Maid-sama is a an easy-to-watch anime with entertaining characters, all stemming from the unusual concept of a very straight-laced protagonist working part-time at a maid cafe. I watched this years ago when I was younger, and remember really liking it, but upon re-watching there are several aspects to the show I'm critical of. Also, please recognize the cult following this show has, as my opinion is not overly critical but definitely less smitten than others.
Maid-sama is a show that's pretty digestible and easy to watch. Little is left as a mystery, and not many subplots run for more than an episode or two. It's super easy to pick up and put down in that regard. However, there are a good few filler episodes that slow down the plot development, and I would say this one is already pretty slow in progressing. The final five episodes or so really pick up the pace, which I liked a lot.
I think the characters are what made me want to finish this whole show. At first characters fit general shoujo tropes, but deepen as they have an episode or several focus on them and their backstories. As a whole, the characters are entertaining in their owns ways, albeit a bit predictable. Many of the side characters were more loveable to me than the protagonists!
My biggest problem with this show is how it casually uses sexual themes and assault as a means of conflict or as gags. I understand that shoujo media does occasionally use unrequited advances as a means of developing character relationships, but for it's TV-14 rating, I'm surprised at the content. In particular is when the protagonist is nearly sexually assaulted, but is then rescued by the love interest. There's also a scene where the love interest gives the protag a hickey without her consent, and another episode where an entire plot point is protecting the female students from the male ones who have turned into 'wolves' from lust. Some of the love interests advances border on creepy, but ultimately seem fine within the context of the show.
All this being said, I still think the romance between the protagonists is charming, entertaining, and something I wanted to watch develop. I wish it had grown more consistently given that this anime has 26 episodes, but the final five episodes or so were significantly better than most of the first half. Overall, though, it's not a show I'll be revisiting again, even for nostalgia.
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