After browsing through the Fall 2025 anime lineup, I initially thought this season would be more of a breather compared to the jam-packed summer season we just had. But there are still plenty of gems tucked away here. From anticipated sequels to strange and intriguing new stories, this fall is quietly stacked.
Among them, This Monster Wants To Eat Me was the one that instantly caught my attention. A girls’ love story mixed with horror and the supernatural? That’s a combination we don’t stumble across often. (The last one I can think of was Otherside Picnic or Ave Mujica -The Die Is Cast- if you’re willing to call it girls’ love.) So when Episode 1 dropped, I knew I had to lock in. And it was a hauntingly beautiful debut. Spoilers ahead!
The episode opens in a way I didn’t expect at all. Instead of going straight for horror or creating this eerie atmosphere, it begins almost serenely. The imagery of Hinako drowning in water felt calm, soothing, and strangely ethereal. Dying isn’t supposed to feel this peaceful, but This Monster Wants To Eat Me manages to capture that paradox in its opening moments. From that alone, I knew this wouldn’t just be a horror story, but it would be something more surreal, maybe even poetic.
We then meet our three central characters: Hinako, Shiori, and Miko. With just a handful of text messages and a glimpse into her school routine, Hinako is already fully fleshed out. You understand her despair. You understand why she longs for death, even if she lacks the will to bring it upon herself. And actually, it’s that frailty that makes her character so compelling.
Miko, on the other hand, is Hinako’s total exact opposite. She’s bright, straightforward, and almost comedic in her role. She’s designed as both a support and a contrast to Hinako’s gloom. What makes it great is that despite the two being opposites to each other, their chemistry is still there. Although the dynamic with Hinako feels like it isn’t deeply explored yet, Miko definitely has the potential to push the story forward later.
But among the three, Shiori is the one who steals the spotlight. A youkai whose sole goal is to eat Hinako, she bluntly describes Hinako as “delicious,” savoring her like a meal she’s saving for the perfect occasion. And that setup is exactly what makes this story so gripping. Where does this lead? Will Shiori eventually devour Hinako, granting her wish to die? Or will she fall for her instead, forcing Hinako to confront life? That tension between a death wish and a love story is what hooked me. And the fact that Shiori turns out to be Hinako’s classmate at the end is a delicious twist in itself.
All in all, the structure of this episode was fascinating: starting tranquil and almost dreamlike, only to end on something unsettling. Hinako’s daydreams of the sea were also a nice touch, as though it were calling out to her, luring her closer. And the revelation that it’s not peace waiting for her beneath those waves, but rather it’s sea monsters, turns that ethereal imagery into something sinister. And that’s exactly the cherry on top of this eerie premiere.
I also can’t end this review without praising Reina Ueda’s performance as Hinako. Her delivery is chilling in its restraint, as you can hear in her voice that Hinako has already given up on life. Every line carried a dull heaviness, but when Hinako finally smiled at the thought of her wish being fulfilled, Ueda shifted her tone so subtly, and it had me clapping. That final moment was outstanding and a huge reason why this episode left such a strong impression on me.
If I had one critique, it’s that the episode’s tension didn’t quite land for me in the traditional sense. Whenever Hinako was in danger, I didn’t feel the instinctive panic of “please don’t die!” Mainly because part of me wondered if I should be rooting for her death, since it’s what she wants. That moral dilemma left me conflicted. Do I feel guilty for sympathizing with her wish, or relieved at the possibility of her surviving? And honestly, that’s good writing. That’s exactly the kind of moral dilemma a series like this should create. It unsettles you, makes you question yourself, and opens the door for growth later in the story.
This Monster Wants To Eat Me Episode 1 really was a hauntingly beautiful debut as it lured me in with calmness, then unsettled me with its premise, leaving me both conflicted and captivated. If the series continues to balance its horror with ethereal beauty, all while exploring Hinako’s journey between death and love, we might be looking at one of the most unique series of the season.
Anime Corner was given an advanced screening of This Monster Wants To Eat Me Episode 1 for review. Crunchyroll is streaming the series.
©2024 Sai Naekawa/KADOKAWA/Project Watatabe
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