Many criticize the harem genre of anime for its overly formulaic approach and execution. And Ladies vs. Butlers will probably not change the opinions of these critics, since practically every convention common in harem anime is crammed into this show.
The premise behind Ladies vs. Butlers is simple yet predictable. The main character, Hino Akiharu, attends a school for upper-class ladies that is also dedicated to instructing maids and butlers how to function in high-class society. The story basically details Hino interacting with the various girls at the school and the various ecchi situations he gets himself into. The majority of this series is episodic and, in all honesty, serves nothing more than to introduce the female characters and to show ecchi scenes.
Ladies vs. Butlers includes almost every female archetype found in the harem genre: a tsundere, a childhood friend, a (reverse) trap, lolis, clumsy girls, foreign girls, etc. The harem lead, Akiharu, is also a fairly generic character. While he doesn’t fit the “total loser” persona as many other harem leads do, there is nothing really noteworthy about him. Also, there is hardly any significant character development, but that is to be expected of an anime of this type.
The art is decent and very reminiscent of one of XEBEC’s earlier productions, Kanokon. And while some of the character designs may be slightly off-putting (for example, there is a 19-year-old girl who looks like an elementary school student), this will not detract from overall enjoyment of the anime.
The opening and ending songs are appropriate for this kind of anime but nothing all that memorable, and the voice-acting suited each character’s personality well. The background music is virtually nonexistent, though you will probably be too fixated on all the bouncing breasts, panty shots, and nudity present in this anime to even notice.
While Ladies vs. Butlers does not fail in one particular aspect, its main issue is that it does nothing to stand out from the countless other harem anime out there. It doesn’t deviate from the harem formula at all, and as a result, this anime most likely will not appeal to anyone looking for anything more than fanservice and comedy. However, if you are a diehard harem or ecchi fan, you should give Ladies vs. Butlers a try.
Overall, this was a decent ecchi/harem anime, albeit nothing exceptional or ground-breaking.
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