"DearS" Review: Is life with a beautiful girl from another world sweet?

DearS - Reviews and details

Overview

DearS is a TV anime series based on the manga of the same name by PEACH-PIT, which aired from July 11 to September 25, 2004. It consists of 13 episodes and was broadcast on tvk, TV Saitama, Chiba TV, and other networks. It was produced by GENCO and Dome, and directed by Yuki Suzuki. The story revolves around a group of aliens who wash up on Earth, and one of them, Ren, meets and lives with a high school student named Takeya.

■ Story

A year ago, a spaceship carrying a group of aliens washed up in Tokyo Bay. With no way to return home, they obtained Japanese citizenship and came to be known as "DearS," meaning "dear friends." Meanwhile, high school student Takeya happens to meet a DearS girl named Ren, and ends up living with her. Ren calls Takeya "master," and the two build a strange relationship. Ren learns about Earth's culture and language, and gets caught up in various events with Takeya.

■ Characters

・Takeya Ikuhara : Voiced by Kisho Taniyama. A high school sophomore living alone and with a loose lifestyle. He meets a Dears girl named Ren and ends up living with her as her guardian.
・Len : Voiced by Shimizu Ai. A Dears girl who lives in Takeya's apartment. Her favorite place to sleep is the closet, and her favorite food is melon bread.
・Myu : Voiced by Mai Nakahara. She is an official Dears exchange student at Koharu High School. She is well behaved, intelligent, and beautiful, but has a slightly strong-willed personality. When Ren appears, she is in danger of losing her position as an exchange student, so she challenges Ren to a fight to restore her honor.
・Izumi Neneko : Voiced by Saito Chiwa. Takeya's childhood friend and classmate. Although she has a cool personality, she can't leave the sloppy Takeya alone and takes care of him.
・Yohmine Mitsuka : Voiced by Kikuko Inoue. Takeya's homeroom teacher and English teacher. She is enthusiastic about teaching her students, but she is also an exhibitionist who loves to show off her nice body, which is full of adult charm.
・Kii : Voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro. A boy who is in charge of the Dears HQ, he is also a Dears exchange student who attends the same junior high school as Natsuki.
・Oikawa Hikoro : Voiced by Yamaguchi Kappei. Takeya's classmate, he is a playful and enthusiastic Dears fanatic. He is the number one member of the Dears Love Kids Club.
・Hiroshi Nonaka : Voiced by Junichi Suwabe. A popular boy in the same grade as Takeya, he is considered a narcissist. He quickly becomes close to Ren.
・Zaki : Voiced by Hiroaki Hirata. A security guard at Dears HQ, known as a "Biter," who tries to retrieve Ren.
Ruby : Voiced by Megumi Toyoguchi. An instructor at Dears HQ known as "Barker", she is desperate to retrieve the defective slave Ren.
Nia : Voiced by Yukari Tamura. A Biter in training who looks up to Zaki as her master, Nia comes to Koharu Town under Zaki's orders.
・Natsuki Ikuhara : Voiced by Ryoko Shintani. She is the younger sister of Takeya, who is a big brother girl and has just returned from studying abroad. She is jealous of Ren.
Harumi Ikuhara : Voiced by Mariko Suzuki. Takeya and Natsuki's mother, she returns to Japan with Natsuki, leaving behind her husband, who is also the siblings' father.

■ Production staff

・Original work : PEACH-PIT "DearS" (serialized in MediaWorks' "Monthly Dengeki Comic Gao!")
Director : Yuki Suzuki Series Composition : Takao Yoshioka Character Design : Shinji Ochi Mechanical Design : Yoshihiro Watanabe Art Director : Shunsuke Suzuki Color Design : Yuka Maniwa Director of Photography : Tetsuji Higuchi Editing : Kouji Tanaka Sound Director : Hiromi Kikuta Music : Tomoki Hasegawa Producers : Nobuhiro Osawa, Hisanori Kunizaki, Takayasu Hatano Produced by : GENCO
Animation : Dome Production : TeaM DearS (Bandai Visual, MediaWorks, Lantis, Genco)

■Broadcast information

"DearS" was broadcast from July 11 to September 25, 2004. It was broadcast on tvk, Television Saitama, Chiba Television, etc. The broadcast schedule for each station is as follows.
・tvk: From July 3rd to September 25th, 2004, every Saturday from 24:30 to 25:00
Tokyo MX TV: July 6th to September 28th, 2004, every Tuesday from 25:00 to 25:30
On the first broadcast day, "DearS Zenyasai ~Hajimete Nandemo~" was broadcast, which was the navigation program for the anime. Also, episode 10 is only included on the DVD.

