Interviews with Monster Girls

Episode 8

Tetsuo may be an easygoing guy most of the time, but all the demi-human abilities in the world can't save his students from feeling his wrath if they flunk their exams. While Yuki's grades are fine and Machi is at the head of her class, Hikari's scores leave a lot to be desired. It's study time for the vampire girl, while Yuki ends up chatting with Sakie about demi-themed manga. Once the study sessions are over, Hikari turns the tables by grading the rest of the cast on how appealing their arms are from a vampire's perspective.

If you've been distracted by all the monster girl hijinks, this episode serves as a reminder that this is still very much a slice of life series. Most of this episode's plot points come straight out of the “cute girls doing cute things” playbook, even if they are presented with a bit of demi-human flair. The characters mostly just sit around and talk about whatever topic comes to mind, be it their study habits or their taste in manga. It's a good source of character development and the occasional bit of comedy, but it's a harder sell here than it would be in a more ordinary series. If you're here solely for the monster girl stuff, it may be too slow and mild-mannered for your tastes.

The girls' study session in the library is perhaps the most obvious case of coloring inside the genre lines. If you stuck Machi's head back on her body, it'd look an awful lot like a scene out of Yuruyuri or Non Non Biyori. It's basically just three girls talking about whether or not they enjoy studying, with their answers playing naturally into their personalities. Yuki and Sakie's chat about demi-related manga is also very much a “getting to know you” scene, though this at least explores the idea of real-life demis influencing the depiction of fictional ones. We also get a brief flashback to Sakie's teenage years, which gives us a slightly clearer picture of what it's like to go to school as a succubus. It's more comedic than insightful, but I'll take what I can get in the absence of a more detailed backstory.

Hikari's arm-judging competition is perhaps the best scene of the bunch, as it does a better job of using the characters' unique traits to liven things up. It's a nice mix of quirkiness and conversational humor, and the dialogue sets up a couple of clever jokes. I like the unusual conceit of Hikari comparing each of her friends to a different kind of food, and the conversation leads neatly into an opportunity for Tetsuo to get himself in trouble by thinking out loud. Between this and the manga scene, we also learn that Yuki has a weakness for raunchy jokes, which adds an amusing new dimension to her character. As she starts to open up to the other girls, Yuki's becoming a more dynamic and entertaining character.

This is a by-the-book episode, leaning heavily on basic genre plot points while adding in some demi-human humor here and there. As long as you don't mind that easygoing approach, the execution is strong enough to deliver a relaxing and amusing episode. Even so, there's no getting around the fact that this isn't the strongest or most memorable content we've seen from Interviews with Monster Girls. This series is at its best when it's willing to venture into more emotional territory, and it loses some of that impact here by playing it safe.

Rating: B

Interviews with Monster Girls is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.