Ishuzoku Reviewers is the best anime I've ever seen, but not for the reason you'd think (that's part of it though) · 1:50pm Feb 11th, 2020

So I checked out Ishuzoku Reviewers at the behest of a very dear friend who's like the BIGGEST pervert and slut I know, but knows their stuff. Normally I wait till seeing three episodes of an anime to decide if its a winner or not. This one I knew from episode 1. Now I've sat down and watched up to episode 5 of this godly anime, and in the midst of all the controversy, I have to say...

This anime is fantastic!

First off, I wanna talk about the opening. An anime opening is important, because it sets the stage for the whole show. Take for example Guilty Crown's opening (another anime I'll be reviewing at some point), titled "My Dearest".

The very first line and the tone tell you what sort of anime this is. Even if you don't read the subtitles, the emotion of the singer feel loving and almost desperate, and toward the end you can hear just how much her love for whoever she's singing to almost hurts. And knowing what's being said makes the message hit home even more. You get a feel for that just from the opening line: So everything that makes me whole, I give it all to you now. I'm yours. A line that also hints at the mechanic of taking a persons very being and turning it into a weapon, the power of the MC.

Another example before we get back to the main point is Darling in the FranXX's opening, titled "Kiss of Death".

The mechanical, techno vibe lets you know first off that this is a mecha anime, but that's not really the biggest thing here. The singer at first sounds almost demonic, or animalistic all through the opening verse. But as the verse goes, there's a sense of longing in the song as she's singing to her "darling" to "let her have a taste". The bridge's line of "Will your lips taste the kiss of death" being sung sensually lets you know this girl might be trouble, but is still enticing, only for the song to then explode into the chorus that sounds almost triumphant and happy, as she's singing about just how happy the feeling of being with her darling makes her. Another thing to note is that the opening line and the next to last line in the opening are both saying something akin to "It's alright, there's no need to be afraid" but at first there's a kinda sick monstrous tone to it, and then the second time it's said in a truly loving and downright honest manner, both versions together hinting that the singer is something inhuman that's terrifying, she KNOWS this, but she doesn't want the one she loves to be afraid of her despite this.

What does ANY of this have to do with Ishuzoku Reviewers? It's opening accomplishes this same feat in such a way that to me its mind boggling.

First off, can we talk about how this song sounds like "In the Navy" and "YMCA" together?! Right there it's inviting and familiar to most people. Just listening to the song you can't help but feel happy. And once you understand exactly what the song is saying, you realize that the anime is literally inviting the viewer on this adventure. It's essentially saying "It's okay if some of this isn't your thing. If you enjoy lewdness and sex, you're our friend," and I feel like I'm with friends when I watch this anime. I feel like I'm with them on this adventure to test out every single brothel in the world.

Which goes into the next big thing. The plot.

The main characters are brothel reviewers and adventurers. There are a ton of characters, but the three main guys are a master swordsman named Stunk (human), his partner in crime and best friend Zel (elf) and Crim, an androgynous angel who fell out of heaven after breaking his halo and is waiting for it to heal. The three of them live in a world where sex work is legal since succubi are a thing here, and since everyone apparently has a bit of succubus blood in them, by technicality they can ALL gain work in the sex industry, leading to all types of brothels that have many different services. From catgirls and elves, to cyclops and salamander girls, there's literally a fetish for all sorts of people. Combined with how detailed the fantasy world actually is, its really easy to immerse yourself there, and you kinda get the feeling that you're looking into another world entirely, rather than an anime that's just trying to be perverted for the sake of perversion.

It's VERY perverted mind you, especially if you watch the uncensored version like a true connoisseur of the fine arts.

Now, not everything will be to the liking of the person watching it. See, this anime is taking all of these different species to their most realistic extreme, so just because a woman looks enticing, she might actually be into some weird shiz. That actually works to the shows benefit in my opinion. The creators of the original manga even stated that he wants some of the things shown to turn people off, as that's just realistic. This also makes you form a bond with the main characters too, as each one is very different. A perfect example is Stunk and Zel shown in the first episode. Stunk loves the elf brothel because the women are extremely old but long lived and eternally young, giving them this otherworldly and exotic feel. Zel on the other hand HATES that place ironically because apparently their mana gives away their age to him, and since he's only about 200 (which I think is like 20 to an elf) to him he's having sex with an old hag. Ironically, his favorite woman in town is an older woman that most wouldn't find appealing, but he loves her because of how young she is compared to him AND her vitality.

And that's just a tiny example. As the story progresses, they review more brothels and give them scores out of 10 before posting them at the local bar they spend their time at when not on the hunt. Their scores, and the scores of the other side characters traveling with them, are all varied for different reasons, that all make sense in context. Sometimes, someone will be turned down entirely for a seemingly dumb reason, but it's perfectly understandable. Crim learns that the hard way in episode 2.

They couldn't handle Angel Boy...

Because the characters themselves are all varied, the viewer never feels cheated out of the experience of watching. They're in a sense, just one of the reviewers. This anime is a masterpiece through and through. My advice, watch it somewhere. ANYWHERE. I don't care HOW you see this anime. Get the manga. Give this anime your support, PLEASE. This anime sparked my love for anime all over again.

10/10

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