English Dub Review: Miss Caretaker Sunohara-sou “Roasted Sweet Potato, Nursing, Mascot”

Synopsis (Spoilers Below)

It’s autumn, so that means one thing: Oktoberfest. Because that’s the first thing most people think of when they think of autumn — unless you’re an alcoholic. So, anyway, Ayaka brings Aki along to town to help a friend run her bar while Oktoberfest is going on. Since there have only been female volunteers at the event, there isn’t a masculine outfit for Aki to wear. Thankfully, Yuri planned ahead and packed Aki a wig so he can masquerade as a girl without drawing attention to himself. Later, Nana makes an unexpected visited the house and has an…interesting conversation with her sister regarding their weight gain. The final section of the episode focuses on Aki as he cares for a sick Ayaka.

Our Take

It seems like this anime is attempting to redeem itself by making the characters’ interactions seem more natural (though that doesn’t take away from what we have already seen), while still relying on uncomfortable fanservice. While it isn’t overt and narrative-dominating like it has normally been throughout the series, it’s still there and still uncomfortable. And, to be honest, if it weren’t for these aspects of the show, Aki and Ayaka’s relationship would probably more endearing since it seems like Aki genuinely cares for his caretaker. And, if it weren’t for the end, I probably would’ve given this episode a high rating. Alas, poor reader, the ending is uncomfortable. Like maybe one of the most uncomfortable scenes I’ve seen watching this anime — and that’s a lot. So nice try writers, but this episode is a hard pass for me.