ゆらぎ荘の幽奈さん

Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs – Full Season QandA Rundown

What’s the important information? Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs is a Summer 2018 harem/ecchi/comedy anime that aired 12 episodes from July to September. It is based on an ongoing shonen manga series by Tadahiro Miura.

What’s it about? Kogarashi Fuyuzora is a spirit medium who has lived a luckless life, frequently possessed by spirits and constantly homeless because of it, he finds himself at the doors of Yuragi Inn, a suspiciously cheap boarding house and former hot springs. The reason for the affordable accommodation is because it is haunted by the ghost of a high school girl named Yuuna. Immediately sensing a connection both physical and spiritual between himself and the girl he endeavours to find out Yuuna’s “lingering regret” that keeps her from moving on to heaven while also encountering the other ~supernatural~ secrets of the other female tenants of the inn.

The girls are all here, well until more join later in the season…

Why did you watch it? Aside from the fact that I’d read some of the manga before the series started it’s also an ecchi heavy harem series that is filled with beautiful anime girls who happen to tick off so many boxes both visually and characteristically. Of course I didn’t hesitate to watch this show!

Did you enjoy the show? I adored this series—while there’s plenty of things to nit-pick on the presentation side of things it’s easily overlooked for just how much fun this series is.

What was your favourite episode? It’s hard to pick because of every episode—regardless of the actual ‘plot’ of the individual episode—contributes at least a little to the overall story and characterisation while also endearing us to one or more of the characters in a substantial way. The episode that perhaps balanced the fan-service and the wholesomeness that this show became noteworthy for is Episode 9, “Chisaki of the Yuragi Inn” which puts Kogarashi amidst a cavalcade of harem shenanigans and yet has him acting gentlemanly and respectful throughout despite the ludicrous temptations thrown at him!

An easy thing to sleep through apparently.

What were your most favourite things about the show? Kogarashi is the most ~feminist~ a harem protagonist I’ve ever come across and I don’t use that word lightly as it’s practically unheard of that “harem” and “feminist” are combined favourably in a sentence. Never once does he underestimate or speak down to any of the women in Yuragi Inn, never once does he objectify or sexualise them. Sure he ends up getting involved in ~shenanigans~ but they’re never caused by his conscious efforts but as the results of genuine accidents or misunderstandings.

He’s also a badass fighter, which is pretty damn cool! Even if the fights take a backseat to the harem shenanigans.

What were your least favourite things about the show? This show will be infinitely better on blu-ray. Gimme them uncensored shenanigans already!

Who was your favourite character? Yuuna is a beacon of wholesomeness and innocence despite the ~shenanigans~ her sleep spreading gets her into with Kogarashi. She’s endearing and sweet but with a depth that’s rare for a character like her (amnesiac ghosts have seldom seen so fully realised). Sagiri comes so close a second that I’m tempted to call it a tie, but while this yandere has a ton of body-issues that are absolutely unfound of, not to mention all the other insecurities that come with being a feminine ninja her connection to Kogarashi and therefore the audience by proxy is just a bit weaker hence why I’m picking Yuuna as best character!

Thoughts on the OP (opening) and ED (ending) and the soundtrack in general? Initially I wasn’t too thrilled with the OP, “Momoiro Typhoon” by Luna Haruna but the more I listened to it week after week the more I enjoyed it—especially the latter part. And my opinion in the ED “Happen ~Kogarashi ni Fukarete~” by the female cast is somewhat similar, I enjoy it more now than I did at first.

What’s something unique about this show? The very concept of this show is unique, a harem anime but where the male protagonist’s goal is to never see the female main again by having her ~ascend~ to heaven because she’s a ghost with “lingering regrets” that keep her tied to the living world? Whether or not the series actually goes through with having Yuuna “cross over” it’s still a dark ending that the show is all too aware is the expected end goal.

What other anime are most like it for the sake of comparison? Monster Musume is a pretty solid comparison—though Kimihito—the protagonist in that series doesn’t hold a candle to Kogarashi but likewise the girls in Monster Musume are far more unique and distinct. As far as anime go, regardless of what you think of the harem genre’s tropes this is still a considerably unique anime and well worth the time spent on it!

I mean obviously there’s going to be a tentacle scene…

Who would you recommend it to? As long as you’re fine with excessive fan-service and harem related shenanigans this series is worth a recommendation to almost anyone—despite its genre its surprisingly wholesome and character driven—in addition to being ridiculously sexy—what, it can be both?!

