Etotama: Nyankyaku Banrai

えとたま干支魂猫客万来

6.4(1,232)

MAL Score

Ranked #8090

Popularity #7274

Action
Comedy
Fantasy
Mythology
CGDCT

Episodes: 1
Status: Finished Airing

Synopsis

In a world where the ongoing struggle between the Zodiac signs has finally subsided, a new chapter begins as peace reigns. However, the unexpected arrival of Na-tan, an Eto-musume representing the Zodiac, leaves both the twelve signs and her fellow companions in a state of confusion and curiosity. Na-tan’s innocent and cheerful demeanor brings a refreshing energy, especially to Nya-tan, who finds joy in her presence.

Yet, tranquility is soon overshadowed by a dark omen when Chu-tan appears, alerting everyone to a potential catastrophe. With the ominous words, "The seal… has been broken," the mystery deepens around Na-tan and the ancient deity that stirs beneath the surface. As the characters navigate this new threat, they must unravel the secrets surrounding their world and the significance of Na-tan's existence.

Otaku Consensus

Etotama: Nyankyaku Banrai lands as a compact fan-service return for viewers already tuned to Etotama’s zodiac-girl comedy, with its best notices going to its brisk one-episode pacing, Shirogumi’s CG-friendly production identity, and the franchise’s oddball mix of mythological personification and cute-girl chaos. Its 6.39 MAL score from 1,232 votes reflects the ceiling of that appeal: the humor works for the converted, while the most consistent criticism is that the special is too niche and continuity-dependent to win over most newcomers.

Why You Should Watch

Watch Etotama: Nyankyaku Banrai if you want a quick hit of mythological mascot comedy without committing to another 12-episode seasonal backlog. It scratches the same itch as Hetalia’s personification gags and Kemono Friends’ animal-girl cast appeal, but filtered through Etotama’s louder cat-versus-zodiac energy and Shirogumi’s comfort with CG production. The one-episode format makes it best as a franchise check-in: returning viewers get familiar character rhythms, a new Eto-musume in Na-tan, and enough action-comedy escalation to feel like more than a recap-adjacent extra. If your sweet spot is CGDCT with actual slapstick momentum, zodiac lore, and seiyuu-driven personality clashes, this is a low-risk, high-specificity watch.

Key Characters

T
Takeru Amato(VA: Hiro Shimono)
Takeru functions as the human point of contact in a cast otherwise dominated by zodiac-themed personalities, giving Hiro Shimono a comparatively grounded role amid the chaos.
N
Na-tan(VA: Aina Suzuki)
Na-tan is positioned as the special’s fresh face, with Aina Suzuki playing into the innocent, cheerful energy that disrupts the established Etotama group dynamic.
N
Nyaa-tan(VA: Rie Murakawa)
Nyaa-tan remains Etotama’s signature cat-girl spark plug, the kind of character whose appeal depends on rapid-fire reactions as much as on mascot cuteness.
U
Uri-tan(VA: Yumiri Hanamori)
Uri-tan’s main-character billing keeps the ensemble from becoming only a Nyaa-tan and Na-tan showcase, giving the special another familiar zodiac-girl presence.

What Makes It Stand Out

1
It is a single-episode 2021 ONA rather than a full TV season, which makes its structure closer to a concentrated franchise reunion than a conventional new entry.
2
Shirogumi is the credited studio, a notable fit for Etotama because the franchise’s identity leans into cute character designs while also relying on CG-friendly action and mascot staging.
3
The premise uses Eto-musume, anthropomorphic girls tied to the zodiac, placing the show in the mythology-themed personification lane rather than standard school-club CGDCT.
4
Its reception footprint is distinctly cult-sized: MAL lists a 6.39 score, 1,232 votes, rank #8090, and popularity #7274, suggesting a title watched mostly by existing Etotama followers.
5
The special’s main credited character set highlights Takeru Amato, Na-tan, Nyaa-tan, and Uri-tan, narrowing attention around a few anchors instead of evenly servicing every zodiac sign.

Fun Facts & Trivia

Fun fact 1: The title appears in database listings with slightly different romanization styles, including Etotama: Nyankyaku Banrai on MyAnimeList and Etotama: Nyan-Kyaku Banrai on Anime-Planet.
Fun fact 2: MyAnimeList categorizes the entry under Action, Comedy, and Fantasy, while its listed themes are Mythology and CGDCT, an unusual combination that captures Etotama’s hybrid appeal.
Fun fact 3: Despite featuring a large zodiac-based world, this entry is officially listed as only one episode and as Finished Airing, making it one of the franchise’s most compact animated installments.
Fun fact 4: The Japanese main cast includes Hiro Shimono as Takeru Amato, Aina Suzuki as Na-tan, Rie Murakawa as Nyaa-tan, and Yumiri Hanamori as Uri-tan, keeping the focus on seiyuu personality in a short runtime.