How to keep a mummy

Episodes 1-2

Two episodes in and I can already tell that my weekly streaming reviews for How to keep a mummy aren't going to get deep into philosophy or anything like that. That's par for the course for Kaori, the show's director, who's apparently well-known enough from her work on Yuyushiki and Bottom Biting Bug to go by just her first name. Once again, she's given us a show that's as sweet and fluffy as cotton candy and about as substantial. Watching the adorably mild adventures of Sora and his inexplicably tiny mummy Mii-kun is fantastic for when you want to turn off your brain and relax for a bit.

The first two episodes are a little like watching baby animal videos on YouTube. Mii-kun doesn't know any particularly interesting tricks (unless you count sneezing), but it's cute to watch him eat, float in the bathtub, and cling loyally to his caretaker. The titles of the episodes: “White, Round, Tiny, Wimpy, and Ready,” and “Toyed With and Chased Around, Being Small is Hard" emphasize Mii-kun's cuteness and small stature. Yes, Mii-kun is technically a mummified human being. Yes, none of this makes sense. But the show is a lot more fun if you don't think too hard about the how and why of this peculiar new pet. “How many international laws did Dad break to send his son a mummy—” No, shush. “Why didn't the delivery guy call the cops after delivering an obvious coffin—” Stop that. “Sora has a point: what is inside Mii-kun's bandages if not mummified innards—” No thinking allowed. Instead, just watch this cutie roll around and cuddle with Sora. Look, he even eats dog food! Isn't this better?

Still, if there's anyone I'd trust with my mummified remains, it'd be Sora. This kid is extremely self-sufficient, taking care of all the household chores with a smile on his face. He can sew, cook fancy desserts, and he's even got some unexpected ninja skills, as we see when he manages to rescue Mii-kun from falling off the countertop. Everyone else, from the dog to Kaede (an unspecified female relative of some sort), depends on him. Unlike his pal Tazuki, he's also blissfully unquestioning of Mii-kun. (Although Tazuki does come around in the end. How could he not fall in love with something so cute?) Mii-kun still doesn't fully trust his owner's friend though, as indicated from routine glimpses into his thoughts. I love his dramatized visions with their cutesy frames. I'm calling them “ribbon vision.”

Since Mii-kun doesn't talk except for squeaks, it's easy to appreciate this show's musical score. Mii-kun's expressiveness is limited, so the music fills in the blanks for if he's feeling happy or worried or scared. This was more obvious in the second episode, because Mii-kun went through some tense moments at school during his accidental kidnapping. But no matter how scary Mii-kun's escapades may be in the moment, they're always temporary and come with a happy ending. I have no deep insights on this show so far, just a big extended “aww~”.

Rating: B

How to keep a mummy is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Lauren writes about geek careers at Otaku Journalist.