「悪党のお悩み相談」 (Akutou no o Nayami Soudan)
“Counseling for Bad Guys”

Your first love is always going to be that special individual that holds a special place in your heart. It sounds cheesy, and it probably is, but I truly believe that the first person that you devote your time and feelings to, can never be replaced. Whether it’s a long term relationship or someone that you had a crush on for the longest time, or that summer fling, they impact your life and shape your future relationships in ways you wouldn’t believe. This might be a little too deep for Nanana but I can understand the complicated implications of Juugo’s feelings towards Yukihime. It may not be as strong as love per say, but it’s enough to cause conflicts among the two of them because their values don’t match their feelings. To some extents, I’d like to think that they share more than a sibling bond but I know that’s probably beyond the scope of this anime and the OTP of this show is clearly Nanana x Juugo.

The issue of trust between people is always a sensitive one and the dynamics between Juugo and Yukihime couldn’t be more complicated. While I know why Juugo feels betrayed, I also understand why he has a hard time confronting Yukihime about it. It’s hard to describe the amount of disappointment I would feel if someone I trusted my entire life simply threw all that out the window. What’s also sad though, is that Yukihime felt that her loyalties to Matsuri were stronger than anything she felt towards Juugo. This is what causes the two to clash and lash out on one another when in reality, they probably would get along if they weren’t working for opposing forces. This hits close to home for me because there are always going to be people whom you respect and care for, that don’t have the same goals that you do. In fact, they might be doing things that make your life harder. I think it’s how you go about handling those differences that make you a better person and in this case, Juugo and Yukihime have a mutual understanding of why each of them are going after Nanana’s Collection. Although they don’t work for each other or together, they’re not enemies either. It also surprises me that there are “rules” for thieves, but I guess that makes sense since the underground market also has its own set of rules.

As slow as this episode was, I think it reveals a lot about each character and where they’re headed from here on. Juugo has turned out not to be the typical main character that you’d cheer for, but yet, he’s definitely different and I want to keep watching to see how he finds Nanana’s Collection pieces. Matsuri is made up of multiple individuals that all work for the same leader, but they don’t necessary agree with each other’s actions. Shuu is truly a man of different disguises and I always thought of him as a sidekick to Yukihime until this week. I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned against Yukihime to get to more treasure pieces for Juugo’s father. Tensai and Daruku got even less screen time than normal this week which was super saddening. Yes, they’re side characters – but come on! If they’re who the audience wants to see, the show should deliver more of that. Unfortunately I don’t think that’s where the plot is headed as Nanana and Juugo get more relationship build-up. I won’t lie, I’m disappointed, but as long as it doesn’t feel forced or unnatural, I can accept it. Last week, I asked for more character development and I think I got it so I’m more than satisfied with the show so far.

Bottom Line – @RCCherrie: Relationships are always a complicated matter and first loves always have a soft spot in my heart. #Nanana_TV explains it well enough =)

35 Comments

  1. …and the OTP of this show is clearly Nanana x Juugo.

    Makes you wonder if Nanana is actually dead dead or if she’s really just “dead” under the effect of one of her own Indiana Jones-esque artifacts…which will serve as some kind of Deus Ex Machina at the end of the LN series allowing them to be be together…

    Zen
    1. it would make half the plot (her death, the mystery over it, the heavy feeling between half the supporting cast, Juugo’s guilty feeling, her 10 years isolation and some others) irrelevant.

      Imho she is indead dead… just a ghost … maybe it will end as Tasogare Otome x Amnesia and she will take him to the other side? or mebe he dies (tho i dont see this happening)?

