Veronin

A strong cast of characters is sometimes all that is needed. Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko (referred to as HenNeko henceforth) is a romantic comedy that knows its own strengths. Rather than focusing solely on panties, cleavage and harem tropes (oh, there's still plenty of that), it delivers a genuinely refreshing experience that cleverly combines its moe appeal with a strong cast of characters. The story follows Yokodera Youto and his hidden perversions. Hidden, of course, as joining the track club solely to gape at girls is not considered socially acceptable behavior. He conceals these thoughts under a facade, acting in part as the averagehighschooler so that his intentions are not misunderstood. But eventually, as just about any teenager would, he grows tired of behaving like somebody that he is not. He decides to visit a purportedly wish-granting statue to ask that he can simply be himself, and in doing so entangles himself with the fate of another: Tsukiko, who instead wishes to conceal her emotions. Immediately, you will probably find yourself thinking how silly this sounds. And you would not be wrong-- it is very much silly. The entire notion that a cat statue can somehow grant wishes (and just about any wish, really) is supremely contrived and difficult to accept. But HenNeko seldom takes this aspect seriously. There are still the occasional moments of melodrama here and there marring the overall experience, but provided you are not looking for anything more than some lighthearted fun, it is easy enough to tolerate the lacklustre storytelling. Perhaps not forgive, though. The biggest problem with the story is not necessarily that it is poorly written or abundant with plotholes, but that it relies solely on the cat statue to get anywhere. Characters don't resolve issues or develop on their own-- the statue does it for them. If it's time for some drama, hey, why not have a character wish for something inconvenient? And they do. Again and again. It becomes entirely predictable by the end. How is the audience supposed to empathize with a story that feels so artificial, so reliant upon a single plot device? It is almost too bad that a wish-granting statue doesn't exist in the real world; it could have been used to wish away the show's own issues. Thankfully the characters are enough to amend the otherwise juvenile storytelling. Aside from the lustful Yokodera, HenNeko consists primarily of three female characters: Tsukiko, the ojou-sama Azuki Azusa (she's referred to by her full name for some reason), and Tsukushi, Tsukiko's violent older sister. Chances are that if you have any potential interest in the series, moe is one of the first things that you are looking for. And HenNeko provides plenty in that regard. Hell, it is the embodiment of moe. Tsukiko may just be one of the cutest characters in anime history, though Azuki Azusa is certainly no slouch either. The only issue is that Tsukiko's seiyuu overblows the dandere trope. She sounds less monotone and more like an android. In standard harem fare, they all come to love Yokodera in some way or another. It is justified in the case of Tsukiko and Azuki Azusa, but Tsukishi's infatuation is shoehorned in from nowhere. It also baffles the mind why she somehow believes that Yokodera and his mythical younger brother (which is just a bluff of his) are separate people, despite looking, sounding and behaving identically. Somehow she is collectively the most dense and mature character of the show. Speaking of Yokodera, he is actually one of the series' strongest points. For the harem genre where the protagonist is almost invariably some blockhead with the supernatural ability to inadvertently undress girls in mid-air, a comment like that may as well be considered nonsense. But Yokodera defies the genre's mold. He is honest, knows how to communicate with people, does not run away screaming at the sight of panties, and most importantly, has a brain. He is able to instill value to his interaction with the girls and as a result (Tsukishi excluded) their feelings for him seem authentic rather than forced. HenNeko could just as easily have been another insipid harem title if Yokodera behaved like every other harem lead, but thankfully it is a show that understands the importance of a quality protagonist. I just wonder why other harem titles haven't learned the same. In terms of art, HenNeko is pleasing to the eye and uses thick lines to give the show its own visual charm. Character designs are considerably appealing and while the art fidelity may not be enough to impress, it still does the job just fine. The sound also leaves little to be desired. The seiyuu are spectacular all around with veterans like Yukari Tamura and newer names like Kaori Ishihara providing their own personality to the female characters. Yuki Kaji lends his talents to the role of Yokodera and does a stellar job overall (though initially causes some concern for previously voicing a number of aggravating protagonists). And while the background music is restrained and rarely noticeable, the opening and ending sequences are infectiously catchy and adorable. It would be insanity to skip them. Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko does not tread any new ground, but what it fails to provide in creativity it makes up for with a solid cast of characters. If you are expecting a decent story, deep themes or anything beyond some nice lighthearted fun, you will be sorely disappointed. As for fun, though? There are few better ways to spend an afternoon.

