Comic Artist and Assistants

Summary: >

Aito is a perverse guy with his dream job: a job where he spends his days drawing panties. His manga has ups and downs, but to meet deadlines 4 female assistants endure his deviant ideas.

Thoughts: >

I almost gave up a few minutes into this one, wondering if it was worth the effort if I'd just hate it. Episodes are about 10 minutes long, so I figured I'd endure it to see if it would grow on me. It didn't.

As a comedy it has its moments, mostly using simplistic gags to get a laugh, which occasionally works, but more often doesn't. I had difficulty investing myself in a show where the guy is such a miserable pathetic example of a male. Aito single handedly sinks the entire show. Everyone accepts he's a pervert, but endure the situation for their own reasons. He makes perverse requests, which are denied (for obvious reasons), then resorts to sniveling, whining, crying and groveling when he doesn't get his way. Yeah...

The girl collection is so-so. A big boobed friendly girl serves no purpose at all. One girl looks young, but hates being treated like a child (don't get me started about the episode where she nearly pisses herself), and that's all she's got. The other two girls have a little more substance though.

Aito's editor seems like a bad slapstick gimmick who's always abusing him. Well, that much is true. They met in high school, with a quirky relationship progressing through the years. Aito's main assistant Ashisu, is the strongest character in the show, playing the "strait man" in comedy routines. She's an aspiring manga artist herself, but thus far hasn't broken into the industry. In the episode I most enjoyed, she uncharacteristically goes into sadist mode, tormenting Aito. Not sure why I liked that (because I hate him I imagine). It's amusing this inspires her next manuscript which is successful, but too hardcore to publish.

Overall it's a weak anime, with a harem that's hit and miss. Most of the comedy didn't do it for me, but I did get an occasional laugh. The big problem is the male lead is such a loser he makes the show nearly unwatchable. Better to avoid, even though it's a fairly short watch.

Screen Caps: >