understand and help the four of them with their demi-human characteristics in this show’s ordinary school setting. The story shows the struggles of the four demis and their biological characteristics as they live their daily school lives. Afterall, how does a Dullahan, Vampire, Yuki Onna, and Succubus actually even function in ordinary society? Find out by watching the show :)
Considering the core elements of this story, the story itself was absolutely beautiful thanks to its primary focus being different from just “cute girl” eye candy, unlike many other similar anime. There’s a certain degree of realism to the storyline since the characters develop as you would expect a real person to. This makes the characters more interesting and relatable than anime with generic characters. I appreciated the fact that there was very little fanservice in this anime because I feel that it would take away from the genuine fuzzy warmth of this series. However, I also feel that any fanservice in this series was timed appropriately to fit the anime’s settings. The pacing was pretty good; I didn't feel that this anime was too slow or moved too fast. Also, the light-humor in the series was timed perfectly and hit hard, which made even it more entertaining to watch. While everything in this series was really enjoyable, there weren't really any moments that made me “think” or “feel” strongly about something. That quality is what I feel separates a really good series from a great one, so the story can only get a max score of eight from me.
Art: 7/10
The art is pretty damn simple in general. The color scheme is basic, but they used a lot of light and vibrant colors to give a pretty light-hearted mood. There is nothing particularly unique about the art style, but this show did do “cute” really well and, let’s be honest, that’s all it really needs anyways. I like the fact that the characters aren’t just “cute” in the sense that they just look like moeblobs with faces. Instead, the characters’ cuteness comes from various hairstyles and facial expression ranges, that were thoroughly expressed through the artstyle. The background art is nothing spectacular and is pretty average, but the 3DCG blended nicely into the backgrounds. The camera angles weren’t really THAT good because of the plentiful amount of stagnant angles, where only the character moves. The animation’s frame-rate is pretty normal for a series like this. Overall, the art is nothing special. However, they did do “cute” rather well, so it deserves a seven to me.
Sound: 6.5/10
The opening is really good and perfectly sets the mood for the anime. The ending’s pretty generic, but still fits. The background music in this anime is pretty damn unnoticeable except for a few pieces that really stand out. There’s really only one OST from this anime (that I recall) that I would actually enjoy listening to on my spare time. The voice actors/actresses voiced their roles very well, there wasn’t any particularly unique or powerful about their voices but their voices were all pretty mellow and nice to listen to. Overall, the Sound is only slightly better than average, but the perfect opening accounts for the .5 additional I gave it.
Character:9/10
I feel that the characters were the strongest point of this series. Takahashi-sensei comes across as a mature older adult who is a genuine person when it comes to helping the “demis”. He’s a buff science-minded adult who’s kind of like a father-figure to the demi students. The demi girls each have their own unique personality that I truly came to love and appreciate.
Yuki comes across as a shy, misunderstood, kind of awkward girl, but she becomes more confident and we see various other fun sides to her personality as the series progresses. She's often the one laughing at jokes in secret and she turned out to be my favorite character in the show.
Machi is a very intelligent girl who loves to study and is very humble. She's relatively shy as well but is great when it comes to spoken academic subjects like speeches, unlike Yuki.
Satou-Sensei is a pretty awkward 24-year old succubus who's shy mainly because she often strongly attracts people of the opposite gender because of her nature. Her awkwardness is often the source of the comedy relating to her.
Hikari is basically an honest, lovable, and lively extroverted girl. She's not smart and not studious. Her personality is very necessary for this story, but I didn’t really see her as anything "new" or "special" per se. Overall, this series has some really lovable characters; watching them overcome their nature, seeing them grow closer together, and witnessing their group dynamic are probably the most fulfilling aspects of this series.
Enjoyment:9/10
As I mentioned numerous times throughout this review, I truly enjoyed the entirety of this series this series and actually re-watched some scenes several times!
TLDR (Summary)
Overall:8/10
This series was an unexpectedly entertaining watch as it followed the biology teacher, Takahashi-sensei, as he helps four girl with their demi-human characteristics. The series surprisingly goes pretty deep into the scientific logic of "demi-humans". The art was nothing spectacular, but the vibrancy of the colors helped to set a light-hearted mood for the viewers. The VAs and music were only slightly above average, but the opening set the tone perfectly for the series. The characters were the strongest point of the series because of their diverse, non-archetype personalities also because of the group dynamic that the characters create together.
Bottom line: would I recommend this to you?
If you like light-hearted, school, cute girls, and/or fantasy anime, then yes this is a great series to check out.
If you enjoy a nice non-dramatic story, then sure.
If you’re looking for romance, fanservice, super powers, or action, then no. It doesn’t focus on any of those.
Hope this helps you make your decision! Let me know if you agree or disagree~
84DaysWithout
Imagine being a vampire not allowed to sink its fangs into humans, a dullahan that has to carry its head everywhere it goes or a succubus who's occupation forbids sexual temptation. Interviews with monster girls is a social commentary on how difficult - and often scary - it can be to ingratiate oneself into a foreign society. Four Demi-humans have to overcome their own biology for the sake of living in harmony, and it proves to be a difficult adjustment for them to make. Satou Sakie is convinced she will never have a genuine relationship when every man she touches is reduced to a puddle oflust. The 24 year old succubus lives in total isolation, takes the first and last trains each day, never applies makeup and wears a jumpsuit all to limit the chances of influencing her students and innocent bystanders with her aphrodisiac effect, often to no avail.
Yuki Kisakabe also struggles with controlling her powers, preemptively isolating herself from others in fear of accidentally freezing them to death. Underneath her cold facade is a personality no different than your usual perverted high school kid, but she's too insecure in her own self control to trust anyone around her. ""If I weren't a Demi...I wouldn't feel like this" whimpered a tearful yuki, who broke down in the hallway after overhearing a mean spirited conversation about her.
Machi Kyouko's head is detached from her own body. She is in CONSTANT need of attention from others around her, much more so than any other Demi, to help assist in basic movement but is painfully shy about asking others to help her. She finds it difficult socializing with those who don't have the same struggles she does.
The only Demi unconcerned with her nature is the energetic vampire Hikari who is always the center of attention and serves as the source of most comedic moments in the anime. She is often finding herself in mischief and proudly states "I am, and always have been, just that negligent!" - much to the chagrin of her younger sister. Despite these flaws, Hikari is a sincerely kind person and sticks up for her friends in times of need. A particularly awesome moment is when she defends Yuki from bullies that were gossiping in the bathroom. I felt like playing a DMX track in the background when she stepped to those girls and exclaimed "If you want to hang around and badmouth people, you'd better do it where I can't find you". Hikari also has a subversion to her mythical trope - she loves to eat garlic and can see herself in mirrors just fine.
It would've been easy to make these characters a carbon copy of their supernatural legends. Instead they're the opposite attempting to live in spite of their oddities. These girls are as lovable can be, but also very sympathetic figures who you're made to root for throughout the anime as you quickly forget that they're monsters, and every bit as normal as the kind hearted teacher who tries his best to help them succeed.
Takahashi sensei brings the cast all together. While the biology teacher may look unremarkable, he sincerely cares about helping the Demi's live comfortable lives and stops at nothing to come up with creative solutions to their complex problems. The way that we become excited about a favorite anime getting greenlit for a second season, he does about learning more about the Demi's biology and adding notes to his research.
Machi is infatuated with Takahashi sensei's kindness and gentle approach to helping her adjust to life in a human school. This is sweet, but also uncomfortable when they're decades apart and in a teacher/student relationship. I'm all for a well portrayed forbidden love story (i.e Koi Kaze, segments of Revolutionary Girl Utena) but Interviews With Monster Girls does not establish the proper platform to even tease that development. Sakie on the other hand is a perfect ship for Takahashi. I'm actively rooting for the two to wind up together.
I would've liked to have seen more monster girls. There are so many different legends that can explored in this setting. Imagine a werewolf that has problems with controlling transformations or a siren who refrains from speaking because the dangers of her voice. It also would be cool to see some monster guys. That would be the best avenue to introduce romantic partners for the girls rather than using Takahashi sensei as a harem ringmaster. It's doubtful this anime will get a second season anytime soon with the manga already being fully adapted, but hopefully the sales from this season encourage the production committee to make a continuation when there's enough material.
AI pictures has taken a lot grief over the past few years for being too formulaic, but Monster Girls is a welcomed addition to a genre that needs more variation than just Moe blob. Cute monster girls doing cute monster girl things is literally all I thought this anime would amount to. Was pleasantly surprised to find a fascinating social commentary using supernatural characters to frame real life issues that all human beings can relate to. "No two people are the same, are they?"
Valenthyne
Have you ever wanted to meet a vampire? A dullahan? Perhaps a succubus? Biology teacher Tetsuo Takahashi did! These beings, several species in a class known as “ajin” or “demi-humans”, shortened to “demis”, are scarcely seen in society, though four come to attend the same school as Tetsuo! Interviews with Monster Girls is a cute, heartfelt, surprisingly deep comedy that will certainly impress with its lively cast. Will you like it? You may enjoy Interviews with Monster Girls if you… -- enjoy light-hearted series with a heavy character focus -- find yourself intrigued by contemporary interpretations of the supernatural -- seek a “feel-good” sort of experience You may not enjoyInterviews with Monster Girls if you…
-- generally stray from character-centric series wherein the focus are school girls
-- expect the series to be anything similar to Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou
Story
Interviews with Monster Girls adapts the ongoing eponymous manga series authored by Japanese mangaka Petos, published under the Kodanasha brand.
