Key numbers
| Episodes | 5 |
|---|---|
| Free | Episodes 1 and 2 |
| Locked episodes | 3, 12 tokens apiece |
| Tokens to finish | 36 |
| Cost to finish | roughly $1.44 yearly, $3.24 quarterly, $5.04 monthly |
| Explicitness | Not rated yet |
| Performer | None (a Candy original) |
| Candy tags | None listed |
The setup
Our lead is a shy office worker nursing a private crush on softbunny_xo, a cosplay star he follows online. Then he works out her real identity: she is the reserved coworker he passes every day. As their online flirting carries over into real life, he takes on two tasks. One is keeping her secret identity safe; the other is proving to her that he is drawn to the woman behind both personas, not just the costume.
Romance, for a change
Hardly anything else on Candy comes this close to a romantic comedy setup. You get two awkward people and a secret, and not a stepparent, an unfaithful partner or a taboo tag in sight. At its core is an emotional question, whether he loves her or the character she plays, and that gives the story more heart than Candy titles usually have.
Her hidden identity supplies tension on its own, too. Keeping a double life under wraps at the office carries risk, and risk is exactly what short episodes need to keep moving.
Possible drawbacks
Viewers who visit Candy for the taboo themes that fill most of its tags may find this one too sweet. It has no Candy tags whatsoever, and our explicitness scale has not covered it yet, so nothing indicates how explicit the locked episodes get. As for the cosplay element, it is largely a premise: beyond her online persona, the synopsis does not mention costumes.
Sampling it, then finishing it
With episodes 1 and 2 free, you can size up the setup at no cost: the office, the discovery and whether the pair seem to have chemistry on paper. Unlocking the 3 remaining episodes costs 12 tokens apiece, 36 tokens in total, which comes to roughly $1.44 on a yearly plan, $3.24 on a quarterly one or $5.04 on a monthly one. How far plan tokens go is covered in our cost breakdown.
Is it your kind of series?
- Give it a go if a secret-identity romance appeals, along with a likable lead and a story driven by attraction instead of transgression.
- Pass if you want a series we have rated, a performer, or a title from the Taboo side of Candy.
Other new Candy originals
Two other recent standard series are worth a look. The title of My First Night Shift suggests a job story of its own, while Claimed by the Dragon Queen is a fresh option if you want another genre altogether. Each costs 36 tokens, and neither has a rating on our scale yet. Our full episode list covers the whole range.
Final verdict
Gentleness is what sets UNDER HER ARMOR apart. With a hidden online identity and a bashful hero, it plays like a romance that ends on an adult note, which is rare on Candy. Since it has neither a rating nor tags, the free episodes should settle it, yet this premise ranks among the more charming ones Candy offers.