Review of Kiss x Sis (TV)
Fact is wherever there’s anime, there’s almost always some sort of fan service to be had as well. Ecchi series have been around for quite some time now and with every new show there also seems to be a continuous rise in the explicit material that is allowed to be shown on television, much to the delight of many otakus out there. One such show that pushes the boundaries is Kiss x Sis, an ecchi anime that attempts to blend perversion and comedy while also throwing some incest in the mix. Oh joy. Kiss x Sis focuses on male protagonist Suminoe Keita and the shenanigans pulledon him by his two older twin sisters – or stepsisters, to be more accurate. The story takes place during Keita’s last year in middle school as he struggles with his final exams while also trying to resist (‘deal with’ would be the more accurate term, actually) his sisters’ often perverted advances towards him. Obscene things happen, comedy ensues, and so on and so forth.
Most episodes adopt a casual pace and narrative typical of many other ecchi anime – not much happens plot-wise for the most part. Of course, there are some episodes that are an exception to the rule, though unfortunately in this case that’s not a good thing. Kiss x Sis does well in the ecchi and comedy departments, delivering some truly borderline hentai moments and successfully mixing in humour whenever the need arises. Surprisingly enough, the episodes that focus more on this aspect and disregard plot development are the ones that are the most enjoyable out of the lot.
As mentioned earlier, things don’t work too well when the anime goes for a more plot-oriented episode. Keita’s preparation for his upcoming exams makes for a useful plot point at first, delivering some good laughs as the sisters go about their usual sneaky ways in trying to intervene with Keita’s study hours both to support him and—perhaps more importantly—to get closer to him. Unfortunately, as the series progresses, a continually increasing focus is given to the more dramatic side of the story, which does not work at all simply because there’s no character development there to support it and also due to the fact that there’s a lack of compatibility between the comedy slash ecchi side and the serious side of the show.
There are moments when Kiss x Sis finds greatness and in turn delivers solid entertainment filled with humour and fan service that at times will leave you wondering just how far this anime is willing to go in that respect, but ultimately the series is brought down by its unnecessary need to inject drama into the whole affair. Those looking for ecchi and some entertainment will certainly not go wrong with Kiss x Sis, but then again, there are plenty other shows out there that offer more in pretty much every department.