      PS: mm sooo this is a phantom ship!

      inanis
      1. Lol, evidently you didn’t read the epilogue (Over 70 pages long) of Tasogare. The going to the other side thing was just part of the story/rumor that gave Yuuko enough of a hold on the world to return. She doesn’t really whisk Teiichi away into the afterlife, she just becomes free of her bond to the school and follows him around/possesses him for the rest of his life…not to say that this ending isn’t a possibility for this show too, though…

        Zen
    2. I hope either she is kinda “sealed away with magic” or, alternatively, combined power of her artifacts can bring her back from the dead… whatever the solution, I’d like to see her alive again, only for juugo to kick her cute butt for all the servitude she forced on him as a ghost…
      btw, I loved the way he solved the electricity bill!
      All in all, nice harem you are building around yourself, Juugo… Yukihime, Nanana, Tensai…

      ewok40k
    3. Nanana not really dead did cross my mind. As Juugo was making peace with her at the start of the episode by offering her the pudding she was trying hard to resist and she was breaking in sweat. Unless of course, this is anime and it’s just for comedic effect.

      yuhsaku
  2. I have been thinking about this, but maybe it’s that necklace that lets Nanana be all ghost like and it’s power is limited only to that room. Doesn’t explain why she hasn’t aged at all if this were the case.

    XxVanitasXx
  3. I see where you’re coming from, but I wouldn’t go declaring OTPs just yet =3

    You’re definitely not the only one with a soft spot for first loves. I think Juugo/Yukihime has emerged for me as the most interesting (and definitely the deepest) relationship in the cast ^_^

    I really liked the way Juugo outright told Yukihime that she was his first love, fist-meet-face follow-up non-withstanding. I can’t help but feel that being on opposing sides has given them both the courage to acknowledge the feelings they had or still have – I’d say still have – for each other. Since it can’t make much difference, they’re less afraid to be honest with each other. Ironically – and I’m definitely reading in too deep here – I think being enemies has given each a much deeper understanding of the other, and I would say brought them much closer emotionally than they’ve been for a long time.

    whemleh
    1. Maybe OTP is a strong word, but I do think that ultimately, Juugo and Nanana will end up together, even if I don’t support this couple =X I prefer Juugo and Tensai but that’s probably because I just like Tensai lol

      1. Yeah, the light novel would probably ultimately go for a Juugo/Nanana end, but unless they start pushing for it quick I doubt we’ll see that in the adaption. I actually think Tensai/Juugo has the best chance at being the official couple in the anime’s run.

        whemleh
  4. I am gonna ship Yukihime and Juugo right now because nanana is dead. Also, he did sold all of Nanana games so she can kiss his ass! LOL. Gotta pay the bills somehow right?

    I really enjoyed the interaction and Tensai being less of a bitch then normal or guess she is not as invasive in this episode.

    Duzz
  5. What’s also sad though, is that Yukihime felt that her loyalties to Matsuri were stronger than anything she felt towards Juugo.

    Yukihime has essentially dedicated her life to fulfilling that childhood promise with Juugo, by focusing on rising through the ranks in Matsuri and following the goals it espouses. She is still doing that, even though Juugo has apparently forgotten about the promise. It is the most important thing to her. She keeps her promises, after all. Having spent her life doing all that, only to have Juugo walk out on her declaring he no longer believed in the ideals they’d promised they’d fulfill together… That clearly hurt her more than anything. We still don’t know what drove Juugo to leave, but from what we’ve see so far I have to say that Yukihime, at least, deserved better than that from him.

    Wanderer
    1. I think a big part of their interaction this episode was in a way, an apology from Juugo to Yukihime. He clearly regrets hurting her, but he still can’t go back to the Matsuri. I think she understands that as well, and going by the childhood flashbacks I think she realises that Juugo has never believed in the ideals of the Matsuri.

      whemleh
  6. personally … i like Yukihime … BUT i would find a Tensai/Juugo ship AMUSING since they would be chasing in circles around each other.

