The summer 2024 season brought high expectations for several anime series, and “My deer friend Nokotan (Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan)” was no exception. Prior to its premiere, the series generated a lot of discussion online due to its unusual storyline and catchy opening theme. However, after the airing of its first episodes, the series seems to have disappeared from viewers' radar, going almost unnoticed.

A look at the Google Trends graph confirms the precipitous drop in interest in the series in Japan. Although search volume peaked in early July, coinciding with the premiere of the first episode, public interest plummeted in the following weeks. By early August, the graph showed that more than 90% of viewers had abandoned the series, which coincides with the so-called “four-episode rule.”a phenomenon that suggests that viewers often decide whether to continue watching an anime after its first four episodes.

The anime, produced by WIT STUDIO, presented a peculiar and promising premise. The story follows Torako Koshi, a model student who has it all: beauty, brains, and the presidency of the student council. However, she has a dark secret: she was a delinquent in high school, something she hides with great effort. His life takes an unexpected turn when he meets Noko Shikanoko, a deer-like girl whose strange actions put Torako's secrets in danger. To prevent Shikanoko from revealing her past, Torako is forced to enter the game and become president of the newly founded “Deer Club”.

Despite this premise, which combined comedy and mystery, the story failed to maintain the public's interest. Japanese netizens debated on various forums about why My Deer Friend Nokotan failed to capture audiences beyond the first episode. Online reviews reveal that many viewers abandoned the series due to its lack of a compelling plot or meaningful character development.

Among the most notable comments, some users expressed their frustration with the series:

• «The Elusive Samurai was boring from the first episode».
• «How many anime, on the other hand, peak after the first episode?».
• «There are many animes that lose».
• «The Elusive Samurai There isn't even an original manga that is popular.».
• «Alya-san probably has a similar chart».
• «The Elusive Samurai It's a historical series. Those who started watching it because of its cute appearance probably lost interest because they weren't interested in the plot.».
• «Shikanoko is a good example of how, even if you manage to generate buzz and get attention, if the story is boring, you will inevitably lose momentum.».
• «Many people say that works that sell well do so thanks to their virality or something similar, but the reality is that they do so because their stories were well received.».

Interestingly, some have compared My Deer Friend Nokotan's downfall to another anime that suffered a similar fate in the same season. One user noted that other series, such as “Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian” and “The Elusive Samurai,” also showed a similar pattern on Google Trends.suggesting that these productions were victims of an oversupply of content.

Ultimately, the discussion among fans revolves around how narrative and character development are crucial to maintaining audience interest. Despite the initial campaign and the quirky story, My Deer Friend Nokotan failed to keep the audience captive.becoming an example of how a striking premise does not guarantee long-term success if the content is not up to par.

Source: Otakomu