The days of Makina and Eita being horny in his apartment are over with Makina-san’s a Love Bot?! episode 5. I was wholeheartedly expecting pervy school moments the day they returned to school. Alas, to my dissatisfaction, this was the tamest episode of the season (so far). But, it served to show that before this is an ecchi, it’s a rom-com — and that’s commendable.
Makina-san’s a Love Bot?!, Episode 5 — Back to School!
I remember being on a fishing trip where a pissed-off marlin managed to puncture the panga we were fishing from. Without hesitation, the captain took out Flex Tape, patched the leak, and proudly proclaimed it was the second time that had happened to him. That may sound like an unrelated tangent, but if a 72-year-old Mexican dude with one good eye and a limp arm can do that, Eita and Ms. HIGH SPEC SEX BOT can do something about her detaching leg.
Those two live in a world where robots can drain your seed like a high-powered vacuum cleaner. Yet, the concept of duct tape does not exist. Then again, drama has to happen, or we won’t get sexual tension, and what’s anime without sexual tension? And while Makina-san’s a Love Bot?! episode 5 had little nudity — it did have sexual tension.
But, due to the lack of duct tape, Makina-san’s leg dropped faster than the US economy, and Eita had to rush to save her. But being the awkward nerd he is, he buzzes around her like a stalker. In fact, he brings so many get-in-the-van vibes that Makina’s friend Minami confronts him. While admirable, that’s a girl who’s firmly suffering from hentai rot. Because the first things she thinks about are womb tattoos, hypnosis, and all manner of doujin tags. And instead of going to the police like a sane person, she confronts him by slightly shoving a stun gun up his ass. That is a sentence I never thought I’d write.
Luckily for Eita, much like someone who missed a Diddy Party, his chastity was preserved when a passing teacher broke up the altercation. But as he rushes to get Makina-san home, someone still discovers their secret.
It’s a Slice-of-Life, I Tell You!
My favorite shows are in the slice-of-life vein, and most of my favorite ecchi shows are filled with slice-of-life vibes. I vividly remember the first time I watched shows like Kiss x Sis and Eromanga-sensei; their relatively relaxed pace hooked me. But ecchi shows like Freezing or Hybrid x Heart bored me. If I want boobs thrown in my face, I’d live my life; there’s no need for anime there. I want to be entertained by sexual content, not aroused by it. Most ecchi shows miss that mark. But Kakushite! Makina-san!! jumped on that everyday cruise and went with it, which is invaluable.
That said, I wish the periphery plot this show hinted at would move to the forefront. Would I be disappointed if it didn’t? Not really. Kakushite! Makina-san!! has been entertaining since episode 1. I can see this show wiggling its way into my top ten like Minami wiggles tasers up people’s bungholes.
I’ve seen a few people lament the state of ecchi shows this season because of how Makina-san’s a Love Bot?! episode 5 dropped the ecchiness. Ecchi fans were already discontent at HIDIVE airing the censored version of Yandere Dark Elf! And, like me, plenty of people disliked the animation and lack of nudity in Haite Kudasai, Takamine-san. But I’d argue that episodes like these benefit the community because they appeal to a wider demographic.
A Question of Demand
Ecchi anime will never be mainstream. But it can have a widespread cult following. And that benefits ecchi anime because if more people want it, studios will have more incentive to produce it. Most people won’t enjoy hardcore shows like Yosuga no Sora, but more people will enjoy something like Makina-san’s a Love Bot?! episode 5. And when more people enjoy it, more people recommend it, and it snowballs from there.
I, for one, would love to one day get an ecchi anime with Ufotable-level animation. But given the state of the ecchi world, that’s not going to happen soon.
© Yoshimi Sato / Futabasha, “Makina-san” Production Committee
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