In a land of many beast people, a young fox-girl, Yuzu, makes her way to the hot springs inn Konohanatei, where she begins to work. Having lived only with her mentor at a faraway place, she knows little about the ways of the world, so she is quite overwhelmed by everything around her. However, with the help of her supervisor, Satsuki, and the other fox-girls at the inn, she will learn many things about the world.
So if you’re not like me and was sold instantly on a “cute fox-girls doing cute things” show, what does Konohana Kitan have to offer? Certainly, if you’re a fan of iyashikei slice-of-life shows, this is exactly what you’re looking for this season. This show has a relaxing, pleasant atmosphere and an underlying message about learning about the world, both through interactions with customers and each other and admiring the world around them. Speaking of which, the setting of this show is absolutely gorgeous, with that traditional Japanese aesthetic and some beautiful portrayals of nature, especially in the second act. Meanwhile, the main setting of the hot springs inn provides opportunities to explore what it means to show hospitality. And, of course, we have all those absolutely adorable fox girls. All that said, this show is still very much a relaxing slice-of-life show and won’t do anything for those who dislike such shows, and there’s also some mild fanservice (this is a hot springs resort, after all) and the usual hints of yuri. However, if you want your seasonal fix of fluffiness in anime form, then take a trip to Konohanatei and you will most definitely not be disappointed.
— stardf29
Konohana Kitan is streaming on Crunchyroll.
This might have been my AOTY. Certainly the AOTS, just slightly edging out Girls Last Tour. I was expecting Barakamon with fox girls, but I got a lot more. I wasn’t prepared for all the feels. I actually found myself tearing up quite a few times.
Yeah, while I did initially think it’d be “just” a relaxing cute-girls-doing-cute-things show (though there’s nothing wrong with that), later stories went deeper into the storytelling and made for something really special. Definitely expect me to talk more about this show at some point!