Sum up the season in one sentence: ‘In death we’re privy to the allure of life in all its unexpected minutiae, aka ghost girls just wanna have fun.’

Final score? 92 out of 100.

Previous Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Reviews:

Putting The Bust In Ghostbusting – Episode 1 Review
Supernatural Ping Pong Girls – Episode 2 Review
Attack of the Perverted Plushies – Episode 3 Review
More Fish For The Cat God – Episode 4 Review
Breast Friends Forever – Episode 5 Review
The 100 Year Old Middle School Girl – Episode 6 Review
A Ghost Of A Chance – Episode 7 Review
How To Derail Your Dragon-God – Episode 8 Review
The Things That Go Hump In The Night – Episode 9 Review
I Dream Of Bikinis – Episode 10 Review
Dance With The Dead – Episode 11 Review
Summer Lovers – Episode 12 Review

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Summer Lovers – ‘Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs’ Episode 12 (Finale) Review

Summer Lovers – An Anime QandA Review of Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Episode 12

What’s the show? Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, Episode 12.

So what happens in the final episode? What, no jabs about how ‘perverted’ this show and by extension I am for liking it? I expected more from you!

Oh I’m sure it’ll come up naturally in the course of this review, so go on then… I will never cease to be amazed at how quickly but at the same time how seamlessly this show can transition from being all lewd and harem-y and fan service-y, to being heartfelt and emotional and genuinely touching. After Nonko once again is put under the pump to meet her publishing deadline and has to enlist the help of Kogarashi, Yuuna and Oboro (as the others are all away for Summer break) she decides the treat the 3 of them and herself to a beachside getaway in Okinawa!

I mean where else are you going to put a phone in an outfit like that?!

Wait, didn’t we just have a beach episode like two episodes ago?! I know! Aren’t we lucky! So after the requisite beachside shenanigans of skimpy bikinis and suntan lotion application we get into the proper story of the episode. Turns out there’s a ghost other than Yuuna here, a bound ghost who is stuck with her “lingering regret” at having lost her lover while waiting for him at the cliffs edge. They were to elope you see but she crashed his motorcycle on the bend before the cliff side and plunged into the ocean so she jumped in to try and save him and they both died. So Kogarashi being the gentlemanly spirit medium that he is tries to get them to reconnect (he’s stuck haunting the bend he crashed at) so they can both pass on.

I’m glad Yuuna is the kind of ghost with legs, not like this other girl.

And what’s this got to do with anything? Well, if you’d bothered to pay attention to my reviews you’d know that Yuuna too is a bound ghost with an unresolved lingering regret and a burgeoning romantic connection with someone who wants to help her ‘pass on’. This episode, flawlessly and emotionally brought that particular bitter-sweet factor of their relationship back to the forefront while solidifying Yuuna and Kogarashi’s connection. Duh!

Right. Sorry. So what else happens in this episode? A lot of Kogarashi getting into harem-related shenanigans and being thrown out windows by Yuuna’s poltergeist abilities. And, while this episode doesn’t stray too far from the tried and true formula this series has enacted since episode one it does have a definite wistful, almost melancholic feel—that’s not to mention giving us plenty of “god-rays” and well placed fog that’ll soon be in wonderful uncensored glory soon enough!

You’re such a pervert it boggles my mind sometimes… and there it is! Wonderful! Wouldn’t be a Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs review without your scornful words! And so the episode and the season ends with our whole cast having a bath and Kogarashi crashing in, much like he did in the first episode. In addition to that melancholic feel I mentioned above there’s something very cyclical about this season that I really like. Immediately after this episode I went back and watched the start of episode 1 (which for those who don’t know starts with a scene presumably takes place years in the future with Yuuna ‘passing on’) and there’s a definite sense that should this show not get a second season we’ve at least got a sense of closure that you usually don’t get with these types of anime.

And do you think this will get a second season? Out of all the anime I watched this season this is the one I think most likely to get a second-season. It’s not my preferred, as that goes to How Not To Summon A Demon Lord, but it’s a close second. Here’s hoping there’s enough perverts out there like me buying up the uncensored blu-rays in Japan to warrant another season!

Previous Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Reviews:

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Dance With The Dead – ‘Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs’ Episode 11 Review

Dance With The Dead – An Anime QandA Review of Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Episode 11

What’s the show? Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, Episode 11.

So what happens in this episode—as if I need to ask? What’s that supposed to mean?

