First Impressions / Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai

「たどりついたらいつも雨ふり」 (Tadoritsuitara Itsumo Amefuri)
“It Always Rains at the End of a Hard Journey”

I’ve stated this many times before, but it kills me to watch Keima invest so much time and effort into saving these girls with loose souls inside of them only for their memories to be erased and have no clue about how hard Keima worked to save them. Also, if you haven’t picked up this show because you were afraid of another season of captures after captures, shame on you.

The emotional impact of this single episode was so strong that I nearly started to tear up in public. Had I been home, the tears would have probably been falling down my cheeks. Keima showed an entirely different side of himself this week, and it left a super strong impression. Kosaka Chihiro (Asumi Kana), the newest target is the definition of your average girl. Nothing really in particular makes her stand out, maybe except for how fickle she is about guys. The thing is, it really stung when Keima put up such a big front over refusing to save her, when he had already decided that he was going to save her. The rainy scene where Chihiro was rejected, Keima starting to get anxious while playing his PFP, and that internal scene of trying to figure out what choice to make, was all for nothing after not only getting shot down but getting all of his good intentions smashed on.

After such a strange turn of events, I felt really bad for Keima. It looks like the realization that all of his hard work never gets any kind of recognition finally hit him. But even worse then getting no recognition is the amount of ridicule he endures every minute of every day. Sure his obsession with games could make him stand out for the wrong reasons, but the way he expressed his concern for Chihiro was really sweet. What never occurred to me was that Keima is a normal person like you and me. When reality came knocking, it really knocked Keima down hard. As the seasons passed in-front of his door, it was clear just how depressed Keima was.

But in normal Kami Nomi fashion, something so amazing occurs that it changes the whole playing field. After getting completely sucked into Keima’s depression, I never expected that the very first girl from season one, Takahara Ayumi (Taketatsu Ayana), would appear. I was nearly tearing up when she extended her hand out to Keima, but that genuine smile on her face is what really got me. If I were to guess, the romantic side of me would say the feelings that Keima and Ayumi created overcame the fact they were erased and is what told Ayumi that something was wrong with Keima. As corny as this sound, I would be overjoyed if something involving Keima’s hard work and dedication came into play. Because right now, I think it’s just the thing Keima needs to get him out of this rut.

 

Preview

63 Comments

  2. Eh, lemme rephrase that. Most of what she said was correct. But while he is obsessed with gaming, he does care about other people (like worrying over Chihiro). Too bad he had to go tsundere and lash out at her when he found out she jumps from one guy to another =/

    sikvod00
    Reply

  3. “I’ve stated this many times before, but it kills me to watch Keima invest so much time and effort into saving these girls with loose souls inside of them only for their memories to be erased and have no clue about how hard Keima worked to save them”

    Same here! The only thing left for it to be really horrible and for the series to dive into the drama is if Keima will truly fall in love with one of the girls that he will capture. Damn it would suck to be in his position, to make the girl in love with you to save her, but doing so will cause her to forget about you. Though I’m glad that TWGOK has not taken that direction yet, both in the anime and manga, and I hope it will continue it’s current setting. After all, I just love all the heroines in this series, and especially like Keima’s personality and attitude.

    X
    Reply

  4. You know, when Ayumi showed up at the end of the episode it really felt like season one never ended. Part of me was waiting for Koi no Shirushi to play instead of Ai no Yokan, haha.
    Show Spoiler ▼

    Anyway, the Chihiro arc was one of my favorites from the manga and I expect good things from it, keep it up Manglobe!

    nghtmrsrph
    Reply

  9. I really loved this episode. After all, the goddess (Ayumi) returned. I really hope that she plays an integral role in the arc to come but that doesn’t mean I want every girl that Keima has “conquered” to come back. That would be overkill, and frankly, not every girl from the series has interested me. Kanon, was just … bad.
    Anyways, check out my anime blog where I reviewed this episode and other anime as well!
    http://aniphiles.wordpress.com

    tomphile
    Reply

  10. and I also like how the anime and manga release a new ep and new chap on the same day respectively.
    the new chapter was quite surprising, keima will really do anything it takes to conquer the girls.

    amado
    Reply

  12. Hmm while it is true that they all forget about Keima specifically alot of the effects Keima caused are still there with the majority of heroines and some arcs shows that he really does care about these girls the second part shown almost perfectly with Kanon’s arc he couldve chosen the easy road and had her depend on him but knowing the effects that this would cause once he was forgotten he choose a different ending.

    just my opinion feel free to deny it

    Torrigan
    Reply

  13. Let’s face it, guys. We all have felt that way at one point or another. All our hard work seems to be for naught and we really feel like giving up. This episode really did put the “what if” out there about Keima’s true goal.

