It’s Time for Umaru to Get a Little More Real
- Episodes : 12
- Genre : Slice of Life, Comedy, School, Seinen
- Airing Date : October 2017 - December 2017
- Studios : Doga Kobo
Contains Spoilers
Doma Umaru is the perfect young lady. She gets all the grades. She excels in sports. She is perfectly beautiful. At least, that’s what Umaru’s classmates think. At home, Umaru is a lazy otaku who loves eating junk food. This is the side that Umaru’s older brother, Taihei, sees and has to deal with. Along with Umaru’s friends Ebina, Sylphynford, and Kirie, Umaru is in for a lot of fun each day without having to reveal her otaku side either.
This is the sequel to the popular slice of life series, Himouto! Umaru-chan. Umaru is back with all of her friends and Taihei. What trouble with Umaru create? How much will Umaru’s friends bond together? Well, we recommend you keep reading this review or watch the anime to find out.
Himouto! Umaru-chan was one of our favorite series back in the summer of 2015 when it came out. Umaru really charmed us by her happy-go-lucky nature, although no one would actually wish for a little sister like Umaru. Still, we loved all of her antics, Taihei and his nagging yet loving personality, and the side characters like Ebina who just captured our hearts. We have to admit, we were extremely happy to hear that Himouto! Umaru-chan was getting a sequel in the form of Himouto! Umaru-chan R.
Our favorite characters are back! Himouto! Umaru-chan R definitely has a different feel from its prequel, but we must say that we quite like the season. Himouto! Umaru-chan R has an entirely different feel. While the feel is not necessarily what we were expecting, we cannot say we hate it. In fact, we quite enjoyed being able to see our favorite characters interacting with characters other than Umaru and becoming a big group of friends who love each other. We also get a deeper view of certain characters that we really enjoy. It’s not your usual type of sequel since it doesn’t exactly play off the same idea as its prequel, but it’s still an enjoyable watch for someone who doesn’t mind going off the usual slice of life track.
Himouto! Umaru-chan R is the type of sequel we are looking for when we seek out more plot progression for our favorite characters. In this case, we step away from Umaru a little and look into possibilities in regards to her older brother, Taihei. Taihei is a popular character, despite being the rather uptight contrast to Umaru, and so in this sequel, we really get to see his relationships with other people. While we can hardly call Himouto! Umaru-chan R dramatic, it definitely has that seinen feel that differs greatly compared to Himouto! Umaru-chan.
Of course, this may in turn cause fans of the original series to turn away if they are seeking more slice of life than character progression. Who wants to see Sylphynford’s past? Who wants to know about Ebina’s family situation? Who cares about that mysterious girl who calls Taihei “onii-chan”? Who wants to see anyone suddenly start dating (because we know that creates drama, right?)?
This can create a mix of emotions for many fans out there. There are fans who want to know more about their favorite characters and others who just wanted something funny to watch. So be wary when you watch this latest season. However, let us dive into the points on why you should or should not watch the Himouto! Umaru-chan sequel!
1. Character Development & Depth
Our favorite part about Himouto! Umaru-chan R—which may some people’s least favorite aspect—has to be the fact that my favorite characters get a little bit more backstory and development. I loved being able to see the relationship between Ebina and Taihei grow, even if it’s not canon. In fact, in Himouto! Umaru-chan R, we get to see quite a few people’s relationships with Taihei and how much they may possible like him. This makes it feel more like a harem, but it doesn’t take away from the overall focus on Umaru completely.
Of course, aside from Ebina and Taihei, we get to see more of Kanau this season. Yes, she likes Taihei, but we get to see a little of their past friendship and Kanau’s family situation. And how could we not love that considering we’re rooting for Kanau x Taihei over Ebina x Taihei?
However, we cannot forget that there is also more depth to Sylphynford’s character than some snooty person who is constantly challenging Umaru. Instead, we get to see how Sylphynford is as a child and her relationship with her brother, which makes her actually look endearing. It’s quite sweet to see.
2. Change in Umaru
We also get to see more of Umaru’s brother complex as she realizes that there are more people out there that like Taihei and the fact that she might possibly treat him poorly. We get to see Umaru’s considerate side. However, while Umaru may consider Taihei’s feelings, that may not stop her from doing things like making a mess while Taihei is away and forgetting to clean up before he gets home. Still, it’s pretty cute that she sneaks onto a shinkansen to follow Taihei out of town because she cannot be away from him for 2 weeks. Wouldn’t Umaru usually be throwing a party without him?
1. Serious
One reason to skip Himouto! Umaru-chan R has to be its switch from a slice of life comedy to a seinen anime. While it’s not dark like Tokyo Ghoul or Erased, Himouto! Umaru-chan R does take a rather noticeable turn as we stray away from all of the comedy to get a little bit more real. Umaru becomes a bit more somber at times and considers situations more than she previously did. Characters have deeper stories that make up their present. There’s a bit more mystery. This is a big difference from the original series so many die hard fans who just want the comedy and the slice of life may not actually enjoy the change.
2. More Taihei
One rather obvious difference has to be the step away from Umaru. While the title may have Umaru’s name in it, Himouto! Umaru-chan R is actually much more focused on Taihei and his relationships with people. We see the girls who seem to orbit Taihei’s life, including Umaru, and Taihei’s relevance in their lives. This turns this anime more into a harem without all of the annoying parts. This could definitely be a turnoff for many, but that’s for you to decide.
Himouto! Umaru-chan R is really not the sequel we were expecting, but that does not mean it’s not worth watching. While some people may not enjoy it as much, it’s great to see some things change for our favorite characters. Who out there was looking forward to this anime? What do you think about this sequel? Please feel free to share all your thoughts in the comments down below!
Author: Jenangelx3
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