Oh, nothing, nothing… do go on… Hmm, anyway, so the episode continues on from last week where two of Kogarashi’s male classmates have, in their adolescent anger against not getting to partake in the test of courage with their female classmates knock over a stone that’s sealing a powerful Yokai. Thankfully Kogarashi is nearby and stops the beast from killing the boys, not by force this time but by having the others apologise for waking him. Recognising Kogarashi’s strength the beast accepts their apology and retreats back to its resting place.

Also there’s a hot springs on their school trip, also, uncensored blu-ray when?!

Okay… I’ll admit it’s kind of anti-climactic, but then again this show isn’t really about fighting monsters, that’s just an added seasoning to the thing this show does best!

Let me guess, boobs? How dare you?! No actually, this might surprise you but the thing this show does better than (nearly) any show this season is heart. And the scene I’m specifically referencing in this episode was genuinely one of the sweetest things I’ve seen Kogarashi do for Yuuna—I’m actually tearing up just at the thought of it.

Fine, what’s so “sweet” about this thing what Kogarashi does for Yuuna? Well there’s the obligatory (and non-compulsory—thought it was interesting they added that caveat) ‘cheek-to-cheek’ dance around the bonfire, which should be instantly familiar to anyone who’s watched a school based anime. And of course Yuuna, having died before having had the opportunity to partake in such a ‘life event’ wants to dance too, Kogarashi recognises this instantly and takes her to dance, even though as a ghost Yunna is invisible and so Kogarashi just looks like he’s dancing with himself like a mad man. But Kogarashi doesn’t care, he simply says to her “as long as I can see you” and hearts everywhere melted. What a gentleman!

Well, okay, I admit that is rather nice of Kogarashi but what about the harem shenanigans? Did I say anything about them going away? No, of course they’re still there, what kind of show do you think this is? It wants to have its cake and grope it too!

Ugh, so anything else happen? Well, yeah, that’s only like half the episode! Later, everyone’s back at the hot springs inn and Kogarashi, Sagiri and Yaya are all helping each other study for upcoming exams so Yuuna decides she wants to cook a treat for them all. Meanwhile, Oboro is still trying to blunt-force seduce Kogarashi but after that fails again, she consults Koyuzu the mischievous tanuki loli for some ~magical~ assistance in the form of a love potion. She adds it to one of the three deserts but Nonko ends up distracting Oboro and she loses track of which desert has the potion. But rather than tell anyone she just lets the ensuing shenanigans play out.

I can’t imagine what was distracting here…

Of course she does… she sounds as bad as you! Quiet. So Kogarashi doesn’t receive the tainted desert but Sagiri does and proceeds to blushingly half-confess her feelings while also dealing with her own insecurities about her ‘femininity’ (i.e. that she thinks she’s not feminine enough for Kogarashi to be interested in her). And even with a face full of Sagiri’s fine assets he still manages to say exactly the right thing to say and doesn’t take advantage of the situation—it’s almost like he’s too perfect of a harem protagonist. The love potions wears off, everyone’s embarrassed, Yuuna is relieved, Koyuzu apologises but it’s Sagiri who has the most interesting reaction as she hides under the blankets in her room.

Trust me Sagiri, you’re plenty good enough!

What’s that? That she wished she was more “confident” when under the influence of the love potion, meaning she clearly wants Kogarashi and just is beholden to her shyness and inexperience—poor girl!

So overall thoughts on the episode? Filled with heart, laughs and tons of fan-service, what more could I need?! Seriously though, a strong contender for best episode so far even if it did start a little bit weaker than others!

I don’t know why I included this image. Teehee!

Previous Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Reviews:

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I Dream Of Bikinis – ‘Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs’ Episode 10 Review

I Dream Of Bikinis – An Anime QandA Review of Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Episode 10

What’s the show? Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, Episode 10.

So what happens in this episode? It’s a bikini bonanza, a smorgasbord of swimwear, a—

—Stop! I get it, it’s a beach episode… that’s all you needed to say! Not just a beach episode but a trying on of bikinis before leaving for the trip ~plus~ the titular beach episode all in one ample handful!

The eternal dilemma for a girl not the *least* bit fashion-savvy.

Your enthusiasm would be infectious if it wasn’t so despicable… so is this whole review going to be about you ogling anime girls in bikinis, should I let the more discerning readers know they can skip this review? There’s a plot in there too! We’re also introduced to two new characters, anime based on manga’s have the tendency to introduce new characters late in the run because it’s around volume 3 or 4 of the manga that new characters get introduced too so the anime follows suit, no matter how pointless it might seem for the initiated audience who are only expecting a single season.