■ Theme songs and music

・Opening theme "Love Slave"
Lyrics: Haruko Momoi Composition: Haruko Momoi Arrangement: Masaya Koike Sung by: UNDER17

・Ending theme "HAPPY COSMOS"
Lyrics: Aki Hata Composition: Shinji Tamura Arrangement: Shinji Tamura Singer: PoppinS

■ Episode

・Episode 1: I want to bite you gently (2004/07/10)
Episode 2: Was it too small? (2004/07/17)
・Episode 3: Tama! Tama! (2004/07/24)
Episode 4: Wipe Your Mouth (2004/07/31)
・Episode 5: Togi...? (2004/08/07)
Episode 6: I'm Frustrated (2004/08/14)
Episode 7: Dirty... (2004/08/21)
・Episode 8: My Ball... (2004/08/28)
Episode 9: It stung (2004/09/04)
Episode 10: Is that a golden ball?! (DVD only)
Episode 11: Let's go to Ranko! (2004/09/11)
Episode 12: Experience...? (2004/09/18)
Episode 13: ...And it was hot (2004/09/25)

■Review

"DearS" is a romantic comedy anime that depicts the interaction between aliens and earthlings. The relationship between the main character Takeya and the Dears girl Ren is at the center of the story, and the humorous and sometimes serious episodes that the two weave together are appealing. In particular, it is fun to watch the various troubles that arise in the process of Ren learning Earth's culture and language, and the deepening of her relationship with Takeya. In addition, the interactions with the other Dears and classmates add color to the story.

In terms of the anime's visuals, the character designs are very attractive, and Len's design in particular was loved by many viewers. The color design and art direction are also excellent, making the screen easy to watch. The music is also good, and the opening theme "Love Slave" is particularly memorable and has become a song that stays in the viewers' minds.

The storyline is basically comedic, but there are also some serious moments, making for an enjoyable emotional ups and downs. As the relationship between Ren and Takeya develops, viewers can sense their growth. The show also depicts the impact that the Dears have on society, as well as the worries of the Dears themselves, making it a deep work.

The appeal of the characters is also a big point. Takeya has a loose personality, but he is likable for the way he treats Ren kindly. Ren is a pure and cute character, and her growth is a major attraction of the story. In addition, the supporting characters such as Miu, Izumi Neneko, and Yoshimine Mitsuka are also unique and add excitement to the story.

Overall, "DearS" is a very enjoyable romantic comedy anime. It is a perfect blend of the fantasy elements of aliens and the real human relationships of everyday life, so viewers will not get bored. In particular, the episodes depicting the relationship between Ren and Takeya and the life of the Dears on Earth are worth watching. This is a work that can be recommended not only to anime fans, but also to those who like romantic comedies.

■Recommendation

"DearS" is recommended for those who like romantic comedy anime and those who like fantasy elements such as aliens. It is also a work that can be enjoyed by those who are particular about character design and music. In particular, the episodes depicting the relationship between Ren and Takeya and the life of Dears on Earth are worth watching, so please be sure to watch it.

Furthermore, the original manga is also very interesting, so we recommend reading it after watching the anime. The original manga contains detailed episodes and character backgrounds that are not depicted in the anime, allowing you to enjoy the work more deeply. In addition, related goods and soundtracks are also on sale, so there is a wealth of content that fans will enjoy.

"DearS" is not just a romantic comedy anime, but a work that you can enjoy the depth of the characters and story. Please watch it and feel its charm.