Kyuutoryuu

[Spoiler Warning] When looking upon the surface of Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?, one may find that it is "just another romantic comedy". However, it is much more than that. Yes, the interactions between the characters are hilarious and they will get you to laugh every time. However, the true genius behind this show is its strong "parody" element. The plot of this anime involves many different girls invading "Apartment 106" (the Rokujouma), a place in which our main character, Koutarou, lives. For one reason or another, everyone seems to have great affection for this particular building (Koutarou because it is extremely cheap to rent). Thus, the characters arelocked in a never-ending conflict against each other, always duking it out to see who can lay claim to the apartment. Truth be told however, their resolve isn't that great; all of the girls end up befriending Koutarou and each other, and by the end of the anime, they all live together in harmony. So if we have a plot that doesn't exactly pan out how it was supposed to, what is there left in Rokujouma no Shinryakusha? The characters, the characters, the characters. Every last one of the girls were created to mock the various stereotypical anime character archetypes. Two of the biggest parody characters are the cosplaying Mahou Shoujo and the tsundere mage. Does the tsundere mage (Theia) not totally scream Louise from Zero no Tsukaima? Her entire character seemed like a shoutout to pettankos everywhere, and how seemingly ridiculous their tsundere personalties are. Then there's Yurika (cosplayer), who just cannot seem to convince those around her that she's an actual Mahou Shoujo. Instead, everyone writes her off as just another girl in "that" phase, never really taking her seriously. In a similar vein to Theia, Yurika's character was used as an absolute jab against Mahou Shoujo anime of all sorts. Then we have the ubiquitous Senpai, damsel in distress, and "daughter of a magnate" characters. The main character, Koutarou, is in love with his senpai Sakuraba, who happens to love him as well. However, the two of them are never able to profess their feelings to each other (gee, where else have we seen THIS situation before...) Another girl who is in love with him (ghost girl Sanae), seems to not be able to do anything without Koutarou. In fact, she can't even eat without him; he needs to allow her to "possess" him in order for her to intake food. Then there's Kiriha, who is probably the most mellow of all the girls. However, it is later discovered in the anime that she is the daughter of an incredibly powerful man, and he is the reason why she has to invade the Rokujouma. Instead of listening to her father, the princess runs away and leaves her past, opting to live with her friends instead. (Rich girl refusing to listen to her pre-ordained fate, anyone?) As can be seen, I could talk about the characters for days. They are simply that lovable, and that's what sets Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? apart from most other harem anime. Whereas others would focus on fanservice and romance, Shinryakusha is more interested in character development and solid comedy. I honestly cannot express just how funny this anime was for me (from Sanae "possessing" Koutarou, to just about every single Yurika moment). A certainly refreshing take on the harem genre, Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? is a must-watch parody-anime for those seeking enjoyable characters and great laughs.

Zeroskye

It pains me to see how unpopular this show is. It’s really sad to see it overshadowed by cliche, nonsensical, and fan service reliant harem shows. You want a good harem show? It’s right in front of you. Rokujoma (how I’ll refer to show) follows Koutarou Satomi and his life with 7 girls, 5 of them want his apartment. You’re probably thinking, “Okay, what’s so special about the show?” Well, unlike most harems, it doesn’t use fan-service for cheap laughs. It literally had almost no fan-service. A harem that doesn’t have an ecchi tag is as rare as a protagonist who isn’t oblivious. There was a beachepisode, but even that wasn’t filler. It actually contributed to the plot. Anyways, the comedy is consistent. The gags never get old and the new jokes are refreshing and funny. This shows holds a special place in my heart for not resorting to anime falls and boob grabs. The overall plot is arguably the weakest part of the anime. I've read the light novel, so I didn't have any problems understanding anything, but for someone who is only an anime-viewer, it feels like everything is all over the place. One moment, a villain is introduced, who has some sort of connection with one of the main characters, and then the next moment another villain appears for another main character, so it's pretty easy to be left in a daze. However, at the very least, the plot isn't just used as an excuse to show shameless fan-service or how OP the protagonist is. The plot, for the most part, is reasonable and logical. It just wasn't organized/formatted in the best way. In short, the story is definitely engaging and entertaining, but is a bit hard to follow and understand. How the romance is approached is one of the show’s greatest qualities. All the girls don’t just suddenly fall in love with the protagonist 3 episodes in. In fact, in the end, out of the 7 girls, really only one of them has fully acknowledged that they like the main protagonist. The romance doesn’t go at some abnormal pace. Their feelings for the protagonist actually feel authentic. They see his good qualities, but they’re not crazy for him. They simply understand he’s a good guy and one of the best friends you can ever have. When the romance progresses into something more, then it was worth the wait, because you got to see legitimate reasons as to why the girls fell in love with Koutarou. The show also has a nice slice of life feel to it. You get to see their school life and what they’re like at home. It’s certainly delightful to have a calm and serene atmosphere in the stead of exaggerated and melodramatic drama. I don’t have much to say about the art and sound. I highly doubt you’ll have a problem with the art. The heroines are cute and the scenery is nice. As for the sound, the op and ed are upbeat and catchy. They both have a friendly feel to it. I don’t think I’ve ever skipped the opening. The voice actors are amazing; the voices of the characters are perfect. The characters are all lovable. They’re not the most unique and realistic characters, but none of them reek generic or one-dimensional. The heroines have back-stories to add depth to their character and they don’t completely abuse any tropes. Koutarou is a great main protagonist. He’s not the standard spineless super nice male lead. He’s kind, but has his own interests too. Not to mention, he has a back bone. He doesn't let himself get stepped all over. He's got pride , something a lot of protagonists lack. The cast is nothing short of adorable. The way they act and their relationships with one another are hilarious, but endearing. Rokujouma is what a harem show should be; Good comedy that doesn't utilize fan service, romance that feels genuine, relaxing slice of life moments, and one of the most likable casts you will ever see. Give it a shot and you'll see why I'm so disappointed that it's barely talked about.