When You Pull the Shrine Bell's Cord

It's been a few months since I bought this, and I still listen to it as ear-cleaning audio (for sleep). There are many ear-cleaning works out there with good sound, and this is one of them. So why is this one good? Especially the voice actress, and also the ambient sound. The voice actress is Renge Todo, playing a "loli-baba" (old lady in a young girl's voice), and with 18+ loli-baba characters there's usually an unavoidable hint of lewdness seeping through, but this voice actress performs a truly pure-voiced loli-baba without any sleaziness at all. During the ear cleaning, she speaks to you gently in a soft voice so as not to disturb your drowsiness. Just her voice alone could put you to sleep. Then there's the quality of the ambient sound. The happiness of having your ears cleaned on a warm afternoon, sitting on the veranda with tea and sweets, listening to the babbling of a brook — it makes you want to take a nap right then and there. Including the bonus episode, there are 4 works total, with 3 of them centered on Renge Todo's loli-baba character. This first work was made with genuine dedication to the ear-cleaning concept, so personally I recommend it the most. It's the kind of work that makes you feel happy just by listening to it.

I have no complaints at all. Every sound effect is meticulously crafted, with an incredible sense of presence. The rain sounds in particular were so realistic I almost thought it was actually raining outside. And above all, Renge Todo's performance was wonderful throughout. She perfectly embodied the fantastical "noja-loli" character archetype. I want to register the line "...is it, nya?" as an intangible cultural heritage. Being able to listen across different days is truly this work's selling point, and here too Renge Todo's acting shines. There's continuity, and you can really feel the growing intimacy as the visits accumulate. It left me deeply moved. In summary: "Everyone, let's be healed by this noja-loli."

When you make an offering at the shrine, a fox-eared loli girl appears (though from her way of speaking, she actually gives off more of a cheerful older-sister vibe)... You chat together while enjoying tea and sweets, get your ears cleaned, then rest after the ear cleaning & say goodbye. The protagonist visits the shrine again. This cycle repeats 3 times. The voice actress's performance is wonderful, and the situations, sound quality, and the way the relationship grows more loving are all lovely too. Above all, it leaves you curious about what happens next (a continuation or aftermath), giving that "these two will surely stay close" feeling of satisfaction that Tomimi-an is known for. It's extremely cost-effective, so if you're interested, you should definitely give it a try.

The first work in the ear-cleaning series featuring the fox shrine maiden, Ten-sama. Getting your ears cleaned by Ten-sama while being soothed by her whispering voice is wonderful. The sound of the ear cleaning itself is gentle on the ears, and the bell sound she wears along with the other ambient sounds are soothing too. Since the price is very affordable, if you like it, I'd recommend checking out the rest of the series as well.

There are already countless ear-cleaning doujin audio works out there, including free ones, but even the longest free ones only run about 30 minutes. If you just want someone to clean your ears, that's fine, but if you want to fully enjoy the healing and atmosphere, free works often can't quite deliver that. However, once you decide to try paid works, there are simply so many titles and varieties that it's easy to get overwhelmed about what to buy. For people in that situation, I recommend this one. First, the quality is excellent. The protagonist is treated by the shrine maiden Ten-san, and during that there's not just a lot of footstep sounds, ambient sounds, and ear-cleaning sounds, but they're also very dynamic. It has a real sense of presence. Since it's a relatively newer work, it also feels well-refined. Next, the price. Having this level of presence for around 300 yen puts it in the top tier for cost performance. Finally, there's the fact that a sequel has been made. There may even be a third installment and beyond, not just the second work, "Listening to the Sound of Bells." There's the joy of looking forward to new works. With series from many years ago, that kind of hope tends to be slim. So, as a first paid work to try, this is currently my top recommendation.

