Review of A Girl & Her Guard Dog

The start of the story is what you can find in many other series of the genre, and also introduces many familiar Shoujo tropes throughout. The dynamic is also a common one, being that of an overprotective male lead and a shy, introverted female protagonist. Despite this, something about them feels distinctive from other Shoujo anime, and it’s refreshing to watch. There’s a subtle undertone of forbidden love to the story, which adds a refreshing aspect to it. Also, the show is packed with wholesome interactions that make it a perfect watch for anyone looking for something cute and swoon-worthy. The plot, however, is relativelyshallow, and you shouldn’t expect too much of a real story. I would say it’s a Nichijou Anime more than anything. It might even start to feel a bit stale after a while if you're binge-watching it. If you're looking for something new in the Shoujo genre, this show will feel too familiar and repetitive. On the other hand, for anyone seeking something comfortable and bite-sized, this series is for you!

3 words. Manga is better. Despite how much I like the series in general, the animation was just not as great as the Manga version. I didn’t want to slander the animation out of respect for the animators and also because how much I enjoyed reading the manga. However, I thought that the animated version didn’t fully capture the magic of the manga. This was the biggest flaw I noticed when watching the show. Even though it’s still a cute anime, there are excessive amounts of recap-scenes and pauses, and the animation feels pretty lazy in some scenes, despite the characteristic art style. It feels like a condensed, less detailed version of the manga. This is especially noticeable if you go in the order of Manga to Anime. If you enjoy reading manga, I would definitely recommend reading the story more than committing to the animated series. The only downside of the manga is that it’s really long, and might take a while to get to the latest volume. If you’re eager to get through the series fast and care less about the quality, go for the anime! Also, the intro and outro is really cute.

TLDR; If you’re looking for the full experience of the story, I would highly recommend reading the manga instead. However, I would recommend giving it a watch if you're looking for a comfortable watch with a familiar story and tropes.