With not much beyond a quirky PV to go off of, I didn’t quite know what to expect going into Servant x Service except that it might turn out be one of those comedies that revolves around the characters talking about random stuff. Though I ended up being wrong in that respect, I’m glad that I gave the show a shot because it’s turned out to be one of the more entertaining shows I’ve watched thus far this season.
The episode starts off with our trio, Hasebe Yutaka, Yamagami, and Miyoshi Saya, on their first day working in the health and welfare section of their city’s ward office. Most of the episode is spent on simply watching the antics of the three as they grow accustomed to each other and to some of the hardships that come with their job, including people who tend to ramble a bit too much and the impatient ones who tend to snap at the person sitting across the desk from them.
I like that these issues are included because it gives the episode a surprising sense of realism since I imagine that people in jobs of all sorts that deal with other people run across these types of problems and deal with them in a manner similar to one of three. The episode also shows how appreciative the people were that Yamagami and the others helped which was sweet touch that allowed the episode to end with a positive outlook regarding the treatment of people working in the office.
Unsurprisingly, the cast was also highly enjoyable to watch with each of the mains having his or her own quirks that most of the jokes play off. I, personally, found Hasebe to be the most entertaining and often had a smile on my face when he popped on screen. His personality isn’t the most original (though it does have its moments) and his jokes pretty much centered around two things, running away and asking for e-mails/phone numbers, but he never over stayed his welcome and had a certain fun energy to him. I also liked Yamagami and Miyoshi, especially, when it came to watching them interact with the people that came to them. The only thing I didn’t care for too much was Yamagami’s “revenge” story, though I do appreciate the irony of her hating civil workers yet being a person who is well suited to being one.
On the animation side of things, I think the episode looked good. The character designs are pretty simple, but the style works; I was particularly fond of how Yamagami’s ahoge would move in accordance to her mood. The colors are bright and suit the comedy with its generally happy mood. I was also particularly fond of the OP which combined real objects and 2-D animation quite nicely.
As a comedy, Servant x Service, for me at least, is succeeding. I was laughing throughout the episode and, even when I wasn’t, often had a smile on my face. With its strange charm and fun comedy, Servant x Service has convinced me to stick around for the foreseeable future, and I can’t wait to see what our office workers get up to next.
Amateur Rambling 