Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits

A leisurely almost non-conflicted affair. Aoi is likeable, so are the others. Of course, it's repetitive in that Aoi cooks and everyone enjoys it and it makes them stronger, but that's actually not a bad thing because then there's no need to immediately devour it one episode at a time, on the contrary one episode a day, maybe for a meal or before bed, is plenty ideal. It follows the classic model by starting off in a suspenseful sort of way, then slowing down in the middle, only to finish again in a suspenseful sort of way towards the end. Note that this pattern is common in almost every anime/manga/light novel. Within the fantasy Shōjo genre, where the heroine is human and the bishis are supernatural beings, this is a hilarious piece of work – the heroine has a very nice and naturally built relationship with others, it's not about everyone loving her unconditionally and having to constantly save her, but instead she tries to help, doesn't take everything for granted, and even has an opinion. That makes her likeable and all the better to watch. Plus I thought the little kappa eating the cucumber was cute. I liked it. A very strong 3 stars, I might bump it up to 4. (08/15/2020)