When I started watching this show, I thought it was just going to be a comedy-focused, fanservicy slice-of-life anime with cute, quirky characters getting into trouble. And you know what? That's pretty much what it was. SO WHY DID I UGLY CRY FOR 10 MINUTES STRAIGHT AFTER THE LAST EPISODE ENDED?? The answer is, Onimai is, in fact, all of that, and... more. A lot more. There's an incredibly powerful underlying theme of overcoming addiction that is explored through Mahiro's development. Mahiro is a porn-addicted shut-in that has very low self-worth, but shares an immense love for his little sister and science prodigy Mihari. The interesting thing about Mihari is that she only excelled at life because Mahiro motivated her. He took care of her, loved her, and would always be there for her no matter what. Without him, she wouldn't have gotten nearly as far as she did, so she has a greater appreciation for Mahiro than she could ever express in words, and it pains her to see how much of a slob he is. She notices how unhappy and unfulfilled his life is, and she knows he'll never do anything to change it. Thus, as a way to repay him for all he's done for her, she creates a potion that transforms him into a little girl, although never revealing the real motives behind experiment until very late in the show, so Mahiro just thinks it's a temporary thing for a college project of hers. Now, the real interesting part about this gender-swap show is that it's not just about Mahiro getting used to his new body. It's about him learning to find happiness again after being essentially reborn. The cool part is that Mihari and Mahiro's roles are now reversed: Mihari is now the older sibling that has to take care of the younger sister, and that's where the you notice what's so special about this show. Mahiro, of course (whom I'll be referring to with female pronouns from now), will be inclined to have the same lifestyle as before, being the slob she always used to be, but Mihari is so determined to get Mahiro to step out of her comfort zone that she dedicates almost every day of her life to help her engage in healthy behaviors, build good habits, socialize, and learn about a girl's body. Initially, all of this is terrifying and overwhelming to Mahiro, she can barely keep up with it. But over time, she grows less attached to her old eroge stuff, starts becoming more responsible, and when she looks in the mirror, she feels proud of the person looking back, even though it's still insanely hard for her to accept this new life. Sometimes she even tries new things, such as cooking. There's this one scene where Mahiro makes dinner to her sister because she's sick, and then Mihari doesn't know how to react and just... breaks into tears. In that moment, she not only realizes how much Mahiro has grown, but it also feels like the old times when Mahiro would take care of her. Mahiro's development is honestly the highlight of this show for me. It's so apparent in every episode, and you can't help but feel just as proud as Mihari when you notice how far she's come. It's such a natural progression, slowly coming to terms with this new reality, getting to know new people, experiencing life from a totally different perspective, and when you see her hanging out with her newmade friends, with the BIGGEST SMILE in her face, completely absorbed in the moment, and nearly BREAKING INTO TEARS out of SHEER HAPPINESS FOR BEING AROUND THEM... that's when Onimai gets to you. I can't explain in words, it's just utterly amazing and overflows you with joy.
The way they handled the final episode spoke to me in such a personal level. The effects of the potion are wearing off, and Mahiro's quickly turning into a boy again, and now she has to choose whether or not to drink another dose, keeping the girl body for a while longer, or going back to his old self. In that moment, she looks around to all her friends, reminds of all the moments she spent with them, reflects upon her entire life up until that point, realizing that choosing the comfort zone again would mean losing everything she has now. She then makes her decision and drinks the potion with a smile on her face, showing no sign of regret, finally embracing change. That scene... that scene meant the world to me. It was not only the culmination of Mahiro's growth throughout the entire show, but the absolute PERFECT metaphor for "Choosing water over wine." I was a mess after that episode.
Onimai is simply amazing all the way through. Mahiro's journey is so powerful and inspiring. I can only imagine how many people watched this character and felt motivated to change their lives for the better. I know I was one of them. The chemistry between Mahiro and Mihari is just AMAZING. You can FEEL the weight of their love for each other, and the narrative built around how they both, through their unconditional love and support for each other, have guided one another to success and happiness in their lives adds SO MUCH to their dynamic. Seriously, I feel like I can go on and on about this show. I haven't even mentioned the gorgeous animation that is pure bliss to look at, or the spectacular soundtrack that carries so much emotion in every scene, or even the supporting characters that literally redefine the word "adorable" and are just a joy to follow. All in all, though, Onimai is an incredibly strong anime that handles its themes phenomenally well, manages to be super funny and fun to watch, will make you squeal out of how cute the characters are at least twice per episode, features beautifully strong relationships, and tells a powerful message about going out there, embracing new things, meeting new people, and not clinging to your addictions. I don't know if this show is ever getting a season two, but you know what? I wouldn't mind if it doesn't. This is all I could've asked for. I would sure love if it did, but Episode 12 wrapped everything up so well that I can totally take it as the series finale. Major props to the entire Onimai crew, one of the sweetest, most adorable, fun, and heart-touching shows I've ever come across.
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