I first wrote this review years ago, back in 2016, when the show shocked me with its crudeness and chaotic energy. But now, with a new season set to premiere in 2025, I thought it was time to revisit Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, to rewatch it, reframe my thoughts, and reflect on how it holds up.
- Demographic: Seinen
- Genres: Action, Black Comedy, Off-colour Humour, Surreal Humour
- Theme: Fallen Angels, Ghost Hunting, Satire, Crude Comedy
- Episodes: 13 + 1 OVA
- Total Watch Time: +/- 5 hours 30 minutes
- Type: Series
- Rating: P (Parental Guidance – contains mature themes)
- Aired: 2010
- Animation Studio: GAINAX
- English Dub: Yes
- Source: Original
- Kanji: パンティ＆ストッキングwithガーターベルト
- Alternative Title: Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
- Average Platform Rating: 7.6/10
- Streaming: Crunchyroll
- Continues in Source Material? No – original anime, but continuation announced
- Official Website: psg-anime.net (legacy, not updated)
- Official Hashtags: #pantystocking, #PSwG, #pantyandstocking
- Trigger Warnings:
- Graphic toilet humour and adult themes
- Sexualisation and crude language
- Religious satire and blasphemy
- Partial nudity and fetish comedy
- Violence (cartoonish and exaggerated)
What is Panty & Stocking and Garterbelt About?
Panty and Stocking are angel sisters banished from Heaven due to their unruly behaviour. Stuck in the sinful city of Daten City, they’re tasked with defeating ghosts to earn Heaven Coins — enough to buy their way back into the celestial realm. Their weapons? Their own lingerie. Panty transforms her panties into a gun, while Stocking turns her stockings into dual swords. Divine, destructive, and unhinged.
Guided by the afro-clad priest Garterbelt (whose secrets are as wild as the plot), the sisters pursue missions from Heaven but often get distracted. Panty’s thirst for men and Stocking’s addiction to sugar derail their goals regularly. Throw in their tag-along admirer Brief, demonic rivals Scanty and Kneesocks, and their pet Chuck, and you’ve got a recipe for non-stop nonsense.
My Thoughts on Panty & Stocking and Garterbelt
The Original Review
The first episode I found really disturbing and off-putting. Then, as I watched further, I found out each episode actually has two ‘plots’ as each ‘plot’ is only 10 minutes long. I will admit there were bits that were really funny and others I still can not believe actually were in the anime. I am not really one for toilet humour; I usually prefer the subtle and witty humour woven into a solid script. There is heavy sexual innuendo that is not subtle in any way or form. A lot of the character names are ridiculous, and it has a semi-decent plot. This is not an anime I could watch with young children (for obvious reasons), nor could I watch it with my parents; that would be mortifying. There isn’t much character development, and the animation varies as it goes along. However, despite myself, I might actually watch it again, and I did get a kick out of making my friends watch it and seeing their expressions. Yes, I have an off-centre sense of humour. I just had to watch episode after episode just to see how bad it could get. It also provided a much-needed break from all the long and ongoing emotional anime I had been watching. Plus, the opening soundtrack is awesome and sticks in your mind.
The Revamped Review
I still wouldn’t recommend this anime to just anyone. It’s gross. It’s loud. It’s proudly perverse. But that’s also exactly the point. Panty & Stocking is satire dialled up to 11. It mocks anime tropes, Western media, and even itself. It’s a rude, raunchy carnival of bad taste, but it has purpose, and the more anime I’ve watched over the years, the more I’ve come to appreciate its chaotic brilliance.
Visuals & Soundtrack
Visually, it remains one of the boldest anime ever made. From hard outlines and flat colours to the near-photo-realistic final scenes of each ghost’s death, it’s art in absurdity. The animation team didn’t care about being consistent; they cared about expression. And it works.
The soundtrack? Still slaps. “Fly Away Now” and “Champion” are iconic. TeddyLoid’s electro-synth mixes energise every sequence. The OP and ED are bangers you’ll hum for weeks.
Characters & Comedy
Panty is unapologetically raunchy. Stocking is aggressively gothic. Garterbelt is… a lot. These characters are not meant to grow or redeem themselves. They’re not here to be likeable, they’re here to destroy Ghosts and your expectations. The comedy is aggressive, filled with innuendo, bodily fluids, and fourth-wall-breaking chaos. It’s not subtle, it’s not clean, and it’s definitely not safe for work, but if you’re into that wild, no-holds-barred kind of satire, this anime is a masterpiece of madness.
Favourite Character: Brief
Brief is, unexpectedly, my favourite character. He starts out as comic relief, a dorky boy with a crush on Panty and zero dignity, but over time, his charm grows. He’s awkward, earnest, and surprisingly brave when it counts. His loyalty and hidden strength (especially toward the finale) make him more than just the ‘dude in distress.’ Brief is the chaotic heart of the show’s madness, and his moments of unassuming heroism genuinely caught me off guard.
Would I Recommend It?
Yes, but with warnings. It’s not for kids. It’s not for sensitive viewers. But if you want something totally unfiltered and creatively fearless, you owe it to yourself to watch at least a few episodes.
What do you think about the anime Panty & Stocking and Garterbelt?
If you’ve seen Panty & Stocking, what did you think? Are you excited for the return of the Anarchy Sisters? Let me know in the comments!
My Rating: 7.8/10
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