So, I can’t Play H! is a 12 episode anime plus an OVA that was based on the light novel series. It centers on high school student Kaga Ryosuke, someone who is already well known at his school for his sexual tendencies. While every male teenager will have dirty thoughts in their head, Ryosuke doesn’t have a filter and he openly voices it. Naturally, all the girls are somewhat creeped out by him although his childhood friend Mina doesn’t seem to mind. Apparently, Ryosuke is kind to girls which is why Mina puts up with him but we don’t really see that (or his other tendencies tend to overshadow it).
When Ryosuke returns home in the rain he finds a beautiful (and foreign looking) girl at the front gate. He does what everyone in his situation would do and that is inviting her into his house to have a shower, before changing into dry clothes. Anyway, it turns out Lisara is from another world and is technically a grim reaper. In order to remain in this world, she has to use a huge amount of spiritual energy. While she dismisses Ryosuke at first glance and only uses him as a stopgap to sustain herself temporarily, it turns out Ryosuke’s dirty mind is quite suitable for giving her that spiritual energy.
Given the nature of the series, naturally it is heavy on the fan service. Ryosuke takes on the role of being able to take advantage of numerous situations and benefits from them. Any excuse is used so that every episode will show off the characters and this extends to the plot of having Lisara find the “one” that has the power to save her world. This means that the anime can feel generic and lacking its own identity. Any plot related matter is easily dropped without much warning, no matter how much emphasis was put on it in the previous episode.
The plot is filled with convenient coincidences. For example, battles with tons of destruction can occur because the characters can extend a field that separates it into another dimension. The same goes for taking the easy way out of just erasing the memories of characters that see things they are not supposed to. The first half of the season is formulaic as Lisara is trying to find the person that she needs to, encounters an opponent, loses her clothing in the resulting battle, and then Ryosuke provides the power required to defeat the opponent.
The anime can and does go too far with its fixation on breasts and the dirty thoughts of Ryosuke. This is to the point where it is offensive and much less acceptable nowadays. While it is done for comedic effect and to showcase Ryosuke’s personality, it’s not done very well and ends up being too one-note. While you understand and note that it is deliberately done so over the top, it’s still too much.
It’s just that Ryosuke is a terribly bland character. He’s not horrible or unlikable, it’s just that’s so unremarkable with nothing going for him. Unfortunately, the boredom expands to everything else as the plot is flat, generic and too predictable. There are really only so many times you will be amused going through the same cycles.
In the progress of the “plot”, Lisara will fall for Ryosuke. While you do expect her to fall in love with Ryosuke, the speedy rate that this happens is kind of hard to accept. There was no chance for them to get to know each other properly apart from their outward personality before it becomes extremely obvious. The second half isn’t any better since there isn’t any build up over the course of the season before suddenly a big event happens for the second half. It changes everything and you’re left wondering what happened because it just seemed status quo one moment and then apocalypse the next. And yet despite all this, the anime still feels as mediocre as it has always been.
The big event has potential but what does the anime do? Despite everything that’s happening outside, it keeps all the scenes within Ryosuke’s house and it’s filled with slow boring drama. The biggest thing against this anime is despite its theme of Ryosuke’s dirty personality, it’s not a gimmick that’s done well. In fact, all of the nonsense that Ryosuke spouts feels completely out of place and is awkwardly forced dialogue, so it just never really clicks into place.
The OVA takes place during the middle of the season and is like a normal day. At least it isn’t yet another episode where Lisara has to fight a monster and then get clothing damage. Instead, it’s a typical swimsuit contest. Overall, So, I Can’t Play H! is a mediocre anime that’s only there for the fan service, which even then, isn’t that great. The plot is basically non-existent and it somehow manages to fill 12 episodes with little substance. None of the characters get any development and since they’re not very interesting to begin with, they’re not interesting at the end either when you’re supposed to care for them.
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