Himouto! Umaru-chan R Review

4 star amusing, colourful and lively anime.

Himouto! Umaru-chan R is a 2017 Japanese anime television series, based on the manga written and illustrated by Sankakuhead. It is adapted to anime by Studio Doga Kobo (Oshi no Ko, Luck and Logic) and is the sequel to the 2015 series Himouto! Umaru-chan, taking place soon after the end of the first series. Given the lack of ongoing story here, it isn’t really necessary to have watched the first series in order to enjoy this one.

It is available to own in the UK on Blu-ray from 16th September 2024, courtesy of MVM Films.

“My little sister Umaru is renowned for her grace and beauty. She’s also very kind and smart and she’s blessed with many talents.”

Umaru (Emily Neves – Guilty Crown, Girls und Panzer) is a young school girl who has a number of personas. Living with her older brother Taihei (Adam Noble – Brynhildr in the Darkness, Shirobako), when she is at home she is a complete slob, wearing a hamster onesie, eating junk food, playing video games and watching anime. She is extremely selfish, refusing to lift a finger to help Taihei and always demanding something of him.

At school and in front of other people, she is a model of grace and excellence, with good grades, always well turned out and with plenty of friends. In reality though, she is a little nervous about approaching them. Her best friend is Nana (Sara Ornelas – No Game No Life), who also happens to have a crush on Taihei. She also gets on well with Kirie (Jad Saxton – A Certain Magical Index, Eureka Seven AO), whose brother Bomber (Jason Douglas – Deadman Wonderland) works with Taihei at a restaurant management company.

Her other persona is UMR, for which she ties up her hair and wears her mask. This is her competitive side and it is in this form that she interacts with her arch rival Sylphyne (Christina Kelly – Golden Time, Flying Witch). She also gets on well with Sylphyne’s brother Alex (Scott Gibbs – Iroduku: The World in Colors) due to a shared love of anime.

As she gets older, can she learn how to be more considerate and caring and become a better person? Only time will tell.

“It’s just something that I do at home sometimes. The potato catch.”

Himouto! Umaru-chan R is a very entertaining watch with some extremely amusing characters. Umaru is of course very irritating but in an endearing kind of way. This is a fun series and although it lags a bit in the middle, it picks itself up and delivers a good ending which is slightly frustrating, but not at all surprising.

It is a lighthearted show which manages to throw in just enough of a storyline to generate curiosity about what comes next without getting too bogged down. If you’re looking for stories of consequence this is not for you, with shopping trips and snacks and dressing up, but if you fancy a chill out and a smile then you could do a lot worse than this one, well worth adding to your collection.

“Listen up Umaru. All things are destined to meet their end. Out with the old and in with the new, that’s what they say. The natural order of the universe.”

Himouto! Umaru-chan R is available to own now on Blu-ray.