    I don’t follow the manga yet, but when Keima came out of his room, I thought for a second he had been trying to find an “average” heroine in one of his games in order to get back on that horse. I guess I was wrong. This however has made the story that much more interesting. Can’t wait for next week.

    TehJawknee
    Reply

  16. All of ya comments are killing me. What about Elsie? Did any of you forget about the main heroine girl in here? She is a main character after all. Why cant they provide more for her? Its sucks to see her always in the back pulling the strings and doesn’t shine at all. She is far from a demon, by having a soft and cute side. This really pains me to see that she is not the center of importance in the manga and anime.

    I really dislike when a manga and anime is created and they make the main characters look plain and always in the back with no shining light on them for the story.

    yahiko03
    Reply

      1. Give me a break, she has not shined enough to be a main character. Thank you very much. Obviously you don’t care much about her, since you said it so quick and just to get it out of the way. No one on this board has said anything regarding her except me and you, but the difference between me and you is that you did a quick” she had her shine” and just brushed her off. Even in season one, she was just plain and in the corner the entire time.

        yahiko03
        Reply

      2. thats her charm. its not that I dont care for her, its more like im more interested at certain girls(ayumi, kanon, and shiori). elsie has her charms, just not the kind of charms I would prefer over the other girls I said.
        she’s that clumsy, ditzy, can-be-helpful, and childish personality. but she also has some more seriousness in her, just overshadowed by her childish persona.

        she’s still a main girl but if she is the main girl, it would be obvious she and keima will end up together in the end. the girls will also have less to shine if that happens so she has that image.

        the fact that she is still there shows that she is a main character. otherwise she would just be like a messenger to keima, who reminds him from time to time to catch girls or he would die. she’s like a sidekick.

        amado
        Reply

    1. This manga, and the anime, have a lot of Peanuts references in terms of art. Rewatch episode two and see how the kids laugh after LC tells them that all the girls in the world will be falling for Keima; that’s the Peanut’s classic laugh style. Even some of the characters reactions are somewhat reminiscent of the Peanuts comics. If I were to guess, I’d say the mangaka really likes the Peanuts or it’s influences him in his art.

      Solarguardian
      Reply

  20. This daunting task of his is literally going to kill him from the inside way before the collar can blow his head off. Yeah, nothing goes right when you strive hard in the real world. Nothing goes wrong when you strive hard in the gaming world. Yeah, some balanced life he lives in.

    Razgriz
    Reply

  21. I think those girls are trollin’ Keima. They know he looks hot. If he pocketed his PFP, and took a good hard stare at Chihiro, she’d be all over him. And just for the record? Takahara is WAY more attractive than Chihiro. They sure did pick the right girl to bring him back. Ayumi’s episode was what hooked us all in the first place!

    After seeing Keima’s confidence get shut down like that, you really do see his mortality. However, once he overcomes this, will anyone be able to put him down again? Elsie..? perhaps.

    [Edits]
    “..he was going to save her her.”
    “After such a strange turn of events, I felt really bad [for] Keima.”

    x9

    Shirt
    Reply

  31. i didnt remember what the first girl looks like, so when she reached out and helped him i was like…meh… now i read this.. im like…ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo..anywho….”After such a strange turn of events, I felt really bad Keima.” think u left ‘for’ out.

    n0216332
    Reply

  34. “when he had already decided that he was going to save her her.”
    Just incase you were testing the readers again. =P

    You make Kami Nomi sound great every week xD. I guess I’ll give it another chance.

    Hrmmm
    Reply

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