Stark700

You know one of those days when you're feeling down and is hunting for something, anything to calm your moody day? Well, that hunt might not be easy but if Henneko is something on your hit list, then you might of hit a bulls-eye. That's because this is an anime that will brighten the mood of your moody day. In more ways than one, Henneko caters to the fantasies of a young teenager. It focuses more on Youto Yokodera, a young boy who is going through the journey of adolescence. What he seems to be more interested than sports or academics though is of theopposite sex. Thus begin the story, a tale of The "Hentai" Prince and the Stony Cat. Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko. (also known as The "Hentai" Prince and the Stony Cat) is an anime series based off the light novel and manga of the same name. No contrary to its title, this is NOT a hentai. Rather, it's about a young boy named Youto Yokodera who got nicknamed with the infamous title of the “Hentai Prince” after making a certain wish onto a particuarly gifted Stony Cat. Sounds strange right? Well, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Coming into this series, I already knew what may be expected. It doesn't take long for any viewer to realize this is a typical romantic comedy. The twist here is that it involves some magic at works in the form of the Stony Cat. So begins this strange tale, the story of the Hentai Prince. Note that not everything starts out like this though. In fact, while it's obvious that Youto is seen a pervert to viewers, the series doesn't directly depict these traits until after he makes his wish to the Stony Cat. It's the result of a wish he made and there's a saying that always stays true: be careful what you wish for. Unfortunately for Youto , he isn't very careful and now has to deal with the consequences. For Youto, the boy is naturally a pervert. He likes to read 'ecchi' magazines of perverted nature. He joined the track team so that he can actually see the girls in their swimsuits (the pool is close to the tracks). And of course, he often references to shows that he watches to heighten his interests. Despite his faults though,Youto at the same time is also shown to be a kind boy who often comes to the aid of others especially his female friends. He also seems to be somewhat clever with a crafty mind as he is able to manipulate a certain track leader into believing some obvious false ideas. Needless to say, Youto is the type of boy that's hard to be friends with unless you know his true visage. Among the people Youto meets in the series includes the adorable Tsukiko Tsutsukakushi. Being presented as both the mascot as well as the main female character, she is the younger sister of the Steel King and someone that accidentally also falls in the case of 'be careful what you wish for' category. Unlike Yuto, the wish she called for made her emotionless. Now, she is like a cat but without the excitement. At the same time, it seems that she and Youto has a sort of deal to get back what they've lost. It's a relationship of awkwardness and benefits all the same time. Throughout the series, Youto also establishes connections with other characters in particular with a school beauty named Azusa. As an animal lover, she is admired as a school idol, a wealthy lady, and someone who is to be respected by everyone. Despite her outer self, Azusa seems to be quite insecure with herself and often mistrusts people because of her past. Her first encounter with Youto seems to be some sort of fate because for the first time, we see her insecurities manifest thanks to Youto and his new personality granted by the Stony Cat. So much for being a goddess... The series follows more of a story arc telling format rather than a straight out story. However, the most common features of each episode involves Youto and what he does with his new situation. Of the many new changes in his life, one is his more closeness to three of the main female characters in the series. Youto gets closer with Azusa, Tsukushi (the “Steel King”), and Tsukiko as each episode progresses. Despite being labeled as the 'hentai prince', Youto is also surprisingly reliable at key situations. His reliability as well as ability to help others earns him more affections from the girls. As a matter fact, they seems to see the better side of him and even goes to lengths to return the favor at various points. There is also a whole cluster of moments and gags that calls out 'cute' throughout every episode. The opening song itself is one with the expressions of our main characters. Its animal-like gestures, high pitched vocals, and moe artwork paints this series as a headline for cuteness. It doesn't stop there either with the cutey artwork. There's the way that Tsukiko moves and way she eats that are formulated from the extra gags. Among other moments, there's the tsundere-like behavior of Azusa where she flatly denies what's really on her mind. Speaking of which, Azusa herself also shows her love of animals. Whether you're an animal lover or not, the show goes to portray many analogies. A clear example is Tsukiko likeness of a cat while Azusa seems to be fond of dogs. Naturally, the two sides don't get along just like the two girls. And naturally, Youto is the center of the drama when it comes to the duo. Despite the series having many comedy moments, there is also some serious times when we see that characters are more troubled than what they seem to be. Azusa is one of those characters especially with her past and Youto does his best to help her out. Then, there's also the tensions between the two sisters that balances between silliness and moody at various circumstances. It's hard to take them serious but at the same time, it's clear that there's something deeper going on between them. Even though the series is cute, there's many overused themes of a typical romantic comedy in Henneko that might turn some viewers off. There's plenty of fan service like the traditional beach episode. In fact, because the school has a pool, it's natural that the girls will be in their swimsuits. Therefore, expect some of those gratuitous outfits to hit the screen some time here and there. Among other little gags in the series are the various misunderstandings. In one fact, among one of these misunderstandings turns into more of a serious admiration for the Steel King. Furthermore, the Steel King is portrayed as the sex symbol of the show with her well developed body (thanks to her status as president of the track team) and sexy moans during exercises. It turns the physical education class into a theme of fan service and one that is presented clearly with both the vocals and visuals. It doesn't stop there either as we also have the master/servant like relationship, the repetitive tsundere-like behavior of Azusa, and later on seemingly a harem being under construction by our hentai prince. For J.C. Staff production, this series makes usage of its more colorful atmosphere. The way artwork is enforced throughout the series brings out the fairy tale-like cuteness of most of the characters. It is not realistic but rather overly flows with cuteness and moe. Given the setting of the romantic comedy genre, it does fit the overall idea. I'm not sure what the objective it's trying to achieve but if cuteness was one of them, it nailed it on the spot. At other times though, it tries way too hard and the characters' designs are generic. The petite figure, the flat chest, and the well developed bodies for our three main female characters shapes the different sides of this anime. There's nothing unique to see here but it's kawaii. The soundtrack of the series clearly is lighthearted. It also seems that a lot of times, it puts more effort into each and every single tiny moment to bring out the cute factors. These can also turn into more lewd moments such as our Steel King and her erotic moans. It does match though with our small cast of main characters and the way they portray is also expressed in their voice actors/actresses. The softness of Tsukiko's voice is a more prominent example as we can clearly see that she lost most of her emotions. Finally, both the OP and ED songs of this series brings out cuteness and moe at its best. The way the OP song is overflowed with adorable moments and gif worthy material. The ED song fits with the same flow with the dancing moments of Tsukiko and her adorable outfits. It's needless to say that in terms of audio features, Henneko brings out 'cuteness' at its best. Ultimately, the end game of this series is how you might decide to watch Henneko. If cuteness is something you're looking for to brighten up that moody day you just had, then this series is definitely something to hit the play button on. Otherwise, enjoyment can come in different shapes and sizes. For one thing though, the series itself is hard to take serious even with its more moody moments. The fan service and little fun gags can give different results depending on how you view them. Otherwise, Henneko is a series that is probably not a masterpiece for me. I might forget it in the future. However, those cuteness and adorable moments are hard to take my eyes off of.