First Impressions / Papa no Iu Koto wo Kikinasai!

「ワンダフルライフ」 (Wondafuru Raifu)
“Wonderful Life”

Now that things have finally settled down and most of the drama has been left in the past, it’s nice to finally have an episode where everything else that’s good about this show gets a chance to show itself. Especially things like the ridiculous situations three young girls can get into when left all by themselves.

What I took away from the episode was that you’re asking for trouble should you leave three girls alone without any supervision. From coloring all over the walls with sharpies to making one hell of a mess in the kitchen, I felt like my own worst nightmares about leaving someone unsupervised in my house were all coming true in animated form. But during the whole thing, even though it was a little slapstick-y, it was just too funny watching all three girls simultaneously have epic fail moments one after another. Slowly, as the number and severity of the fails exponentially increased, I was strained between laughing at their pain and stressing about how I would hate to have the same thing happen to me.

On the flipside, the episode also managed to take what could have been a horrible experience and changed it into some strong character development for everyone. Even though our trio managed to make a complete mess out of Yuuta’s house, it did serve as a good reminder that they do understand how big of a challenge Yuuta is taking on. In Yuuta’s case, I think he took the best course of action with his nieces. By firmly making his point by scolding them while still being gentle, it feels like he’s on the right path toward managing his new and crazy life.

Amongst everything that’s going on between Yuuta, Sora, Miu, and Hina it’s sometimes tough to remember that even more people that exist! Even though Nimura made an appearance last week, it’s been quite a while since we’ve seen the eccentric Sako and monotonous Raika. While I am impressed with Sako’s ability to catch the fragrance of a young girl, I’m glad that Yuuta and I share the same viewpoint — keep him as far away from his nieces as possible. However, I do wish that Raika could meet the three if only to get more screen-time. Not only would it make for an interesting rival for Sora but can you imagine the seiyuu-gasm you’d have if Miu and Raika started interacting with each other?

P.S. Even though there weren’t too many moments for a decent stitched cap, there were a lot of moments that Hina looked so damn adorable. My question for you guys: Who’s your favorite girl thus far?

 

Preview

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71 Comments

  3. love the series, its hard to choose but i pick hina, she is so adorable watching her just make me think to marry someone and get a daughter just like her ^^

    I think between the series im watching this season (another, ano natsu, nisemonogatari, zero no tsukaima, amagami SS, brave10 and others…) this is by far my fav series it has that drama/cuteness/epicness that keep me to want more

    silvfer
    Reply

  4. Hina definitely. When she’s not drawing on my walls or making noise when a potential “bad guy” at the door. I don’t really like Sora to be honest. It’s not a true dislike but more like she kind of ruins the tone I want this series to have with her slightly crushing on her uncle or whatever you want to call it. At least he’s completely oblivious to it and hopefully remains that way.

    Also I want to see much more of the senpais. They’re awesome. Loved Raika’s monotone dialogue and whipping of Yuuta. I swear I saw his ass jiggle.

    Tsukiji
    Reply

  5. So far? Miu, her personality ranges from supportive sister to cute and obnoxious. Though Hina is pretty close for me too, she’s too adorable for her own good at times. That innocents is just really likeable. I do have a liking for Sora’s character design, but her tsundere personality is a little annoying at times.

    …I’m really indecisive aren’t I? Oh well, I like them all with Miu at the top of my list.

    Syaoran
    Reply

    2. I agree about sora, the whole tsundere is done to death, especially when you hit pple for stuff you did. Stop night-humping him and you wont have to worry about waking up next to him.

      omeganx
      Reply

  7. Another amazing episode. Can’t for Raika to appear and how she is going to react to the girls! By far my favorite character hinges on Hina or Sora, both of them are super cute. Though Hina would have to win on the cuteness, and I think Sora would win on being in love with Yuuta, she goes at it in an interesting way. Can’t wait for the next episode, it just only gets better!

    Missingnomer
    Reply

      1. buy 10kgs rice at supermarket = 3000yen
        that’s enough for 1 month
        then buy eggs or tofu or natto or else
        dont buy halfprice bento; it wont satisfied your hunger
        but if you live in tokyo
        I heard 80000yen/month is not wnough

        gecd
        Reply

      2. Ah… That method makes sense. Not much for variety but it works. Off topic but I can’t figure out why I get benpi whenever I go to Japan. :P. wonder what changes in the diet.

        Kmainichi
        Reply

    2. I guess if you only buy packs of onigiri (100-150 yen) and packs of instant ramen (150-250 yen) from one of those shops, its possible to only spend 2000 yen in a week but you will be pretty malnourished from the lack of vegetables etc after a while.

