- Episodes : 12
- Genre : Slice of Life, Comedy, School
- Airing Date : July 2015 - September 2015
- Producers : Doga Konbo, Sentai Filmworks
Himouto! Umaru-Chan Preview / Plot (No Spoilers)
Doma Umaru is perfect. She's got a cute face and a slender figure. She gets good scores. She is great at sports. She's modest. Until she gets home. When Umaru goes home at the end of the day, she becomes a chibi hamster-like creature who only cares about video games, anime, and junk food!
The term "himouto" is a play on the words "himono-onna" and the Japanese word for little sister "imouto." "Himono" is a term that literally means "dried-fish," but when combined with "onna" it refers to a woman who has a fairly stable if not successful life outside of the house, but when they come home, they are completely lazy and dressed sloppily. It is the perfect word to describe our little Umaru!
What is Himouto! Umaru-Chan Like? This Anime is for people like what?
This anime is great for people who love watching slice of life anime or maybe have a little sister complex. If you're looking for a slice of life anime like Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai (Haganai), where the characters get themselves in silly circumstances and there's drama, look elsewhere. This is an anime more like Non Non Biyori or Lucky Star where the characters do everyday things but are really silly. The appeal is in the characters, especially Umaru!
If you're looking for action, you will not find it here. If you want drama, look again, but if you're looking for something laid back, ordinary, and full of laughs, Himouto! Umaru-Chan is the anime for you! This anime is merely about the everyday antics of a teenage otaku. Don't expect crazy situations, but you can look forward to many laughs. You may even enjoy the references about other anime or video games. Believe me, this feels like a real slice of life anime.
What’s so appealing about this piece of work.
The real appeal of this anime is the main character and all of her silly antics. Umaru is full of energy and she makes everything a blast with her tantrums, bratty attitude, and laziness. She really brings to life mundane things like going out to eat or watching someone play video games. She is so full of personality that it makes every moment a joy to watch.
There may not seem like there is a lot to enjoy about this anime, but really, it depends on your preference. You can enjoy the references to other anime or games, or maybe you can enjoy the serious talks about what snacks to eat, what Japanese treats to try, or what to do on your days off. Maybe you'll get an idea about what to do on your next day off. Yes, this is a slice of life anime, but who says life has to be boring?
Himouto! Umaru-Chan Main Characters List
Doma Umaru
It's hard to deny how much fun Umaru actually is! My initial impression of her was of a brat that needed some discipline, but as the story progresses, I grew to love her and anticipated all of her silly antics. Umaru is a hard core otaku who is constantly referencing other anime, fussing over food, and forcing her brother to play games with her. She's bratty, yes, but she has an adorable and lovable personality in the end that makes it so you can't hate her.
Doma Taihei
Taihei is the older brother of Umaru. He's a very hard worker, often times doing all of the work his best friend won't do and then he goes home to take care of the cooking and cleaning at home. Although Taihei may seem a little uptight and straight laced, he still manages to be a fun character. He is always looking for ways to correct Umaru's behavior, but in the end, he's got a little sister complex! He's definitely a good guy, if not a pushover at times...
Ebina Nana
Nana, though usually referred to as Ebina, is the best friend to Umaru who lives below the Doma family. She's your basic clumsy, unconfident, country girl. Nana is a very sweet character; she almost idolizes Umaru, but they still manage to be best friends. Nana brings in a bit of girliness that Umaru is severely lacking. Nana can be so helpless at times that you cannot help but want to come to her rescue. She is a real doll! Still, Nana has a very good heart and never likes to think ill of others.
On another note, Nana seems to be Himouto! Umaru-Chan's moe character due to her shy yet upstanding character and her most obvious feature that sets her apart from the other characters. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you don't even have to watch the anime to figure it out.
Contains Spoilers
Himouto! Umaru-Chan Review
Slice of life is one of my favorite genres of anime for whatever reason. I find that it can make even the most mundane things entertaining. Himouto! Umaru-Chan does a very good job at this without the need for gimmicks like harems, fan service, supernatural events, mysteries, or drama. It is a very light hearted anime for all ages!
Rare on the market these days, this anime manages to stay family friendly, but there is never a lull in the show. Umaru stays upbeat and mischievous, often times causing trouble for her brother, while maintaining her perfect façade. There isn't even the need to include a love interest of any kind as a side plot, though Kirie does seem to have some sort of adoration for the chibi Umaru-chan.
While watching this anime through, it is really surprising that no one ever catches Umaru as a chibi brat or relates the chibi Umaru to the bigger Umaru. She doesn't even seem to have a care in the world and while in some anime, there would be an expectation of personal growth at some point, Umaru is best as she is now.
Taihei, who wants nothing more than for his precious sister to become a perfect little lady, often times relents to his sister's tantrums. It's hard to be completely sympathetic considering how easily he seems to bend or maybe his will just isn't as strong as Umaru's, but in the end, as an older sibling, I know how one might have the desire to spoil a younger sibling. No matter how much you complain, you can't help but protect their happiness, right? Still, I wonder what Taihei's life would be like without his imouto-chan. I feel like he doesn't have anything else in his life except from work. He's your basic salaryman!
The other characters were all fairly fun. I even developed some sort of respect or affection for Sylphynford who seems like the arrogant oujo-sama that usually gets on my nerves. Actually, I really liked all of the characters no matter how little screen time they got. Everyone has a very distinct personality and purpose in this anime.
Overall, I don't have any complaints about this anime. As a comedy, it had plenty of comedic moments where I couldn't get enough out of the characters. As a slice of life, it was perfect in execution! The animation was cute for this anime and very well done. It seems to be quite similar to the manga. I also want to note that the opening theme song was so perfect for Umaru. It is a wonderful blend of the crazy, otaku Umaru and the perfect lady Umaru. I couldn't have wished for anything more.
1. Hamster Cape
Perhaps the source of all of Umaru's power, the hamster cape is a very notable trademark of our chibi heroine. The cape is orange, much like Umaru's hamster companions, and features a hoodie with the ears and the face of a hamster. Perfect for lounging around the house or keeping cozy in bed, it is no wonder that Umaru's closet is filled with these capes.
2. Snacks
A crucial aspect to Umaru's himouto life, her snacks are the source of her strength. Umaru even possesses an Umaru council that helps her decide what snack will compliment each task so perfectly. Umaru even carefully picks out her snacks and coordinates an order in which she consumes them so that she will never tire of the taste and optimize their delicious potential. Of course, her junk food binges are not complete without her cola! You will never find a moment where Umaru does not want cola! It is the perfect compliment to any of her snacks.
3. Arcade
Perhaps this was my favorite place in the anime, but Umaru likes to split up her free time between home and the arcade. The arcade is full of games and UFO catchers. It is the perfect haven for any otaku. Of course, Umaru becomes UMR when she hits the arcade, maintaining her bishoujo exterior and her otaku interior.
Himouto! Umaru-Chan was an endless source of entertainment for me. I really enjoyed the silly moments, the haughty Umaru, meek Taihei, and all of the things that occurred in their daily life. I won't lie; Umaru really influenced me in a few too many ways. Don't even ask me about how many bags of potato chips I consumed! She is living the best life for an otaku. If only we could all be himono-onna, but I'm sure nothing would ever get done outside of business hours...
If you have seen the anime, you can still pick up a copy of the manga which is full of Umaru-chan shorts. There is also a game in the works that will be released towards the end of this year. Start brushing up on your Japanese now!
Author: Jenangelx3
