The working hours of Japanese offices have long been a staple of anime scenarios. And the isekai genre is now lousy with wish fulfillment and self-insert stories about office workers and salarymen relaxing in slow-life rural areas after another world transports them there. Or finally receiving the recognition and promotions from their new bosses, usually demon lords or evil kings. Some anime eschew the isekai aspects and import Japanese office culture straight into a fantasy setting. Girumasu (Guild no Uketsukejou desu ga, Zangyou wa Iya nanode Boss wo Solo Toubatsu Shiyou to Omoimasu, I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time) is about a young receptionist who wished to avoid overtime so much that she became a superhero.
Alina Clover, the guild receptionist who wants nothing more than to leave work on time, is an attractive young woman and the key selling point of Girumasu. Her voice actress, Rie Takahashi, also plays Megumin (KonoSuba) and Emilia (Re:Zero). So, you already have a familiar, melodic sound caressing your ears. But you definitely hear Megumin’s “Explosion!” in the back of your head whenever Alina swings her war hammer and shouts, “Die!”
A Guild Receptionist’s Secret Identity — Girumasu and Accidental Heroes
What else about Alina makes you want to watch every episode of Girumasu’s low-stakes fantasy adventure comedy? I present an old rock and roll song that was the theme song for an old TV show, Chuck (2007), for inspiration.
I want a girl with a short skirt and a long jacket
I want a girl who gets up early (gets up early)
I want a girl who stays up late (stays up late)
I want a girl with uninterrupted prosperity
Who uses a machete to cut through red tape
“Short Skirt/Long Jacket,” by Cake, Comfort Eagle, 2001
Those song lyrics almost match Alina and Girumasu exactly! Replace machete with “big honking war hammer,” and now you have Alina doing all she can to avoid overtime. Let’s see how well Alina stacks up to the fantasy girl in this post!
Girumasu, Touring the Facility with a Hammer on her Back
The Spider-Man hero ethos, quoted by Peter Parker’s late Uncle Ben, “With great power comes great responsibility,” also applies to Chuck’s premise. I was a fan of Cake’s song before it became the theme song for the quirky and fun super spy vehicle for Zachary Levi. But Chuck’s ideal woman, Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski), walked straight out of that song and into his heart.
For Girumasu, Alina accidentally gained superpowers because she wished so purely to attend a city festival. Alina meant to apply it to work efficiently to avoid overtime. But whoever heard her plea saw her role as an adventurers’ guild receptionist and gave her the skills to complete all its quests solo! Alina uses a war hammer to cut through extra paperwork!
Eventually, people would interpret a hammer-wielding “Executioner” as a hero instead of a vigilante. With a great hammer comes a duty to save lives. But Alina still gets to yell at annoyances as she smashes them.
Short Skirt with Good Dividends
Girumasu isn’t a pure fanservice anime in the ecchi sense. But its female character designs are curvy, adorable, and occasionally moe. The anime is a comedy, so it plays on its premise by highlighting the space between serious adventuring themes and griping about piles of paperwork. And what do office workers wear in Girumasu? Short skirts, frilly socks, and Mary Janes! How’s that for another Spider-Man connection? The super-kawaii fashion choice emphasizes the girliness of a feminine administrative assistant who only wants to enjoy her apartment after work.
The ending theme song and video accentuate Girumasu’s purity aesthetic for Alina and her friends, Laila and Lululee. That song is also the catchiest earworm of the season!
But, remember Alina’s Executioner uniform. It has booty shorts under a faux skirt and thigh-high work boots. You get zettai ryouiki in your face before a hammer smashes you flat. Remind me: What’s the best accessory for activewear, vigilante justice, and a big, honking war hammer on your shoulder? Oh, you know the answer.
Girumasu Shines Like Justice with a Long Jacket
The purpose of the short skirt/long jacket ensemble is to make you look while she’s coming and to disrespect your attention as she’s going. This no-nonsense outfit eats up a man and spits him out. Hurt me harder, Mommy! Ahem. Alina’s Executioner robe exudes the same attitude in Girumasu. Don’t give her more paperwork, you adventurer scrubs and noobs. Die!
Alina’s white mantle and hood reminded me of the Assassin’s Creed uniform, with the hood supposedly covering her face and hiding her identity. But the reverse Batman outfit didn’t work on her love interest and second-best paper pusher in the guild. How is Jade so good at paperwork? Because he’s good at everything, duh. He initially pursued the Executioner to join his party, but her short skirt, frilly socks, and Mary Janes got him.
That’s how romance blooms in Girumasu. Shout loudly, carry a big war hammer, and walk softly, flashing bare thighs, ankle-high socks, and patent leather shoes. Because I want a girl who uses a hammer to smash through paperwork. I want a girl with a short skirt and a long jacket. Do you?
Girumasu (I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time) streams on Crunchyroll in multiple languages for audio and subtitles.
Thank you for reading this post about the fun show Girumasu. Do you like short skirts, long jackets, and crushing grips on war hammers? What else do you enjoy about the mash-up of office worries and fantasy settings? Let us know in the comments below.
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