Potemayo: the fridge really can spawn new life forms

No one knows why or how she appeared, but one day the small life form who came to be called ‘Potemayo’ just showed up from the depths of Sunao Moriyama’s fridge. And just as Sunao and his friends got used to incorporating this cute yet mysterious creature into their lives, along came another one- the tiny tsundere Guchuko. Still, life must go on, and so in short order Potemayo and Guchuko just become another part of the everyday experiences of those around them.

Anyone who’s left food in the fridge for longer than recommended has probably worried about new life forms evolving in there, but until Potemayo came along, we probably never thought about tiny humanoids showing up. Nonetheless, that’s just what happens here, and don’t ever expect to find out just how or why such a thing occurred, for the series has no intention of addressing it.

Instead, just like so many other 4koma based series, Potemayo isn’t really about anything much at all, instead just following the everyday lives of Sunao and his friends- with the added weirdness of interacting with two small chibi blobs. It’s hardly ground-breaking or original stuff, but if you like the light and easy pace of slice-of-life, then you’ll enjoy kicking back and relaxing with an episode or three of this.

Obviously, this lack of any real story or development won’t sit well with everyone, and on a similar note, neither will the series’ peculiar sense of humour. With an odd penchant for having male characters cross-dress, slightly unhealthy levels of unrequited lust and a bizarre need to have Potemayo wet herself or throw up, the humour is perhaps a little too crude and odd to appeal to anyone, but even though it can get disturbing at points, it shouldn’t detract from the overall enjoyment of the series too much.

When it comes to the cast, most of the human characters are the typical one-joke personalities of 4koma-based series; the key being not so much in their development as in their interaction. Naturally, there is the usual range of likable, inoffensive and slightly annoying characters, but the true stars of the show are Potemayo and Guchuko, at least one of whom should capture your heart with their antics.

Visually, Potemayo opts for a low-key look, with watercolour style backgrounds, cute character designs and a heavy reliance on gradient-coloured hair. The overall style is both simple and attractive, as befits such a laid-back series. Background music is largely forgettable, although the OP will become catchy if you let it.

Final Thoughts

An amusing series about nothing much at all, Potemayo offers a blend of mild comedy and light slice-of-life that will entertain in spite of its sometimes bizarre sense of humour. You won’t find anything of great import here, but if you need something cute and charming to help you unwind, Potemayo will do the trick.

Tier: Bronze+