Are they any good? The way you word that leads my answer to be open to interpretation, so I’ll run with it—yes there’s Urakata Urara (try saying that ten times fast) and she’s one of Sagiri’s classmates and a fellow ninja affiliated with her clan. She’s also your typical genki girl and pretty cute to boot! She’s the one who convinces Sagiri to get a new bikini for the school trip and they get up to all sorts of wonderful shenanigans in the changing room!

Urakata isn’t happy about the size discrepancy between them.

…Right, and the other girl? That’d be Kanazawa Seri—a long time friend of Chisaki, she’s got a bit of a reformed bad-girl aesthetic and can get riled up pretty quickly but she’s pretty hot to boot!

Uh-huh, so is there any reason why these new girls are showing up all of a sudden? Don’t we have a cast of female characters waiting back at the hot springs? Well with the exception of Sagiri none of the girls back at the hot springs inn go to Kogarashi’s high school so when this show wants to partake in some school related shenanigans it has to broaden its horizons and therefore its female cast if it wants to make the most of things like beach episodes!

…So they’re basically just there to up the fan-service body count? When you put it like that it sounds so demeaning! They’re well written characters with individual personalities and interests and relationships with one-another and oh, what’s that coming out of the water? It’s a giant tentacle monster that strips off bikinis!

Seriously?! It’s a beach episode in an ecchi show with known supernatural elements and a protagonist who fights them—of course there’s going to be a tentacle monster! It’d be weird if there wasn’t one!

Your weird. So anything else happen aside from blatant attempts at getting as much fan service out of this set-up as possible? So a recurring plot element of the show is that no-one believes that Kogarashi is the one-punch ghost-busting exorcist hero that he is, they think all the supernatural stuff that happens around him is just “parlour tricks”. So Chisaki and new character Kanazawa enlist the help of Yuuna, Sagiri and Urakata to spring an elaborate ‘encounter’ while they’re participating with the rest of their classmates on the “test of courage”. Their plan is to spawn a big monster that Kogarashi will fight and the rest of the class will witness or at least here about his heroic deeds and he will be vindicated. It’s a nice thought, they want him to be appreciated by his class for being the unsung hero that he is but of course things go astray as a much worse monster appears in the woods, and that’s more or less where the episode ends!

Not pictured: the giant monster in the woods. Have this wholesome shenanigan instead!

Cliff-hanger, eh? Fair enough. So what’s your opinion on the episode as a whole? It was a lot of fun with great character moments and lots of lewd humour and two new girls who immediately make a terrific addition to the cast—what more could I ask for?! I’m not sure it needed to be split across two episodes but I guess we’ll see if there’s enough content for it with next week’s episode!

I can’t wait for the blu-ray version to fix these pesky lens flares!

Previous Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Reviews:

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The Things That Go Hump In The Night – ‘Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs’ Episode 9 Review

The Things That Go Hump In The Night – An Anime QandA Review of Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Episode 9

What’s the show? Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, Episode 9.

So what happens in this episode? You know how you’re always ragging on me about how perverted and fan service-y this show is and I keep telling you, “no, it’s not just that it’s also warm and wholesome and has considerable character development”?

Yes, I do recall something to that affect. Why do you bring that up? Well we’ve officially got an episode that is pretty much just wall-to-wall fan service, so feel free to insult me and criticise me all you want!

Eh~ it’s not as much fun when you’re inviting me to do so, I like knocking you down when you’re desperately trying to defend something! Wow, you’re kinda sadistic, you know that?

I take what fun I can find in this job. So, eh, a fan-service episode of an ecchi/harem series, I’m almost terrified to ask… So the plot of the episode is Chisaki is coming to visit her ghostly BFF Yuuna at the hot springs inn, and from the second she opens the door there’s shenanigans what with last week’s addition to the harem Oboro straddling Kogarashi, half-naked and trying to get him to impregnate her. Kogarashi leaves for the weekend—having to take care of a job that’ll take all night, leaving the girls of the inn to introduce themselves to Chisaki. Things quiet down a little as they share a meal and invite Chisaki to stay over the night for a sleepover but as soon as they hit the hot springs for a soak, things really start to steam up!

Man, that steam sure is hovering in some very specific places!

Booo! Lame joke, please continues. Tsk, so obviously this scene is heavily censored—making the prospect all the more exciting for the impending uncensored blu-ray, but seeing as I have the manga I’ve more or less seen the black-and-white version of all the fan service already, still it’s something to look forward to!