Tetsuo Takahashi, hereafter referred to as “Takahashi-sensei” or simply “Tetsuo”, is a biology teacher who retains an inquisitive fascination for demi-humans, beings very similar to humans yet expressing inhuman and otherwise supernatural characteristics. Historically, they have been viewed with distrust by their mortal counterparts, though contemporary movements and cultural shifts have allowed them to integrate well into society. Even so, they are exceedingly rare, and few ever have the opportunity to meet such intriguing individuals.
Coincidentally enough, three demis come to be students at his Shizaki High School: Hikari Takanashi (a vampire), Kyouko Machi (a dullahan), and Yuki Kusakabe (an ice woman). A fourth demi Sakie Satou (a succubus) is hired to be the newest math teacher. As the series progresses, Tetsuo becomes friends with each of the demis, seeking not only to learn more about them but make their lives and integration into human society more comfortable through a greater understanding of what makes them unique.
There’s a certain range of depth Interviews with Monster Girls explores that truly sets it apart from series within its genre. Heavy topics such as discrimination, adaptation, and fitting-in are discussed thoroughly as Tetsuo’s studies of the demis develop. We come to understand how these otherwise normal girls face issues just by existing in, what is to them, a very foreign world, both in physiological and social terms. While, mostly unfortunately, our world is not populated by these fascinating creatures, there are humans that have suffered from the same issues the demis do, allowing for such a real world application to greatly enrich the merit of the story.
Genre & Characteristics
As the title suggests, the existence of “monster girls” or “demi-humans” indicates the presence of supernatural characteristics, though in small amounts as per the rarity of such beings and their willingness to assimilate human characteristics. While at first glance you may be unsure how beings such as vampires can life safely among their supposed prey in humans, the writers impress well in their justification. Mutations in reproduction are offered as a source of the demis in lieu of otherwise mythological origins, and the supernatural characteristics are explained in creative and believable ways. For instance, the intoxicating effect that succubi have on males is attributed to the production of pheromones or aphrodisiacs. Quantum physics was touched up to describe how a dullahan can exist with his or her head “visibly” separated from their body. Much of the series concerns itself with Tetsuo’s revelation of “how” and “why” demis work, turning it into, at times, somewhat of a pseudo-educational series.
Expanding upon a point made earlier, something important to realize about this series is that it is not, as some may initially assume, Monster Musume-lite. While the two series share many similarities, most notably in the “monster girls” aspect, Interviews with Monster Girls is not a harem, nor does it engage in a sexual focus you’d come to expect from an ecchi like Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou. While topics of sexual origin are occasionally discussed, they are brought up as a result of Tetsuo’s wish to understand the demis physiological nature, not through personal interest of the girls (yes, even Sakie). A certain demi does develop somewhat of a crush on Takahashi-sensei, though it’s understood that such feeling is one-sided, and more as a hormonal reaction to his dedication to make the lives of demis like herself easier.
Since no series is perfect, I want to expand upon something that really holds it back in that, at times, the thematic exposition can often come across to the viewer as either preachy or staged, greatly affecting the otherwise genuine feel of the series. No viewer ever wants to feel as if they’re being lectured to, and unfortunately some scenes give off that vibe. I recall a specific event in an early episode where one of the demis confronts a gossiping duo about their actions, and while the message is important and was received, there could have been better ways to execute the dialogue without having the scene seem like a public service announcement. The best way for a series to convey a thematic message is by not shoving it in your face, as masterful writing indicates an ability to teach without teaching. Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of the series does not function like the aforementioned, but I can’t deny that there were times where I felt my experience diminish as a result.
Animation
There are a few studios out there that are known for always producing consistently quality animation, and A-1 Pictures, much like Kyoto Animation (though subjectively perhaps not to the same extent) is one of them. Interviews with Monster Girls proves no different. The animation is fairly simple, but it’s executed well, and at times there are moments of genuine beauty. I thought that each of the characters were well designed, often accompanied by bright color palettes that not only helped them stand out but greatly underscored their personalities (such as Hikari with the bright yellow and Sakie with the contrasting red-and-purple).
Sound
Though the soundtracks of such series rarely offer much impact, you’d be surprised with this one. Interviews with Monster Girls presents itself as a light, cozy anime, and the soundtrack does well to mimic this in the wide usage of soft string instruments. It’s a lot like background noise or elevator music yet without the negative connotations, rather quite the opposite in how it exists behind the scenes yet gracefully adds to the overall engagement.
The voice actors across the board performed their respective characters flawlessly, as a seiyuu is as good as they can become their character. Much like their animated forms, how they speak should generally represent their personality in some way, and each character does that fully well. Takahashi-sensei boasts a smooth, deep voice, exemplifying his position as the trustworthy, stable man that he is.
In regards to the opening and ending pieces, both are utterly fantastic in their respective roles of initiating and concluding an episode. The opening is particularly creative, introducing each of the demis in a sort of pop-up book style that exudes charm. Over the course of the series, the sequence actually does receive slight changes, making the dynamic nature a nice touch. As for the ending, you receive a very light, introspective progression, with fantastic aesthetics that mimic instances of coloring (or vivifying a blank world, much like the demis do themselves).
Characters
There are five main characters in Interviews with Monster Girls, involving two teachers (Tetsuo and Sakie) and three students (Hikari, Kyouko, and Yuki). Some supporting characters appear and become relevant from time to time, all human, though the focus of the show remains largely on the four demis and our inquisitive main character.
Main character Tetsuo Takahashi, full-time biology teacher, part-time demi-whisperer, is perhaps one of the most likable anime characters in the genre. He’s a big guy, much to the credit of his name, but also has an equally big heart.
Hikari Takanashi, not to be confused with Takahashi-sensei, is more or less the primary demi of the series. A vampire that loves garlic, drinks tomato juice, and swelters in the heat, she personifies the hyper, energetic, and friendly schoolgirl image, while also proving extremely altruistic towards her friends. Personally, she was my favorite of the girls.
Kyouko Machi is one of the four dullahans known to be alive, and the only one that lives in Japan. Polite, intelligent, and shy, Machi, as she as most commonly referred to, is the most reliable yet also most insecure demi of the group. As mentioned before, she also develops a strong attachment to Tetsuo, which itself serves as a cute subplot.
Yuki Kusakabe is the singular Japanese demi in her nature as a yuki-onna or “snow woman”. She was often accused of being anti-social, though it was more so because of her inability to control her innate abilities in the presence of others. Much like Machi, Yuki is quite both intelligent and shy, though quite loyal to her friends.
Sakie Satou, objectively best girl, is the only adult demi present in the series. Though she’s a succubus, and a damn attractive one at that, Sakie goes out of her way to conceal her body, as merely touching her bare skin can activate her aphrodisiac effect. Ironically, Sakie is a hopeless romantic, and seeks nothing more than a genuine relationship with a companion, a struggle seemingly impossible until the arrival of Tetsuo. Though wary of him at first, Sakie grows to develop a crush on our brawny biological buff, as he is the only man that appreciates her for who she is, rather than the effect she has. If you ship relationships at all, you will hardcore root for these two.
In retrospect, what truly sells the show are the characters. These individuals don’t exist as caricatures of their respective demi identities, rather they grow and develop just as you’d expect a real person to do so, and this trait serves as an immense boon to any series. Each personality is so unique and rich in substance they stand well on their own, and the various interrelationships present help develop a variety of paths to explore. It’s also worth noting that each character, including Tetsuo, receives a balanced amount of attention, so if you have a favorite (or simply like them all), you’ll be pleased.
Conclusion
It’s a bit disappointing how Interviews with Monster Girls was likely the most slept-on series of Winter 2017, as if it weren’t for the short duration and sparse instances of artificial moralistic dialogue, this series would have been a strong contender for best of season. Combining excellent exposition with an interesting concept and five great main characters, this anime knows how to tug at your heartstrings in all the right ways. Few anime succeed as well at being an uplifting series that will leave you feeling so fantastic and fulfilled following the conclusion, that is, after you recover from it ending. It’s gonna bite, but don’t lose your head over it.
“You can’t look at things in only one way. You should look from both angles.”
-Tetsuo Takahashi
sterl1
Within the last couple of years slice of life anime have completely taken over the market and form the largest percentage of shows that are delivered to anime fans per season. It is fair to say; they are the bread and butter of modern anime and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. What is rather disappointing is the amount of uninspired and generic slice of life anime that are churned out by studios who want to stay in a shell and only make back their money by the skin of their teeth. Given the limitations of the slice of life genre tryingto mix things up to make an anime more unique isn’t an easy task. And that is where Demi-chan wa Kataritai enters the mix to deliver arguably one of the most peculiar concepts in a slice of life anime. Its concept would be far more plausible in a fantasy anime. Yet it somehow implements this in a very relaxed fashion and in a way that feels rather natural while at the same time delivers all the traits of a modern slice of life title such as cute girls, a calm atmosphere and a comedic tone for the most part. Slice of life featuring cute monster girls isn’t completely original, since a few of them have been finding popularity with some recent ones being Monster Musume. But Demi-chan is potentially the first to use the idea in a way that can serve as more than just otaku pandering bait.
