Wagaya no Oinari-sama - Episode 2

From the first half of the opening episode of Wagaya no Oinari-sama, I got the feeling that this was to be a series that was going to take itself far too seriously. However, as that opener developed, and even more so in this second helping, I realised that this wasn't in fact the case, and that this series is quite happy to mix more light-hearted moments with the more intense business of the major storyline.

The good news is that this mix actually works pretty well in episode two of Wagaya no Oinari-sama - While its portrayal of everyday life interrupted by a visiting spirit and shrine maiden won't have you rolling around with laughter, nor will its action sequences have you on the edge of your seat, it all comes together decently enough to keep its characters likeable (Hell, even the 'bad guy' in this episode is anything but) and the whole endeavour entertaining enough to keep you watching. It's one of those series where you can't find anything particular to point out that makes it a good watch, but then neither is there anything to criticise. That might make it sound like a rather vapid venture, and perhaps it will turn out to be just that, but for a gentle start to the mainstay of the series after the introductory opener I can't really be too harsh on it.

While this show certainly needs to lift itself to become anything but mediocre, it at least has some of the necessary building blocks in place to prove itself to be watchable.