    About Nanana … dunno… imho the dead should be left in peace … if she is really dead then they wont have a future… unless he dies. (OR the anime ends before giving a clear answer … like seems to be the trend nowadays.. -yes im looking at you NISEKOI!!- )

    Anyways… this episode needs more Tensai (hehe when i hear her talking i CANT STOP thinking: Nyaruko … an yeh she was in Nisekoi too… so double helping!)

    inanis
  7. Nanana was a bro (so to speak) this episode, and earned major points for telling Juugo what he needed to hear to get him out of bed and off to talk to the girl, but I didn’t get any sort of shipping vibes from her. Certainly the two of them care about each other, and either one would be lonely and unhappy if the other were to leave, but I felt no trace of love in their interactions and thoughts about each other.

    Juugo and Yukihime I saw plenty of interest between. The very contrast made it stand out all the more: for all that Juugo will consider doing perverted stuff to Nanana, he cares about Yukihime a dozen times more.

    Tensai also I could potentially see a ship with, as their sort of odd adversarial thing ending up becoming closer. It’s a completely different sort of connection than he has to Yukihime, but I can see it becoming romantic.

    But Nanana has been keeping herself too aloof in that sense. Her advice was friendly or big-sisterly if anything in this episode. I can’t get any romance vibes off her at all. She’s lonely at times, but I don’t think she’s in love.

    Wanderer
    1. I completely agree. I think Juugo finds Nanana attractive, but I don’t really see anything romantic there. More than anything, it seems like he’s just genuinely interested in solving her murder. I don’t see any real shipping going on here.

      whemleh
      1. I agree as well. Juugo’s gotten plenty of ship teases with both Tensai and Yukihime so far, but pretty much none with Nanana. Seems rather odd is she really is the OTP. Her bond with Juugo has been growing, for sure, but it seems friendly more than anything (or kind of like actual roommates). Solving her murder is akin to a raison d’etre for Juugo at the moment, whereas she’s got a cure for her loneliness (as she is stuck in that one room). I don’t think it goes much further than that.

        Dvalinn
      2. @Dvalinn: I agree that there’s no real chemistry between Juugo and Nanana (yet?) but I don’t think a story with Nanana’s NAME in the title would stray too far from making her the first girl. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’d be great if the story wasn’t so predictable and stuff, but maybe that’s too far out into the scope of this 11-episode anime.

  8. It was a nice slow episode like you said, but I was kinda disappointed with how it turned out. It was pretty predictable Yuki chan really likes Juugo (not in a romantic way) and was hurt about him leaving Matsuri and not telling her his reasons or asking her to go with him. After the reveal of Juugo being Matsuri’s successor, Yuiga’s “I want to rule the world”, or all the stuff Tensai does, I was expecting something more unpredictable and extravagant about Yuki chan and Juugo’s relationship.

  9. and the OTP of this show is clearly Nanana x Juugo.

    Nah, this show isn’t romantic enough to say any pairings exist here. The thing between Nanana and Juugo is more “friends” than “OTP” material.

    TheMoondoggie
  10. this show is a joke , it was so much fun up until this episode , the universe seem so plain and boring the only thing keep me going on is the banter in this show, juugo is quite retard despise being powerful. it’s true that his face remind me of Touma

    PeTdo
  11. I’ve finally realized what is it that I like the most about this show: it doesn’t make me facepalm or feel embarrassed for the characters every single episode, unlike many of its peers.

    Conrad
    1. She’s been playing it all season. The show was advertised in game during the Tanbata event.

      On a side note, it looks like she chose Force as her sub-class with Shifta, Deband, and Resta on her sub-palette. I personally am running a Ranger sub-class for my Braver.

      Annyms
  12. I just don’t see any signs of any romantic feelings developing between Juugo and Nanana. If anything, I feel like Juugo’s eagerness to help her is just an expression of his true desires. He truly does want to help people like with his promise with Yukihime, but he is so rebellious to his father and Matsuri that he can’t admit to liking people. The little back story to Juugo and Yukihime may be the closest thing we get to romance in this show.

    Annyms

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