As bizarre as the idea behind the anime is, the premise is quite simple. It seamlessly involves a world where ajin also known as demi-humans have been accepted into human society and a biology high school teacher takes an interest into three demi-humans whom he teaches. Demi-chan attempts to explore how this supernatural phenomenon interrelates with the daily life of the ajins. The themes range from bullying, discrimination, being different and accepting ones image in society. All of these themes are depicted through the most mundane tasks in a high school setting. Its portrayal of the treatment of different people isn’t anything noteworthy but it does a fine job at showing a plausible enough representation of the subject. What was however quite disappointing was the lack of depth in exploring these themes. Demi-chan sets up basic dramatic conflicts between its characters to show the audience its themes. But the execution is too basic to have any long lasting impact and it has no interest in broadening its scope to demonstrate how ajin’s are treated on a grander scale which is quite disappointing. While that is not inherently a flaw it takes away from the show’s potential and instead traps it into the confines of the slice of life genre, ultimately condemning it to just CGDCT show for the most part.
The characters are very plain and the only thing that sets them apart from the typical archetypes seen in slice of life anime was their whacky appearances. It takes a decent amount of time fleshing them out and their relationships so at the very least the audience will care a little for them during the more dramatic moments. Demi-chan never tells you to take its characters all too seriously though, and while this might sound conflicting with what the show attempts to execute it is handled appropriately. Their antics feel a part of the story rather than in the way of it. It never felt it was trying to juggle too many balls at once, usually narrowing each specific plot thread down and focusing solely on it. With the comedy sprinkled in between. Its light hearted comedic segments where it was showing the cast doing nothing but talking and exchanging witty banter was quite enjoyable to see. While the characters were mildly entertaining, they don’t have enough depth to them. It also doesn’t help when the main character has an extremely bland personality and looks disinterested in everything most of time which really puts the whole mood of the show down. Its other main characters don’t have enough complexity to make up for their archetypal personalities and any potential in them was squandered with too much meandering. I don’t have much of a problem with comedy or light- hearted fluff. But demi-chan really did lose its steam by the half way point both with its comedy and concept.
As far as demi-chan’s visual presence is concerned, it is non-existent and leaves no lasting impression on the eyes. Aside from some bright colours both the art and animation are very average. The art style itself is nothing to write home about and can be found wherever you look in a similar show. The OST is quite soothing but is also forgettable.
Demi-chan suffers from more than just one or two small drawbacks. While the comedy can be enjoyable sporadically; the novelty of the anime wears off rather fast and by its second half it diminishes to the by the book CGDCT show. Its limited scope in the subjects it tries to explore also plays a hand in reducing the freshness of the anime’s premise as the episode count goes by. I wasn’t expecting the anime to portray its ideas on a global scale, but even taking just one step beyond the confines of its genre would have been enough to maintain my interest. Only then could I have truly held this on a higher pedestal. It becomes a victim to some occasional cheesy execution while also displaying infrequent moments of otaku pandering which came off as cringe worthy and immersion breaking. All in all, Demi-chan’s biggest weakness is its inability to break free of the confines of the genre it is in. As it was leaning more towards style rather than substance, the show did display some glimpses of using its potential, but didn’t do much with them and it wasn’t handled with much finesse.
I somewhat enjoyed Demi-chan despite my criticisms and the monotonous manner in which it handled its themes. Its character interactions and the cast themselves were mildly endearing. And for what it was going for it did far from a bad job. However not aiming for higher ground confined it to an ordinary show. Nonetheless it still remains one of the better non-sequel titles in the season it aired in. It is forgettable and I would only recommend it to those who are looking for an anime to wind down to after a long day of work. It is not inherently bad per say, it certainly does use some of its potential to show how these deficiencies would affect people on a small scale, but it just didn’t do enough to really separate itself from the oversaturated subgenre of CGDCT.
Stark700
At one time, I wondered if there are extraterritorial beings out there or something that lives among our society that isn’t entirely human. I’m sure we’ve all wondered that thought sometimes in our lives right? Needless to say, curiosity can really be a funny thing. In a series like Demi-chan wa Kataritai, there are demi-humans living among society. A male high school biology teacher named Tetsuo Takahashi is fascinated by them and so begins his story in this peculiar yet entertaining tale of monster girls. Based off of the manga, I’d dare say that the anime adaptation captures the magic and feel of the original. Foranime original viewers, monster isn’t exactly a term that stands by its definition. Ask yourself, what do you think of the word “monster” when you craft an imagination? A hideous being born to kill? In monster generic monster movies, you’d probably be right. However, it’s quite different in this series. One might even suggest the title to be misleading with the words “monster girls”. Either way, demi humans aren’t actually monsters but more like humans born with characteristics that are unique and found those in fantasy stories.
The first few episodes establishes the basic premise pretty well. Tetsuo meets our main characters – Hikari (a vampire), Kusakabe (a yuki-onna), Machi (a dullahan), and Sakie (a succubus). Anyone who has are familiar with literature or have seen fantasy stories may have heard of one these species before. In essence, they are the “demis” in this show and Tetsuo ends up teaching them in hopes of understanding them better. Despite lacking a complex story, the show succeeds at character relationships. Tetsuo is a normal human so he isn’t different from any of us. However, the demi-humans possesses characteristics that aren’t normal. Take for instance, Hikari is a vampire but avoids biting people. Instead, she drinks blood packs and drinks tomato juice. Her behavior is much more of the antithesis of a vampire as she is highly energetic and often hopes to catch the attention of others, in particular Tetsuo. The character chemistry between him and Hikari is one of the most noticeable ones in the show. Both of them share a friendly relationship and often tries to help each other. This extends to her friends as well as Hikari forms meaningful relationships with demi-humans such as Machi and Kusakabe.
Unlike Hikari, Machi is more of the shy type. I mean, if you walk around without a head, there’s probably going to be eyes looking at you 24/7. Even more so, Machi has a strong desire to stay contact with others because of her condition. Tetsuo serve as both a guardian and guide for her throughout the show as they connect and become close friends. Hell, Machi even develops a crush on the guy. Finally on a more serious note, there’s Kusakabe, the snow girl. While Tetsuo is the kind gentleman towards his students, not everyone in this show is so accepting. In one particular episode, a group of girls gossips about Kusakabe that leaves her wonder if she can live in a world with humans. The show does a well job at expressing emotion as Kusakabe feels isolated and even afraid if she will hurt someone. As the show is much heavier on characterization, we get to learn how demi-humans feel about themselves when interacting with humans. This also extends to Sakie, the succubus math teacher. As you can imagine, being a succubus around the male population isn’t easy so she limits herself by purposely dressing in ways that makes her unappealing. Her relationship with the other demi-humans is also explored throughout the show and with Tetsuo as well. In retrospect, the way this show characterizes its cast is very engaging.
While the series isn’t heavy in storytelling, some episodes does feature one of the main cast more than others. There are specific episodes that explores the lifestyle of demi-humans such as with Sakie. Furthermore, there also episodes that expands beyond the school setting. One particular episode includes a visit to Hikari’s home that opens up more possibilities to understand her better. It even introduces Hikari’s sister to show how demi-humans interact with human siblings. As such, expect the show’s attempt at making the viewers understand about the characters to be a recurring theme.
I have to admit, the show is one of those popcorn entertainment anime that’s hard not to laugh at. I mean that in a good sense though because the humor is done fairly well. Instead of relying on cheap fanservice or shock value, the series has a natural feel of selling comedy. Every character in this series has a personality that will likely make you feel invested about them. Furthermore, the show cleverly times its comedic moments as they aren’t random. The only part that occasionally throws me off is the lack of development overall in terms of the character relationships. While the show maintains a good balance of relationships, nothing really resolves in the end as Tetsuo tries to understand the demi-humans. Also as a manga reader, the adaptation is incomplete so expect some areas to be left out in the dark.
Adapted by A-1 Pictures, the series is bright and colorful in the sense that it captures the mood right at mostly all times. Character designs may feel a bit generic but that’s just the way it is. In the meantime, most of the demi-humans all look like normal humans (with the exception of Machi). I believe the purpose of the show is trying to convey that they can live in our society as well no matter how different they seem to be. Tetsuo also has the modern look of a teacher and someone that accurately fits for his age. Between the OP and ED theme songs, the show also has some clever choreography referencing to folklore and pop culture.
Ah for a show like this, you can imagine that portraying some of these characters aren’t so easy. It’s never easy to step into the shoes of a non-human character yet the cast does a wonderful job doing so. I have to admit that Hikari’s VA brings the most personality into this series. With her role, the show is like an energetic light bulb. In the meantime, the soundtrack and overall music delivery is well delivered to present itself.
How do I feel after watching this show? Let’s just say that I’ve enjoyed this more than I had expected. A show like this really looks generic on paper and some viewers may even question the overall purpose. However, behind those cute character designs lies a much more depth of what you’ll expect out of those demi-humans. Interviews may be boring and stressful but I can assure that this show is the opposite like that. By the time I was finished watching Demi-chan wa Kataritari, I almost wish I was in Tetsuo’ shoes too.
Mei-o_Scarlett
Demi-chan, or interview with monster girls. a series i was initially hooked onto due to it's premise. The first few episodes were actually quite good if i'm gonna be honest, but as it started to continue, it got more mediocre and as a result i also got bored. Firstly, let's talk about the premise and how the show handled it. The story takes place in an age where "Ajin" (demi-human), more casually known as "Demi," have slowly started to become accepted into human society. Tetsuo Takahashi is a biology teacher who ends up teaching three such Demi, hoping to understand more about them while alsomanaging to catch their attention.
