KANLen09

GoHands going 2-for-2 with a surprisingly good comeback? What kind of world are we living in — a 2.5D animation-cum-3DCG-ready world?! As you may (or may not) know, GoHands is the studio responsible for the atrocity that was Winter 2017's Hand Shakers, which, over the years, spawned its own series that had the exact same setting and action that never seemed to take off. That is until this season, where GoHands debuted with not 1, but 2 shows: the more popular Suki na Ko ga Megane wo Wasureta a.k.a The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses, and the less popular one, which is this show righthere: Dekiru Neko wa Kyou mo Yuuutsu a.k.a The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today, by mangaka Hitsuji Yamada. And for both shows to really hit the mark when it comes to enjoyability, one would question: How, in the infinite hell, did GoHands manage to produce 2 shows that are both good, considering that their previous shows were mediocre at best? The anthropomorphic theme in anime form may not have seen better days but shows like Spring 2020's Gal to Kyouryuu a.k.a Gal & Dino, Doukyonin wa Hiza, Winter 2019's Tokidoki, Atama no Ue. a.k.a My Roommate is a Cat, and Spring 2019's Sewayaki Kitsune no Senko-san a.k.a The Helpful Fox Senko-san, which this show has the closest similarity to, do exist. In Hitsuji Yamada's case, it's of a working woman finding a stray cat in the midst of a cold Winter day and then bringing it to her home...which is a literate rat's nest of trash and garbage so foul that I'm surprised that not one of her next-door neighbours filed a complaint against her. Seeing that this woman's room is filled with filth, this stray cat wants out, but something tells it that if his occupant's owner continues her lifestyle as is, it's not going to be good. And so, the time has come for a helper, but not in the way that you expect: the stray black cat, named Yukichi, makes it upon himself to be the masterful cat to be the solution to the owner of Saku Fukuzawa, the typical office worker who, in more of a need for a partner, doesn't have her life together! Some might say it's definitely the supernatural realm of how Yukichi could evolve into a state akin to a human being, though we don't really need that answer, do we? All you need to know is that Yukichi is the big fat black cat who takes pride in his housekeeping skills, all in an effort to earn the coveted cat can. And to get there, he has to take care of his nonchalant owner, Saku, from day to night, covering her three meals and her small apartment like a maid who is loyal to the one who hired her. From home to the supermarket, everyone knows Yukichi and gets used to his usual shenanigans. With the smug looks of his that he gets to be masterful each and every day! From the usual cashier girl that he meets (Rio Nishina) to his idol interest with the young girl (Yume), Yukichi's life is abundant, fun and fulfilling. All that matters is how his owner Saku always treats him with both goodness and disdain; as the title goes, the Masterful Cat sometimes get Depressed all over again! But in all seriousness, Saku needs a helper to get through her life in one piece, and she should be glad that Yukichi never gave up on her as her personal housekeeping life partner. Never did I think that GoHands would come back with vengeance for not 1, but 2 shows, but their 2.5D to 3DCG aesthetic is so well-known that you can't unsee it. In this case, it seems to be well produced, and with that fake cinematic production of a weird animation combi that's uniquely GoHands, they did a good job with the adaptation, all things considered, unlike Suki na Ko ga Megane wo Wasureta, where they knew that that show would pop more with the audience. Simplicity is best, and this anime has done that. somei and asmi's OST theme songs as per OP and ED songs, respectively, are good, though I find the songs to be on the slow side, which is exactly what the anime is trying to achieve here. It's decent as far as the typical average Joe is concerned. All in all, this is a show where comfort takes centre stage, and with a big cat taking care of a young woman who is struggling in life, what more could you ask for from an anthropomorphic caretaker who constantly has smug faces for confidantes but whose owner is a lazy prick whom he doesn't mind taking care of? It's simply fun entertainment, and that's all that matters.

Marinate1016

Dekineko is the best GoHands show of the season. It’s a wholesome, cute and fluffy watch that while simple, is not lacking in impact. It’s a beautiful story of a girl and her cat, a tale as old as time itself. With some gorgeous animation, a touching story and arguably the waifu of the season, it’s a must watch for any slice of life fan or cat lover. Dekineko is essentially a way better “Senko-San”. While we’ve seen these types of stories with an inept adult who’s taken care of by a magical spirit before, Dekineko is unique in that Saku subverts some common tropes. Insteadof it being a guy who’s useless with things around the house, it’s a beautiful woman who literally can’t do anything besides getting drunk and practicing martial arts. The unique take on the set-up makes for some really hilarious situations. To the outside world, Saku has everything figured out and is the ideal “high-spec” senpai who anyone would want to marry. In reality, she’s only able to put on such a strong front for the world because of the support that Yukichi gives her. While the two often buttheads, it’s undeniable how much love they have between them. The wholesome dynamic and mutual sense of appreciation between Saku and her cat are palpable. I mean seriously, can you imagine cleaning up after someone every single morning, afternoon and night? That’s real love. We all need a Yukichi. Saku also happens to be one of the most relatable characters I’ve seen in anime. She is the personification of a young adult trying to make it in this world and it’s easy to see yourself in her. Obviously things are played up for laughs and dramatized, but there is a degree of realism to her that few characters capture. Sadly, we don’t all have a Yukichi to care for us. Many will praise the gorgeous art and animation and point to that as a reason you should watch this, and while true it does have some amazing production values, I think that’s selling Dekineko short. It’s a good anime simply put and the straightforward, but effective story can stand on its own merits. The daily adventures of Saku and Yukichi are so fun to watch. It’s stories like these that remind us of what’s important in life. As long as you come home to people that love and appreciate you, you’re living a great life. Endearing moments like Saku calling Yukichi on the phone because she misses him and his cooking, or thanking him for putting up with her incompetence just work so well in this one. It’s truly fluff in the best sense of the word. Airing on Fridays after a long week was a perfect spot for this one. Saku and Yukichi are the heart of the story, but there’s some really good side characters in this one as well! Saku’s manager and co-workers are awesome and I loved seeing them praise her the whole time not knowing Yukichi is behind her success. Lots of really funny scenes between all of them. There were some subtle romance hints between Saku and one character that I wish would have got explored more, but when you got someone as good as Yukichi at home, how could you date someone? When all’s said and done, Dekineko should go down as one of the best slice of life shows of the year. Film like production values, a waifu of the season candidate in Saku, adorable slice of life moments and a heartwarming plot that you can’t get enough of. Simply put, this was like anime crack and I want it injected straight into my veins, asap. A brilliant watch. Dekineko gets 9 out of 10.