In Which I Watch: Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid

[Glitchrr36]

So. I'm doing a thing.

I've been wanting to do something like this for a good while, with a pretty wide expanse of possible topics. I think I considered Gurren Lagann at an earlier point, and a couple of other things I watched. Eventually, I saw this mentioned...somewhere. It was probably SB, I can think of a couple of fanfics that it could be, and the reactions made me think "huh, I should watch this at some point."

I did, and thus here we are. The first two or three episodes will be me going in having already watched them, and after that it will be blind. I'm not the best at this kind of stuff, so if I make any dumb comments or it seems awkward, you can blame it on that. I also don't watch much anime, so if I'm confused by something obvious feel free to point it out.

So, on to the actual Anime. It's about an average woman who has a dragon that is also a maid come to live with her. It's published by ABC Ashi, and is based on a Manga of the same name. I'm more or less blind, I've seen a little bit of fanart on Tumblr and read the Know Your Meme page, but otherwise I have no idea what's going on.

So, yeah. Let's get this party started.
​

 

[Firebird Zoom]

Ok! When do we start?

 

[Glitchrr36]

We start out with a shot of a forest. The black bar is me blocking out my email address because crunchyroll.

And now there's an eye. If you can't guess what kind of organism this belongs to I'm disappointed.

Birds! Birds are good. As are big noses that are revealed to have lots of big teeth.

Next up is a wide shot showing our dragon's head and neck. At this point it looks like a fairly traditional Long, which is the "style," for lack of a better term, most common in East Asia. These are typically serpent like, and have all sorts of odd descriptors, such as the head of a camel, scales of a carp, and others that are in a book I think I still have.

With the next shot, we see it is, in fact, a really tubby European style dragon, which is less interesting, in my opinion. The teeth are really strange, and when we get a better shot of them I'll talk about paleontology and jowls.

We cut to our main character, who is in the process of waking up.

She drinks, and thus has a hangover. It's generally bad form to be hungover when you meet a dragon.

A nice shot of the city. I just think this is a really nice picture.

Another shot of the dragon, showing how chubby it is. The wings are really small, which bothers me, but I'm not the one making this so my complaints mean nothing. The green glow is basically a Someone Else's Problem field, and that's not explained for an episode and makes it seem like the Japanese are really chill with dragons flying over their cities.

And here we have maid cafe workers. Wouldn't those dresses be really hot during the Summer? Or is Japan just a lot cooler in temperature than where I live, which is currently about 95 degrees fahrenheit with probably 60% humidity, because it's cloudy.

I'm at the image limit I think, so I'll work on typing up the next section. I'm doing this in the SV post box right now, because my Drive formatting is always eaten when I post, so the next post will be in another 15 minutes or so. After that, I'll make them in the PM editor, and have them ready to post all at once.

 

[Insufficient Dakka]

Birds! Birds are good. As are big noses that are revealed to have lots of big teeth.

---

And here we have maid cafe workers. Wouldn't those dresses be really hot during the Summer? Or is Japan just a lot cooler in temperature than where I live, which is currently about 95 degrees fahrenheit with probably 60% humidity, because it's cloudy.

Click to shrink...

Remember kids, birds demonstrate scale.

Are we sure it's Summer, and not Autumn or Spring? The guy has a jacket, which you wouldn't normally wear in hot weather.

 

[Glitchrr36]

Remember kids, birds demonstrate scale.

Are we sure it's Summer, and not Autumn or Spring? The guy has a jacket, which you wouldn't normally wear in hot weather.

Click to shrink...

That is a good point, but that seems like it would be expensive to have different uniforms for different seasons. Tough, as I said, I know nothing about the climate in japan, other than it snows in the north, because those snow monkeys were on a discovery channel special when I was eight or so.

 

[Insufficient Dakka]

Japanese schools typically have two uniforms for students based on Summer/Spring and Autumn/Winter, it might just be something done differently over there and expected of companies as well even if it's expensive.

 

[Distant Prince]

Man it looks like that one dragon from Dragon Ball shrunk, got fat, then grew puny little wings, all at the same time. I've only barely heard of this series, so I'm interested to see whats happening.

 

[Insufficient Dakka]

Man it looks like that one dragon from Dragon Ball shrunk, got fat, then grew puny little wings, all at the same time. I've only barely heard of this series, so I'm interested to see whats happening.

Click to shrink...

Yeah those are supposed to be like antlers on their head she and Shenron share, very common on Eastern dragons. The teeth on the outside of her mouth remind me somewhat of Biollante/Spacegodzilla.

Spoiler

 

[Glitchrr36]

And the images are uploading. I'll start writing within the next few minutes, so it'll probably be around 4:45 USC when the next post is ready.

 

[Insufficient Dakka]

I might have to start watching the series so I don't learn about the events of the episode through this.

