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「あんまりジロジロみるな・・・」 (Amari Jirojiro Miru na…)
“Stop Staring So Much…”
I can’t shake the feeling that Mayo Chiki has skipped quite a few episodes of development to help explain the closeness in Jirou and Subaru’s relationship, but I am starting to wonder if it’s because I’ve been unconsciously brainwashed into believing that anime characters take an entire season before there are any noticeable changes in them. As someone who still enjoys anime, the last thing I’d want to conclude is that romantic comedies purposely choose to remain stagnant, beating around the same bush and placing the characters in a bunch of awkward scenarios because there’s really nothing else to the plot. However, even if I were to use that taboo-like reasoning, it’s hard to imagine how we got to where we are now only four episodes later.
In Subaru’s case, I can totally understand her fear in Jirou dying after being reminded of her mother when Kureha was crying over him, equally traumatized by the death of her own father. They’ve also made it pretty clear that Subaru’s a lot more frail emotionally than one would initially believe. The one I’m having a much harder time believing is Jirou, who’s shown an almost abnormal amount of concern toward a butler who’s simply following orders to keep her master entertained. There hasn’t been any real indication that Jirou’s started to see Subaru in a romantic sense, thanks to the injection of all the goofy lighthearted moments. All we had were his father’s last words advising him to find someone to protect, which feel rather inadequate in explaining why he’ll go to such great lengths to make sure Subaru doesn’t cry. I could cough it up to self-satisfaction reasons or being moved by how she sided with him over her own father, but Jirou doesn’t seem like the chivalrous type to put up with all the hassle when he’s quick to kick Kanade out of his house. Given everything that’s happened so far, I still don’t really understand why he favors Subaru so much.
There’s little question as to why I favor her though. Her embarrassed look in cat ears and a tail or a bath towel is just one of many reasons. For reasons such as that, I’m still enjoying Mayo Chiki to no end. Kureha’s been an awesome addition as well, and reminds me of Hanazawa Kana’s fiesty role as Rana Linchen in FREEZING. The character dynamic continues to be a lot of fun to watch, which includes Kanade and the impact she makes giving her first kiss to Jirou. There’s pretty much everything that I want to see from a show of this genre, making it one of the more entertaining offerings this season for a romantic comedy fan such as myself. At the same time, it’s a little bit unconventional with the way it tries to inject drama regularly as we go along. The drama aspect hasn’t come together as seamlessly as I would’ve like, but I do appreciate the added dimension it provides.
If I had a better idea where the characters are coming from emotionally, I may start feeling more compassionate toward them. I’m somewhat forgiving about how the build-up hasn’t really been there, simply because this is still a romantic comedy at heart. I can’t imagine it being any easier when Usami Masamune is introduced next time. When she’s voiced by Ise Mariya, I can’t say that I mind though.
Preview
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I’m liking the fast pace in their relationship. I hate how it takes an entire season (like toradora) and then they only get to the confession with like 3 episodes spare.
I’m enjoying this alot more than I thought I would
To be fair to Toradora, Taiga and Ryuji only realized that they liked each other very late in the series…
Kimi no Todoke would be a much better example…took almost 36 episodes to get somewhere…
True, I did enjoy Toradora alot to be fair. I just thought it would have been a better anime if there was more of a story after they got together properly.
Lol yeah I was a wee bit disappointed that Taiga left so suddenly, and although she did reappear right at the very end, it would’ve been better if both of them were together for the last part of the episode at least D:
@Taiakun
The light novel of Toradora continue abit more, you can read it if you want to see more of them. I as like you want Toradora to continue just a bit more. For once I want to see them flirt around without all the drama.(like Horo X Lawrence)
@Ikaze
Yeah, I know the novel ended differently (and so did the Toradora dating sim version ^_-), but it would’ve been nice to see some more of it animated 🙁
Also with toradora the character dev was different you could see them getting closer without all the awkward blushing and avoiding that is present in slot of romcoms
You’re a bit confuse toward their genre. Toradora is love story , Mayo Chiki is fanservice anime with more love plot than most.
omg, a kiss in a 4th episode! – ooops, wrong girl! unless osmeone is shipping Kanade, that is… (I am not, because i’d like to grab her myself!)
seriously though, slow pace of romance is so standard that I like more dynamic relationship for a change…
I thought that the bit with Kureha crying was just a tad bit melodramatic (although no where near as much as AnoHana’s finale). Still though, the part with Jirou’s dad was actually pretty sad, and his father’s passing sheds some light on why Jirou still regards his father’s words from episode 3.
