2009 has not been a good year for anime comedies, with almost every show practically laugh-less and too moe for its own good. Can "Nyan Koi!" manage to escape from that sort of fate?
Based on the manga by Sato Fujiwara "Nyan Koi!" follows Junpei Kōsaka, a high school student that not only despises cats, but is also allergic to them. One day Junpei kicks a can, which accidentally breaks a statue of a cat deity. As soon as this happens he gains the ability to hear and understand every cat he comes across. (Think the feline equivalent of "What Women Want.") Junpei then finds out that if he doesn't complete one-hundred good deeds for cats, then he himself would be turned into a cat. To avoid being allergic to himself, Junpei concedes and begins to complete the one-hundred tasks. Can he manage this without anyone knowing, including his crush Kaede?
After watching the first six episodes I can honestly say that "Nyan Koi!" is a joy to watch. The premise, at first, sounded too clichéd and overdone. However those ideas were put to rest by the end of the first episode. The cats, especially Tama the calico cat, are not just there to be adorable; they are there to add commentary about the humans around them. They are funny, but also a bit philosophical when they compare the lives of people to felines. Plus the Junpei/Kaede love plot is not beaten like a dead horse. How they seem to grow close to one another, and then pulled apart quickly due to feline stupidity, is quite hilarious. And yes, expect a sort of love pentagon(?) between Junpei and just about every girl he comes across, but knowing that he just wants to be with Kaede crushes any chance (thankfully) of another harem anime. In short, "Nyan Koi!" is a show that not only lets you have your cheeseburger, but your fries and shake with it.
"Nyan Koi!" gets an A. It has just about everything cat lovers can want for an anime comedy, and it also has a lot that other people can enjoy too. And this is from someone that's more of a dog person...
Labels: Anime, Anime Calamity, cat girls, comedy, King Baby Duck, Nyan Koi
