* Per usual, there is a potential for spoilers. *
When I read the synopsis for Fantasy Bishoujo Juniku Ojisan to, or Fabiniku for short, I kind of cast it to the wayside. I even put it in my honorable mentions for last season. I will be the first to admit when I’m wrong, and that’s exactly what I was with Fabiniku.
As a fairly straight-forward comedy, I’m going to try this in the same format as my discussion on Komi-san, keeping it short and sweet. We’ll see if I can actually do that though… Okay, enough dragging this out, let’s jump right in.
Some Quick Plot
Normally, the setup for an isekai is pretty cliché. But not Fabiniku. There’s no visit from Truck-kun here. In fact, Tachibana is still alive. Not an issue for the goddess, though! She’ll fix that.
After being transported, we’re given a series of rapid fire reactions. Jinguuji’s upon seeing his friend first as goop, then as a girl. Tachibana’s realization of his new form. Their reactions to this maniac of a goddess. It never really gives you a moment to breathe, and instead just drags you along through all the madness.
The curse the goddess bestows is the real catch though. Tachibana’s unwilling attraction of those who see him (her?) is the catalyst for pretty much everything. Not only for their quest to defeat the demon lord, but also for all of the hi-jinx that occur.
Let’s Talk Comedy
Moving away from potential spoiler territory, let’s discuss the real meat of this anime. It’s a comedy series. Was it funny?
Short version: yes. Long version: YEEEEEEEEEEEEES. I was laughing my ass off almost every episode. The jokes come fast and hit hard, one after another. It’s very, very funny. Can’t say if it’s the funniest series I’ve seen (I’m not big on generalized comparisons), but it’s definitely up there.
Now, I will say it’s a very particular kind of comedy. Watch one episode and you’ll know what I mean. The joke style doesn’t really change throughout. There is a lot of play around the fact that Tachibana is a guy, thus attracting other men isn’t quite what he’s hoping for. As such, you’ll have to decide for yourself if this comedy is something you prefer.
Production Stuff
Let’s talk about this briefly. The production quality was pretty good all around. The character designs were pretty good and unique. Jinguuji was probably the most generic, but that’s clearly a design choice. The rest of the cast was pretty good too, serving as more points of comedy to play off of. They’re really a cast of characters, if you know what I mean.
The animation was good. The voice acting was on point. The music selection was good. Honestly, I can’t say there was any real negatives in the area of production.
I will say, though, that I came to really enjoy the opening. The song became weirdly catchy as I listened to it more, and fit the series well. The animation for the opening was actually pretty good too, spelling out the premise of the series in ninety seconds. I actually just chuckled at it. The comedy really does permeate every part of the series.
Conclusion
Okay, I promised short, so let’s wrap this up. How did Fabiniku do? It was great, and totally worth a watch.
The comedy was fantastic. I was constantly laughing throughout it. I was actually laughing as hard as I did the first time just skimming through the series looking for good screenshots for this post. There were a few times I would just keep watching because I was enjoying it so much.
I’m not big on the gender-bender trope usually, and that initially turned me off when looking for anime last season. But, if you’re like me in that regard, I’d highly recommend giving it a try. It’s well worth it.
I’ll definitely be looking to add this series to my collection, and will probably be checking out the manga. If that doesn’t explain my opinion, I don’t know what else will.
And there you go. Not the shortest post ever, but I tried to keep it concise. Go watch this, have a good laugh, and I’ll catch you in the next one.