 

[Glitchrr36]

And shadow.

We find Kobayashi is suffering from back problems, likely from sitting in an office chair all day, and that she chugs stomach medicine. Does that help with hangovers?

There are a few more shots of the dragon flying, and of Kobayashi, but this is over 100 images so I didn't screencap them.

She does software, apparently. My headcanon is that she programs Vocaloids, and I will not be deterred from this by anything. She gets ready to walk out the door, and finds...

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR THE GOOD NEWS OF TIAMAT?
That's certainly a sight to see when walking out your door.


You can practically see the gears turning as she looks at it.

Kobayashi.exe has stopped working and needs to shut down. Windows will notify you of a solution if available.
A reasonable next step would be to start screaming or run.

More size comparison. Also the teeth, and thus me getting to go on a tangent about paleontology.

A while back, some paleontologists ran a test on another organism with prominent exterior teeth, the smilodon (saber toothed tiger). They found that the teeth didn't have the right chemical composition for extended time outside of the mouth's saliva, and thus theorized had lip flaps that covered the fangs when not in use. Thus, it looks like it has big goofy jowls:

Spoiler

Anyway, back to the show.


The dragon has very large teeth. If it were me in Kobayashi's position, I would not be handling this well. It proceeds to breath on her:

That face says either she is unfazed or paralyzed by mortal terror.

I'd hesitate to call something that very much seems to be about to have you as an hors d'oeuvre as imaginary.

And the realization dawns that she is very likely going to die in the next couple seconds, kobayashi looks appropriately terrified.

Dragonite, return!

And here is our other main character, the eponymous dragon maid. She looks very happy and much less murderous.

Kobayashi looks appropriately flabbergasted. And then to the title sequence, which I didn't do shot for shot because fuck that noise!

I did take one screenshot because holy shit what is that thing on the left?!?

It's like Lovecraft was asked to design a dragon and give it ribcage teeth.

 

[Insufficient Dakka]

I did take one screenshot because holy shit what is that thing on the left?!?
It's like Lovecraft was asked to design a dragon and give it ribcage teeth.

Click to shrink...

dargons come in many shapes and sizes.

 

[Sinsystems]

*Listens to OP* Ahh such happy memories.

 

[Insufficient Dakka]

I guess I misinterpreted what the dragon's outer teeth were like because of the angle. They look very different in those earlier shots.

 

[Glitchrr36]

Kobayashi is trying to figure out what the fuck just happened, and ends up settling on this being all a dream, so she invites the strange lady with horns and a tail into her house. It calls that a "working woman's response" which might be a joke I don't have the cultural context for, or it might be a joke I just don't find effective, but I am pretty sure it is a joke.


Tohru (the dragon) says Kobayashi said she (tohru) could live with her, after meeting her in the mountains.
It turns out she was sloshed, and considering how my parents act when they've had a few too many grasshoppers on New Year's, I think this is completely believable and have no problems with it. There's a shot of Tohru in Dragon Mode with a bigass (going by the scale, probably 10 feet long) sword through her size, which Kobayashi supposedly removed while drunk. Can't be any worse than those people who play surgeon simulator in a similar state, honestly.

They then both got more drunk on her comically large bottle of liquor, and then Kobayashi mentioned the whole live with me thing.


Tohru seems much happier about this than Kobayashi. This scene seems like a fine example of Juxtaposition.

After that, Kobayashi said she doesn't need someone, to which Tohru disgraces all dragon kind and says she doesn't need pay, while seeming scared that she'll be kicked out, for reasons revealed later in the episode.

She also says this little gem. Being able to turn a city into a sea of ash seems like a pretty good quality in a maid, to me at least.

Kobayashi has these on her wall and I now get to watch this three times because Imgur uploaded them in the wrong order, which is wonderful. It's brought up because Tohru was told being a maid would be useful, by drunk!kobayashi.

After once again stating that she won't need a maid, Tohru looks crushed.


Someone needs to give her a hug.

She puts on a brave face, then begins to walk to the door while sad harmonica music plays

She's not doing as well as she is pretending, obviously.
Kobayashi realises she feels guilty, and that this isn't a dream which means...

She asks Tohru to fly her to work, because she has ten minutes to get there.

Tohru seems very happy at this turn of actions.

 

[skaianDestiny]

Looking back on the show there was a lot of very questionable moments, most of which it inherited from the source material. KyoAni did a lot to make it more "wholesome", but aside from the first 3 episodes I can't exactly rec it to the average person.

Still I like it a lot.

 

[Glitchrr36]

Another perfectly reasonable reaction to her morning. She shrieks about the speed for a bit, then mutters under her breath that she will hire Tohru, which greatly pleases Tohru.

I got this cap about a half second after the subtitle changed, so you just get to see the happy dragon facial expression, but the only subtitle was "Really?" so you guys aren't missing much.

