World's End Harem (2021-2022)

[終末のハーレム]

Director: Yu Nobuta
Studio: Studio Gokumi, AXsiZ
Starring: Taichi Ichikawa, Haruka Shiraishi, Yo Taichi
Episodes: 11

Synopsis:
After undergoing an experimental treatment for MS, a medical student awakens to a world where most of the male population has been wiped out by a pandemic.

Impressions:
Knowing the primary intention behind a series like this, I would normally pass on it, but there was a lot of dirt getting kicked up, so I figured I'd see what the hubbub was and there was just enough intrigue to the premise to get me to stick around. Now, I imagine the target audience isn't really here for the story. That being said, I don't know how much that target audience will be satisfied by what they get. (Those subjected to Crunchyroll's inept censorship will be infuriated, I'm sure.) The main protagonist Reito is a wet blanket whose resistance to the intended breeding program seems to annoy the vast majority of said audience. I don't mind what he's doing in principle, but he's a bland and wimpy character, so even as he's delving into the intrigue of the setting, it's not all that interesting. There's not much depth to Hino and he only shows up sporadically, so he's barely worth commenting on (but at least he's enjoying himself). Doi, on the other hand, is the one thing really interesting going on. I like the psychological play going on in the social experiment he's made to participate in. Doi's dynamic with his attendant Karen as the devil on his shoulder is far more intriguing than the bland-on-bland combo of Reito and Mira. Whatever reason you might have for checking out this series, I can't guarantee there's enough here to make for a satisfying experience, but there's just enough that you might consider it worth your time. Take it or leave it.

Rating:
50/50