Now from here, the show could have went 1 out of 2 way, it could have been a cute girl doing cute things type of show, where the premise is just a backdrop and most of the show is the girls having fun in school doing cute things for comedy. The other way it could have went was the serious dramatic route, where the Demis would have their own issues and they would realize that their not alone and then they'll break out of their shells. The show opted to take the latter initially with the first 4 episodes, but after that the show starts to diverge and become a regular cute girl show, which would have been fine, but it just went nowhere. Like every episode would have an actual plot point, and most of the episode would just be cute girl stuff until near the end when it realized oh yea we had a plot thing to solve.
Secondly, why are all the Demis in this show female? If your show had something to stand on, it wouldn't need to rely on cute girls as one of it's main selling point. I see no other reason to have made all of it's main cast besides the teacher female. It's only for
1. selling the cute girl doing cute thing like i mentioned earlier.
2.so they can have a cute crush on sensei.
For the first few episodes it was okay as there was ore focus on the drama of their kind and their problems, but after all of that initial stuff, their defined by nothing more than their species and 1 quirk. The show doesn't even try to expand it's cast with interesting side characters, the vice principal would have honestly been a great obstacle for takahashi sensei being too bias and realize the Demis dont really need to rely on takahashi as much as they need to, it could have been a heartwarming moment, but it wasn't it was mediocre.
Thirdly, the show doesn't even have a good appeal to back up it's circular no where plot and empty characters.The soundtracks are average and nothing to back on, the art is nothing special, the girls don't even look remotely waifu material enough to bank on the whole waifu war fandom. Their cute, but their faces dont look all that different, and only machi looks the most varied out of the 3. There's also sato sensei who is the least sexy succubus i have ever seen, who's plot also went nowhere, she doesn't change enough to warrant that much attention to her arc, and neither did a lot of the girls to be honest, the most drastic change was yuki, who's serious arc was kinda a big contrast to the other arcs.
Last point, the show doesn't know what it want to do. It tries to be a cute girl show, yet has a lot of moments that wouldn't really fit in one, like the yuki arc. It tries to be serious, but has alot of generic school comedy moment, like the test arc or the pool arc.As the show went on and on, i didn't know where the show was headed, and i guess neither did the show. Their lives were made slightly better sure, the whole wanting to learn more about Demi aspect of sensei wasn't even remembered by the show, as they stopped caring about it and the girls aren't even that cute, which means that after 2 episode, i stopped caring about them.
Overall, the show loses it's appeal very fast, it doesn't actually know what direction to go, it doesn't take advantage of it's unique setting to do more serious stuff, the characters are boring, and overall i lost interest in it after 4-5 episodes.
whatsosticky
Another good show, another show without a proper ending. I really love some of these shows and pine for more, but unfortunately, it's not to be for so many of them. Despite that, I'm very glad I watched it! It was rather entertaining in an abstract way. Of course, there's an obvious contradiction in the title vs the opening sequence (monster isn't a term that's used in the show and it's made clear they've been properly assimilated into current day society..) The characters are cute, well played out and on point with their descriptions and expectations. Someone was really creative when they put this together. This isa definite must-watch, I think. Even without a proper ending.
Hi_I_am_Ed
Spoiler-Free Review: First of all - this is a "Feel good"-Anime, the main plot revolves around the male biology teacher, his (up to this point) 3 demi-humans ("monster-girls") students and his demi-human co-worker in a world, that has pretty much accepted them into society. There are very few of them, so not many people actually know how to interact with them, or what even makes them different (as there are very different kinds of demi-humans out there, from very noticeable ones like a dullahan (think of headless horsemen) to ones that show almost no outward signs of their status as a demi-human). In comes the teacher,who wants to interview those demi-humans about how they perceive the world and what kind of problems they face day-to-day (hence the title).
Storywise there is a small thread, however most of the time the themes and interactions speak for themselves.
This anime is surprisingly mature for its handling of most situations and (if this is something you are interested in) progressive. The theme is acceptance of difference in a non-shove-down-the-throat-kind-of-way, different people learning about each other and still finding friendship.
Let's break it down a little further:
Story 7/10:
Not much to write home about - like I said - most of the series depends on the theme of learning and acceptance for each other and the friendship they share, so no crazy huge plot.
Art 10/10:
Having read the manga - this anime adapts the mangas theme and ... adjusts the art to really look awesome (personally I did not like the art in the manga very much). Every character (esp. Hikari) bursts into life and is well animated. As I mentioned - as Hikari is the most "active" character they flexed a lot with her animations. Really loveable and well done. As I am somewhat of a color-fetishist in anime I loved their use of bright colors and character designs.
Sound 8/10:
Good music, nothing crazy in terms of sound overall. Good.
Characters: 10/10:
Every character is his/her own and memorable. The great animation makes them even better in my opinion.
Enjoyment 10/10:
A Feels Good Anime has to actually feel good. That it does. The characters never act out of line and I wouldn't have minded 12 more episodes just to see them interact with each other.
I just finished my second full rewatch of this series (Sometimes I just rewatched Episode 11 and the OVA just to give me all arm and fuzzy inside) and I decided to review this series, as I was reminded of how much I liked this show back when it aired. For the manga readers out there - the series has a few chapters after the first season ends, for more fun and crazy interactions.
EnZanity
Spoiler Free Review, pls send feedback if you have any A curious biology teacher, Tetsuo Takahashi, suddenly discovers himself in the presence of four unique individuals in the delightful anime that is Interviews With Monster Girls. Sorting through fact and fiction of what we believe about the supernatural, we watch as Takahashi slowly gets to know more about each Demi's everyday life while helping them with whatever problems they may face with their birth-given attributes. Storywise, it's quite similar to how harems/reverse harems direct episodes. (Note: this is not a harem, it just shares a few similarities. Teacher x Student would be incredibly inappropriate) The first fewepisodes are an introduction to each character and a brief description of their "species", and the rest of the episodes each focus on one of the already established characters and continues to explore their characteristics and their effect on their surroundings. Mixed in with the calm and peaceful school life, it provides us with an entertaining yet informative experience about the world of Interviews With Monster Girls. There is a little drama scattered around the series, but luckily it's done well enough so that it doesn't feel like it's trying too hard to make the show more interesting.
There is quite a lot of information dumps on each Demi-human, so the dialogue is an important part of this show. Although it can seem forced and unrealistic at times, such as a few conversations the Demis have with their classmates, most of the time their interactions with others come out quite naturally and allow us to learn about each Monster Girl without it feeling like a lecture. There are many times where serious issues are brought up, such as bullying and disabilities, giving the show a sense of deeper meaning mixed in with it's cute and happy theme. Often they'll also throw in a bit of comedy to prevent the sense of boredom, and they do it quite well so it doesn't negatively impact on the topic being discussed.
I'm sure you've all seen the usual MC that plagues this kind of anime. A group of girls show up in a guy's life, but our poor boy is usually too socially awkward around the opposite sex or too dense when it comes to females. Not Takahashi. An adult with responsibilities, he doesn't have time for that bullshit. No more blushing and nose bleeds, Takahashi is able to interact with everyone around him without looking like a complete idiot. Although still a little dense at times, his kind-hearted and level-headed nature allows him to properly perform his job as a teacher and a second guardian.
Continuing down our list of characters, a group of four Demis are the real focus of the story. These consist of an energetic vampire (Hikari Takanashi), a shy dullahan (Kyouko Machi), a troubled snow-woman (Yuki Kusakabe) and a succubus math teacher. (Sakie Satou) Each one is born with features that separate them from the norm, forced to accommodate these differences into their lives. Throughout the show, we watch as each one learns a little bit about themselves due to their bonds with Takahashi and each other, using their new found knowledge to grow as individuals.
The background characters aren't really elaborated on much until the second half of the anime. They're mostly there to bring up topics about Demi-humans, so they don't really get much character development. This is a huge shame as many of them have interesting views and personalities that would have allowed the show to feel more like an actual school instead of a setting created only to have the main characters move around in. Instead of only becoming relevant in the later eps, some of the focus on the main characters should have been used to explore more interactions between normal students and Demis.
So you're probably all wondering right? Monster Girl Anime without an Ecchi tag? Does this show still have fanservice? Well yeah, but they only come from two characters, Takahashi and Satou. One has an incredibly set of toned muscle, (like holy shit embrace me Tetsuo!) and the other has a beautiful and admittedly erotic body. (I wanna overdose on Sakie's aphrodisiac effect!) We don't see their (AMAZING) bodies much as Sakie usually wears clothes that fully cover her so that she doesn't accidentally sexually stun any men around her, and a biology teacher doesn't get many chances to show off his ripped build in a school setting. What we do things is done well enough so that it doesn't feel like a cheap way of getting more viewers.
Finally, the animation needs to be brought up. There is nothing really breathtaking about this anime, but it's not the type to rely on heavy sakuga to appeal to its viewers. Like the show, it's quite colourful and cheerful, but is still able to properly express any feelings the current scene requires, may it be happy or sad. There are a few times where the animation quality dips a little or looks slightly out of place, but other than that the show is pretty consistent across episodes.
The wonderfully charming show that is Interviews With Monster Girls is a fresh take on the usual School and Supernatural Girls tropes. Well worth the watch if you enjoy Slice of Life animes that are different from the usual "cute girls doing cute things" we see often.
