Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami – Anime Review & Episode Guide

Kaji is a popular employee at his company. He's skilled at his job and gets along with his colleagues, earning their admiration. The women fawn over Kaji and see him as the perfect catch. He accepts their compliments with a suave smile. Secretly, Kaji has a mean streak and a huge ego. In his mind, he looks down on everyone. Kaji believes he's better than them.

Kaji is a single gay man who stays closeted at work. He hides his sexuality, not wanting it to affect his image. When alone, he scrolls through gay hookup apps. Kaji is shallow and rates men based on their looks, assigning them numbers in his head. A bearded man gets 30 points. Someone with a bad body? Ew, only 20 points. Kaji doesn't take personality into account, judging them only on appearances.

During a business trip, Kaji is paired with Fukami, a coworker from the IT department. The event goes smoothly thanks to Kaji's sales skills and Fukami's technical support. Kaji tries to start small talk, but Fukami stays quiet and distant. An annoyed Kaji mocks his nerdy colleague in his thoughts. He judges Fukami's messy hair, glasses, and plain clothes, rating him a "total zero" for his unattractive appearance.

That night, Kaji and Fukami arrive at a crowded hotel and have to share a room. Kaji relaxes by scrolling through his gay hookup app. When he accidentally drops his phone, Fukami catches a glimpse of the explicit content. Embarrassed, Kaji braces for judgment, but Fukami admits he's also into men. Relieved, Kaji jokes about hooking up, and Fukami unexpectedly agrees. They spend a passionate night together. During the encounter, Kaji realizes Fukami is surprisingly sensual and more attractive than he first thought.

The next day, Kaji feels confident. He wants to keep hooking up with Fukami and suggests they become friends with benefits. Fukami refuses, immediately turning him down. Back at work, he avoids Kaji completely. As Kaji's ego takes a huge hit, he tries to find other men more attractive than the "total 0." Still, he can't stop thinking about Fukami. Kaji desperately wants to sleep with him again.

Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami is a surprisingly enjoyable anime. This series comes from the same BL studio that makes 18+ smut, infamous for trashy projects like The One With The Perverted Titan and The One With The Freaky Furries. Every year, I write a harsh review of their latest gay erotica and try my best not to roll my eyes. Given the studio's awful track record, I never expected something as good as Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami. It's easily the best work I've seen from them, even if there are still a few issues.

The story's simplicity is one of its strengths. Two coworkers become fuck buddies and develop feelings for each other. That's it. That's the whole series. This premise suits a short 40-minute anime because it's easy for the audience to understand. It sets up a compelling emotional arc as a casual fling turns into an ambiguous romance. Also, it gives Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami a legitimate reason to include many erotic scenes. The smut is actually part of the plot development! Best of all, the sex is consensual. Both characters want to hook up, avoiding the usual toxic tropes and predatory behaviour in 18+ BL.

The two protagonists have quirky personalities. Fukami is nerdy and antisocial, while Kaji can be extremely shallow and arrogant. This unlikely couple has hilarious interactions because they thrive on the opposites-attract dynamic. I laugh when Fukami bruises Kaji's ego with a simple gesture. Or I giggle at Kaji annoying Fukami enough to push him out of his introverted shell. Beyond their funny quirks, these characters have hidden layers. When Fukami discusses his insecurities or Kaji has a rare moment of self-reflection, the anime surprises me with its sincerity.

Contrary to the anime's title, the naughty content is expected. This studio is famous for packing as much smut as possible into every series. One of my past complaints is the formulaic sex scenes, but they've gotten better at diversifying the scenarios. Each episode contains a raunchy 18+ moment with ejaculation, penetration, nipple licking, or Kaji's fondness for sticking his fingers up Fukami's ass. Visually, the art quality is inconsistent. They put more effort into the explicit material and care less about the other parts. At times, Kaji's appearance may look a little off.

This anime has a better plot than some BL dramas out there. I enjoy the premise, the couple, and their romance. However, the short length limits all the potential. Each episode is five minutes long, and a portion of the time is dedicated to the smut. It leaves little room for meaningful story development. Complex character arcs are simplified, while interesting scenes get reduced into brief snippets. It's disappointing because Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami deserves better than a rushed 40-minute series. My dream is that it gets a longer remake to tell its love story properly.

A steamy shower scene is the highlight of the finale. I appreciate the smut, even though I wish the conclusion had time to explore the relationship on a deeper level. Give me hot shower sex, but also give me substance. I blame the studio for making the story too short. Why didn't it invest more resources into such a promising project? Take the budget from your other crappy series and put it into this one! Despite its limitations, I still find Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami delightful. Most 18+ anime is garbage, but this fun, sexy romance has been a pleasant surprise.