The money quote is in the very end:

And perhaps “arthouse” is the right qualifier for Kamichu. It hasn’t transcended below the ceiling of common, everyday sensibilities in the way how Azumanga Daioh (or better yet, Yotsuba&) was able to translate its strange worldview in a way we all understand. It paints a picture of adolescence that is wrapped and coated by its slice-of-life tension (ie. not much) and all that ZOMG-She-Is-God nonsense that is a little bit “out there” to say the least. But for those of us who can see beyond that, Kamichu is a masterful reprise of a childhood to remember and the fun people had growing up. It’s just too bad most people are hung up with the details, like myself, to go far enough and see Kamichu for what it is.

Personally, I think that the perfidy of the promising story being suspended because the creators had no clue where to take it is no small detail. I have a nasty suspicion that desire for milking was present as well, considering the unusual number of DVD-only episodes. Not that I’d want to argue with Michael about this. He had his say, and so did I. Only I’m a bit sad that he was unable to persuade me to break out my expensive R2 DVDs and give Kamichu another chance.

And while off sometimes, you couldn’t really have major complaints about the animation, art, and music.

Actually, I totally can. Animation was bad in a number of sequences. I have a few screenshots from the Christmas episode where it looks like concept art inked with a bucket fill tool. He says “sometimes”, but I think the low quality spots were in fact rather common. And even when high-line-count and properly inked, it still failed sometimes (real “sometimes” now though). For example, in the transfer episode, the welcome back sequence was outsourced to someone who blew the art. Not only the welcoming party didn’t adhere to the standard, the art was simply ugly. The instances of excellent art and animation happened, but overall, Kamichu is an uneven work.

Okusan, shopkeeper was right	Only a small request
Juvenile prank? Apple from the tree…	The bunny approves saving the humanity
What is in the guitar case?	We never even learned her name

[1] As an aside, Apple really sucks. Every normal player, even a contemporary of my ancient iPod Video, such as Cowon D2, plays normal .avi without transcoding. I would’ve never bought the blasted thing, but the mind rays of Steve Jobs made my family to get it as a present, and now I am stuck with it until it dies.

[2] The strange thing is, in theory it should not be so exciting, since, unlike its twin series Vandread, the opposing force is only a depersonalized natural phenomena, which is not malicous. Still, the triumph of the humanity is personal for everyone involved.

[3] Note that the movement was good. It’s just the lack of material (see the unfilled kerchiefs and dissolving lens frames). Also, for some irrational reason it peeves me how Ben-ten rises behind an obscuring figure. How much have they saved by resorting to such petty trick?

Sekirei is not the only place where 108 pops up. For example, Yurie Hitotsubashi ranks 108 during her temporary transfer. I could swear I saw 108 elsewhere, quite recently even, but now I cannot remember.

Google suggests that Suikoden, a game for DS, has 108 playable characters. It’s not an anime, however.

UPDATE: Omo reminds about Shikabane-hime, who, as I now recall, had to kill 108 corpses (don’t ask, I have no idea what that means; something like Soul Eater with a bare ass, presumably).

David Mankins sent a link to a page with some of the things linked to the number 108, e.g. “There are said to be 108 earthly desires in mortals”, etc.

DiGiKerot speculates that Sekirei may actually be hinted by Suikoden or at least its Chinese parent, 108 Stars of Destiny.

Steven Den Beste also found 108 in Negima, where someone gets “108 Carnal Boys”.