Ah, no matter which day I come to visit, it makes me grin from ear to ear. Among them, Track 7 on yet another day was especially a favorite of mine! She's so sly, saying things so happily that it makes me smile along with her (´ω`*) Now, about this time's heroine, Ten-chan (Ten-san?). Sometimes childlike, sometimes watching over you gently — her expressions and gestures come through so vividly, and you can feel yourself getting more and more drawn to her each time you visit. As for changes in her expression, she says the word "tawake" (silly/fool) several times, and even though it's a short word, I liked that you could feel the change in her through it. Personally, I love it when she says it in a sort of embarrassed, covering-up way — it's so cute! You can tell she's flustered, and it just makes you smile. Alright, maybe I'll go pay a visit to the shrine too... (/・ω・)/

As you may know, Tomimi-sama retired about a year ago, so I'm finally writing the review I never got around to doing. But really, there's nothing more to say. It's a story about being healed by a noja fox shrine maiden. Just that alone, and yet this body of work has gained tremendous popularity. Because everyone loves a "noja" girl, that's why! That's part of it, but also the voice actress is charming enough to have created fanatical devotees, and the character Ten-sama herself is just incredibly adorable. The atmosphere of the work itself also becomes more and more dear to you the more you immerse yourself in it. We proclaim this space to be the best, and wait eternally for a new release notification that never comes — like waiting for Hemingway's next book.

When it comes to ear-cleaning audio, I tend to prefer business-like situations at a shop rather than ones with a strong storyline, but this work is by far my favorite among Tomimi-an's story-driven works. Anyway, the heroine Ten-sama is just adorable! She shows endearing expressions with a perfect sense of distance — not too boisterous, not too haughty. I'm also happy that there are 3 types of ear-cleaning situations (3 days' worth). You can enjoy them in rotation depending on your mood that day. The binaural-recorded ear-cleaning sound effects were also my favorite sound among Tomimi-an's works. Looking forward to the next one.

Above all, the scene on day two, after the ear cleaning. After finishing the cotton-swab ear cleaning, she thinks "now for the fluffy ear pick..." but realizes she doesn't have it. So Ten tells you to close your eyes... Has there ever been such an expression of affection before? Touch, the sense of body warmth, the degree of trust in one's heart — it feels like the warmth this work holds is expressed so concisely right there. I'd almost call it "kemono + ambient = kemonobient" — a blissful moment where your ears feel truly saved. The sounds that make up the work, including the ambient sounds, are unified in a soft tone, but it's really Renge Todo's voice that stands out. Her expressive range is overwhelming. The gradation between soft speech and whispering is incredibly finely tuned, somehow... Faint breaths, breathing that's less than words — that healing-focused, soft-soft voice just melts your ears. While listening to this audio, I kept feeling the joy of being showered with affection the whole time, and the word that came to mind was "jiai" (compassionate love). Looking it up in the dictionary, it says: "the deep love a parent has for a child, cherishing and adoring them." To cherish and to love. ...Wrapped in such a fluffy sound, the back of my ears got a little ticklish. …… And honestly, the beginning of day three is just way too cute. It's so dear to me it almost makes me want to cry.

In a relaxed atmosphere, you get your ears cleaned and get to sleep beside a shrine maiden who speaks with a "noja" dialect. The water sounds are memorable, and you can listen while wrapped in the babbling of a brook and the sound of rain, feeling completely at ease. ※The following contains spoilers. Ten-san, the fox shrine maiden, gives off the sense of having lived for a very long time, and each time you visit (the rare visitor that you are), she warmly welcomes you, even while occasionally hiding her embarrassment. Toward the end, even while feeling a bit lonely about the parting with you that will surely come someday, Ten-san still smiles and says, "Come visit me again sometime." I just finished listening, but it's the kind of work that makes me want to hear a sequel. Side note: The character introduction states that the ears and tail are cosplay, but within the story, she says they're "natural, her own." Did she correct herself about it being cosplay in some part outside the main story...? I wish I could have heard that part too (though I might have dozed off comfortably partway through and missed it, lol).