*rolls eyes* So what happens after that? After that it’s time for some typical ‘girls having a sleepover’ fun—excluding the pillow fight, which was kind of a surprise, but appreciated as I think pillow fights are kinda lame anyway. So Chisaki is sharing Yuuna’s room with Koyuzu the tanuki girl and after some talk about relationships and some costume play courtesy of Koyuzu’s shape-shifting powers they go to sleep and that’s when the real fun starts.

While they’re sleeping? That’s… unusual? It might be for any other show but Yuuna’s a notorious sleeping habits means very quickly Chisaki feels the full weight of Yunna’s naked body on top of her and from there things quickly spiral—especially after an exhausted Kogarashi comes home early from his job and lies next to Chisaki who he didn’t know was spending the night.

I’ve heard of sleep-walking but sleep groping? Wait of course I’ve heard of sleep groping this is an ecchi after all…

Oh boy. What’s he do? Well not a lot, it’s more what happens ~around~ him that makes this scene a cavalcade of lewd shenanigans, first Chisaki loses her top, then her bottoms, falls in a compromising position with Kogarashi in full view of her backside—meanwhile Koyuzu sees Chisaki’s breasts presented in front of her and the oppai obsessed Tanuki thinks she’s dreaming and takes the opportunity to have a suck on her nipples. Which then causes Chisaki to tumble back and sit on Kogarashi’s face—remember she’s sans-underwear at this point too!

…I don’t even know what to say at this point. Yeah, I was pretty speechless too!

Undoubtedly for different reasons I’m guessing. So what does Kogarashi do in reaction to this? This isn’t the first time he’s been woken with a face full of someone’s privates, Yunna’s done it to him before too. So it only ~mildly~ flusters him, though Chisaki being the honest, good girl that she is is mortified and worried that she’s ‘revved his engine’ so to speak. Her mothers words about boys taking advantage of girls ringing in her ears as she cowers, but Kogarashi being the gentlemen that he is, simply pulls the covers over her naked body and goes back to sleep.

‘Good Guy Kogarashi’, huh? Pretty much. And if that weren’t enough shenanigans Oboro comes in still intent on securing Kogarashi’s “seed”. Again Chisaki presumes the worst of Kogarashi and that he’ll succumb to his baser instincts but once again ‘Good Guy Kogarashi’ answers the call and sets her straight, saying he doesn’t intend to have sex with anyone unless he’s in love with them and they likewise. Respecting his wishes (for now) Oboro leaves, but not before declaring her new goal—to make him fall in love with her.

Well… that was certainly an ‘eventful’ episode… So where’s this episode rank among the others? I’ve always said I’m fond of ‘harem shenanigans’—especially when the male protagonist isn’t partaking but rather things are happening to him and these were some pretty epic-tier shenanigans. That said, I think this show is at it’s best when it balances the shenanigans with the heart and the balance was decidedly off this week. But regardless I enjoyed it a lot and look forward to a bit less fan service focus on next week’s episode—oh wait never mind it’s a beach episode!

Also we get to see what Kouzu looks like aged up and, yes please!

Previous Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Reviews:

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How To Derail Your Dragon-God – ‘Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs’ Episode 8 Review

How To Derail Your Dragon God – An Anime QandA Review of Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Episode 8

What’s the show? Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, Episode 8.

So last week ended on a bit of a ~dire~ cliff hanger, did it not? Somewhat, Kogarashi, Sagiri and Koyuzu had infiltrated the underground castle of the Black Dragon God Ryuuga to rescue Yuuna who had been kidnapped and forced into a marriage against her will. What made the situation so dire is that apparently the Black Dragon God—as the name suggests is a god-tier creature that are considered unbeatable—at least as far as the various ninja clans are concerned.

You can tell he’s the bad guy because he’s got darker lines!

Yikes! So what does Kogarashi and co. do? He beats him with one punch.

What?! That’s a bit overpowered isn’t it? Maybe, but then again Kogarashi is unlike any other being that’s been before—yes he’s just a “mere human” but he’s evidently been possessed by every kind of ghost and demon under the sun at some point in his life which has left him with not only a wealth of knowledge and skill but also spiritual power.

O…okay then? But isn’t that kind of unsatisfying, a one punch victory? I don’t know if I’d say ‘unsatisfying’ it’s intentionally comical for one thing—besides I get the feeling this show’s focus isn’t going to be on action, I mean it’s genres on Wikipedia are “Comedy, Harem, Supernatural”. The only reason it has any action at all (I assume) is because it appears in Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan and is ~technically~ a shonen series despite having absurd amounts of fan-service.