Next it cuts back to the apartment/house after work (do people have privately owned residences if they aren't super wealthy in Japan? I'm honestly curious),and Kobayashi asks how much Tohru knows about being a maid. What follows is my favorite set of sequences in the episode, so go watch the whole thing, it's perfect.

the best place to learn about maiding.

start the montage!

IMMA FIRIN MY LAZOR BLAAAAAAH!!!1!!!!ONE

Tohru did a good. Kobayashi disagrees.

Dragons have sick doctor strange "return the furniture" magic. It's quite useful.

Next up is laundry. I leave this image with no comment.


Then she also gets to great people.

and be speciest.

unless it's Kobayashi, of course.

Finally is cooking.

Appetizing. It's also apparently poisonous. Kobayashi doesn't feel like she's in the mood for tail. Next time Tohru should try chicken strips. Tohru eats it herself because she's not one to let good food go to waste.

Afterward, it is readily apparent to both parties that Tohru has no idea what she's doing. Tohru promises to learn, then asks what Kobayashi dislikes. It turns out to be eggplant and something else that I don't recognize, "hijiki." It turns out Tohru doesn't like eggs without yolks, because...

It turns out that asking what a Dragon likes is a good way to get a way to kill it, which meshes pretty well with a lot of mythology, including the Krakow Dragon, The Knucker, and I think Orochi was lured in by a woman

She does say one thing she likes, though


This was the first point in which I paused and went "What the actual fuck?" (the thing Tohru is referring to in that first sentence is eating her, literally, not any other way that phrase can be misconstrued.) Kobayashi doesn't seem to understand that lesbians are a thing as well.

 

[Firebird Zoom]

Just saying this, but you forgot to threadmark parts 2 and 3

 

[Glitchrr36]

I guess that whole logical path makes sense, in a non-human psychology way. Tohru proceeds to pop out wings and ask her to use her as transit again, to which Kobayashi says no to, due to how conspicuous she is.

Kobayashi then asks her how strong she is for some reason

Kobayashi's response: "Please don't," more or less

Kobayashi then asks her to "hold down the fort" while she's at work, which has a couple little things happen because of it.
She's confident in her abilities, it seems. Kobayashi gives her a quick rundown on what exactly to do if someone calls before leaving, again mentioning tohru holding down the fort.

She wonders about what exactly she should do, so she asks her friend Fafnir.

This dragon is after my own heart.

She takes the advice to heart, then hears a light clicking at the door.



This goes about as well as expected.

Kobayashi later sees the two talking to a police officer, which seems pretty dumb. Why give the police any reason to suspect you were up to something at all? At best they'll just think you're high, which is probable cause for them searching your house and finding stolen goods. It's dumb. At least in America. No idea how that works in Japan.

And now we have the title. It's cute.

We then go to Kobayashi's Vocaloid making job. We meet her coworker, Takiya.

They talk about work for a bit, then decide to go get drinks later. And while leaving, guess what happens?

ゴゴゴゴ [MENACING]
Tohru has decided she doesn't like him.

She actually calls herself Kobayashi Tohru, which seems kind of creepy. Kobayashi calls her a relative, to make it seem like she isn't an insane stalker. Then we get this:

I personally don't think that's what's going on, but whatever floats your goat I guess.

They get to the bar, and things take a turn for the weird.

First Takiya and Kobayashi discuss work, lamenting being at their specific point in the Vocaloid industry hierarchy, because they have to deal with all the shit going wrong that other people have caused, and their directions are generally terrible.

Her mouth is where the missing semicolon that caused them two hours of work went.
Tohru has no idea what the fuck is going on.

She decides to change the Subject to the apocalypse, which I was either a second to early to get or a second to late.

Also murder, which Kobayashi doesn't approve of.

I already used the menacing joke so I don't have anything.

He knows what's coming...

which is that Tohru gets a massive dressing down by Kobayashi on how she's a bad maid. They also talk about cosplay and fashion styles and it's just really weird.

 

[Shanejayell]

Fans can be REALLY INTENSE in Japan. Kobiyashi is basically a maid otaku, as is her co-worker.

 

[Distant Prince]

This was the first point in which I paused and went "What the actual fuck?" (the thing Tohru is referring to in that first sentence is eating her, literally, not any other way that phrase can be misconstrued.) Kobayashi doesn't seem to understand that lesbians are a thing as well.

Click to shrink...

It must be interesting for something like that to be clarified that, no, I'm not going to eat you.

This dragon is after my own heart.

Click to shrink...

Fafner is my hero of the day. This seems like something I should watch.

 

[Glitchrr36]

Haha you thought I was kidding when I said dress down.

She is and this is probably weirder than most anime I have seen. What is the purpose?

