Crunchryoll’s New Romance Series Is Already the Most Tragic Love Story of the Year

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Yuri, or girls’ love stories, have existed in anime for a long time, but the genre has become much more popular recently. We’re seeing a steady increase in yuri anime, and This Monster Wants to Eat Me is the latest addition. What makes it stand out is its unusual premise: a heartbreaking romance between a girl and a mermaid who intends to eat her.

Inspired by the manga created by Sai Naekawa, This Monster Wants to Eat Me is a uniquely dark and romantic anime, standing out from other shows in Fall 2025. If you enjoy yuri anime or romance with a darker edge, this anime is sure to please. Even if you’re a fan of horror, This Monster Wants to Eat Me is worth watching-it’s surprisingly unsettling and emotionally impactful in ways you might not anticipate.

This Monster Wants to Eat Me’s Bold Anime Premiere Lures in Fans With Hinako Yaotose’s Tragedy

From what we’ve seen of its story and trailer, This Monster Wants to Eat Me is a dark romance that unfolds slowly and builds tension intentionally. However, this doesn’t make the first episode boring. Even with its thoughtful pace and serious mood, This Monster Wants to Eat Me Episode 1 quickly establishes the story and the overall feel of the series. Right from the beginning, we learn about Hinako’s unmotivated life, her close bond with Shiori, and her desire to die.

This Monster Wants to Eat Me Episode 1 effectively sets up the story and introduces the key characters. It quickly makes viewers care about Hinako’s difficult situation and wonder why she so strongly wants to die. The episode seamlessly connects Hinako’s unfulfilling daily life with the appearance of supernatural creatures-monsters that want to consume her. Despite how strange the existence of these yokai might seem, everything feels natural and well-placed.

This also applies to Miko, Hinako’s very protective friend and classmate, and Shiori, the mermaid who intends to eventually consume Hinako. The episode does a good job of introducing these two key figures in Hinako’s life, clearly establishing their individual personalities and unique traits. Shiori is particularly important as a side character, as she’s poised to become Hinako’s primary romantic interest. Her unusual mix of predatory behavior and genuine kindness towards Hinako is something to watch closely going forward.

That being said, This Monster Wants to Me Episode 1 gives away too much information too soon. Even viewers who aren’t deeply engaged with the anime will likely figure out that Hinako is the only person who survived a terrible accident that claimed the lives of her whole family. The episode makes this very obvious through her warm, reminiscent memories of her parents and brother, and by subtly showing parts of their car underwater. It’s not that Hinako having a sad backstory is an issue, but the mystery would have been more impactful if it had been drawn out a little longer.

Hinako’s Compelling Performance Leads the Dance in This Monster Wants to Eat Me

Despite its unusual setup, This Monster Wants to Eat Me is fundamentally a love story between two girls. The fantastical creatures add to the emotional weight of Hinako’s struggles and how her life connects with others. The characters are immediately compelling and have depth. Viewers will quickly become invested in them and choose their favorites. This is particularly true for Hinako, who evokes strong feelings of sympathy due to her sadness and difficult circumstances.

Hinako is a fascinating character to feature in a yuri anime such as This Monster Wants to Eat Me because she doesn’t fit the usual mold for a romantic lead. Unlike most protagonists in this genre who are either cheerfully outgoing or shy and quiet, Hinako is consistently gloomy. She’s a character defined by sadness and a difficult history, and she even wishes for death. It’s safe to say that Hinako’s introduction was one of the most strikingly dark and unforgettable moments of Fall 2025.

At times, the first episode of This Monster Wants to Eat Me doesn’t give its supporting characters much screen time or proper introductions. This isn’t unexpected, though, as the story primarily focuses on Hinako. The episode is also told from her point of view, with her narrating. Consequently, there’s limited opportunity for Shiori and Miko to stand out. However, it would have been more engaging if they had done more than simply revolve around Hinako and constantly express how much they enjoy her company.

Currently, Miko appears to be Hinako’s somewhat odd and very attached best friend. Likewise, Shiori comes across as Hinako’s strangely fixated and unsettling love interest. It’s clear that the anime will eventually reveal these women’s genuine feelings for Hinako, as well as their individual motivations. However, This Monster Wants to Eat Me Episode 1 presents them as somewhat predictable characters because their initial appearances aren’t particularly memorable. Fortunately, this isn’t a major problem, and it’s likely to be resolved in the upcoming episodes.

