Detective

Boku Otaryman (I, Otaku Salaryman) is a fun little 35-minute ditty about a Japanese Salaryman and his somewhat otaku tendencies. Originally based off of a 4koma, the anime is about a likable and rather silly salaryman named Yoshitani. The story isn't particularly mesmerizing, nor are the characters and art (mostly flash) that unique, but overall, I think Boku Otaryman is an anime that will bring a little smile to your face and maybe even get out a few chuckles. Story: 6/10 Yoshitani is somewhat of an otaku (a word used to describe a fan of anime, manga, or video games in Japan, and is often used withbad connotations such as perversion) and doesn't like to admit it, but he looks and acts like enough of an otaku to be called one. The anime follows his daily life, how he copes with other people, his habits and what not. It's a comedy, so don't expect anything too meaningful or complex, but do expect everything to end with a punch line. The demographic of Otaryman, the people who I think would really like it, would be those who can see themselves doing the little things Yoshitani does (i.e. have OCD about his personal space, play video games while waiting almost anywhere, etc). Art: 6/10 A combination of flash and drawing brings both a somewhat different yet somewhat boring visual display. It's really not high quality, but it's not undesirable to view. There are times though, when the visuals really pull through and are definitely rewarding. They bring a good laugh, and for a comedic short pilot OVA, there really isn't much to complain about. Sound: 6/10 A funny OP, having little to nothing to do with the show and a voiced over ED you can't hear sum up the musical portion. The voice acting is okay, a little awkward at times, and the only person who really talks at all is Yoshitani himself (other characters speak but only Yoshitani speaks for any significant amount of time). I would have liked some more voices to mix up the sound area. Character: 7/10 Yoshitani is a somewhat realistic character whose comedy stems from the ways the average anime fan can relate to. He doesn't aspire to much and enjoys his time inside his house just hanging around. He's just well... a normal guy who likes cartoons and video games. But don't get me wrong, he isn't a boring character. Watch Boku Otaryman and you'll see for yourself just how much of a jokester he is. Enjoyment: 7/10 I laughed a fair few times, which is pretty impressive for a short OVA based off of a gag manga, and I may even watch this again some time. I would recommend it, but don't go too far out of your way to watch it. It's nice because it's short and sweet. Overall: 7/10 Otaku + Salaryman = a rather good time. This anime isn't like Lucky Star, bursting the seems with as much geekiness as possible, but it's still pretty nerdy. Unless you hate your own kind, Boku Otaryman is a funny anime almost anyone involved with anime, manga, or video games can enjoy.