483rd G-View: OniMai! I’m Now Your Sister!

Admittedly this is one of those shows a fan of mine recommended I check out as I had no idea what to expect nor if it was worth my time. I imagine readers are here to find out after finishing it if it was indeed worth my time (and yours) or not. Let us take a look at OniMai! I’m Now Your Sister!

WARNING! The following anime features a former male protagonist turned female by science. Readers uncomfortable with the gender-bender trope or are unable to look past it for the sake of Yuri are advised to not bother watching.

Alternate Title: Onii-chan wa Oshimai! (Japanese)

Genders: Comedy, Ecchi, Gender-Swap, Slice of Life, Yuri

Number of Episodes: 12

G-Rating: 9/10

Plot Summary: Mahiro Oyama was just a normal erotic-game loving dude…until he woke up one morning as a woman. Turns out his mad-scientist little sister, Mihari, tried out one of her new experiments on him…with a disastrous outcome, as far as Mahiro’s concerned. But Mihari is as determined to study HER as SHE is determined to go back to HER shut-in, game-playing life, and one thing’s for sure…life is going to get a whole lot weirder from here on out.

Besides Ranma 1/2 the other gender-swap show I watched was the Yuri classic Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl. I had also saw anime like Magical Girl Ilya, Uzamaid and Kodomo no Jikan. I mention these particular shows because they both featured smol/petite girls in risque predicaments and other things that catered to me besides Yuri. Hence I was prepared for whatever “disgusting” thing the Internet threw a fit over after the premiere episode aired. Perhaps because I had seen the aforementioned show or my over two decades of anime consumption but the ecchi moments had me going “I’ve seen naughtier“. However, not everyone has as much experience watching naughty animated Japanese media as I so for some readers the more risque moments may be too much. Best consolation I can give is not all episodes are delightfully ecchi.

Besides some naughty moments and a toilet running gag that got me good only once what else can viewers expect from this show? Put simply another wonderful Girls’ Club/Cute Girls Doing Cute Things full of “d’awwww” moments and simple but effective life lessons. Admittedly the first two episodes did not sell me on the show and I thought they were average at best though admittedly both episodes had one excellent joke.

Then Kaede debuted in Episode 3 and happy times followed ever since with more wonderful new characters introduced one after another. I would not say Kaede is the main reason to watch the show as she does not appear often (Though she is one of my favorite girls) but after her appearance it quickly became clear why I was recommended this show.

OniMai at its core is a heartwarming show about family, friendship, acceptance, self-discovery, being true to yourself, going against stereotypes to a degree, opening up, sexual discovery etc. All of this connected to Mahiro’s ongoing conundrum of whether her new feminine traits, mannerisms, likes, dislikes, passions etc. are the work of Mihari’s potion or she was always this way but did not know it. Speaking of the potion do not expect to find out what went into its creation or anything like that but more importantly Mihari’s mostly isolating quest to grow her brain big enough to concoct it is explored along with other neat character studies I alluded to earlier in this paragraph.

One of the few things I will lightly spoil about one of the characters is Momiji’s interests. One would think upon first meeting her she only has one kind of interest connected to what she wears but there are times she likes things opposite of her dress code. “Do not judge a book by its cover” I suppose. The point is the show delves into topics and morals that have simple answers on paper but because society is the way it is many of these questions with straightforward answers come of as eye-opening discoveries. Simple stuff such as “Like what you like. Do not be a jerk” and “Accept people for who they are” can be tough to grasp in this day and age.

Besides the cuteness, sexiness (both cultured and controversial depending on who one asks), fluffiness and cool exploration of life stuff the next thing of note is the stellar presentation. To say the animation on this show is great would be an understatement. It is downright gorgeous at times amplifying the “fluff” and “yum” exponentially. It must be seen to be believed. The soundtrack is cute too.

Normally this would be where I go over characters, hinting their traits and all that but besides what I discussed and the little nods to characters it is best for viewers to see for themselves who fits into what category of character exploration.

Like the interactions the Yuri is precious. Let us just say my heart melted in the Christmas episode. Wataten Yuri vibes, specifically from the younger cast, including Mahiro. The older ones get in on the action too of course but must be patient. Then there is a new people’s champion. One whose gay brought joy to cultured people. Not since Hotaru Ichijou has a champion of Yuridom inspired fans across the nation to cherish women in love with other women as much as this girl. I salute you oh mighty people’s champ,

Overall OniMai is a “give it a chance and you might be pleasantly surprised” kind of show…provided you are someone who can “take the heat”. It is not for everyone as only the experienced and open-minded may be able to see what it has to offer and perhaps come to embrace it. The characters are wonderful, the exploration of gender not too deep but still nice, the themes covered simple to understand but still eye-opening. The presentation as fantastic as it is adorable and the Yuri oh so precious. I did not expect to enjoy this show as much as I did. It is worthy of any Girls’ Club connoisseur’s library of moe excellence. It all depends on whether you are willing to give it a chance or tolerate it.