Anime Review: The Helpful Fox Senko-San Episode 1

The Helpful Fox Senko-San

Studio: Doga Kobo

Genres: Comedy, Supernatural

Streaming: Funimation

Nakano is an overworked salaryman who is simply miserable at his job. He already works late, and on top of that, he picks up for the mistakes of others as well. A dark looming cloud hangs over him. All of that begins to change when Senko, demigod fox shows up to help him out and make his life easier.

The Helpful Fox Senko-san (Sewayaki Kitsune no Senko-san) follows the day to day life of these two. The series adapts the manga with the same name. The supernatural comedy is full of fluff and good vibes and is set to be one of the comfier shows of the seasons. The first episode does a fine job of introducing viewers to the two protagonists. Nakano seems to be a decent person who just wants to live a good life, and Senko is dedicated to helping him in every way.

The comedy works pretty well throughout the entire episode. Nothing feels out of place and no joke feels forced. Nakano’s initial reaction to meeting Senko is authentic and full of humor. The feel-good moments of the episode actually feel genuinely nice. Literally watching the black cloud fade away from Nakano creates a lovely feeling. I’d expect an anime with this premise to be a short like most of the other cute shows this season, but it’s actually a full series, and the majority of the time is used well. Even the moments where nothing happens are enjoyable.

There is one scene in this episode involving Senko’s tail that starts out somewhat wholesome but quickly becomes uncomfortable to watch. Not because I don’t mind fanservice-y moments, but because it just doesn’t fit the tone of the rest of the episode. This scene is a minute or two too long but doesn’t prevent the overall episode from being enjoyable.

Most of these quiet moments are assisted with lovely visuals and cute vibes. The auras around the characters make them more expressive, and the bright colors captivate. All of the food looks delicious and can put even food anime to shame. Everything about this show’s aesthetic just works. The music is soft and relaxing and adds to the relaxing climate. The animation isn’t the best, and as the camera pans the animation is noticeably choppy. Fortunately, most viewers don’t watch a show like that for this animation, so this shouldn’t bother the audience.

The Helpful Fox Senko-san‘s first episode is cute and fluffy, like the protagonist. It’s an overall feel-good time, with light jokes and wonderful visuals. Aside from a scene or two, this is a fine first episode in a series that should serve as the comfy anime of the season.