BanjoTheBear
(This review has been adapted from my blog/reddit thread. Spoilers ahead!) Another day, another anecdote that I must repeat (to some extent) because it just fits too well to pass up. One of my favorite film quotes of all time also happens to be said by my favorite Pokémon of all time, Mewtwo. In Pokémon: The First Movie, Mewtwo delivers the following line. “I see now that the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.” It’s a relevant quote and a relevant series given Demi-chan wa Kataritai. An anime that channels both “monsters” and self-worthin wonderful fashion.
STORY
Demi-chan wa Kataritai’s structure is like that of most other slice-of-life anime. Lighthearted comedy, down-to-earth setting, cute girls. The works. However, it goes even further, delivering a worthwhile experience that the viewer can take to heart and apply in their own lives.
To get there, the anime creates a strong foundation. The main premise itself – the interviews – is a format that works very well. Takahashi-sensei sits down with Hikari, Satou-sensei, Machi, and Yuki one-on-one, asking them questions about themselves and, more importantly, about the origins of their demi traits. It’s exposition that feels natural because not only does the audience learn something new but also Takahashi-sensei himself also learns right along with them.
Their traits mostly derive from known legends in the real world. Vampires bite. Succubi seduce others. Dullahans carry their heads around. Snow women aren’t too fond of hot weather.
Demi-chan wa Kataritai doesn’t only explain away their traits with known ideas; it also takes some creative liberty to make them that much more interesting. Vampires use blood bags supplied by the government to satiate their hunger. Succubi inadvertently attract those around them due to an aphrodisiac effect. Dullahans’ head-to-body connection may represent a worm hole which allows for the transference of food and vocals. Snow women produce ice when under physical or emotional duress.
In bringing up these topics, the anime gets at the core of its content. More specifically, a mature brand of comedy comes through with ease. Hikari’s suggestive description of Takahashi-sensei’s arm during her “Arm I Want to Bite Championship” is hilarious, and his reaction to Satou-sensei’s accidental sexiness when zipping up her jacket strikes that funny bone hard.
These jokes and many others in the show are often sharp in timing and quick in wit, leading to a consistently funny anime. To be fair, this comedy is nothing next-level, but its simplistic yet varied nature provides a lot of laughs. Laughs that don’t make fun of their traits but instead demonstrate that they are nothing to be ashamed or afraid of.
In fact, this comedic direction gets at Demi-chan wa Kataritai’s most important message.
Life should be filled with laughs and smiles. To put it differently, everyone deserves a shot at happiness. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. Life can sometimes throw around its meanness.
In Demi-chan wa Kataritai, Hikari and the other girls are portrayed either as people with special circumstances, handicaps, or otherwise noticeable differences. I.e., they are demis. For them, they are the outsiders. The ones who are not the same as most other people.
As the anime depicts, their differences cause life’s meanness. Machi can’t make friends very easily due to her uniqueness. A couple of gossiping girls bully Yuki. Satou-sensei must meticulously form her life around her inadvertent effect. Essentially, they undergo societal hardships that prevent them from being happy.
These scenes are sad but meaningful. Meaningful because they reflect situations in real life. The audience has most likely encountered people at work, at school, or at a restaurant who have their own differences. Differences that have them being treated unfairly or in a way that isn’t right. By extension, it keeps them from obtaining the happiness that they deserve just as much as everyone else.
Indeed, Demi-chan wa Kataritai argues for such happiness. It’s in Hikari sticking up for Yuki by giving her two cents to those bullies. It’s in Takahashi-sensei taking the time to sit down with the girls and seriously listening to them. It’s in the support they receive from their family, friends, mentors, and each other.
Their demi status is fundamentally a part of them, but that doesn’t make them anything less. In fact, it makes them who they are. Takahashi-sensei puts it best in episode four: “It isn’t how you’re born that makes you ‘like’ something. It’s how you live with what you are.” Even better, he goes on to explain that that doesn’t mean one should “neglect” those differences, saying, “You can’t look at things in only one way. You should look from both angles.” Otherwise, one will “miss their individuality” and “won’t understand their troubles.”
When all is said and done, the person as a whole matters most. And again, the anime demonstrates this mindset – both with the demis and the non-demis. Himari, the younger of the two twins, looks out for her older sister Hikari however she can. Yuki and Satou-sensei connect over a bunch of silly manga. Takahashi-sensei’s professor friend inspires Machi to pursue her studies so she can further understand herself. And all the girls deliver a heartfelt video message to their sincere teacher to cheer him up as best they can.
Everyone involved proves that a person isn’t defined by words like “vampire” or “succubus.” That what makes people who they are isn’t about where they come from or their genetic foundation or the culture in which they were influenced. Rather, it’s about their moral fiber. Their strength of character. Their goodness of heart.
That’s Demi-chan wa Kataritai’s message: No matter if different or demi or somewhere in-between, people deserve to be happy in their own skin.
In all honesty, Demi-chan wa Kataritai shouldn’t be classified as deep or profound. It doesn’t have top-tier writing since it doesn’t explore all sides to the same degree, sticking mostly with a cheerful, optimistic tone and cutting back on the realism it strives for. In turn, its different instances of drama can feel somewhat stilted. It punctuates the drama with tears, but that tone and the surrounding comedy are around often enough to keep the show from landing its lows.
These issues don’t take anything away from the show’s beautiful message. The only issue that really does is the semi-harem approach. There’s no ecchi, what’s shown is nowhere near distasteful, and it can actually setup more laughs and extra opportunities to understand the girls and their feelings. However, the anime wants to be semi-serious, and, realistically, only one girl has a shot at romance with Takahashi-sensei (i.e., Satou-sensei). So, this approach of keeping his relationships with the girls on a kind of status quo comes off as slightly unnecessary in the long run.
Regardless, the climax of the anime’s drama happens in the second-to-last episode, leaving the final episode open for the show to deliver one last side story. It’s a wise decision because it ends the season not on an emotional level but rather on something simply happy and fun. A state that the show wants its audience to feel – regardless of creed or upbringing.
ART/ANIMATION
Demi-chan wa Kataritai supports its story with an expert set of visuals to say the least.
One of the more interesting choices in the show are the characters’ designs. For Hikari, Machi, and Yuki, the anime uses a clever technique. By having the girls wear white blouses and brown skirts, these very plain outfits accentuate the main features of each girl. Hikari’s yellow “horn” hairstyle and sharp fang. Machi’s shining flame and orange-haired (disembodied) head. Yuki’s teal-cool hair and glazed eyes.
These color choices are smart, too, aligning with the characters and their personalities. Yellow for joyful, orange for warmth, and teal for pleasantness.
Satou-sensei and Takahashi-sensei earn praise here as well. Satou-sensei’s red tracksuit, low, long ponytail, and glasses are an “unattractive” look designed to conceal her aphrodisiac effect, giving her a design that instantly characterizes her whole person.
As for Takahashi-sensei, his lab coat immediately signifies his teacher role, and his red undershirt complements the white of said coat and his black, spiky hair. But his look also does something similar: hiding his absolutely ripped bod. A bod kept hidden until the final episode so as to include even more comedy in the anime (thanks to Satou-sensei’s uncontained reaction).
Most interesting of all, though, is Demi-chan wa Kataritai’s visual storytelling. For many of its scenes, the anime will take full advantage of the medium, presenting ideas and developments through the art itself.
For example, in episode four, Satou-sensei runs into Takahashi-sensei in the cafeteria. As they talk, she apologizes for her assumptions about him after she realizes how hard he has been trying to understand the demi girls. Through dialogue, she insists on helping Takahashi-sensei. Visually, the foreground concrete pillar separates them both while her side contains red chairs and he sits among green ones. So, when she crosses over to his side of the screen, she both breaks the barrier between them and starts their newfound relationship.
Or take episode ten. Following Machi and Takahashi-sensei’s conversation with his professor-friend Souma, she sits down on the grass outside, thinking about what her future holds. Again, her words describe how she has a new path to take in life before her: researching her Dullahan nature. Visually, as she stares up at the sky, two airplanes fly overhead, their contrails crossing one another. A metaphor for that fork in the road, the diverging paths she has before her now as she moves into the future (and takes the one less travelled by, as Robert Frost would write).
These couple of examples only scratch the surface of Demi-chan wa Kataritai’s thoughtful artistry. On a more general level, the visuals perform just as swell. Camera angles shift away from common perceptions, and transitions between some scenes are dynamic rather than sudden. It’s a thoughtful, down-to-earth anime, but it does what it can to keep its visuals both varied and entertaining.
Beyond the designs and the attention to artistry, the anime provides even more to look at. Tons of reactions for extra comedy (and Hikari gets most of the thanks here). Fluid animation appears frequently. And the soft art style in general continues with the show’s lighthearted vibe.
Yes, quite the expert display from the show.
CHARACTERS
Demi-chan wa Kataritai hosts a cast of five main characters: Hikari, Satou-sensei, Machi, Yuki, and Takahashi-sensei.
Each girl has their quirky traits of course. Yuki loves gag comedy, silliness, and jokes of an uncouth manner. Machi likes to be coddled. Satou-sensei speaks the truth internally to herself. Takahashi-sensei gets lost in thought when seriously thinking about demis. Only the romantic, sexual connection to Hikari’s biting habits flusters her. While not extravagant, these quirks flesh out the girls’ personalities that much more.
