- Titles: Otomege Sekai wa Mob ni Kibishii Sekai desu, mobseka
- Genre: Isekai, comedy, mecha, romance, harem, action
- Episodes: 12
- Studio: ENGI
Leon hates dating sims. They are just all the same and the characters are always so vapid. How can someone be so oblivious? And don’t get him started on all those shoehorned-in gaming mechanics. You can always tell when a game studio is more used to making fighting action games, they always try to add in crazy excuses to have you pick up a weapon or jump into a ship. Leon would have absolutely nothing to do with dating sims ever if his sister wasn’t constantly blackmailing him into playing them for her so she can see the cutscenes! So what is Leon going to do now that he has been reborn into the world of the last dating sim he played? Simple, he’s going to live a quiet life as an unremarkable mob character. At least that’s the plan…
Once in a while, I just put random stuff on my to-watch list. I think I might be subconsciously putting anime with the word Otome in the title in there simply because I have watched so many I figure I might as well develop a specialty…
Production
How can I put this, Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough for Mobs is nothing special? It’s an anime, it has anime aesthetics, and you can see the art style and designs from the pictures in this post. It looks pretty much exactly like I expected it to. It also looks like it might not have had tons of budget to spend. I’m not shaming the show for this, I think it did fine with what it had. I’m just saying there’s a particular look you get. Light is very flat, colour palettes are restrained details are used sparingly. That sort of stuff. Doesn’t mean the show looks bad but it doesn’t stand out much.
One surprising this, and I’ll get to it more in the story portion of this post, is that there is a lot of action in Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough for Mobs. Way more than I expected. In these types of shows, I will often write something along the lines of The animation is pretty average but this isn’t a show that needs great animation. But in this case, that’s totally wrong. Well partly wrong. The animation is average (which is not bad) but the show could have used better animation. There were plenty of opportunities to make animation shine in this series and it would have elevated the whole. However, I do realize that the resources needed for that are not exactly within the reach of every production out there and to Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough for Mobs’ credit, I really got the impression that they did the best they could with what they had.
Story & Characters
Ok so in a way, Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough for Mobs reminded me of the first season of My Next Life As A Villainess (we don’t talk about the second season). Certainly, the premise is very similar but there was a lot in the pacing and humour I found to be similar as well. For my money, I do think Villanaisse is more charming overall but I also think Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough for Mobs is more interesting. At least they tried more things and ultimately the show is a bit more unique because of it.
One switch which could have been done better but was still a good idea is to have the main character be a man. As such, you get to see a harem from the point of view of the opposite gender. And there is some commentary on how that can make a person feel and how that affects gender stereotypes and perception. I say some, but I mean a little. And the show sort of gives up that very awesome but tricky path fairly early on and just turns into a regular harem with a number of ladies falling for the main character in the end. So missed opportunity but I do appreciate the attempt as timid as it was.
For the record, an anime that seriously explores the emotional and intellectual impact of being a member of a harem instead of having a harem, or even of witnessing someone having a harem, would be something I would like to see. I’m not sure if it would work but I am curious about what takes the industry would have.
Something you may have noticed from the genres I mentioned in this post is that I labelled Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough for Mobs as a Mecha anime. If you haven’t watched the show, it may seem a bit odd. How would a series about an Otome that is similar to Villainess be a Mecha? Maybe you think it’s a bit like how comedic Isekais often have a bit f magic here and there.
Let me give it to you straight, Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough for Mobs is primarily a mecha anime. Out of 12 episodes, 8 are about giant robots are airships fighting. There’s an entire mecha tournament arc where the bulk of the episode is all about robot strategies, armour and weapon power. I should have done this review with Scott.
I don’t know how that is going to play out with general anime fans out there. I’m not sure what the overlap in viewership of those genres is. But I have to admit, I thought it was a really fun idea. I actually liked unusual genre blends. Granted, they rarely work all that well and often end up with jagged narratives that don’t come together. But I like to encourage studios and creators to try unusual things. You never know what’s going to end up as a masterpiece.
Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough for Mobs is not a masterpiece. It’s an average show. Most people, myself included, will be able to take it or leave it. And I think that because it’s so average, it softens the impact of the chances that were taken. It makes it of to try out goofy stuff since you’re not tacking it on to something that’s either already unstable and would collapse under the weight, or something that’s brilliant and risks getting ruined. Does that make sense?
You might like this anime if:
You want to watch a perfectly ordinary action mecha romance isekai comedy… yeah
My favourite character:
Luxion! Luxion needs his own show. In second place is Jenna Fou Bartfort – also Fou Bartfort is a great name.
Suggested drink:
a Mecha Hot Toddy (sadly mecha is a tea)
- Every time Leon argues with Luxion – take a sip
- Every time Leon argues with Jenna – there might be a attern here
- Every time Angelica gets angry – take a sip
- Every time Olivia uses healing magic – take a sip
- Every time Leon needs to find a wife – feel sorry for him
- Every time girls are mean – what else is new
- Every time we hear Marie’s true thoughts – take a sip
- Every time we see a new giant robot – cheer
- Every time Leon is a jerk – I already said what else is new
- Every time we see Daniel and Ray – take a sip
- Every time Olivia sparkles – shield your eyes
- Every time Leon loves his master – take a sip
- Every time anyone calls Olivia “scholarship girl” – take a sip
- Every time Leon loses his pupils – oh my
- Every time Leon gets promoted – raise your glass
I save all my screencaps on my Pinterest and you can find more there if you are interested. But I still like to show you a few in the post. If you’re like me, screencaps are something that really helps you decide to watch an anime or not.
“For the record, an anime that seriously explores the emotional and intellectual impact of being a member of a harem”
I think Kaminomi touches on that a little, in its last season. The disappearance of the mechanism that had allowed Keima to manipulate girls, lie to the, or cheat on them at will — their memory reset — finally forces Keima to confront the consequences of his awful behavior, as he comes to terms with the pain he’s caused to people he does care about. Poor Chihiro.
In retrospect, that was a good show. Pretty funny too.
I really loved that show but it was still very much grounded in Keima’s perspective.
I agree, it only touches on that a little, and only in its last season. When all’s said & done, it’s fair to say the show’s focus lies with the core audience of wish-fulfillment fantasies. I think Kaminomi views its end goal as gently pushing otaku to pursue actual real-life connection, as awkward or painful as it can be. Everything else is more or less subordinate to that goal.
You know, I didn’t immediately know what show you were talking about. I did figure it out before I started reading, but it’s not a good sign for such a recent show. Also, I thought the show looked pretty bad. Especially the character designs felt like they were made with cheap software only using the default settings for everyone.
Story-wise, I don’t remember much. I think it was hovering between annoying and interesting, with more potential than actual intrigue.
All in all, I get the feeling of an extremely mediocre show, but not in the dull, run-of-the-mill way; more like one step forward, one step back. Always teasing something interesting, which then doesn’t happen. Well, the show does sometimes do something great, but then it also does something annoying to balance it out. Can’t remember the details, but that’s the feeling I get looking back.
I’d neither recommend nor disrecommend this show. It’s just sort of… there?