Synopsis
The story begins in the aftermath of 12-year-old Oriko Seki losing her parents to a car accident and ending up under the care of her grandmother in her Onsen, “Haru no Ya." Upon moving in, however, she encounters the inn ghost Uribou. Before she knows it, ends up training to become the new young female innkeeper. Though reluctant at first, she gradually develops an admiration for her new role and thus begins the tale of the innkeeper in training Oriko.
The Good
The first thing that stood out with the episode is the general tone that it gives. It’s simple but it creates a nice atmosphere in how it establishes its characters and their background. With Okko, there are more than a few kid characters that have a mature attitude to them, but it’s not often that we see them actually have the qualities of a kid such as Oriko with her stubbornness and outbursts. The same goes for Uribou and his mischievous nature.
On the note of Uribou, the fact that the series added a young ghost to its story as a sort of guide for Oriko in her journey gives a unique point to the series. Added to the fact that he’s a ghost child gives potential to more solemn moments like the one that showed Oriko briefly mourning her parents. Honestly, it was a surprise that the surprise went as deep as they did in just the beginning of its story. In hindsight though, it did bring out the brighter aspects of the story.
Other than the character establishment and potential points for the series, there are smaller aspects which present more positive aspects for the series. For one thing, there are the moments of Oriko’s training and how she deals with it. While it may seem small, the fact that we smaller points of her journey like this adds to her development. Another point is the foreshadowing that occurs towards the beginning of the series brings a nice touch.
The Bad
Given Oriko’s general character, a lot of her story is rather predictable. From her being dragged into the role of young mistress to her making plenty of mistakes, even her having a skill for cooking was somewhat expected. Really, as nice as the aspects oh her character establishment was, the rest of her story was kind of expected. The only real thing that made things different with her was certain reactions and her having Uribou by her side.
Other than her, the other characters also have some cliche points to them as well. Basically, there are very little surprises to be found with the series after the initial ones at the beginning. There were also some moments that just seem a tad exaggerated for the sake of the story, and there is the small narration in certain parts, but those are minor more than anything.
Conclusion
It’s simple, cute, and a has a unique aspect, but a lot of it is rather predictable. From the cliche characters to the struggles that Oriko has to face, a lot of what the story has shown so far is rather predictable. Still, there is potential for the series with how the beginning was established along with the introduction of supernatural element. And while the characters do have cliche points to them, it’s not overly heavy and leaves room for development.
Rating: 6.5/10