As everybody else on this planet, I have an opinion. As many people do too, I like to write about it. Share it generously. And I am excellent at keeping score (mentally), so I will try tallying up my fondness of things according to balance.

Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt

As much as I like epic stories, I tend to not always have the patience for them. I prefer to know there’s an end, that I’m not left wanting more when I don’t know it’s available or going to come at all. This is why I tend not to watch longer anime series. However, I may make an exception if they’re already finished and highly rated.

So having taken a break from anime and coming back after about a decade, makes it easy to bingewatch some series that had seasons years apart from each other. Such is the case with Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt, that I remember coming out when I still watched anime more actively, and only had a sequel a whopping 15 years later. When it came out in 2010, there were already discussions if you could actually classify it as an anime, since the visual style is much more westernized and it clearly draws a lot from western culture as well.

The overarching story is quite meaningless and just serves to establish some basic rules. Panty and Stocking are sisters and angels, sent down to earth because of their bad behavior and under the guard of priest Garterbelt they need to defeat monsters so they can collect enough coins to go back to heaven. Besides these three characters, there is a geeky love interest for panty, a kind of monstrous doglike behavior that can swallow almost everything and a pink convertible that Panty and Stocking drive on and through most anything on their adventures.

Panty is a blonde sexbomb, taking the sex there very literally since she is always busy in bed or just finishing business in bed. Stocking is a straightfaced goth lolicon who can eat any amount of sweets that are available. Garterbelt is secretly a BDSM freak that loves to make money on the side whenever possible. Both are named after their weapons which they take out in a magical girl-esque sequence that is one of the few ‘traditional anime style’ parts in the series. Antagonists in the form of demon sisters Scanty and Kneesocks, and later angel brothers Polyester and Polyurethane arrive.

By the sound of those names and the above descriptions, you can guess you are in for a wild ride. Most episodes in the series are divided in 2 or more parts, that generally have little overarching storyline. However, they compensate plenty with wacky antics, experimental visual styles and a direct brashness that complements their juvenile humor. It is a series best watched in doses so that all of the poop, pee and sex jokes do not accumulate too quickly, but it is a unique series that probably makes you chuckle or scratch your ears every episode. I rate it a fun mix of east and west with a hefty side of raunchy humor.