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Edited note: I would like to point out that Nafra is referred to as a BOY in the original, not a THEY(it.) I love this series, but I'm dropping it if it goes woke. I watch anime to escape cringe west culture, but these cancerous localizers keep laying breadcrumbs. These breadcrumbs attract rats, rats bring disease. I hope the creator and studios clean up and get better localizers.

Season 3 is not my cup of tea... First of all, if you enjoyed this season, I am happy for you and wish I could like S3, too. I love this show and respect the source material, I ... know the show is different than the original, yada yada okay, now that we've established this as a serious review, let's start with ths good:

If you enjoyed the Chunin exams arc in Naruto, any of My Hero, the Namek arc in DBZ, and wanted a softer version of Akame Ga Kill, you will probably LOVE season 3! Lots of action outside the normal bounds of this show. But it. is. so. slowwww.

We see Iruma begin to grow as a character, without changing the core traits that make him such a delight to the fans. I'm serious. Yes we see a lot of "Author's Preference" with tall, dommy mommies and the like (I'm not complaining - actually, this is my exact trash taste in anime,) which is what got S1 a 10/10 in my personal catalog. However, the actual writing for Iruma as a character has always felt natural. It's easy to relate to a character who is doing the things that you would like to do, if in his/her shoes.

We actually get to see a lot of character growth in the whole cast nearing the end of S2 and onwards into Season 3. Then, the bad... This isn't any normal kind of bad, as it isn't intentional, malicious, negligent, or anything else... It just isn't noteworthy to me, it feels a little forced or tacked-on. Season 3 felt like first few episodes; character awakenings, rushed explanations, teasers with Ameri... It felt hard to watch, and as if the magic was just fading away. No, I think to myself, it's that damn ADHD. Keep watching. Oh okay harvest festival cool, sounds like a fun short arc.

2 damn ranks... Iruma had advanced 2 whole ranks previously, in the same amount of episodes it took for this harvest festival fever dream to be over. Wait, that's it, the season is done?!..

That's my gripe. Season 3 drags its feet, and feels out of place when taking up that much screen time when I'm more invested in the development with Iruma, his friends, AND Ameri. That's a personal desire, so your mileage may vary. It's not bad, but it feels out of place and I didn't have much fun watching it...

If season 4 has any HINT of woke shoehorned spoonfed garbage however, I will be sadly parting ways with this show. I'm putting my foot down. Dropped last season of Dr Stone for the same thing. Many of us are tired of this, and I am NOT going to tolerate it any longer.

Iyashikei - a sub-genre of anime, attributed to slice-of-life, that is meant to facilitate a soothing and healing environment for the viewer. Senko-san and Nakano capture this perfectly through their bond. The intro is somewhat nebulous, but everything makes sense by the end of the first episode. By the time you start the second episode, it feels like the show has strongly established its meaning to you as the viewer.

While being driven by its lax slice-of-life nature, the story is nothing to be overlooked. More importantly, the moral of the story is clear - what a difference somebody can make in the life of another, ... even for things we normally take for granted. After the pandemic that shut the world down, it hit really close to home. When feeling like a burden to somebody who cares for you, does one ever stop to consider that perhaps that person needs those for whom they care for, just as much as the one they care for needs them? The purity of love, in a way not often displayed in actual "romance" genre. Because, well, there isn't really a romantic element - this is the type of way you love family.

What does it mean to love somebody with all of your heart? That's a subjective question, but Senko shows her love in a way that is very on the nose. Through both words and action, this 800 year old fox deity grips the heart with a tremendous amount of wholesome, honey-sweet compassion that will make even the strongest man or woman cry hot, salty tears of happiness and pent up stress. Verily, the wholesome nature feels oddly human, for a series revolving around a demi-god and her amazing power to heal.

The characters are written to imperfect perfection. Sweet, selfless Senko is still capable of anger and over/underconfidence at times, and is open about not being anything remotely perfect at age 800. Nakano and Koenji are great representations of the target audience. Overwhelmed, emotionally and mentally exhausted. Seeing character flaws addressed without too much vague deliberation, brings a refreshing new light to a category that most don't expect any character progression. Somehow in 12 episodes, we see an entirely new Nakano and even a more refined Senko that is discovering the meaning of her own emotions.

The screen time is used well for each character, and you get enough time to be satisfied with their interaction, yet not enough to draw attention away from the main point. Their are very few main characters, which makes this show very easy to follow and reminiscent of how few actually stand out to us as the main cast of our own lives. This writing seems very much intentional. That includes Nakano's ultra-dependent coworker who cannot live without Nakano to save his grass every time he lights his own fire. Nakano's coworker is the only truly despicable character in an otherwise blissful warm blanket of comfort. A perfect foil to Senko, really. Yet, he is made so insignificant compared to Senko, and that really stands out as one of the strengths this story drives home. On top of all of that, the voice acting (Dub) is excellent and really set a mood. It feels as if the actors mean what they're saying, in character and out of character. Makes this feel so much more impactful. Great localization, everything felt so natural.

That leads to the few flaws that really stand out with this series. Most of the "flaws" are what make this story such a strong contender - they're more or less hints at the viewer on how to find grace in a chaotic life. In a way that serenity and joy are rarely shown on screen, Senko-san earns a 10/10 for going above and beyond to provide a soothing, healing motif. Even the end splash "Super Senko time" is worth watching every time. The biggest flaw so far is that it is 2023 and we NEED a second season after what the world has been through. Okay, fine, maybe that is only me and a few others, but it stands to reason and is the only reason this review is 9/10 vs 10/10

It's Super Senko-Time!

Welcome home! Oh my goodness! You must have had a long day reading through reviews, looking for the perfect anime to relax to. You got home just in time, I have dinner waiting for us on the table! Do you want to watch a cute show with me after this? Great! I'll keep you nice and warm with my tail, too. You can be really cute, you know that?
It's time for bed! Goodnight, and thank you for all your hard work today. Sweet dreams, I can't wait to see you tomorrow!