The best part of this series has got to be the characters, simply because they’re just gosh darn likable (With extra points go to Kanade). Subaru isn’t completely standoffish like the majority tsunderes, and Jirou isn’t pushover which usually accompanies most tsundere stereotypes. And Kanade, is just… God I love her. She’s up there with Senjogahara and Shizuku in the personality department, I love those kinds of characters.
Do I sense a bit of a masochist in you Click? 😛
I have to agree, Kanade IS loveable… and Click IS a masochist. I should know, for I am one, myself. Kanade has that sadistic side, but at the same time, she seems to like getting manhandled since she expressed having never had a guy do that to her.
Said the guy who put Shizuku up as his favorite character back in ’09 😛
And come on, you know you love it too. :>
I think kanade is a sadist and at the same time masochist
I think Jirou sees Subaru as a similar type to himself. I think it started as pity cause she puts up with what he sees as a uneccesarily difficult lifestyle because of others just like himself. Even though she chose it for herself Subaru can be seen disliking some of the crazy requests she gets put to out of Kanade’s boredom. He can’t help but feel sympathy so thats why he cuts are all kinds of slack. that’s the way I see it because I find myself doing the same for people sometimes. “that person is being a jerk, come on over here i’ll give you a break” sort of ideal. He certainly has respect for her professionalism and thanks to his viscious family her aggresive side doesn’t phase him. lol. I love the sceene where Subaru’s looking down at her towel and gets paniced and we only find out later it’s because of her underwear outside the door. GOLD! I love this show.
Do you know, that you are allowed to turn away stray cats.
Do you know, that you are forbid to turn away stray catgirls :p
Subaru-nyan, moe!
Hmm… wonder what will happen if is not a battle to see who’s the better servant but wife? :p
@divine: There’s little question as to why I favor her though. Her embarrassed look in cat ears and a tail or a bath towel is just one of many reasons.
Ok, what if it’s like this: http://oreno.imouto.org/post/show/188526/animal_ears-konoe_subaru-mayo_chiki-nekomimi-tagme ? :p
Here’s one more delicious and hot pic: http://oreno.imouto.org/post/show/188527/bra-cleavage-konoe_subaru-mayo_chiki-pantsu-suzuts
DX. I think I played to much eroge misunderstanding this pic
Only you would think of such things…
/headdesk
I should’ve figured you would mention something like that.
How did you manage to notice that?
Jirou has no right to say he won’t die, being weaker than a wet paper bag, nose-bleeding while coming into contact with a girl – SHIT! I have to develop a cure for this girly-man epidemic. The best part of this by far is the fast paced relationship development. Other than that, I want my lost brain cells back 😛
I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t almost in this exclusively for the art style and voice work, a nice story helps and I think their doing the genre cleanly and I too like the faster pacing unlike Toradora for example. Hopefully Jirou isn’t going to turn into a super dense as*hole and not realize that he is indeed seen as a romantic interest. Those are the worst…lol still I like the bear vs human brawl, and I’m glad the show is realistic enough to where she didn’t win against a 1,000 pound man eater!
This is also his first exposure to a girl who is not using him as a punching bag. Imagine how he feels getting his back washed and not having to worry about being put in a hammerlock. He also sees a girl who is vulnerable which is also new to him.
Wait.. so they think Jirou’s gonna die from a mere cold and not when they beat him so hard like an everyday routine… okay
Actually, this episode kinda pissed me off the way they mistreated him. It reminded me too much of Love Hina (anyone still remembers this show?). I know he’s used to it, but maybe he could do more to defend himself, especially when it comes to Kanade. I hope it doesn’t get worse.
Plz don’t remind me of Love Hina. That show gave wimpy males the sick foot hole they have now. Getting sick because of a shower or rain, just how much will that get beaten to death. This stuff is approaching MM’s level of nonsense. The girl nosebleed/fobia stuff is of the same make as Girls Bravo – which features the wimpiest male EVER!
Love Hina is like the epitome of the romantic comedy genre though. This includes the weak male lead that a lot of shows feature (for better or worse).