I see, so it gets a pass on skimping out on the action because of its genres? I’d say so—it’d be a different story if it wasn’t entertaining but this show is just so joyously fun that whatever perceived deficiencies it has it makes up for them in other areas.

But doesn’t Kogarashi being so over-powered kind of negate the need for the other girls to have powers? Like what about the badass ninja Sagiri? I’ll admit, seeing her so easily defeated by Ryuuga’s chief retainer Oboro was a little annoying but I loved the fact that when Kogarashi was being sliced and diced by Obora in a later scene—unable to fight back against her because of his strict rule of not punching women (#feminism) it was Nonko the ogre who stopped the swinging blade with her bare hand. These are still powerful women they just happen to be in the presence of a very powerful man.

Nonko is just a straight up badass (when drunk).

So the bad guy’s defeated, what happens to that Oboro woman? Well for one thing Ryuuga’s not actually dead—he was just knocked out and knowing that; a) Ryuuga’s a stubborn dude and b) they can’t expect to win against Kogarashi and his crew they strike a deal and decide to play a trick on Ryuuga as he wakes. With Koyuzu’s ability to make illusions she conjures an image of Yuuna and Sagiri “ascending to heaven” having had all their desires fulfilled by him and being able to pass on into the afterlife. Nevermind the fact that Sagiri’s not actually a ghost, but because Ryuuga’s so thick and they appeal to his male ego he actually believes this ploy which pretty much leaves them able to go on with their lives as normal. Well… almost normal…

Oh, and what’s that mean? The episode ends with Kogarashi waking up on his futon with an accidental handful of breast—like has happened countless times before—except it’s slightly smaller than ample bosom usually provided by Yuuna. That’s because the breast belongs to Obora who has snuck into the Yuragi-Inn in order to propagate a strong lineage for her clan and who better a specimen than someone as powerful as Kogarashi!

The harem expands, eh? Yep! And man does she have a good body, it was hidden under so many layers that Kogarashi and Sagiri had previously mistaken her for a dude but there’s no mistaking it now! I can’t wait to see this series uncensored on the blu-ray… Ahem!

So final verdict on the episode? It’s probably my least favourite episode of the series so far but it’s still great fun—it’s just lacking a bit of the heart and character moments that previous ones had (though not completely devoid—the scene where everyone returned back to the inn where the caretaker Chisaki had been nervously awaiting their return was sweet.) Also—and I don’t usually like to comment on these kinds of things—but the animation felt a bit lacking in this episode with an over-reliance on still shots over actual action and some weird angles on characters faces. It’s nothing to be alarmed about yet but still worth mentioning. Other than that, just plain fun!

Previous Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Reviews:

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A Ghost Of A Chance – ‘Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs’ Episode 7 Review

A Ghost Of A Chance – An Anime QandA Review of Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Episode 7

What’s the show? Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, Episode 7.

So what happens at the Hot Springs this episode? You know despite having ‘Hot Springs’ in the title this show isn’t obligated to be set there every episode, in fact I’d say 95% of this episode happens off-site.

Fair enough, so what’s it about then? A new antagonist, who comes in the form of Ryuuga Genshiro, a woman obsessed lothario who’s trawling the hot springs town for a bride—but not just any bride but one with suitable spiritual power and being that it’s a small town it’s not long before he spies Yuuna doing an errand run with Koyuzu the tanuki girl. And so despite her protests he kidnaps Yuuna and brings her to be his bride and brings her back to his mysterious underground palace in order to do unspeakable things to her!

Erm, shouldn’t *she* have a say in this? Oh, right, villain. Never mind…

Oh no, what’s he do to her?! In his possession he has a device of true debauchery that forces any woman to be subjected to embarrassments the like no woman has ever had to endure. Like being dressed in a gym outfit, and a bunny-girl costume, and a nurse, among others! Oh the humanity!

Are you trying to make a joke? I’m trying to relay the joke the show makes, that’s the thing about this new protagonist he’s actually very funny and ~almost~ charming as a result, and despite the whole “kidnapping” thing he’s not actually that threatening—at least not to Yuuna.

That’s him thinking about what Kogarashi is *implied* to have done to Yuuna, which makes the Black Dragon a tad jealous!

