Rinko is a twenty-four-year-old otaku. Her apartment is her book-and-anime-focused sanctuary from the world. She makes it through the work day with hope of recharging off anime that evening. Unfortunately, her mysterious neighbor Usada pounds on the wall whenever she tries to watch most anime. Her other neighbor, Satsuki, is very kind and friendly. Somehow things escalate into Usada kicking a hole through the wall, revealing that he’s the author of one of Rinko’s favorite manga, Usaneko Club. This is enough for Rinko to forgive him for everything, but Satsuki is still rather put out about it. Things get progressively crazier from there, leading to a hole in the Rinko-Satsuki wall too and Satsuki pretending(?) to be Rinko’s boyfriend.
That was quite ridiculous. Screwball comedy, I guess, is the genre here? I suppose there’s potential for some romance, but the whole setup is so absurd I can’t see it being a primary element of the show going forward. Rinko’s over-the-top adoration of her favorite mangaka brings to mind Utage from last season’s Tamon’s B-side, but even more zany and less dramatic (notwithstanding Satsuki’s attempts to be the serious guy). This premise also differs from Tamon in that all the characters are adults. In terms of where the story can go from here, other than escalating the craziness, Satsuki is still pretty mysterious, and I can’t help but wonder how/whether the landlord will figure in to the situation. I think I’ve got to recommend this one. It’s bizarre, but also just that funny. I definitely plan to come back for more.
Pardon the Intrusion, I’m Home! is streaming on Crunchyroll.
