A Girl & Her Guard Dog episode 7 begins with Isaku being summoned by her grandfather. She meets with his sworn brother, the boss of the Tanuki-gumi. During their meeting, she encounters his grandson, Mikio (voiced by Junya Enoki), who is the same age as her. He asks her, “Do you have a boyfriend?” This question infuriates Keiya, and he receives a scolding from his grandfather. Isaku senses that she may not get along with Mikio due to his personality.
Later, while hanging out with her friend, Isaku watches a romance show involving a kiss. When asked about their experiences, Isaku’s friend reveals she kissed her middle school boyfriend. The conversation turns to Isaku, who confesses that she has feelings for Keiya. She recounts their festival outing and the misunderstanding about it being a date. Isaku admits she doesn’t know how Keiya feels about her.
Meanwhile, Mikio is involved in a brawl in an alley and is caught by one of his guards. Spotting Isaku in the library, he decides to interact with her. They chat briefly until Keiya intervenes, pinning Mikio to the wall. In the library, Mikio explains his role as a “guard dog” and expresses his intent to protect Isaku. Intrigued, Mikio transfers to their school, causing a stir due to his attractiveness. They caution him not to reveal their yakuza connections.
The focus then shifts to planning the school festival. Isaku’s friends propose a play of Romeo and Juliet to bring Isaku and Keiya closer, but Mikio insists on playing Romeo, winning in a game of rock-paper-scissors. The episode revolves around the play rehearsals, highlighting Isaku’s acting stiffness.
As A Girl & Her Guard Dog episode 7 nears its end, Isaku and Keiya are cleaning up together and getting close. Mikio walks in claiming to retrieve his phone but catches them in a compromising situation.
My overall impression of A Girl & Her Guard Dog episode 7 is that it delved into one of the most stereotypical rivalry moments often found in anime, and I couldn’t help but find it amusing. As the narrative progresses with the play, I anticipate an escalation in the conflict, adding an element of intense drama. While the storyline follows a typical pattern seen in romance anime, I’m not dissatisfied with it; the simplicity makes it an enjoyable watch, perfect for when you want to unwind and switch off your brain.
However, I must address a significant drawback in this episode – the animation quality. Much like the previous episode, I noticed several issues, such as scenes not syncing up with the characters’ dialogue, audio mismatches, and occasional inconsistencies in the characters’ facial features. This led me to question the commitment of the studio to the show. While I find it somewhat amusing that they might not be fully invested, it’s disheartening to see a lack of dedication to the animation process. I believe that if the studio were to put more effort into the animation, it could significantly enhance the overall viewing experience. The current state of the animation has left me feeling somewhat disappointed, and I can’t help but wonder if the creators truly enjoy working on the project.
Despite these concerns, I still view the show as a typical, light-hearted series that is good for passing the time and unwinding. However, I hope the animation quality improves as the series progresses rather than deteriorating. The declining quality throughout the series raises apprehensions about its future episodes, and as a viewer, I’m genuinely concerned about this trend.
I give this episode of A Girl & Her Guard Dog episode 7 a 6.5/10.
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Screenshots via Crunchyroll
© Hatsuharu, Kodansha / A Girl & Her Guard Dog Production Committee