Which means? Well, this guy also happens to be a “god”, specifically the Black Dragon God—which is actually just a title given by ninja clans to enemies “too powerful” to defeat. And which of course Kogarashi, our fool-hardy protagonist decides he can beat—which I mean fair enough, he’s gotta rescue Yuuna after all. Plus he’s joined by Sagiri, who’s quickly moving up the list in terms of ‘who is best girl in this show’. It’s still narrowly Yuuna, but it’s close!

Oh, the bad guy lives there? Who would have thought!

So what happens? Well, not a lot actually, they infiltrate the underground palace’s grounds and Sagiri (as well as a miniature version of Koyuzu who’s come along because she feels responsible for not being able to protect Yuuna) decide to rescue Yuuna while Kogarashi draws the attention of the Black Dragon God, which he does by yelling insults at him from the front gate. Not exactly the most subtle of plans… It’s at this point he’s captured and the episode kind of just ends on that cliffhanger.

I eagerly await Kogarashi laying the smack down on the kidnapping bastard!

Multi-part episode eh? Yeah, and honestly it’s kind of refreshing from the multiple mini-stories per episode format that it had been entertaining for the previous three episodes. While those were nice in getting to know each of the characters a little, I much prefer the long-form format and this being a 2-part (at minimum) story-arc feels a lot more satisfying. It gives not only the plot room to breathe but the characters too; they don’t have to feel rushed into satisfying both a comedic and character-building component in a short period of time.

Another of *many* scenes I eagerly await to uncensored on blu-ray.

Anything else you wanted to add? Oh my god, Sagiri’s skin-tight ninja costume… I could just—

Nope! Enough of that! Boo…

Previous Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Reviews:

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The 100 Year Old Middle School Girl – ‘Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs’ Episode 6 Review

The 100 Year Old Middle School Girl – An Anime QandA Review of Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Episode 6

What’s the show? Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, Episode 6.

So, uh, what’s this episode about? Much like last week it’s divided into segments and once again this show boggles my mind with how it’s able to blend wholesomeness and lewdness within the space of a single scene—and do so flawlessly everytime!

I’m kind of scared to ask you to elaborate given what you’ve titled this review… The first segment concerns Chitose Nakai—the pint sized caretaker of Yuragi Inn, she’s an old sole—quite literally, she’s been alive for over 100 years but she has the appearance of a 13 year old. And she’s got a little secret that she’s keeping from the other residents of the Inn, she’s attending middle school for the first time! It’s kind of adorable seeing her be so secretive about something so innocent but the reason she is being so secretive about it is because she’s afraid if the others find out she’ll lose her authority as caretaker—and that’s very important to her.

Okay. And why is she wanting to attend middle school now after all these years on Earth? Because she’s able to, see the Principal of the local school is someone she used to know many years ago when he was just a gap-toothed little brat, and he’s also one of the few humans who knows about her non-aging abilities so it’s the perfect opportunity for her to be able to attend a ~normal~ school and have a ~normal~ life without people questioning things. And she’s even made from friends who are very genki middle-schoolers and it’s all lovely and wholesome—

Is it just me or this a really nuanced expression? Like she seriously *looks* her age (by that I mean 100+) such a wizened, contemplative gaze.

I’m waiting for the lewd… waiting and worrying… Oh don’t get so worked up it’s just a couple of school uniform panty-shots thrown in here and there courtesy of Chistose—but it’s okay because she’s not actually a middle-schooler but 100 years old, see?! And they don’t lewd her school friends (yet) so I’m totally taking the moral high ground here!

That’s a pretty flimsy excuse and you know it… I don’t make the rules here!

I like the blonde friend’s voice actress, seems very familiar but I’m too lazy to look it up.

Whatever. And what about the second part? Yuuna and Kogarashi go on a date, to a water-park hot springs hybrid (which apparently exist) and which I’m totally going to find next time I’m in Japan. And it’s filled with all the bikini-trying on, bikini’s falling off on water-slides kind of shenanigans you’d expect from the setting except it’s anchored with a true emotional heart. Kogarashi is trying so hard to make this date a success but of course because Yuuna is invisible to everyone else it ends up just being awkward every time they try and do something ‘couple-y’ (like order a couples drink or go in a photo both, etc.). Afterward, as they’re soaking in the swimsuit allowing co-ed hot springs together Yuuna confesses that while she did enjoy the day and was happy he was trying so hard she hopes that their next date can have the real Kogarashi and not the one who’s frantically trying to make everything perfect.

Life’s tough when you have an invisible girlfriend.

