I actually can't remember how I came upon this anime, or what motivated me to give it a try. The title of the show alone is enough to create a questionable first impression. However, I'm glad I ignored my unfounded initial misgivings, because, despite its flaws, this series delivers entertainment where it counts.
The story centers on Youto, a second year high schooler who is introduced as a typical male teen driven by his insatiable hormones. In an effort to improve his abilities to win over girls, he visits a mysterious statue of a cat god that is purported to grant wishes. It also happens that Tsukiko, a young girl who feels that her personality is too emotional, is also there to make a wish. Together, the two teens make their wish, the resulting outcome sets off a chain of unexpected events that unfold throughout the series.
The most notable outcome is Tsukiko losing her ability to express emotions, particularly through her face and voice. In an effort to undo their wishes, Youto and Tsukiko are caught up in the chaos created by subsequent wishes granted by the cat god.
What I found surprising about this show is that despite the seemingly shallow premise, the story rises above the simple mechanics of the classic wish fulfilling fantasy and delivers a tale where the characters are developed in a meaningful way. The flip side of this is that the show sometimes suffers from identity crisis. On one hand, it often wants to be a romantic comedy with a liberal sprinkling of naughty slaptick thrown in for good measure. But despite giving a cursory nod to 'hentai' in its title, the series makes a commendable effort to take the two protagonists beyond their initial basic character designs. As we learn more about Youto and Tsukiko, we realize there's more to them than the stereotypical hormone-driven teen and the expressionless girl, character types often seen in other shows.
Along with the two leads, the rest of the characters in the show are also very likeable, although the side characters play smaller roles for the most part. One reason for this is that show attempts to cover a lot of ground in 12 episodes. In such a short time frame, several sub arcs are delivered with mixed results. The middle third is probably the weakest, with some plot lines that were confusing and difficult to follow. This is one show I would like to see a second season for, as many of the secondary characters deserved more of the spotlight for further development.
As it is with themes involving the granting of wishes, the propensity for gaping plot holes and logistical inconsistencies is always present, and this show has its fair share. However, by the time we reach the conclusion, most questions that have been left dangling are answered, leaving only a few loose threads.
In many ways, I enjoyed this show for its ambition. It may have been a marketing attempt to draw in an audience with its surface appearance of fluff and implied lewdness, but to its credit, it's more than just a teen comedy. The characters manage to grow over a short time span and you can empathize with their struggle to come to grips with their relationships and the mysterious memories of a past that defines who they are. Although some of the humour can be juvenile and usually uncalled for, for the most part, I appreciated the lighter moments.
Along with the solid storyline, the animation and visual design of the characters is excellent. There isn't a significant amount of action sequences or special effects, but the animation is effective and appropriate. The character designs stood out for me immediately. It's a style that I found visually crisp and nearly flawless in execution. I can't comment on the Japanese voice acting, but I found the voices to be pleasing, and they matched the personalities of the characters. Tsukiko's character was stood out, and was expressed (pun intended) well. There isn't much else to comment on in regards to the audio. It's not memorable, but get's the job done. The opening and ending songs are quite catchy, though, and will likely be stuck in my head for a longer duration than many other show songs I've heard this year.
It's hard to go into a show like this without preconceived notions, but its efforts to deliver more than the usual romantic comedy standards are not wasted. While far from perfect, this show left me wishing for more, in a good way.