Together, they carry the show’s strong sense of comedy and its worthwhile message with nothing but ease. However, their most important contribution comes from another meaningful idea: overcoming loneliness.
Yuki goes through loneliness as a snow woman. Her body temperature is lower than most others, and she can even produce ice depending on the situation. This last point causes her a great deal of stress. She feels that she can’t be near people for fear of harming them with her cold abilities. Combined with her new environment after moving away from home, she closes herself off from everyone around her.
Machi goes through loneliness as a Dullahan. With a body and a head separated at all times, she must make special arrangements for herself, like a harness for studying or eating and a small doggy house where her head sleeps at night. Sadly, her appearance sometimes makes people uncomfortable. Both because they have never seen someone like her before (she’s actually only one of the three of her kind in the world) and because they don’t want to touch on what they believe to be a sensitive topic of hers.
Satou-sensei goes through loneliness as a succubus. As if by magic, she exudes an aura of extreme sexuality that unwillingly makes people around her hormonal. Thus, she goes to large lengths to suppress her aphrodisiac effect. She gets up super early and leaves school super late to avoid as many subway passengers as possible. She wears an unassuming outfit. She makes doubly sure to keep her distance from everyone around her to prevent any accidental contact.
Thankfully, Takahashi-sensei is there to support every single one of them.
Takahashi-sensei investigates the legends surrounding Yuki’s snow-woman status. Many of the stories harbor harsh feelings and unfortunate ends often derived from longing. In short, they involve negative emotions of some kind.
Which leads him to conclude that Yuki’s ice isn’t something to be feared but rather a byproduct of the stress she has been feeling as of late. His insightful words ease her mind, allowing her to finally feel a sense of relief and granting her friends in Hikari, Machi, and even the male classmate whom she initially turned away.
Takahashi-sensei also investigates Dullahans. Of Irish origin, fairy tales often depict them in a more grueling manner. How they were harbingers of death that terrorized man both on and off the battlefield. It makes sense, then, why people would fear her.
After speaking with her, too, she becomes a lot more comfortable with herself. She takes part in an “experiment” with Takahashi-sensei. She thinks seriously about her condition and what she can do to contribute towards its research. She goes underwater for the first time ever. She’s never hated being a Dullahan, but she realizes now that life has a ton of exciting opportunities out there just for her.
And, as expected, Takahashi-sensei works to get to know Satou-sensei more as well. His differing opinions on her nature give her the chance to express her own thoughts, and his careful, subdued reactions to her oft overwhelming effect help to build her confidence.
Through his actions, she believes more in her romantic future. That she still has the chance to find a life partner (read: Takahashi-sensei) despite her peculiar circumstances. She may overestimate Takahashi-sensei’s power to fight back against her effect, but he no doubt has given her the confidence to be bolder in the nuanced ways of love.
Other people besides Takahashi-sensei do help the girls overcome loneliness. Satou-sensei’s police officer, father-figure friend watches over her. Satou-sensei herself befriends Yuki. And Himari’s dad even carries Machi’s head once. But they are most influenced and aided by Takahashi-sensei. His sincere passion for both wanting them to succeed as students and understanding their personal dilemmas.
Takahashi-sensei’s influence leaves one important question: Who looks out for him?
This situation is where Hikari comes in.
Hikari is bubbly, rambunctious, and outgoing. She is what most people would describe as “the life of the party.” She’s also a vampire. That means she burns easily under the sun, and she gets the urge to munch on the arms of those around her from time to time. That also means that Takahashi-sensei takes the time to learn more about her, too. Just as he does with the other girls.
More so than the other girls, though, Hikari goes out of her way to make their lives a happy one. She makes this trait of hers apparent right from her official introduction. She enlists the help of Takahashi-sensei to transport Machi’s body to the nurse’s office since she noticed the sickened state of the Dullahan.
Indeed, Hikari is this thoughtful all the time.
For Yuki, Hikari keeps her distance out of consideration for Yuki’s feelings when she notices that clinging to her was making her somewhat upset. And she stands up to Yuki’s bullies, declaring how she doesn’t want to do anything she’ll regret even if people say mean things behind her back.
For Machi, she’s the first to ask her about how tough it must be to always carry around her head. She also secretly suggests to Takahashi-sensei that Machi use a backpack rather than a duffle bag since it’s easier for Machi to handle. And she later allows those two to make up after they both messed up (giving a “heh heh” laugh and a few winks to boot).
For Satou-sensei, she doesn’t do anything directly as she does with Machi and Yuki. Instead, a lot of her actions lead to indirect benefits for the succubus teacher. Hikari’s trust in Takanashi-sensei leads to Satou-sensei’s own rethinking of the man she now loves. Hikari kissing him on the cheek makes Satou-sensei envious and urges her to pursue him a bit more with her aphrodisiac effect. And her pool idea gives Takahashi-sensei the thought of inviting Satou-sensei along which in turn gives her more chances to form the romance she wants so badly.
Takahashi-sensei is the rock that supports these girls, but Hikari is their pillow. A fluffy, soft, and easygoing person who doesn’t view them as a snow woman, Dullahan, or a succubus. Rather, she simply sees them as people precious to her.
She confirms this pillow analogy when Takahashi-sensei finds himself facing the same feeling of loneliness. The vice principal of the school doesn’t approve of how much Takahashi-sensei has been helping the demis. Both because he is neglecting the other students and coddling the girls too much. These thoughts put Takahashi-sensei down, himself believing that maybe he has been trying too hard.
Hikari has none of that. She notices his saddened state, so she rounds up all the girls to say a few words about how he has been such a positive influence in their lives. It’s a touching moment that Hikari caps off with a personalized message she delivers herself.
She tells him, “You can never take ‘trying’ too far.” Her words put into perspective exactly what the other girls have gone through. That, like Takahashi-sensei, Yuki, Machi, and Satou-sensei have themselves been trying hard to not only live with their conditions but also overcome the loneliness that seemed to plague them.
As she shouts out her heartfelt thanks for Takahashi-sensei over the ocean, it becomes undoubtedly clear that Hikari embodies the spirit of Demi-chan wa Kataritai. She’s an oddball and a vampire, but she understands that life is about overcoming loneliness and trying way too hard. Because only then can one be truly happy.
MUSIC/SOUND
A fantastic set of voice-acting performances back up the awesome cast. Junichi Suwabe as Takahashi-sensei has the manly yet understanding voice down pat, and he can get quite “sultry” with his voice when he wants to. Yoko Hikasa as Satou-sensei deserves a shout out, too. Another veteran in the field, her calmness, mumbles, and internal thoughts demonstrate the range of her characters’ emotions.
But it’s Kaede Hondo as Hikari who (once again) takes the top spot. Her contagious happiness and outgoing, peppy speech elevate the character’s likability tenfold.
Much of the music within Demi-chan wa Kataritai also earns high marks. From emotional, orchestral ensembles to relaxing acoustic strings to lackadaisical, upbeat tunes, the show incorporates a lot of thoughtful tracks that support the anime almost as well as Takahashi-sensei supports the girls. They may not be as memorable as the story’s message or the characters’ quirks, but they hold strength all the same.
The opening track, “Original.,” combines piano keys, a backing beat, and a lot of chimes, bells, and other dainty instruments to give the track a welcoming tone. It’s not afraid to warp its sound, and the vocals provided with the piece are pleasant to listen to. Especially when they harmonize in the background.
The ending track, “Fairy Tale,” is another happy little tune. Moderately paced, more piano and chimes create a foundation that’s both light and charming. Soft vocals and a catchy composition round out the track as it starts off quiet, picks up in the middle, and finishes with a lot more passion. Leading it to a quiet end that mirrors the start.
ENJOYMENT
What a wonderful anime.
It’s always an awesome feeling when I’m watching a show, I immediately love it, and I continue to throughout the rest of its run. That’s rare nowadays, so it makes the occasion that much more special.
For me, what really sold the anime were the characters. I like them all a ton. Machi was too cute with her stares and her body going bonkers whenever she took a daring chance. Yuki’s “Curse you!” acting and her stifled chortles had me smiling wide. And Takahashi-sensei teasing the girls and doing his best to help them made him into a pretty cool dude.
My two favorites, though, are undoubtedly Hikari and Satou-sensei.
Satou-sensei was amazing. As the romance aficionado that I am, her attempts at a romantic relationship with Takahashi-sensei made me oh so happy. She would get jealous of the other girls’ moments with him, she would get embarrassed at herself for going all out, and she would get extremely excited about her potential future or overly defensive should her father-figure try to say anything even remotely negative about her man.
As for Hikari, she is just way too much fun. Her happy-go-lucky attitude. Her silly actions. Her hilarious faces. She was such a treat to watch as she livened up whatever room she happened to enter. Best of all, she represents the show itself, making her my favorite of the bunch.
Even without the characters, this show presents something truly kind. There’s drama, sure. But the positivity it maintains – about the girls’ situations, the outlook on life, the care of everyone involved – means a lot to me.
Many anime aim for a similar sense of kindness. But they don’t always get there for a variety of reasons: trying to be too cute, the premise isn’t grounded enough. In other words, the whole package feels artificial in its kindness.
For this anime, it’s not artificial whatsoever. It nails that kindness and then some. It’s a good show that feels good and is good of heart. And I’m supremely glad to have had the chance to watch something so awesome.