And why was he trying so hard? Kogarashi was trying to ascertain whether some aspect of going on a date (which Yuuna had never done while she alive) was linked to the “lingering regret” or unfinished business that’s keeping her on Earth and preventing her from “ascending” to heaven. And as she looks into her eyes Kogarashi realises that if she did end up ascending, he would be sad—confirming his burgeoning feelings for Yuuna. So sweet! This show continues to be a genuine treat each episode and I look forward to seeing how much their relationship grows in the episodes to come. Also more harem shenanigans please!

Previous Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Reviews:

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Breast Friends Forever – ‘Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs’ Episode 5 Review

Breast Friends Forever – An Anime QandA Review of Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Episode 5

What’s the show? Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, Episode 5.

Let me guess, another hot springs episode? Funnily enough I don’t think there’s any actual hot springs action this episode, mentions of it obviously but no actual bathing scenes—I guess even an ecchi anime set in a hot springs has to show some restraint!

Well I am surprised! So what happens in this episode? I kind of adored the first half of this episode—it was genuinely touching! Chisaki wants to get to know Yuuna better, I mean she wants to be friends with her, obviously as does Yuuna with Chisaki! But there’s one pretty big obstacle standing in the way of their budding friendship—Chisaki can’t see or hear Yuuna, like at all—she is a ghost after all! And rather than rely on Kogarashi to act as a communicator Yuuna decides it’s better if their communication goes the way of ‘pen pals’, or rather Yuuna writes down her questions and answers and Chisaki talks out-loud as if she was having a normal conversation.

Seems like it’d be easier to just text, but whatever! This works too!

So Yuuna can interact with objects just not people? Well that’s not true either, Yunna can touch people and too she can be touched and does so here allowing Chisaki to touch her face and body so Chisaki can get a better idea of what Yuuna looks like. The scenes between them are so sweet as they get to be better friends despite the immense challenge of one of the people being an invisible ghost. It’s almost like a relationship forming between an able bodied person and a blind and deaf person—or something more relatable, like an Internet relationship.

How is it like an Internet relationship? Well at least from Chisaki’s point of view the correspondence is entirely text-based, no emotion, no tone, no body language and yet they become such good friends in such a short of time. And might I also add that I’m glad they didn’t go with the whole Chisaki being jealous that Yuuna lives in the same room as Kogarashi at the inn and make them rivals. Yuuna needs and deserves more friends her own age and in Chisaki she’s found a real keeper.

When taking selfies with ghosts make sure to apply as many filters and stickers as possible to distract from the terrifying image!

Well this sounds very wholesome indeed! Oh and Yuuna strips Chisaki down to her underwear to get a better look at the school uniform so she can replicate it for herself to wear then Chisaki feels up Yuuna and the two end up getting spooked by Kogarashi and end up entangled together on the floor.

Of course they do… *sigh* I don’t know why I thought this show could be wholesome and not perverted. It can and is both simultaneously! Even the irlwaifu was surprised how endearing and sincere it was before switching gears into full-blown ecchi shenanigans.

So what happens in the other half of the episode? It’s Nonko’s time for some character development! We learn that the alcohol loving ogre is actually a mangaka and she’s could a strict deadline for her next volume, so her editor comes by and with the help of Kogarashi the three work hard to complete the manga for the deadline with no fuss and not a single perverted diversion!

This is what I imagine Irina’s house to look like…

Now I know that you’re lying… Okay fine, so in order to “help out” with a panel where the female protagonist of the manga is being ‘assaulted’ by an aggressive male, they dress up and have the editor take reference photos while Kogarashi pretends to ‘assault’ Nonko—which is basically just her excuse for the two of them two engage in some risqué foreplay while documenting it on camera. From a harem perspective she’s strictly having fun with him, especially considering he’s much younger than she is (probably by about 6 years or so).

Nothing wrong with a little ~pretending~ among friends…

And is it a good segment? Well it’s nowhere near as good as the first half but it’s still a lot of fun—reminded me fondly of Comic Girls what with all the late-night scrambling to finish a manga before a looming deadline. Though I did appreciate that they gave Nonko a bit of back-story with regard to her pre-mangaka days when she was a yokai hunter for a powerful family but quit after realising she wanted more from life. It was a nice scene that helped ground her as a real person (or ogre) and prevented her from becoming a one-note character. And that’s kinda the best thing about this show, that regardless of how fan service-y it gets it still always gets the characterisation spot-on and makes this more than just ‘harem shenanigans’ for the sake of it.

Previous Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Reviews:

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