Yumekui Merry stars Yumeji Fujiwara, a seemingly average high school student with the ability to see auras around people that allow him to predict what kind of dream they will have. Sadly, his dreams often involve him being pursued by cats with weapons led by John Doe, who claims he needs Yumeji’s body to enter the real world. However, when he meets the enigmatic Merry Nightmare, everything changes.
Merry Nightmare is the female protagonist of the show. She’s a dream demon who gatekeeps the door that joins the Dream World to the Real World. And unlike the other dream demons who need to possess a human to enter the real world, as she has her own body. Her job was to guard the border between the two worlds, but for unknown reasons, she ended up with amnesia 10 years ago in the real world. She wanders around looking for a way to return to the dream world, and one faithful day, she meets Yumeji, who wants to help her find her way back home. She is initially hesitant, but after a daydream in which she saves Yumeji’s life, she accepts his assistance. However, Merry’s presence in the real world means that the barrier between dreams and reality is wide open, and not all dream demons who come to Earth are peaceful.
Dream Eater Merry blends the mundane with the fantastic; it takes a well-used anime trope, a cast of familiar and comfortable characters, and dresses it in the fantastic and bizarre. The result is a heart-warming story full of ups and downs, friendship, and an overall change in perception of what a dream is. The quality of the animation and the music soundtrack that accompanies its fantastic visuals further add to its appeal – Yumekui Merry is the perfect anime to curl up with after Black Rock Shooter.