First Impressions / GOSICK

「夏の午後に蝉(せみ)の声を聞く」 (Natsu no Gogo ni Semi no Koe o Kiku)
“The Voices of Cicadas are Heard on Summer Afternoons”

BONES should change this anime into a slice of life, because I don’t think I’ve had this much enjoyment from the show since it began. Disappointingly, Avril is shoved away once again, but it became quite obvious that she has the hots for Kujou. Naturally, I approve. It was hilarious that she was okay with Kujou staying because she thought Victorique was a guy, but certainly now her two months away will be steaming with jealousy. The rest of the episode went along in a relaxing pace, purely focusing on the ridiculously cute antics between Victorique and Kujou, with a little of Kujou development thrown in. And that new purple outfit. Simply stunning. New outfit for a new season~

I feel like they’re saving all the good parts for later, such as the possible “Avril vs. Victorique for Kujou” scenes, and essential things like the backgrounds of our main characters. Even though Kujou finally gets some of the spotlight, it’s nothing but a small taste of his past. Out of his bros, he was the black sheep, failed to be manly in a soldier’s household, and his mother and sister were expectedly compassionate. Let’s not mince words here gentlemen, but Kujou was a momma’s boy. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for characters with a similar background to his. I’m not exactly sure if that hacky-sack of rocks symbolizes anything deeper other than a link to his childhood, but Victorique knew of Kujou’s vulnerable side since the beginning and supported him in one helluva roundabout way. It’s more of an affirmation that she cares enough to support him now, but it’s actually development “filler.” Like you know how the more time you spend with someone, the more you feel connected towards them? Even if it’s a total stranger, this works, so with anime, it’s the same concept. Episodes like this are to get the viewer closer, even if not much really happened, but even the antics are a huge part of it as well. Did it work for me? Let me answer by giving you another question. Did Victorique just reach a whole new dimension of nut-busting cuteness?

It’s also interesting to note that his smarter brother, the one all the riddles were being exchanged with, looks exactly like him, except taller and with a pair of glasses. Possible future rival for Victorique’s love? (LOL doubt it) His sister might actually make an appearance though, given her somber expression.

Before these last two episodes, I was feeling a little bored with the show, but this new direction of “less mystery more character” is awesome, and the next episode seems to be even more of it. I wouldn’t cross off a new mystery just yet though.

 

Preview

40 Comments

  1. Good episode I thought. It was nice and relaxing. It also showed more of Victorique’s cute side which was a plus. I’m also glad that Avril showed up after an absent for a long time. It was pretty funny when she found out that Victorique was a girl. (That I found kind of obvious because Victorique isn’t really a guys name.)

    Zangkin
    Reply

    1. April is a fool (I’m not ashamed) to think that Victorique is a guy.
      Plus, Saubure seems to be a country where people speak principaly in french so it should be Victorica and not Victorique for them :/

      KTNO
      Reply

    2. I agree, heck I watch this show ONLY because of Kujou and Victorique! I mean the two of them really make a very good pair and have such an amazing chemistry together! I love typical harem shows and find it funny when the girls argue and fight over the guy, it always makes for a good enjoyment, but man I find this type of rare gem for a shounen genre to only focus on one couple all throughout to be amazing especially if the couple really works as well as Kujou and Victorique does!

      I never really cared about the mysteries and other characters only introduced for the mystery, since the only reason why this show has exceeded far beyond my expectations is because of the two. I’m also all for a good confrontation between Avril and Victorique! I wonder if this will ever happen in the anime, and so i wonder if the two finally confront each other in the light novels.

      X
      Reply

  2. Did Victorique just reach a whole new dimension of nut-busting cuteness?

    Hell yes! She also tugged at my heart because she tried so hard not to show Kujo how much it meant to her to have him there. Her trying to serve him tea was meltingly cute. I swear she must be Taiga’s great grandmother.

    bear
    Reply

  3. You can’t go wrong with listening to Victorique’s grunts, ever.

    I didn’t think Avril knew about Victorique at all.Or maybe this was actually just her first time hearing about her, which would sorta explain why she thought Victorique was a boy.

