2019 played host to a slew of anime titles. Some, like Dr. Stone and Demon Slayer, have gone on to become internationally renowned. Others, such as The Rising of the Shield Hero, cultivated a dedicated audience and have continued to hold their ground in a crowded, competitive market. Others still went almost completely under the radar. Rinshi!! Ekoda-chan falls (unfairly) into the last category.
Adapted from a serialized four-panel seinen manga of the same name, Rinshi!! Ekoda-chan follows the life and exploits of 24-year-old Ekoda-chan, a temp worker/nightclub hostess/nude model as she searches for romance. In her free time, Ekoda-chan lounges around her apartment naked -- to save herself from doing laundry -- lost in her thoughts. Throughout the 12-episode series, Ekoda-chan has a number of casual (albeit unsuccessful) relationships, single-handedly rids her apartment of several pestilent intruders (including an especially bold lizard), reconnects with her sister and becomes steadily more comfortable in her own skin -- quite literally.
On the surface, Ekoda-chan appears to function solely as a run-of-the-mill fan service series: a razor-thin plot populated by interesting characters and a protagonist who is proud of (and rather frank about) her nudity and sexual nature. However, Rinshi!! Ekoda-chan is unlike any anime that's come before it.
Each of Ekoda-chan's five-minute installments is directed by a different acclaimed director -- including Food Wars' Yonetani Yoshitomo -- and features a different voice actor for the titular protagonist. As such, every episode takes on its own identity and effectively communicates Ekoda-chan's perspective and personality. For example, while Episode Two feels bleak and cynical -- reinforced in no small part by the dark palette and stark score -- Episode Three transforms the entire cast into brightly-colored Sanrio-esque animals. This rollercoaster of aesthetics gives the entire series a true-to-life quality that even the best slice-of-life titles can struggle to convey.
Additionally, while Ekoda-chan certainly contains the attributes that fan service audiences so often enjoy, the series offers poignant, explorative commentary on romance, sexuality and what it means to be living in the 20th century -- all conveyed through a female lens. Specifically, in Episode 11, Ekoda-chan goes on two dates with two different men. Both are entitled, self-important and unintelligent in their respective ways. Worst of all, they're both oblivious to how dismissive and disrespectful they are toward Ekoda-chan. Bad dates are (unfortunately) all too real of an experience for women, and Ekoda-chan isn't exempt from them.
While she's often cynical, even pessimistic in her perspectives and experiences related to romance, she manages to find joy in her freedom and individuality. There is a refreshing earnestness in her unfiltered, unrestrained prerogative and sexual positivity, as well as strength in her refusal to give up on romance, even after a seemingly endless deluge of toxic men.
Ekoda-chan's thoughts and actions -- especially her attitudes toward sexual relationships, romance and loneliness -- are very much relatable to contemporary women. However, contemporary men can find common ground with Ekoda as well.
Ekoda-chan has a lot that draws the male gaze. Ekoda-chan is indeed naked a great deal of the time, holds jobs that highlight and accentuate her body and sexuality, and has a steady stream of casual encounters. However, fan service and male-gaze pandering aren't at the core of the series. As director Mochizuki Tomomi says in a post-episode interview: "[the manga] is a bible for women; a guide for men." Rinshi!! Ekoda-chan's anime adaptation is no different. In examining and depicting contemporary female sexuality, Ekoda-chan also offers a great deal for its male viewers to consider.