Potemayo is a 12-Episode Anime, based on a Yonkoma manga, that takes the Widget Series approach to the ISO-standard anime high school love triangle: Girl meets boy, girl falls for boy, boy doesn't notice girl, boy finds titular moe-blob in fridge, boy names moe-blob after foodstuff, moe-blob loves boy at first sight, boy treats it as pet and adopts it, moe-blob's antics give girl an 'in' with boy, girl has to build on this and contend with jealous moe-blob for boy's affections - boy doesn't notice. Then the first half of the first episode ends.The second half introduces a B-plot in the form of a second moe-blob, Guchuko. A shy, tsundere moe-blob which cuts its way out of the fridge with a scythe and Beam Spams anything she doesn't like the look of from snakes on the sides of her head. She leaves presents of scorched, bleeding animal carcasses for the girl who feeds her snacks.The second episode is about how one of those two guys wants to know what Potemayo feels like. He and the protagonist end up in cheerleader outfits as a result of his efforts. The third episode has Potemayo puking over one of the girls in class... getting the idea?All this is woven into the framework for a gently humorous Slice of Life series. Most of the humour ensues from the interactions between the 'normal' characters and the childlike moe-blobs. The rest, well... let's just say that you can expect to say, "...what the f***?" at least once an episode, besides the toilet humour.Did I mention it was unspeakably cute?
Anime Hair - Looks like they used Photoshop gradient to colour their hair.
Apathy Killed the Cat - Lampshaded when Those Two Guys wonder how a creature like Potemayo could even exist. Their questions, and those of the class, are then forgotten in the face of her sheer cuteness.
Although discussion about what sort of creature she is does happen a few times. Sunao is wondering about it in the second episode, and his dad suggests in one episode that it's mating season for her, leading to Sunao thinking she's a teenage girl.
Beam Spam - For the sake of all that is good and holy, do NOT anger Guchuko. Or confine her. Or stand too close to her. You know what, just stay the heck away from her.
Cute Mute - "Honi, honi, honi, honi...". This, interestingly, can make her very frustrated; when she's actively trying to communicate, people either think she's just making cute noises or completely misinterpret her.
Hammerspace - Guchuko's pouch/pocket/whateverthehellitis can hold a lot of stuff.
Head Pet - Potemayo, who also has a little bird on her head, making it a recursive head pet.
HSQ - They throw some "WTF?" in Once an Episode to cut the sweetness. E.g. Nene dragging one of Those Two Guys around on a chain as her slave.
Here We Go Again - The anime proper ends with Sunao and Potemayo "evaluating" a new, rabbity moeblob, which came out of the trash can from Potemayo's seed.
The final episode has Kyou and her parents trying to figure out what Guchiko's trying to 'say'.
It Came from the Fridge - Potemayo's and Guchuko's origin; "I found her in my fridge" is all the explanation we and the cast are given. That boy really needs to clean out his refrigerator.
Jerkass - Nene isn't just a turquoise-haired, squeaky-voiced jerkass, she's THE turquoise-haired, squeaky-voiced jerkass.
Kawaisa - Calling this series "Cute" is like saying Everest is tall.
Line-of-Sight Name - Potato + Mayonnaise (in the same vein as all those Portmanteau Series Nicknames out there), the prime flavorings in what Sunao happened to be eating at one time, lends Potemayo her name.
Red String of Fate - Mikan is shown with one in the title sequence as the Anime Theme Song appropriately says, "Even though it's long / I can't figure out how to tie it".
Refuge in Audacity - Some of The gags are far more adult than you'd expect, given the animation style. Like Yasumi spending time in the bathroom after accidentally touching his sister's breast. Yeah, they went there.
Uh, this Troper interpreted that scene as him serving out some kind of private penance People go into the bathroom to be alone for more than two reasons, as he was visibly disturbed/disgusted/ashamed of the incident.
If you think him getting a Nosebleed when he imagines his sister naked is innocent as well, be my guest.
Also note that he was in there in the first place, brushing his teeth. So maybe he just had a Heroic BSOD.
Rule of Cute: What is Potemayo? Who cares, she's cute!
Selective Obliviousness - Sunao. Just... Sunao. When his love interest Mikan is being attacked by Potemayo, he interprets her flailing as a request for his bread.
Subverted Kids Show - Looks like it should be subtitled, "The Charming Adventures of Pote-chan and Friends"; there's even a children's television-style narrator. Theeen you notice the frequency of the toilet humour/Ho Yay gags...
Not mention Guchuko's tendency to blast whatever bothers her.
The Stoic - Sunao must be the most chilled anime protagonist yet.
Tastes Like Diabetes - The whole series is so cute, sweet and charming that you may need extra fluoride supplements.
Tear Jerker - Last episode. Goddammit, stop making me cry.
There's also Potemayo's nightmare in episode four.
Theme Naming - A "mikan" is a type of orange and Mikan has orange hair of the exact same shade.
Triang Relations - variation 5, comprising Kaoru, Mudou, and Potemayo. Yes, a boy has a crush on a boy who has a crush on a moe-blob. Who also has a crush on Sunao...
A later episode introduces what appears to be a very young boy wearing a skirt after they'd been seen wearing trousers. The characters react with alarm...
Viewer Gender Confusion - ...but it's an intentional use of this trope; the skirt-wearer turns out to have been a young girl all along. Understandable, due to her presumably single-figure age and non-girly behaviour.
They're in fifth grade, IIRC, which would make them around twelve, no?
And Sunao nonchalantly wears a cheerleader's outfit whilst his uniform is drying in one episode.
Don't forget the magnificent 6th DVD special. The class decides to do a cafe for the school festival. The first half is your average class cafe with the girls serving everyone, but when afternoon rolls around it switches to the boys crossdressing. Cue Sunao waltzing in and making everyone feel much less uncomfortable.
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