Demi-chan wa Kataritai delivers a superb experience in anime form. A thoughtful narrative, thematically consistent characters, and a kindhearted presentation are supported by expert visual direction and a set of fantastic voice-acting performances. Looks like Mewtwo was right all along.
SUMMARY
Story: Good, a strong slice-of-life narrative investigates the topic of societal differences with so-called demis, providing mature comedy and a sincere message on deserved happiness in one’s own skin, brought down slightly by not enough realistic exploration and a semi-harem approach
Art/Animation: Great, simplistic designs accentuate the characters’ traits, visual storytelling engages the audience, and small flourishes amplify its overall artistic merit
Characters: Great, Takahashi-sensei supports Yuki, Machi, and Satou-sensei, Hikari embodies the tenets of this tale, and heartfelt themes about overcoming loneliness and trying hard persist across the whole cast
Music/Sound: Great, fantastic VA performances and a large range of simplistic yet charming tracks from the OST fill the air, and both the OP and the ED keep the happy vibes going
Enjoyment: Great, a wonderfully comedic, positively heartwarming experience the whole way through
Final Score: 9/10
Glasses-Kun78
Discrimination—prejudicial treatment of different categories of people— is not limited to race, age or sex. There can also be a form discrimination against others based on their hobbies (gaming and watching anime), disability, social classes or other aspects. If we spot somebody being discriminated against, it would probably leave a negative impression on us. In fact, the term ‘Discrimination’ has a negative connotation. That is why a show named ‘Demi-chan wa kataritai’—Interviews with Monster Girls—made an indelible impression on me, when it made me consider a new way of viewing discrimination. Firstly, the story plot goes somewhat like this: “This story begins in the age where‘demi-humans’ which is humans with some sort of special power have been accepted into modern civilization. Tetsuo Takahashi who is a biology teacher wants to study demi-humans and his luck smiles at him and ends up in the same school as 4 of these demi-humans. The story follows as he tries to ‘interview’ these demi-humans and learn more about them but with a lot of failure on his end and comedy at its finest on the other end.”
As the summary stated, there are 4 demi-humans: Takanashi Hikari (a cheerful blonde vampire), Machi Kyouko (a kind dullahan), Kusakabe Yuki (a cute yuki-onna) and Satou Sakie (a succubus teacher…yes). Although this show might initially come across as just a cute show with cute girls doing cute things, it actually brings more to the table than that.
Every demi-character has her own struggle, which stems from her demi-human characteristics. All of their individual arcs are engrossing. Especially the yuki-onna Kusakabe’s. We see her get bullied by her peers due to an unfortunate misunderstanding and watch her gradually develop self-contempt. The way her problem was resolved made me tear up a bit; I usually don’t feel so emotionally emphatic towards a fictional character, but the resolution scene felt so sincere, heartwarming and realistic that I could not help it. No spoiler, you guys can check it out. Overall, the demi-girls’ predicaments reinforced the negative connotation associated with discrimination and I thought it was done splendidly well.
*spoiler*
That’s why episode 11 really caught me and, I think, other viewers off guard. It introduced a conflict between perspectives, which later on led to a rather thoughtful discussion of discrimination.
Throughout the series, we enjoy seeing relationship development between the male teacher Takahashi and his demi students. But the students basically depend on no other human teacher than Takahashi. This episode portrays Takashi’s relationships in a new light: they depend on him too much.
The vice principle of the school suggests that it would have been better for Takahashi to leave the demi girls on their own, as doing so could have given them opportunities to foster independence and overcome their challenges themselves, while bonding with their peers. And as much as this opinion unnerves the audience, who has witnessed how much the demi girls had to go through, vice principle’s statement has an element of truth.
I really found it clever how the show then—for the first time— shifted its main focus to four ‘normal’ human students. They begin to talk about the clash of views between Takahashi and the vice principle. What came next was a conversation that I find to be one of the many memorable conversations from this show.
*spoiler ends*
*non spoiler part continues*
To be acknowledged and accepted as who we truly are; not just liked for our looks, wealth, skills, connections or other superficial elements. This desire likely resonates with numerous people. However, because we are all unique and differ from each other, we tend to avoid confronting the difference between us and others, especially during our adolescence, to avoid hurting our peers. As a result, we can become unable to see our friends as who they really are; all we are left with is merely a shallow inclusion.
In Demi chan wa kataritai, human students assume that demis want to be treated as humans and believe that treating them as demis is, no doubt, a despicable form of discrimination. While their reasoning makes sense, it is ironically the opposite for the demis; they just want to be treated as who they really are—demis. The conversation between the human boys and girls explains how their treatment towards the demi-girls as human girls reject their demi qualities and would be the true discrimination. The show conveys we should learn to face the discrepancy between us and others, rather than compromising and dismissing the difference between us and others. Refusing to recognize the way a certain individual/group differs from us is possibly a more subtle form of discrimination. Only by learning how to acknowledge the difference, we will be able to form genuine friendship, in which we can be accepted as who we are.
It is indisputable that discrimination has harmed countless lives in the past. It still does now, and it will likely to continue doing so in the future as well. However, this does not make it fine to simply treat everyone as the same, while portraying discrimination as the evil. Doing so would equal dismissing our individualistic charms and flaws, which are pivotal to defining our identities. Discrimination is not necessarily harmful; it merely depends on the extent of discrimination. It is inevitable that there will be conflicts when coming to terms with the dichotomy between people. However, they are prerequisites to be see others as who they are and also be seen as who we are. What do you guys/girls think?
P.S. This is irrelevant to the topic of discrimination. Another reason why this show resonated with me was because of the students’ relationships with the teacher Takahashi. In our rigorous education system (at least for me. I guess it depends on your location and its culture), it is difficult to develop such personal student-teacher relationships. It is possible, but nevertheless. The relationships Takahashi shares with his students are just beautiful. I am glad that there is no usual student-teacher romance stuff…if excluding the dullahan girl. I am glad the show didn’t put too much focus on that element, as it would likely have killed the heartwarming feeling
https://somebodymonologue.wordpress.com/2017/05/15/what-if-discrimination-is-inevitable/
^some gifs included to make the review better. It's my blog so not copying anything.
Ericonator
Demi-chan wa Kataritai (or Demi-chan as I will be calling it from now on) is at its core a pleasure. Ranging from interesting characters to funny comedy, Demi-chan delivers for the most part an interesting take on the comedy genre. While Demi-chan does not have a lot of profound meaning or underlying plot, what it does offer is a delightful 12-episode fun ride sprinkled with some deeper moments here and there. Demi-chan revolves around three half-human, half-monster “demis”, Kyouko Machi, Hikari Takanashi, Yuki Kusakabe, and their high school biology teacher Tetsuo Takahashi. Along the way, a fourth demi by the name Sakie Satou appears. Although thismay just seem like another moe/comedy in the sea of other shows in this genre, I can assure you that it is more than just that.
Starting with our main male protagonist Tetsuo Takahashi, or Takahashi-sensei as the demis refer to him as, is a biology teacher who takes an interest in demi-humans. Seeing as he had never encountered one before, he is very eager to meet them.
Our main female protagonist Hikari Takanashi is a very cheerful and energetic vampire. She loves to cling to others, especially Yuki since she finds her skin nice and cool. Even though she is a vampire, she does not bite other people’s necks for blood like vampires in movies do, rather she drinks blood packs sent by the government and blood substitutes like tomato juice to quench her need for blood.
In contrast to Hikari’s energetic personality, Yuki Kusakabe is a relatively shy and closed-off girl. She is a “Yuki-onna”, meaning snow woman. Due to her personality, people around her often mistake her for being cold or apathetic, while in reality she just has a hard time expressing herself properly.
Rounding up the pack of three is the dullahan Kyouko Machi. Kyouko is in my opinion the most interesting and fleshed out character of the show. At the beginning, she appears nice, but you can tell that she feels a bit out of place. For instance, in the first episode she is talking to some of her classmates and they ask her if it isn’t a long way to school for her, since she said she walks instead of taking the bus. She replies saying that she is used to carrying her head around due to being a dullahan, which makes the two classmates nervous and they shift the subject. Later on Hikari confronts Kyouko about her being a dullahan, which surprises Kyouko but also makes her happy. The classmates from earlier see this, and come over to talk with her again, but this time without being nervous about mentioning Kyouko being a dullahan.
Finally, we have the succubus teacher Sakie Satou, or as Hikari calls her, “Sakki”. Being a succubus, she often distances herself from men due to her innate ability to seduce them if they come in contact with her. When she first meets Takahashi-sensei, she backs off like usual, but later on she comes in contact with him by accident. He acts as if her seductive ability does not work on him, which makes her open up to him.
Demi-chan has a nice and colourful art style, which sets the mood for the show. Although it is nothing special or groundbreaking, I believe the series would suffer if the art style were different.
Any anime with comedy is immediately going to split people into two groups, the first being those who find it funny and the second being those who do not. Regardless of whether you found the comedy in Demi-chan funny or not, we can agree on one thing; the comedy presents itself in a way that not only expands on the characters, but also reflects on some of the problems these girls have to face. Hikari is usually the front of the jokes, since her energetic personality makes them flow smoother. There was occasionally a joke or two that did not make me laugh or chuckle, and this was more apparent near the end as the series was trying to wrap everything up, but overall the comedy was on-point.