      Mash
      Reply

    4. It wasn’t really “just for breakfast”. Note how there was leftovers by the end of the day. Since Yuuta would be out for all day, he bought enough for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

      Heatth
      Reply

    7. Thanks God, in my country, for a non malnourished/decent food (yeah enough carbohydrate, little unbalance protein, and small amount of fiber) , I just need to spend at most (yes maximum not minimum) US$3 per day. If 8000 yen is US$100, I can use it for a month!
      That is why there are so many Japanese workers in my country, they insist not to return to Japan LOL.

      vrr4141
      Reply

  11. Kyaa! No way. I never thought I’d run into you here.

    The mismatch between the type of dialogue and intonation was jarring in a good way.

    Got to hand it to the girls to find ways to kill boredom in a one room apartment with nothing dedicated to entertainment.

    Fling
    Reply

  13. The biggest surprise for me was the lack of trolling by Miu of Sora and Yuuta. While too early to draw a conclusion,
    Yuuta laments about his plans after his sister, too, passed prior to taking on this responsibility with Sora, Miu, and Hina.
    The Japanese treatment of puppy love in Anime is so endearing and (for the most part) very well done, IMHO.

    If this show has any meat to it, there are some interesting challenges in the future for Yuuta. School and daycare for
    Hina immediately come to mind; birth records, medical and inoculation records, too. His continued education –
    many opportunities for an engaging series.

    I was trying to understand the interjection of Sako in this episode – then I remembered. Read only if your sensibilities allow…
    Show Spoiler ▼

    Considering the pedigree of the studio feel, one wonders about the ultimate direction this show will take. (I think)
    they’ve managed to handle some complex subjects quite well – but I’m not saying I have similar expectations for
    this series, either. Too, I wonder if the rest of the family will add some future drama…

    The preview mentions 26 episodes (or 13) – do we know for sure yet? The pacing seems to warrant more than 13…

    mac65
    Reply

      1. Which is why I’m not expecting much of the depth that would make this show great. It’s entertaining enough but it’s not going to be another Usagi Drop heartwarmer, it’s got too many characters with too many subplots to resolve in 12 episodes, I feel confident to predict that no matter how they do it, the show is going to seem quite rushed by the end.

        Beckett
        Reply

    2. Yeah, she’s pretty tame as far as the tsun goes. Hence why she’s my favorite! Though I like all tsunderes, including the Rie Kugumiya ones (really Stilts? Is that why you’re blogging ZnT? Maaaybe… :3), so not real surprise there.

      Stilts
      Reply

      1. I wouldn’t classify Sora as a tsundere, personally. I feel she is more ‘shy’ than anything. When I think of Tsundere, I think of sharp-tongued “I don’t really like you but let’s go out anyways”, whereas Sora strikes me as “I like him, but I’m not ready yet”.

        Sora’s supposed to be 15, right?

        Beedle
        Reply

      3. Sora’s definitely more dere than tsun, which is probably why you can’t view her as a tsundere. Not all tsunderes have the exact same personality; they all just happen to be most aggressive to the person they love most.

        Soiyeruda
        Reply

      4. I think we’ve all been tainted by all of Kugumiya Rie tsundere’s. (Shana as a mild one and Louise and Aria as really really violent ones.)A true tsundere isn’t physically violent, she is just verbally “violent”, but shows her softer side in the end! And it looks pretty likely that Sora might take that “true” route.

        Syaoran
        Reply

  15. ep.4 well i say now living with 3 girls so going to be oh my what to do.

    & also watch out for kouta hirano lookalike yea he can smell little girls but hurray for raika & her paper fan to the rescue.

    yep 3 sisters oh my going for making mess, hina buried in clothes, going laundry, drawing on the wall, & oh my cooking.

    indeed really this getting more why to watch & yes can we get series an english dub too?

    MR.KLAC
    Reply

  16. Hina.
    Miu I like too I guess, and Sora’s ok but characters like that bug me a bit. I was a 14 year old girl once and they just don’t act like that in real life, I mean, I know it’s anime but the ‘oh so moe crush on a older relative*’ trope is one that really annoys me. I like her when she’s with her sisters, not how she acts around Yuuta.

    At least this show makes me feel moderately accomplished, being a latch-key kid before I was 13 and never screwing up things that badly. Then again I had a Nintendo to babysit me.

    Also no using a bathroom for an hour after a girl, um, what? We have that rule now?

    serbii
    Reply

  18. My favorite girl would be Sora. She wants to be the strong, cool older sister yet she has trouble with dealing being under the same roof as the guy she seems to like.
    Yuuta reminds me of my own irresponsibility.

