Winner for Best Housemate: Astro Note

Perhaps one of the most surprising outcomes of this spring season was Astro Note, whose pilot episode had me on the fence about whether or not to keep what seemed like a throwback to the harem shows of the past. I’m thinking of titles like Love Hina and Ai Aori Aoshi, but one glance at the recommendations on sites like AniList and you’ll see that neither of those are listed at the top. Instead, you’ll see names like Maison Ikkoku, Arakawa Under the Bridge, and Princess Jellyfish. That combination of titles should immediately alert you to the strangeness that is this anime, as well as the knowledge that not all is what it appears to be.

Let’s start with the Maison Ikkouku suggestion, shall we? If you haven’t seen that classic, then know that it, too, involves the building’s manager and a burgeoning romance with a tenant. From the get go, Takumi’s attraction to Mira’s is obvious, and can we blame him? She’s a beautiful woman whose kindness is apparent from their first interaction. She doesn’t bat an eyelash at the oddities of the mish mash of tenants who pass through her doors. 

That leads us to the next suggestions of Arakawa and Jellyfish, both of which host their own unique casts. Astro Lodge doesn’t discriminate between its residents, from an unemployed father and his young son, to an elderly novelist who has lived in Astro Lodge from the very beginning, to an aspiring idol singer/personality, and to our main character and newly-hired chef. They each have their own quirks that often clash with one another, but, conversely, create some truly fantastic interactions that are a joy to watch as a viewer. It always cracked me up watching little Ren chasing after Naosuke, intent on catching the dog out on its true identity, or when a secret tenant showed up after several episodes had already passed.

All of this is already fun enough to hold my attention, but Astro Note goes even further to distinguish itself by revealing an entire alien plot involving Mira, Naosuke, and a whole cast of even more ridiculous characters. The mission that brings them to Earth and reasons for staying drive each episode through all the romance and the comedy, and makes for a satisfying ending when all the loose threads are snatched up and completed. If you’re looking for something light-hearted and wacky, then I wholeheartedly recommend trying out Astro Note.

Rating: 1 dango

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*Rating system:

• 0 dango – average and forgettable.
• 1 dango – very good in its category.
• 2 dango – excellent show that is worth a try.
• 3 dango – exceptional show one must watch.