There are so many anime series out there that focus on cute girls doing cute stuff. For those interested in high school hijinks, you can look forward to shows like Yuru-Yuri, Azumanga Daioh!, Nichijou or Toradora! to name just a few off the top of my head. Even if you want to go into field of cute elementary school moments, you have the randomness of shows like Strawberry Marshmallow or Mitsuboshi Colors fitting the bill nicely. However, there is a smaller, less prominent niche of shows centring on cute boys doing cute stuff. In some ways, this is a shame, as these, I would argue, tend to have much better quality consistency. Airing in 2016 and based on the original manga written and illustrated by Ototachibana, Shonen Maid is a show which starts with a foundation of loss and grieving but quickly pivots into a heart-warming, comedic experience which I would argue has broad appeal.
Shonen Maid begins with a tragedy for young elementary schooler Chihiro Komiya, with his mother passing away. Having no relationship with other members of his family due to his mother filling the ‘black sheep’ role, there was a question around who would look after him. In steps his long-unknown uncle Madoka Takatori, an eccentric yet childish fashion designer who offers to look after him in their large, spawling yet poorly kept mansion. But Chihiro is a neat freak with some… interesting… views instilled into him by his mother. So he doubles as the live-in maid, and from there, hilarity ensues as they both navigate their new family unit and very different personalities.
Although Shonen Maid does fall into having an ‘episodic’ approach to the series, not aided by the manga still being in development at the time of creation, I would argue it is more narrative-driven than most. The show has several overarching plotlines, from the foundations of Chihiro’s unique family unit to his relationship with his extended family. Even if you can zone out and leisurely enjoy Shonen Maid for the awws and conflicting personalities, there is a level of richness that makes it worth diving head-first into the story. While an emotional roller-coaster at times, especially in the later episodes – some genuinely likable characters and a cute aesthetic still make this a heartwarming show to watch.
Similar to both The Helpful Fox Senko-san and Nekopara which were both also reviewed as part of my earlier article ‘Three Anime Which Give Off That Warm, Fuzzy Feeling!‘, if you do find yourself needing a quick cute pick-me-up, the opening and ending sequences are both good options to watch. With the opening featuring an RPG style battle against grime and the ending being reminiscent of a live idol performance – both left a smile on my face!
Shonen Maid is now available to stream in North America, Australia and New Zealand via Funimation. Both Japanese voice over and English dub options are available. There is a home video release in North America. An Australian and New Zealand home video release was available a couple of years back but has since gone out of print by Madman Entertainment.
