Review
by Theron Martin,Blend S
Blu-Ray
Synopsis: | ![]() |
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Maika Sakuranomiya is cute and cheerful but has always had problems making friends because her expression and demeanor inadvertently come across as mean. That also proves to be a barrier to getting a part-time job to finance her deeply-desired overseas studies, but that changes when she encounters Café Stile, a restaurant where the waitresses all play to otaku-favored personality archetypes. Dino, the tall blond Italian manager who's somewhat of a masochist, sees Maika as perfect for the role of a sadistic girl, which she proves exceptionally good at, much to her dismay. With tsundere and varying sister or idol types among the other waitresses, a day at Café Stile is seldom dull.
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Review: |
This fall 2017 comedy is based on a seinen magazine, which explains a lot about how the series is structured, more as a collection of loosely-related vignettes than an ongoing story. The only real progression comes from the gradual introduction of two additional wait staff and a dog to the cast, though the interactions between the characters do deepen some as the episodes . In other words, this is a pure slice-of-life comedy colored by light bursts of romance. As a comedy, the series works relatively well. While its content is rarely laugh-out-loud funny and doesn't approach the level of stronger romcoms like Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun, plenty of its scenarios and character interactions can elicit at least a chuckle or two and some of its running jokes – especially the one about how Maika unwittingly comes across as menacing, which the customers just eat up – don't get old. Of course, the humor can be hit-or-miss; while the series isn't likely to offend many viewers, it isn't routinely as funny as it tries to be. However, its failings are rarely for lack of effort, and the series does try to regularly shake up the formula by instituting new themes or occasionally branching out to alternate locations. It stumbles most when trying to play things serious, such as the too-lengthy scene where tsundere waitress Kaho needs tutoring from “little sister” Mafuyu to a math retake exam. While that's a decent piece of character relationship-building, its entertainment value is minimal. Although situations can sometimes carry the comedy, the series primarily relies on its cast for its humor, with some reliable results. Chief in appeal is lead protagonist Maika, a girl enamored with anything foreign but utterly unable to regulate how she comes across to other people. (Her mean face seems to be a product of her making too intense of a friendly face, as when she isn't trying she comes across as sweet and nice.) Dino makes a good foil for her as the handsome doujinshi artist Miu and flaky Hideri, a playfully energetic soul who fills the role of the secret cross-dresser. Nothing is actually explored with in regards to his gender or sexuality, so he just has to be accepted at face value. While the series is far from a shining example of aesthetics, the fanservice are sprinkled throughout, it's mild and limited to the occasional emphasis on Kaho's chest, mostly-tasteful swimsuits, and a few odd lingerie shots when the waitresses are changing into their uniforms. Even the occasional S&M-flavored jokes and more overt sexiness of the “big sister” waitress are relatively tame, so this is not a series primarily selling itself on sex appeal. The varied musical score for the series is effective at enhancing the comedy but mostly unremarkable. Opener “Bon Appetit” is a lively number that introduces all of the wait staff and their specialties, while the less impressive closer is more notable for the way its visuals update as the cast is gradually expanded. Japanese voice acting plays well to each character's personality, with appropriately varying performances for everyone's alternate personas. The release by Aniplex releases for you. Overall, Blend S is a lightly entertaining series that's most effective in small doses, such as its original weekly broadcast; it definitely isn't well-suited to marathon viewing, but its general silliness can make for a nice diversion from heavier fare. |
Grade: | |||
Overall (sub) : B-
Story : B-
Animation : B-
Art : B-
Music : B
+ Some good running gags and entertaining character interactions |
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