Love Hina is really one of the “pioneer” anime which launched this whole harem thing, and really was one of the first to bring fame to Tsundere through Naru Narusegawa. Go Love Hina 🙂
@Taiakun – Motoko trumps Naru for tsundere! That manga would’ve been nothing without her awesomeness!!! 😛 Only tsundere I’ve seen to equal Motoko is Hiitagi from Bakemonogatari!
@Aex
Hitagi.is.not.a.Tsundere.
she’s a kuudere bordering close to yandere. she’s too cool and collected to be considered anywhere near tsundere levels.
@Alex i actually doubt Naru is a Tsundere. She’s the first character to really open up to Keitaro. And most of the time she was after the sensei guy. More of the need to understand her feelings than being violent and tough exterior. And she only beat the hell up off Keitaro when he is caught in once of his perv actions, although again i doubt he is a real perv, just stuck in a girl dorm with no exp with them.
@amado – Okay, I’ll accept that. Hiitagi defies definition anyways. Hiitagi is Hiitagi. Her awesomeness demands that you accept no substitutes!!
not really, I just defined her in my statement. she’s a kuudere with shades of yandere.
tsundere – characters who tend to react violently, brash, tough to mask and hide their sweet side.
kuudere – characters who tend to act cool, calm, controlled, cold, harsh, to also mask their sweet and nice side.
yandere – characters who mask their psychotic, crazy, murderous, stalkerish personality by being cute and sweet to their loved ones.
@megas
“wimpiest male EVER!”
obviously you haven’t watch ichigo 100% or worse the GE-Good Ending. Those two male top all other wimp male harem.
@Taiakun
Yup, I believe Akamatsu sensei is really good. In fact he now making the largest harem you haven’t seen before in manga/anime world.
@amado
Hitagi is not a tsundere, i agree. good example will be:
Tsundere: Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière (Zero no Tsukaima)
voice by Queen of tsundere:Rie Kugimiya
@megas
“wimpiest male EVER!”
obviously you haven’t watch ichigo 100% or worse the GE-Good Ending. Those two male top all other wimp male harem.
@Taiakun
Yup, I believe Akamatsu sensei is really good. In fact he now making the largest harem you haven’t seen before in manga/anime world.
@amado
Hitagi is not a tsundere, i agree. good example will be:
Tsundere: Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière (Zero no Tsukaima)
voice by Queen of tsundere:Rie Kugimiya
Cooldere: Nanasaki Ai (Amagami SS)
Yandere: Kotonoha Katsura **shudder** (I think you know)
Well that was one HUGE can of worms.
@Ikaze
Those 2 manga characters were actually invertebrate aquamarine lifeforms taking on a boyish homo-shape, calling those 2 ‘males’ is an insult to all sapien life on earth 😛 They could have been potatoes as well. I really couldn’t tell the difference.
Love Hina was a pioneer work in a harem genre, but I’d refuse to call “Keitaro the immortal” weak. In fact most of the otaku who call him that would run away from the Hinata Inn and give up on the dreams of Tokyo-U the very first day (…and first beating). And by the end of the series he started to act positively badass, courtesy of Seta-sensei training, no doubt…
@ Aex
Motoko’s Tsundere side really only came up in the manga version. It barely surfaced in the anime version apart from one or two episodes. It was Yui Horie’s voice acting of Naru Narusegawa that really made her and Tsundere characters popular.
@ deafvader
…that sounds like the definition of a Tsundere to me…
Agreed. The guy can survive a bear fighter everyday but not a mere cold?? But if you think of Yoda, he can fight like hell but his stamina is lacking.
Not too sure on what Suzutsuki is up to, she’s like that S girl from Butler VS Ladies.
I just explain this off by assuming all anime characters have inconsistent resistance to _physical_ pain. Catching a cold, is VERY different to physical pain and I don’t need to explain how.
Simply put, you can’t blame a fighter for succumbing to something like cancer/pain-that-is-out-of-their-control.
Not that I particularly enjoy watching whiny-ass pre-pubescent hesitant weiner boys… =\
Weak males attract tsunderes, shrinking violets and others
I seriously don’t like Kureha before (dont like fangirls) but i certainly like her now. She was hilarious in this. LOL at bathroom scene.
Although the basic premise of this series is not exactly my cup of tea, I will follow the series only becuase of Kanade. It’s hilarious to watch her manipulate those around her for her own entertainment (and by extension, ours as well).
