Mei-chan no Shitsuji Review

Mei-chan no Shitsuji (which translates as Mei-chan's Butler) is the most recent j-drama I've finished watching, and I must say that this show was well-worth my time. It's based on a manga of the same name, which alas I haven't read yet, so while I can't compare the two, I can at least say that the show was a very enjoyable one to watch.

The story revolves around Mei, who grew up happily helping her parents with their small udon restaurant. Her happy life is shattered, however, when a car accident kills both her parents and leaves her without a home. Around this time, Shibata Rihito comes on the scene, telling her that she is heir to the Hongo fortune, and that to be officially named the Hongo family successor and to claim her birthright, she must study and train at St. Lucia Academy of Girls.

Doesn't sound like too much to ask, right? However, St. Lucia's is a school where girls train to become proper ladies, all of them rich, and all of them with a very handsome butler available to do their every bidding. Rihito is Mei's butler, of course, and vows to be by her side every moment.

The cardinal rule at St. Lucia's is that love between a woman and her butler is strictly forbidden. And unsurprisingly, Mei starts to develop feelings for Rihito, feelings which seem to be reciprocated, though neither of them are permitted to act upon it. Matters are complicated even further when Kento, Mei's childhood friend and Rihito's brother, shows up at the school demanding to be trained as a butler himself, so that he can be closer to Mei. (Everyone loves a love triangle!)

But the impossible task of turning forthright Mei into a lady is made even more difficult by her classmates, who seem to delight in making things worse for Mei. At the top of the school's hierarchy is Lucia, sugar on the outside but full of violent bitterness inside, and her butler Shinobu is ready to do her bidding, even if it means killing...

The biggest thing I like about this show is that it isn't afraid to laugh at itself. Though it has an intricate plot, full of twists and surprises and complex emotions, it frequently does silly things for the sake of being silly and lightening the mood. Unlike some shows with a good storyline, it doesn't take itself too seriously and enjoys giving the viewer a good laugh.

I was particularly amused by the on-screen presence of a small CG sheep, which appeared quite often. I'm not 100% sure, but I suspect that this is a joke, a sort of play on the fact that sheep (hitsuji) and butler (shitsuji) sound very much alike in Japanese. It was fun sometimes to play "spot the sheep" during some scenes, just another little fun bonus for the viewer.

The acting talent in this series is quite good too, evidenced by the fact that not only are the characters believable, but even their exaggerated-for-humour moments are done well. Not every actor can pull that sort of thing off, I've discovered. I was particularly impressed by the acting of Yoshida Riko, who, at the time this show was filmed, would have only been about nine or ten years old. She pulled off the role of a high-minded child genius quite well, and I look forward to seeing her in other roles as her career goes on.

This 10-episode series was fansubbed by TimeLesSubs, and can be downloaded from their websites. (Please obey licensing laws in your area regarding downloading this show.)

I very much recommend this show to fans of j-drama in general, and to people who want a good laugh along with their good plot. Really, it's hard to find a show that properly can balance those two elements, so take it while you can get it!