Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf: Where Dreams and Reality Converge

Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf!

As a huge anime and manga fan, I have often dreamed of visiting Japan someday. Perhaps not to settle down or for an extended duration, but I still wish to see the land where these artistic masterpieces are created as a tourist. I have a long list of things I want to do, places to visit, people to meet, and so on in the land of the rising sun, and I doubt a single holiday trip there could adequately cover them all. Fortunately, I have the patience to wait for my opportunity as my plans accumulate. I am committed to making the most of the trip when it finally arrives!

“Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf!,” also known as “Nihon e Youkoso Elf-san,” is a 12-episode TV anime series that aired from the 10th of January until the 28th of March in Winter 2025. It was produced by Lantis, Toei Video, Mainichi Broadcasting System, AT-X, DAX Production, KlockWorx, Hobby Japan, BS11, MAGNET, Bandai Namco Music Live, and qooop and brought to life by Studio Zero-G. Its main staff includes Oowada Tomoyuki, Iizuka Aya, and Ozawa Fumihiro as producers and Kitahata Tooru as director. It features the genres of comedy and fantasy, alongside the theme of isekai, earning a rating of PG-13 for teenagers 13 years or older. Each episode has a runtime of 23 minutes, and it was released on Blu-ray as a complete box set on the 11th of June 2025.

The anime is based on the light novel series of the same title, which began publication on the 25th of August 2018 and is still ongoing. It is the work of author Makishima Suzuki and artist Yappen, and it has been published digitally in English via J-Novel Club since February 23rd, 2019. It was even adapted into a manga series of the same title, which began publication on the 21st of December 2018 and is currently ongoing, serialized by Comic Fire. It is the work of the same author and artist, Aono Sumio, which also got published digitally in English via J-Novel Club since the 23rd of June 2021.

The story is centered around the protagonist, Kazuhiro Kitase, who has been able to dream of a different world since childhood. This convenient ability allowed him to get isekai’d and return home simply by falling asleep or dying in the isekai. He can even continue from where he left off by dozing off again. Thus, he spent many years adventuring alongside a beautiful elf, Mariabelle, employed at the Sorcery Guild. During their numerous escapades, the duo fatefully stumble upon the lair of a dragon taking care of her eggs. The sudden intrusion unintentionally awakens the slumbering beast, who promptly reduces them to ashes to safeguard her progeny. The incident is just a temporary setback for Kazuhiro, who has been through the process many times before. Rest assured, he can go back whenever he needs to.

But things change entirely when he realizes that Mariabelle is also asleep right next to him, safe and sound in his world this time. This moment is when our MC understands that the dream world he had been visiting so casually is actually an alternate reality! These realizations aside, the man is determined to make the most of their bizarre circumstances and introduce Mariabelle to Japan's beautiful sights and wonders. As their time together begins spanning two worlds, this is but the beginning of their real adventures because even the boring old real world starts to shine beside the right person…

This story follows an average guy who can consistently become a strong adventurer in a dream world. The protagonist is arguably the most lucid dreamer I've ever encountered in fiction, as he vividly remembers every event and has meticulously crafted his fantasy tale over the years, even going so far as to learn another language. So when he and Mariabelle return to the real world because he was maintaining physical contact with her on his way home, this tale turns into a reverse isekai. But the isekai element is not lost either, because the duo can return to the fantasy world by snuggling up to each other, which is where this series becomes a slice-of-life rom-com. Now that the girl from his dreams is beside him, he takes the opportunity to spoil her with everything Japan has to offer. Starting from his humble home, he takes her to experience everything that fascinates her about Japan, which she had only heard about until now. While she fully immerses herself in the greatness of Japanese hospitality, the potential to fall in love also improves.

However, there is a big concern: can our MC transfer people and beings between the two worlds without limitations? If so, can he even bring mythical monsters like the Arkdragon Wridia that attacked them back to the real world? Initially, the duo simply wanted to see the dragon’s eggs, but they ended up intruding on her lair; however, the Wridia that comes to Japan is eventually placated by the excellent food and beverages it offers. Consequently, she accompanies Ms. Elf in exploring Japan, alternating between the two worlds to fulfill their personal tasks. As odd as this sounds, the way the anime switches between isekai and reverse isekai is honestly refreshing, and while there isn’t much to the plot itself, the characters carry it well and keep you entertained.

As MC, Kazuhiro is not a revolutionary character, but he is likable. This guy is a proper adult with more personality, unlike the annoying male teens saturating the genre who act like they’ve never interacted adequately with a girl before. His oversleeping habits are evident even on his face because he appears half-asleep while awake. However, that doesn’t stop him from being a conveniently superb cook since both women around him cannot seem to get enough food. He maintains a calm demeanor, presenting himself as a character with whom you can enjoy the journey.

At first glance, Mariabelle appears to be a typical anime elf girl, possessing a repetitive, uninteresting personality that revolves around shyness and friendliness, despite her undeniable beauty. Thankfully, she turns out to be much more than that, and the very thing that makes her so endearing is the dynamic with the MC. This girl is full of genuine curiosity about the real world and is bewildered by all the goodness it offers, all while making a cute couple with Kazuhiro. Meanwhile, Wridia, the resident adult woman, enjoys real-world food and serves as a kind, protective, and occasionally childish third wheel. The remainder of the cast don’t do much to stand out and are easily forgettable, but at least they don’t spoil the fun.

Coming to the Art and Animation department, bear in mind that this isn’t a high-budget project. You will not experience the typical Isekai flair in this project, and even the action scenes feature limited animation, which is somewhat disappointing. While action may not be the primary focus on this show, it does exist within the fantasy world, and those moments look extremely cheap without a shred of effort thrown in. It doesn’t look horrible, but luckily, only around half of this show is in the fantasy world, and it looks decent at best in the real world. The character designs don’t stand out either, but at least all the females look good, and I am grateful for the relatively mature-looking MC. The creators tried to show Ms. Elf and the audience how beautiful Japan is by making the most of their visual budget, but the only highlights for me were the backgrounds and scenery.

The Sounds and Music department does better in comparison by keeping up a consistent, vibrant theme for all the audio. The OSTs fit this Isekai-Reverse Isekai setting well, following a relatively calm but quirky style that brings out the moment's beauty. The opening theme is "Palette Days" by Rico Sasaki, and the ending is "Yummy Yummy" by Kaede Higuchi and Kanae, which are neat little pieces that complement the show. I liked the ending more because it features the MCs performing a duet, making their interactions all the more enjoyable to watch. The voice actors also do a fantastic job, with Hondo Kaede bringing out all of Mariabelle’s pure curiosity and wonder so that you can’t help but be happy for her.

Overall, “Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf!” is the kind of show you can leisurely relax and enjoy without bothering your brain. If you are going to watch this, try not to think too much and just allow yourself to enjoy Japan alongside the cast because this show is precisely what it appears to be and nothing more. There is no real story, but the fun, simple execution will make you laugh every episode. That said, it is by no means a must-watch, and I won’t recommend this to anyone who is short on time and wants impactful shows to engage in.