    @Alec

    I watch Cardfight Vanguard!For a Yugi-Oh inspired show, it’s tolerable and sticks more closely to the original Yugi-Oh as far as game mechanics go.It’s instantly better than all the other Yugi-Oh Spin Offs and Rip Offs.I watch it every week ;p

    anishuma
    Reply

  5. I’m guessing that this 12 episode were just character introduction. I think from onwards here the story development will be full of mystery and life time story.

    ✙Croosboy✙
    Reply

    1. Nothing wrong with that. I like how they sort of spent time together instead of running around solving mysteries. Build that love interest with each other before they get split apart like that old man said in one of the episodes awhile back.

      Silentcid
      Reply

  8. They do make such a cute couple. Victorique is very ungreatful and unappreciative for having him as her friend considering he is the only one that likes her and wants to be with her. No matter what he does she isn’t satisfied.

    Good thing for her this is an anime because IRL by now he would have told her “^&%$ you I’m outta here”.

    Karmafan
    Reply

    2. Beat me to it 🙁 let it be known however that i called this whole plot line out several episodes ago! My wellspring of wisdom showed it to me! (har-d-har and what not)

      dsseraph
      Reply

  11. The relationship between Kujou and Victorique is really unique, because do note that Kujou doesn’t have many..er..only has two friends(TBH, I don’t really like Avril). While Victorique only has Kujou, she’s been doing well enough alone till he butted into her life(you cannot yearn for emotions when you never knew of its existence) I think because he’s the one who let her experience emotions, he’s responsible for having changed her(you cannot know loneliness without having had a companion).

    Without elaborating on the fact that responsibilities have about as much holding power as as a sweaty palm, Victorique possesses all the charm she needs to keep Kujou wrapped nicely around her little finger. However, they actually need and support one another — in fact, without Victorique, Avril would never have been discovered(aww, friendless Kujou) and Kujou is most likely dead by now..without Kujou, Victorique might have died from boredom isolated in that place(no guarantees there). But what’s happened has happened, just saying that the characters do fit in nicely together. I also believe Victorique does appreciate him(and he knows it), even attempting to cure him of his inferior complex leading to that nice pet phrase of his, which I too was getting annoyed with, in this episode.

    Lastly, I feel that this episode is very informative..it expanded on the two’s relationship, and definitely helps in ending the first half of the show. Looking forward to more mysteries, though I would enjoy a few more episodes of character development.

    And yes, Victorique did just reach a whole new dimension of nut-busting cuteness.

    nubc4kez
    Reply

  12. I say that this ep is by far my favorite: from Victorique seething in jealously and the prospect of Kujo enjoying an outside life without her, her vain effort in hiding her surprise/relief/embarrassment of Kujo’s return, all of Kujo’s siblings thinking about Victorique as a little girl (might I added her inferior complex about that topic), her jumping off the tree feet first, her making tea for Kujo (then in embarrassment order him to “lap in off on all four”), and then to her finale of triumph of beating Kujo’s ‘genius’ brother.

    Bakanekokun
    Reply

      1. Haha but then it would turn into a harem. The relationship is centered around Kujou and Victorique, and we already have Avril as a love rival. Also, I think Kujou’s sister looked sad because she knew that he only left because he didn’t like his life back in Japan.

        Chocolate
        Reply

  14. I also wonder why Avril didn’t think Victorique was a girl since the name Victorique itself is feminine. but on wiki: ‘In the novels, it is noted that her name is apparently usually a man’s, as Avril initially does not believe Victorique is a female student when she is being discussed.’

    All in all- it added a nice touch though…

    Bakanekokun
    Reply

  15. This really was a relaxing and the episode I enjoyed the most so far. I think this anime would have been better of as a Slice of Life anime. They sure have the characters for that.

    Pera
    Reply

  20. I really enjoyed this episode as well, especially as we’ve seen a little more into Kujou’s Japanese background.
    I wish there was a little more romance between Kujou and Victorique, because even though there is a lot of potential, they still treat each other just as friends. One of them needs to start making moves. 😀

    innerchihiro
    Reply

  22. My only complaint with this post is that it doesn’t have a shot of Victorique’s reaction when she saw Kujo climbing up the tree. Made of HNNNGGGG.

    Anyways, this was a very fun episode. Victorique really does like Kujo, even if she doesn’t fully realize it. It was a nice fun break, but I hope we resume the usual mysteries soon.

    JW
    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *