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Oh look! Another moe-moe animu! Is it just another merchandise driven and annoying piece of crap or is it something actually pretty decent and enjoyable? Fortunately, Ookami-san is the latter, although I have some qualms with it.

In a nutshell, the plot is pretty simple. (Go read MAL's synopsis.)

We’ve heard the “We help people in an episodic fashioned!” plotline many times before. Wash, rinse, and repeat. Bakemonogatari, To Aru Kagaku no Railgun, and a lot more basically, but Ookami-san gets away with it, because its just so damn likable, despite the very derivative nature of it. Ookami-san is not trying to be the most unique or ... original, its just one of those non-pretentious anime where you can sit back, relax, and watch the characters do some crazy stuff. And in that regard, Okami-san delivers in its fairy tale referencing glory. If the characters weren’t so enjoyable, this anime would have utterly failed.

Now, the characters themselves are pretty much all moe/harem stereotypes that we’ve seen before, but with a slight tongue-in-cheek air about them. We have the socially inept guy, the classic tsundere, the meido girl, the mad scientist, the token loli, the obsessive lover, the list goes on and on. But somehow, I actually liked the characters and they’re quirks. They’re not too annoying or aggravating and I enjoyed all of the cliched situations the characters would find themselves in. From popularity contests, pool time, Meido dress up, fireworks, mock dates, you name it, this anime has it all. I know it sounds like played-out drivel, but Ookami-san’s self aware nature makes it all worthwhile. I mean, Ookami-san plays the genres tropes so straight that it has to be a homage or a parody, adding the fact that there is a narrator, who points out the cliches in the story also proves my point even further. Although, the narrator can get overbearing and unfunny at times, she does a great job of saying exactly what the audience would say of the cliched nonsense and for the most part, shes pretty hilarious.

The characterization for the male lead Ryoushi is very well done. He starts off as a pitiful loser, but then becomes a stronger individual through his ambition and determination to protect Ryouko and love her. Which makes him the most layered and rounded character unfortunately, because everyone else just stays grounded in they’re archetypes with no real drive of their own. Sure, some of the cast receive episodes catered to them, but they never really add anything new to their stereotypes or even get anything important to the plot accomplished. Which will turn off people who have no tolerance for moe or harem, since Okami-san is very much one of those “otaku-centric” anime. I honestly didn’t mind it, but Ryouko’s character really pissed me off the most. Despite several of the hardships Ryoushi endure in order to prove himself to her, she stays seated in her tsundere bullshit. *Slight Spoiler* Instead of having her character develop and finally confess her love to Ryoushi, since its painfully obvious, you know what she says “I don’t dislike him” Are freaking kidding me? That’s all you have to say Ryouko after all of the events in episode eleven!?! Give me a break. This alone completely shattered anything I liked about Ryouko previously, and made her just another poorly written tsundere. The conclusion as a whole itself, is unsatisfactory as well. It just ends. No real resolve to anything or goal reached. Hopefully J.C. Staff will produce another season.

The production values for Ookami-san is excellent! Easily one of J.C. Staff’s best animated works. Filled with fluid, realistic, and fast paced movement with wonderfully fanciful, vibrant, and colorful artistry. Attractively cute moe character designs and highly detailed backgrounds. I was actually in shock by the pure effort that was put in the imagery. Ookami-san is in no way a bad looking anime. The music is pretty well done too. Even though Ready Go!; the opening theme, Is not May’n’s best performance, it fits with the upbeat and whimsical nature of the anime. The ED is also pretty catchy too.

Another great aspect about the anime is in the voice work. The seiyuu voice all of the characters with such life and cooperation with one another. I especially like to point out Ryouko’s voice actress; Shizuka Itou. I’m so glad J.C. Staff used another seiyuu for one of their ‘premiere’ tsundere’s. Rie Kugumiya is over used, thank goodness Shizuka played Ryouko with such differentiation from Tiaga, Louise, and Shana. Ryouko is more brash and masculine than your average tsundere, so of course she’ll need a different voice and Shizuka definitely fitted the bill perfectly with her performance. Also, Satomi Arai as the narrator is freaking brilliant! ‘Nuff said. In fact, any fans of the To Aru series will definitely get a kick out of the voice work as many of the seiyuu from Raildex return here.

Overall, Ookami-san is all out otaku pandering fest. You’ll love for all of the stereotypes and clichés or you’ll hate it for that same exact reason. It was a fun ride, but damaged by the lack of development, a terrible ending, and a lack of progression in the plot and characters. Its basically one of those ‘time-waster’ anime. Not excellent or riveting, but not disposable either.

Copy & pasted from my Tumblr: http://chibimonogatari.tumblr.com/post/1144220277/ookamisanteenchibireview