Overview (Spoilers Below):
Arata (16), the third of seven siblings and oldest son of the Shiunji family, dreams of a different life until…
Our Take:
There’s no doubt that living with several sisters can be chaotic. Just look at how Lincoln Loud survives his eleven sisters in The Loud House. Fortunately for this show’s protagonist, Arata Shiunji, he’s living with fewer sisters compared to what that boy is going through. However, that doesn’t make his life much easier, as he’s being constantly pushed around by his five sisters. His sisters consist of kind Banri, intelligent Seiha, outgoing Ouka, tomboy Minami, and shy Kotono. Although Arata also has a younger brother by his side, Shion, it isn’t enough to overcome the wrath of his sisters to live a normal life. However, that all changed when, on Kotono’s birthday, their father revealed the shocking truth: they’re all adopted!
Undoubtedly, the concept of The Shiunji Family Children gave me Loud House vibes, mainly because of the sister’s personalities. Seiha’s intellectual character aligns with Lisa’s, while Minami’s tomboyish and athletic nature closely resembles Lynn’s. I’m pretty sure those who watched the Nickelodeon show would understand that I’m not the only one who gets this similarity. But, for those who haven’t, I hope I gave you a good reason to watch it yourself.
Regarding its first impression, the show certainly has a few charming moments through the sisters’ personalities and the cute animation style by Doga Kobo. However, its concept of having siblings who are not “siblings” leaves room for concern, mainly due to its out-of-context representation. I know that they’re actually adopted, but they still treat each other like siblings, so I feel like this approach could make specific viewers a tad uncomfortable. The plot is also too on-the-nose with its genre cliches, mainly through Kotono, who has strong feelings for Arata compared to the other sisters. With the secret now out, it seems evident that Kotono could wind up being Arata’s girlfriend when all is said and done. I’m sure the later episodes would find a way to make this “problematic” concept work for me, but until then, I’m not digging this one just yet.