This anime takes place in a familiar fantasy setting with all the trappings of any other isekai or JRPG-inspired show but there’s a level of passion to the worldbuilding here that elevates it past its prudish peers. The “succubus district” itself is only legal because actual succubi need to have sex to stay alive, but the other monsters have enough mixed blood in them that they can claim to be part succubus and reap the same benefits with a wink and a nudge. There are defined political parties with their own agendas, cyclops girls place pride in their eye size rather than breast size, lamias and merfolk take part in auctions at egg-laying exhibitions (but are often outbid by professional chefs)... there are just so many fun details that make the world of Ishuzoku Reviewers feel like a place real people would live.

Speaking of which, our intrepid trio of nut-busting nincompoops consists of the human swordsman Stunk, the elf archer Zel, and the constantly flustered angel Crim. They’re all surprisingly likable, with different tastes in women and a friendly camaraderie between them as they adventure across the world in search of new monster girls to smash. Crim is especially relatable, since he’s the newest member of the group and often feels woefully out-of-place in such sinful environments as the orgy pit of low-ranking succubi and the salamandra body barbecue joint. We love seeing which crazy new brothels these bros visit each week, both to experience the insanity for ourselves and to watch how Stunk, Zel, Crim, and their rotating cast of guest reviewers react to it.

An uncomfortable amount of ecchi anime places too much emphasis on accidental sexual encounters—a guy falling face-first into a girl’s chest, characters walking in on each other in compromising positions and the like. Consent tends to be pretty vague as well, with issues of age, authority, and possibly abusive relationships cropping up worryingly often. But with Ishuzoku Reviewers, everyone involved in the actual sex scenes is willing and enthusiastic to be there! Yes, they’re prostitutes and the entire thing is pretty unrealistic, but at least it’s all above board! Somehow, the anime that’s so explicit it might as well be hentai (and was pulled from Funimation and several Japanese channels because of it) is better at showing healthy sexual interactions than other ecchi that are much tamer.

All that said, this anime isn’t exactly wholesome in every respect. Crim is intersex, but pretends to only be male because he’s afraid that the others would “try something funny” if they found out. The long-suffering waitress Meidri is constantly being harassed by Stunk, although she’s quick to deliver painful retribution whenever he throws dirty jokes her way (and practically murders the group when she catches wind that they made an animated golem in her image at a certain brothel).

The gender-swap episode also makes fun of Crim for being bisexual and has a veiled transphobic joke, plus the beginning of episode 9 features a rape fantasy scene that some might be uncomfortable with (although it’s pretty short and the girls repeatedly assure the trio that they’re just acting). Still, if you’re okay with a few off-color jokes and can enjoy this anime for what it is, then don’t be too worried.