Liked Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon? Watch Centaur no Nayami!

• Episodes: 12
• Aired: Jul. 2017 – ?

Three Major Similarities Between Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon and Centaur no Nayami

1. It's Okay, They're Only Monsters on the Outside

The titles make it fairly obvious anyway, but both Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon and Centaur no Nayami utilise the ever popular monster girl as their main selling point. Yes, the dragon girls might have made cute humans anyway, but the funny horns and wagging tails do add another cup full of moe to the already adorable concoction. The same goes for our centaur friends, who are perhaps a little bit more orthodox in their approach to monster girls. Note: a little bit.

While Centaur no Nayami's serpents are not quite as cute as Maid Dragon's, we're sure the angels and cat girls will make up for that without too much trouble. The main difference between the two shows, apart from the different animals, is how they use the monster theme within the show. In Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon the dragon related scenes are mainly used for comedy or action and are also used to discuss the difference between humans and dragons. In Centaur no Nayami the monsters are perhaps a more constant theme throughout the show, as there are no regular humans at all, and there's a lot of talk about how their world deals with having so many species living together.

2. Well That Got Dark Fast

Although slice-of-life shows are mostly all laughs and smiles, we can all appreciate when they want to get serious for a moment, which is something we think that Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon and Centaur no Nayami both do very well in their own way. Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon has one main plot point relating to Tooru, which becomes clearer throughout the series, and that relates to her feeling of not belonging. Among more obvious problems like her and Kobayashi's different life spans, and whether she's just an inconvenience, Tooru is tormented by the idea that she just doesn't belong with the human that she loves, and that frightens her.

Centaur no Nayami doesn't address a particular issue or character in this same regard, but it perhaps has some even darker stuff going on in the background. Throughout the series, one thing that gets mentioned constantly is how careful you have to be so as not to discriminate anyone in their society. To do so means a swift trial and time in the slammer it seems, and it becomes evident that in such a diverse society, drastic means have been taken to ensure that everyone remains "equal". The series, perhaps interestingly, doesn't paint this as being either right or wrong, and instead, it's left up to the viewer to decide what they think of this scary-but-equal society.

3. Slow and Steady…

Though those more serious themes may exist within the shows, Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon and Centaur no Nayami are slice-of-life series through and through and we would not have it any other way. Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon focuses on not only adorable moe moments (we love you Kanna) but also ridiculous comedy scenes, all too often centreing on delicious, home-cooked dragon tail. While also privy to such amusing goings-on, Centaur no Nayami is a little slower paced than the dragons next-door and spends a lot of time chit chatting and hanging out at friends' houses. So if you're after something sort of slow and certainly relaxing, we'd say that both series fit the bill pretty well.

Liked Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon? Watch New Game!!!

• Episodes: 12
• Aired: Jul. 2017 – ?

Three Major Similarities Between Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon and New Game!!

1. Cute Girls Doing Cute Things

When it comes down to it, the main reason to watch shows like New Game!! and Maid Dragon is obvious: cute girls doing cute things. Why else would Kanna be so constantly adorable and Quetzalcoatl so ditzy, Aoba so enthusiastic or Hifumi fantastically shy. While both series are so strong because they contain more than just your average moe-blob show, the cute girls remain a fundamental part of both.

Thinking about it, Tooru and Kanna are definitely carrying most of the weight for Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon when it comes to cute scenes, in fact, Kanna is debatably carrying more than what is reasonable for someone of her size. That deserves extra head pats. New Game!! is more of a moe feast, of sorts, with the entire cast being engineered to produce the highest amount of moe possibly on a continuous basis, with even the most senior members of staff having the cutest faces and most adorable personalities.

2. Let's Get Real

Just like we mentioned in our previous comparison with Centaur no Nayami, Kobayashi San Chi no Maid Dragon does actually have some real issues with it for the characters, although they might be addressed more lightly than in a drama series, and we think New Game!! is also similar in this regard.

With the series being based at a company, there are certain unavoidable realities that come along with that, such as deadlines and the fear of failing to perform up to what's expected of you. In more recent episodes we've seen Aoba dealing with some pretty serious disappointment as she loses out to senior staff, and Hifumi having to face up to her serious social anxiety, which although clearly comical at times, is obviously no easy task.

3. Aww Look at Her, All Grown Up

On a related note to that of realities shown in both series, let's talk about one of the other core themes they share: growing up. While Tooru might be an adult dragon, her maturity level is shockingly low, and then, of course, there's sweet little Kanna and socially inept Fafnir. On the New Game!! side, we're focused mainly on Aoba's new experiences in the adult world, along with Nene and some young new faces that appeared this season.

Many of Tooru's problems stem from both being away from home and from still being bound by her father, issues that are certainly not uncommon to those trying to break into adulthood. Kanna is literally growing up and learning to make friends, amongst other things, which she seems to be pretty good at. New Game!!'s situation is a little different, with Aoba and Nene having to learn how to take on adult responsibilities in the workplace and sometimes their personal lives, and even the older staff members sometimes learning a lesson or two from their younger colleagues, becoming that little bit more mature.