Beheneko: The Elf-Girl's Cat is Secretly an S-Ranked Monster! Arc Review

MIGHT BE SPOILERS FOR SOME. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

first and foremost, i'm not the best person to rate this anime. i'm only doing so now because i have the urge to give a comprehensive review of every anime i finish lolol. i've watched slice-of-life, fantasy, comedy series before, but this is my first time watching one that starts with reincarnation as its main premise.

i actually took a lot of screenshots in the anime because it's the usual art style that i enjoy. the character designs are cute and unique from one another. that said, the animation feels inconsistent, especially during action scenes. once again, i have to mention that the ecchi sequences are more polished than the action scenes. they're pretty straightforward about the fact that it is an ecchi anime.

for the writing, i initially got irritated by the excessive fanservice in the early episodes. i still believe that good comedy doesn't need to rely on it heavily, so whenever i write a review for each episode, i try to put myself in the shoes of those who'd enjoy these kinds of anime and tried to look for the positive in the series.

even so, beheneko clearly had potential in its setup. there were moments where tension and story progression could have been built more effectively, but these are often interrupted by the recurring fanservice segments aka the mandatory bath scenes in every episode lol

that said, the series does get better in the middle, especially in terms of story progression and character interactions. but if i'm being honest, i didn't really enjoy the ending as much since not everyone got their chance to shine. still, the series is made to be lighthearted, so it doesn't really aim for that deep narrative closure.

there are also things left unexplained. like who is this great master that alisha serves? few are saying alisha's immediate recognition of tama's nature is connected to it, but we'll never know until season 2 is announced.

in terms of emotional impact, there were a few moments that stood out. i'm a big fan of "found family" dynamics, so it was genuinely enjoyable to see the group gradually grow closer. stella ended up being my favorite character. special mention to feri's voice, SHES SO CUTE MAH BEBEEEE

the soundtrack is a break to all the ups and downs i felt throughout each episode. there's not much to say about it, except that it fits the story theme very well.

overall, it's best not to go into this anime with high expectations of complex story building. it's fairly mid, but it works as a light, turn-your-brain-off kinda fantasy series. it's been a nice ride, beheneko!