As I said earlier, Demi-chan does touch upon some deeper elements from time to time. Even though these moments are not the focus of the show, they do add a layer of depth which otherwise would not be there. For instance, in one of the later episodes a person named Ugaki comes to visit Takahashi-sensei to discuss demi-humans. He explains that while demi-humans have been accepted into society, there are still some that cause trouble. He expresses that if the demis that Takahashi-sensei is teaching start causing trouble, the police have to take them away.
Saying that I enjoyed Demi-chan would an understatement. Be it the interactions between the characters, the funny comedic parts or just simply the refreshing take on the genre, Demi-chan never ceased to keep me entertained.
Overall, Demi-chan takes an oversaturated genre and freshens it up by adding interesting concepts and charming characters. What it lacks in depth is overshadowed by the great characters and execution, and is highly recommended for anyone interested in the genre.
Kalibab
Have you ever finished a show you thought would just help you pass the time and then end up sitting there, wondering how great life would be if you got to take care of anime girls for a living? Well, that's basically the train of thought that this show left me with. Demi-chan wa Kitaritai is a short series I just finished watching about a biology teacher named Takahashi who's really interested in learning more about demi-humans, like vampires and snowmen. Throughout the show you get to see alongside Takahashi-sensi the many strange things which make these girls unique, as well as the many faultsand insecurities which make them human. The entire show is packed with comedy and wrapped with a bow of cuteness leaving you wanting more. For me it was a fun ride and if cute girls doing cute things floats your boat then I highly recommend it. Also there's a lot of sex jokes.
Due to the 1 through 10 scale used on this website most shows will usually either receive a 6, 7 or 8. Personally I like to give show definitive good or bad scores based on enjoyability. So here I decided to give Demi-chan wa Kitaritai a strong 10.
Intoxicute
Demi-chan wa Kataritai is your typical slice of life anime that can pass your time very well if you are a fan of SOL anime, this one is a great choice. Story: 6 Is a bit weak compare to other sol anime, but that's maybe because of its unique setting so it might be difficult to pull off. overall it is enjoyable, easy to follow, and you get to learn some interesting lores about demi-chan. Art & Animation : 6 The art is great I like it. The animation for the first couple episodes is stunning but half way through the season it get worse, not that bad butstill noticable, it get better last 3 episode though.
Character : 9
I like all the characters, they're all likable and cute, if there is one I hate it gonna be that blonde bloke which has screen time of 1 ep. and serve no purpose at all, I hate character that serve no purpose.
Overall enjoyment : 8
If you have nothing better to watch then consider this one, it is cute and funny, give demi-chan some love!
ItzToxic
Relationships are beautiful, especially when it can be with people who are half human, half demi. Interviews with Monster Girls take into account Slice of Life and Deep topics at the same time;and if A-1 can do something right, it’s this. The story mostly happens at school where the events unfold. Our main character, Takahashi sensei, has a slight curiosity to those named demi’s. It’s known to them later on that Demi’s exist in their school, the first one known I believe was Satou sensei, a succubus who tries to avoid crowds for the sake of her, and for the sake of them. Succubus do notlive a normal life, even though we usually just see them as some sort of sexual character. I mean, it’s not wrong, but after the way Satou lives, I see Succubus as something else, one of the most difficult things to live as.
It’s sad to live as a Succubus, since it may be hard to love someone when you have everyone attracted to you sexually. It then begins to take a difficult turn on your life and it affects you in a way that you become isolated from everyone and avoid people.
But that’s why we have our main character.
Takahashi has to deal with many demi’s.
The Fun Vampire Hikari
The Loving Machi
The Lonely but not so lonely after a while Yuki
The beautiful Satou
With Takahashi, developing a relationship with them could prove challenging, but totally worth it in the end.
It wasn't hard to befriend Hikari due to her fun and outgoing personality. After that, it connects to Machi and then to Yuki and so on. It becomes a chain.
Takahashi wanted to help any problems they may have, so he researched quite often on each Demi one at a time. To see what they like, don't like, and so on. Once the demi’s see this in him, trust begins to be build in such a way where there’s almost an unbreakable trust.
You see, I notice that some may view their relationship as odd, and I see where they’re coming from. It can be viewed as weird or uncommon. But when someone truly shows that they care about someone when they aren't usually wanted (because of their characteristics), then of course a strong bond will be created. In this case, Takahashi and his students. He shows genuine love and cares about their well-being and will do anything in his power to make sure they live a happy life where they can live without any worries. With that in mind, I can overlook the relationship that they have.
I do seem to enjoy series where humans coexist with those that aren't too fully human. But seeing how the demi’s are enjoying the human life very greatly, we can basically they're living a human life. But of course in Machi’s case, it can be hard XD.
But Slice of Life isn't all there, the interactions with the characters can be in a way deep and explores further into the problems and they work together to figure it out.
In a way, it can represent modern day discrimination;where certain groups of people are treated unfairly because of who they are.
In this case, Yuki.
Before she became a bright girl, she seemed to be unsocial and someone who avoids people. The reason for this may be because of the power she wields. But of course, Hikari breaks through that barrier like nobody’s business. She loves Yuki and therefore goes after her.
When Takahashi was able to become friends with the demi’s, the world becomes more colourful with a beautiful and stable relationship.
Speaking of colours, the schemes used in the anime give it more shine.
Seeing how broken some of the characters are, it’s really amazing what Takahashi sensei can do as a teacher, and a father figure.
The journey they had together was splendid and the way they care for each other and supports one another, it’s a relationship that we don't see everyday.
The OP and ED are amazing with its catchy song and the way the happiness within the demi’s are represented and portrayed to the viewers is awesome.
It brings me full joy and I always had a smile each episode and a ton of laughs.
Overall the enjoyment was phenomenal. The feelings, the relationships, and the characters. All are good points and it’s definitely one of my favourite of Winter.
Although underrated, it’s a 10/10 in my book.
kawaii123456
"What have you done with her head ?" ---Himari Takanashi Really cute monster girls doing really cute things, if you like the genre you're going to love this. It's really the sort of thing that will make you smile, laugh a little and generally leave you feeling good you watched it. If you're not into the genre it might be an idea to give it a pass. The strong point of the series is the adorable characters. The girls are all incredibly sweet and pure and timid. Where other than anime are you going to run into a virgin succubus ? A shy snowwoman?, a bratty vampire?, and an ordinary dullahan? Their interactions with Mr. Takahashi and each other are what drive the series along . Note I don't say story here because there isn't one. It's all scenes from the character's lives.
Monster girls fails when it tries to get serious or realistic. When it examines real world problems from the perspective of the fantasy girls. It's especially grating when it falls into after shool special messaging. It destroys the rhythm. It's also annoying when it inserts propaganda characters to hammer home the point. There's the same sort of problem when Takahashi tries to "scientifically" analyze the girls situation. It just doesn't work and hurts the flow.
Presentation is in the middle of the range for the current range of anime. You have good voice acting, good music, backgrounds are a little poor, and faces could be done better(at least the hair is very distinctive.)
AmericanSomnium
This show was fun as hell. That's not the only part that kept me going, however, I can't really understate how heartwarming and fun this whole series was from beginning to end. The characters are endearing, the struggles can be both relatable some days and foreign the next, and the animations aren't too shabby either. What drives the story is the character development of different demi-humans, or "demis" as they call themselves. The MC is a teacher who wants to learn more about them for his thesis paper at college, but he also learns to truly empathize with the struggles that demis face on a dailybasis. Sometimes their issues can be boiled down to typical high school drama, while other days their demi status can be causing a real problem in their daily interactions. I found the whole experience heartwarming and wholesome at a level that I don't see often today. Plenty of shows are heartwarming, but then they like to aim more at children. On the flip side, some shows think that to be "real" they need a bunch of sex and violence to get their point across. Demi-chan wa Kataritai finds the happy medium here, with Sensei treating the demis like adults (when asking about the nature of a lot of their abilities or cultures surrounding them) and expecting adult reactions. There are adult problems that are understood about each of these demis, yet the show goes out of its way to explain if it's still a problem. Better yet, if it's not a societal problem anymore, the show often explains how they've gotten around it. Blood from blood banks for vampires, divisions of police for succubi, etc. All of it feels like the world has adapted to allow demis to live comfortably, and the show tries to take us on the journey of making it over that last step to a normal life.
This show is worth your time, and I rated much higher than I thought I would. It could be that I was just in the mood for some heartwarming episodes about some endearing monsters, but I still stand by this review.
Green_Gecko
Interviews With Monster Girls is a highly enjoyable slice of life series. If you came here looking for another Monster Musume, look elsewhere. The series has a simple premise of 'how do demi-humans fit into regular human society?' It is a joy to see each character emerge from their shells as they learn how to live with their peculiar abilities. Ultimately the show is a social commentary about how difficult it is to adjust yourself to a new environment. Despite this underlying theme, warmth and happiness still fill the entire scope of this show. The characters are this shows strong point and all of them arehighly engaging and unique individuals. This is the type of show where it becomes very difficult to choose a 'best girl'. From vampires to dullahans each character has a defining trait that makes them a joy to watch. If you've ever wondered how a dullahan would live with a separated head, you'll be pleasantly surprised to see how adorable it is.
The student-teacher relationships present in the show drive the progression of the story and you can be assured that no romances take place here. The true romance lies with another teacher, who is a succubus. This leads to all sorts of hilarious scenarios where she must evaluate whether or not she is experiencing true love.
If you want to feel happy, I definitely recommend watching this show.
