The Secret Salon & the Whimsical Maid (Ear Cleaning, Shampoo, Sleeping Together, Chewing & Swallowing Sounds)

You spend time alone with a cheerful, innocent maid. It starts with a tour of the mansion, and she washes your back, cleans your ears, and more. While you get pulled along by her free-spirited nature, spending time together gradually brings you closer. Personally, I loved seeing Erika get a little sulky and pouty after getting mad about being splashed with the shower. Just when I thought that was the whole story, you end up chasing a white rabbit in a suit and falling down a hole into... Wonderland? There's a solid story here, and it felt less like ASMR and more like a binaural-mic drama CD — I genuinely felt like I'd stepped into an anime world. I bought this work because I love Emiri Kato, and her bright, energetic character suits her perfectly — as expected of her. Honestly, just getting to hear Emiri Kato's performance in binaural audio alone makes me happy! This is the first work I've listened to in this series, but I had no trouble enjoying it even without having heard the previous entries. Looking forward to the next one!

The fifth installment in the "Garden Maid" series from Ne-on-do. This time, you've wandered into the dimensional salon "Prukuru" and ring the bell, but for some reason the maid doesn't come right away. After ringing the bell a few times, the maid "Erika" finally shows up and guides you around here and there. Along the way, you see a somewhat unusual side of her, along with a scene that recalls the exchanges with "Kanna" from the third installment. And I think you'll feel "something" from an innocence different from "Iris" in the first installment, and a gentleness different from "Linaria" in the fourth installment. This installment has the strongest focus yet on depicting the actions you yourself take. Also, because the sound effects are different from those in the second through fourth installments, it seems to have less impact when used to fall asleep. And importantly, this time that certain someone helps out in various ways during the main story. During the sale it comes with the first-print limited bonus, so be sure to buy it soon.