This Monster Wants to Eat Me Episode 1 Explores Difficult Themes Through Hinako Yaotose

What makes This Monster Wants to Eat Me stand out from other yuri anime is its particularly dark and tragic tone. While This Monster Wants to Eat Me isn’t the first yuri anime to deal with difficult themes, it’s unique because its main character struggles with suicidal thoughts. Right from the start, Hinako expresses a desire to end her life. Interestingly, the only time she shows genuine happiness in the first episode is when she discovers that the mermaid who intends to kill her will actually be her classmate.

This Monster Wants to Eat Me doesn’t shy away from showing Hinako’s difficult emotions, but it also makes her a sympathetic character. What’s striking is that Hinako’s desire to give up isn’t caused by current problems, but rather by painful experiences and struggles she’s carried with her. Despite her internal turmoil, Hinako’s life is actually quite pleasant, evidenced by the sincere care Miko and Shiori show her. Even when things are at their lowest, she mostly feels alone and unfulfilled. This makes her sadness and distress feel more authentic and easier to connect with compared to other troubled characters in anime.

It would have been simple for This Monster Wants to Eat Me to depict Hinako experiencing intense suffering, which could explain her thoughts of suicide. While giving a pessimistic character a difficult life and placing them around terrible people isn’t automatically bad, it’s a common and often uninspired approach in more serious anime. Examples of this include Magical Girl Site or Platinum End. When handled poorly, these characters simply dwell on their unhappiness and express a shallow, narrow-minded negativity.

This Monster Wants to Eat Me doesn’t rely on unnecessary drama or negativity; it completely avoids them. Instead, the story centers on Hinako’s realistic, yet still significant, feelings of guilt for surviving and her overall lack of purpose. Hinako only starts to feel better when she develops feelings for Shiori, who embraces the idea of death. This feeling of being alone and longing for death makes Hinako a particularly compelling and memorable character this Fall 2025 season, and potentially one of the most interesting protagonists of the entire year.

Studio Lings’ Animation Fails to Elevate This Monster Wants to Eat Me (So Far)

Compared to the exceptional quality of Summer 2025’s most popular anime, like Call of the Night Season 2 or Dandadan Season 2, the animation in This Monster Wants to Eat Me is its biggest flaw. However, this doesn’t mean Studio Lings did a bad job or was unfaithful to the original manga. In fact, the art and animation create a strong first impression in Episode 1. The backgrounds are both serene and subtly sad. The character designs are lovely, and they effectively hint at the characters’ – particularly Hinako’s – hidden unhappiness.

The main issue with This Monster Wants to Eat Me Episode 1 is that the animation feels somewhat basic compared to other anime that were being released just a week prior. The animation quality from Studio Lings, along with the way the camera moves, is fairly simple. The most detailed scene, the fight between Shiori and the yokai, is largely hidden or happens offscreen. The episode does show some creativity, particularly in its use of water to represent Hinako’s despair and strong feelings, which is effective and touching.

To be fair, Episode 1 of This Monster Wants to Eat Me simply follows the animation style established by classic yuri anime. Because it’s primarily a romance, This Monster Wants to Eat Me-and many shows like it-doesn’t require flashy or complicated animation. It focuses instead on visuals that evoke feeling, attractive character designs, and beautiful settings. However, when compared to the unique animation in The Summer Hikaru Died, This Monster Wants to Eat Me feels a little underwhelming.

Even though it has a pretty typical setup, This Monster Wants to Eat Me is the new dark queer romance anime that I think fans of the genre will really enjoy – especially if you recently finished watching The Summer Hikaru Died Season 1. While the first episode isn’t overly flashy or fast-paced, it definitely makes up for it with a captivating sense of sadness and focuses on really personal stories. If you’re still feeling heartbroken after Yoshiki and Hikaru’s tragic romance, I think you’ll find something to love in this anime.

This Monster Wants to Eat Me is now streaming on Crunchyroll.

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2025-10-02 17:40