What possible reason would she have to make someone who is ostensibly a friend take their clothes off in a public place, and then being angry they aren't embarrassed enough? This is probably sexual harassment, and would definitely be disturbing the peace because she's shrieking about maids in a restaurant. She literally starts crying. I just...don't understand who thought this was a good idea. Kobayashi is an asshole drunk.

Real fucking classy dude. They apparently drink and talk about maids, which is a bizarre thing to do.

She turns into a dragon, and tells him she hates him after a brief discussion of her weird sudden love for Kobayashi. He is remarkably calm.

They fly home. Kobayashi is out, having drunk enough to get to what a quick google informs me is probably around .2 Blood Alcohol levels.

Next we cut back to their apartment.

Nothing wholesome can come from this expression.

What do you know, I was right. Kobayashi reprimands her for licking her laundry instead of doing them like a normal person, after being creeped out. I didn't get a capture of the dialogue on this next image, but Tohru says she should like Kobayashi instead of the clothes.

They then discuss how laundry should be done, which Tohru understands well enough until the subject of "delicates" is discussed.

Despite the drool, bizarre context, and other unsettling stuff about this situation, this is an adorable image.

We then learn that her uniform is actually her skin, which makes the strip scene six new kinds of fucked up.

That's actually kind of sweet.

She seems to think so as well, given the lense flair.
Tohru wants to give payment for this, as it's a very nice thing to do, since that looks like the bag for one of those clothes stores that costs way too much money. Strange name, though, is it a joke because not everyone can read that it's a reference to maids?

I'd take that offer, personally, though Kobayashi refuses by asking if Tohru thinks she's a demon. Dragon's' blood has all sorts of properties depending on the exact myth, from granting invulnerability to granting the powers of the dragon. It's a good offer, though there is the possibility of bloodborne diseases bridging the gap and that's not a good thing.

After the demon thing, Tohru says she's an angel, but this is also said and it's quite weird:

no idea what's meant here, but I do remember that the Japanese are more lax about this kind of stuff than America, what with their shows about satan being a bishounen teenager and saving the world and stuff.

Tohru tries on the clothes, and notes they're too tight in the chest, then we get something that caused me to snort because of how silly a line it is

You can guess the context here.
I've only watched the next few episodes, but I don't think she's worn these again.

Kobayashi leaves to go to work, because she is a responsible adult unless drunk, in which case she goes around attracting strange dragons and screaming about maid uniforms. She tells Tohru to read up on hygiene so that she can maid better, but the internet isn't helping her so she asks the best dragon for help.

It is exactly what you expect.

 

[Glitchrr36]

She decides to call her other dragon friend Luoca, or Quetzalcoatl (that word makes me break out in sweat) Also Heellloo NURSE!

We get this picture that somehow (?) tells her why Kobayashi doesn't like her licking her clothing, because even though it's cleaned it curses it or something. I don't know.

We then cut to work.

This is weather that I hate during the summer, but love during every other part of the year. In the Summer cloudy days have minimal wind and high humidity, but every other time they are wonderful.
It's also bad for line drying clothes, so...

Tohru! I choose you!

She has fired her Lazor again.
this removes all the clouds with subsequent bursts.

We cut to this suspicious character, who is obviously also a dragon. She remarks about having finally found Tohru.

Well at least she isn't licking it.

Archer_Phrasing.avi
Dragons don't need to sleep, but can, which would be the most useful thing ever damn you Japan for making me envy a fictional dragon girl. Kobayashi says for Tohru to do as she pleases, which seems like a bit of a phrasing error for when the supernatural being sharing your house has stated she wants to jump your bones and has a non-human set of morals and crap. The hearts that appear around her support my position. though nothing untoward seems to happen.
Kobayashi turns out the lights, and Tohru climbs into bed.

It's adorable.

She proceeds to have a nightmare/peep into another dimension's tohru about fighting then getting impaled by a throwing sword, which I have to say is an impressively terrible weapon idea, even for anime. Her nightmare wakes Kobayashi up, and they talk for a bit before going back to sleep.

this is painfully cute.

Then this happens, where she tries out greetings. After that, there's the preview for episode two. After this post will be my thoughts on the episode as a whole.

 

[Glitchrr36]

In short, I liked it. I think so far this is going to be a cute anime, that doesn't have much of the "I feel weird in a bad way" watching it that most other anime has at one point or another. The strip thing was bizarre and kind of creepy but I guess drinking excuses some of that and there was only one shot that actually felt skeevy in it. The boob jiggles (which I don't think I mentioned because they happened often enough that pointing them out would be creepy) were probably unnecessary, but I've seen worse, so it wasn't that bad. I'm looking forward to going back through episode two, my favorite so far (Kanna is probably the most adorable thing I've seen all year), and then episode three. After that, I'm blind.

 

[Burning Baron]

You're in for a helluva roller coaster, I will say that. Especially after Lucoa shows up.