The drama portion of this episode made me cringe. The comedy portion was as enjoyable as always, but my oh my did I almost turn the episode off when they tried to turn up the ‘serious.’
Other than that, I wonder how Subaru will handle Jirou kissing Kanade. Next episode it looks like she’s trying to kiss him, but most likely that’s just due the advice/orders given to her. Judging by how much she seems to care for him though, I would assume now is the “omg I’m super jealous now” phase so for all I know maybe she’s doing that all on her own.
This episode was too melodramatic for me at certain parts, in particular, the histrionics about Jirou “dying”. Still, I managed to bear it, albeit mentally rolling my eyes during those scenes. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the episode though. I guess I can’t get enough of Subaru… -_-
no pic mention of fighting a bear?
come on really this was almost like awesome like this when chuck help awesome with lie while awesome go fight a bear http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRyHHZAdkuk
I enjoyed this (and all of the previous) episodes.
The craziness in this series works – and always makes a point.
The outrageous in this series are done well enough to be credible
(Subaru hiding from his sister in plain sight in the bathtub – LOL) –
great writing!
I don’t know where this show is ultimately going –
but the ride is fantastic!
The drama definitely needs a bit of work. I think the problem is that its difficult to take seriously especially with all the hilarious moments. I’m still eneratined though. Subaru continues to be cute and the comedy makes me laugh.
Also I can’t shake the feeling that Kanade is just trolling Jirou again with that kiss. Or heck maybe she swings both ways.
I never have fallen in love with an anime character before, konoe subaru, you are the first.
I’m in the boat finding it nice it was a bit faster on the Subaru side of things, but I do think the show could be clearer on Jirou’s side. He seems still in the ambiguous main character mode that really pisses me off in most shows and I wish I would see less of.
Kureha has been hilarious though. I personally find her rather over-protective little sister mode in the bathroom scene especially fun, just with the idea that while she doesn’t have a Brocon, she does have an Alpha Female streak.
And stuff.
I wonder what would Subaru do if she ever found out that Jirou stole Kanade’s first kiss.
Kill him and burn the body 😛
She’ll probably find out soon anyways. Kanade isn’t gonna pass up a chance to tease them with something as good as that!
Kill him, burn his body then kill his burning body….
Trolls 4life!
I don’t trust Kanade’s words about it being her first kiss. I know that some females don’t consider a kiss with another woman as their first kiss in animes. I’m hoping there was a first kiss with Kanade’s first love. Jirou would be more of a first kiss with a guy. xD
She will make an excuse like “Jirou, you are not worthy for oujou-sama first kiss and blah blah blah” and then kill him.
Kureha just never stops annoying me. She’s one of those characters that never stops giving off the “I’m better then you are” vibe towards the main guy, even though she never actually says anything like that and then goes and acts all worried about him. Seriously, if you’re going to dramatize the possibility of death so much, don’t make the main guy be a literal punching-bag for every girl in the show. They wouldn’t abuse him so badly if they cared that much about him.
I’m definitely enjoying this series more than I thought I would. Seems a few other comments would also agree. Just putting in my thoughts…
I replayed that nyan scene more than 5 times.
Something is seriously wrong with me. Need to reflect on my life.
Its a TRA-
NOPE.jpg
Nagare is another bumbling dad who is over-affectionate towards his daughter, just like Maes Hughes from Fullmetal Alchemist. They are also both voiced by Keiji Fujiwara.
Love the anime so far. I get the impression that Jirou seems to have more concern for Subaru mainly because she opened up to him. He just can’t leave someone in need of attention alone. Too gentle or nice for his own good at times, though it is turn out rather good for him so far. In the end though, this anime is mostly about this complex harem that is forming around these two, and the hilarity that ensues. In real life, nice guys tend to get the shaft, violent misunderstood girls tend to stay isolated and alone. I’m glad this anime is nothing like real life.
I like how Kanade manipulates everyone around her to maximum hilarious effect. I’m liking her more and more each passing episodes.
I never realized how much of a pussy japanese people are. In america everyone still goes to work or school with a cold but for some reason japanese anime characters that get a cold always pass out unconsious as if they got whacked in the head with a tire iron or a baseball bat. Those japanese colds must be really bad ass over there 😛
Kanade for the win! So awesome! Reminds me of Hitagi
no comment
appreciate it due to this part, my partner and i study brand-new important things.