    I’m glad I picked up this show. <3

    Naito-Nii
    Reply

  20. Yuuta’s such a patient guy, if someone wreck havoc at my apartment (and omg, those walls!!!), my hands would be around their necks, Homer Simpson style
    Sako’s ability to sniff out young girls scares me. He’s gonna end up in jail someday XD

    Seishun Otoko
    Reply

  22. Is in Japan really these “Left Over” Sales, outside a Shop. Where you can Buy cheap and pt the Money in this Letterbox, like she done it? (When they where buying the Food) Just Curious

    Germanguy
    Reply

    1. I don’t know about Japan, but here in the States I frequent Farmer’s Market’s for fresh fruit and veg. They often have what is called a “scratch and dent” sale at day’s end. Little bruises on the tomatoes, or apples, smaller canteloupes that always get overlooked (you can make a good hootch outta those) ears of corn that no one has bought, that are still fresh. Cheap good food that, if you are creative, are still good. I cut the bruises out and make marinara or apple sauce.

      skylion
      Reply

      1. It’s clear that Sako has an internal loli compass that allows him to fill the strategic role of Moe Seeking Missile in their club’s battle formation. Nimura is the flirty intelligence officer and Raika is the not-so-gruff stoic veteran. Man Yuuta’s going to need to buff up.

        Commuting time is killer in Japan. Enjoyed that it was adequately conveyed. The crushing reality that once you get off your train, home is still nowhere in sight and you WISH you could afford an even tinier apartment in the city just so you don’t have to ride the damn rail for 5 hours a day.

        Thought that it was interesting that they decided the genkan / entrance way was going to be where the girls change. They then request that no impure males pass through for an hour. Unless Yuuta wants shinobi training, that might cause problems for the foreseeable future.

        Very light and fun to watch but with just enough conflict to keep things interesting and us connected. I hope for more of the same next week.

        DaSilva
        Reply

  23. Even though she hasn’t had much screen time, my favorite girl is Raika (she can beat me with a fan any day XD). I really wonder if that is her real personality or is she just someone who is bored and trying to find something worth while to do in her life. I for one am still going to root for my otaku brother Sako, because I hope he’s one of those capable otaku. One where if you met him outside of his comfort zone, you would never be able to tell he’s an otaku. I hope this show continues with its mix of current anime appeal with family drama.

    darkkodiak
    Reply

  25. tbh i really wanted to see how they would draw out the transition from having parents to not having parents for hina. as it happened to me personally, though it was only my father, and i never found out why he was gone…. i’ve always wondered how long did it take myself to “get use” to it and eventually stopped asking “where is dad?”. as for my favourite girl is probably sora, probably just because she’s trying so hard to be a strong sister despite losing her mother, step mother, father… thats a doodoo life for a teenage girl 🙁

    n0216332
    Reply

  26. My favorite? All three girls have similar personality traits to my daughter as she aged up. So I kinda look at it like that. She was bright and cheerful like Hina at that age. Becoming more matured and thoughtful like Miu, and now all those qualities have intensified since she is close to Sora’s age. She is a huge tomboy, and has never been shy around boys, so her similarity to Sora ends there. Yes, I have a shotgun at the ready. With all that in mind, I like Miu the best, simply because I really enjoyed my girl at that age. Still a kid, but not a child, generally being just a cool friend, and someone who was a lot of fun to guide. Now, she is becoming less dependent on me, and that kinda hurts, a bit.

    skylion
    Reply

  27. Not sure about the character exported straight from High School of the Dead. Every character seems nicely balanced and he’s just a bit out there really… A bit like pineapple on my Hawaiian pizza. (A deliberately shit comparison to cater for those who do like Sako)

    And last but not least,
    Miu. Is. A. Goddess.

    SirMuffin
    Reply

  33. Nice episode. When the Murphyonic Field descended on the apartment, I started having serious flashbacks to that Ben Stiller movie Meet The Parents. Anything that can go wrong, will.

    Am I allowed to pick Raika as my favorite girl or was the question only about the 3 kids? Raika is friggin’ hilarious, her monotone delivery of her lines was probably the best part of the entire episode.

    Beckett
    Reply

  34. I´m really enoying how Yuuta is managing to be a good father for the girls but the real challenge will come when they start going to school and a daily rutine is established. For who is my favorite girl, it´s obviously Sora, her tunderenes is really cute to watch and bring out a lot of her nice side, add Miu as a tease and you have non stop fun.

    haseo0408
    Reply

  37. You know what, I’m going to sound like a hater, but I hate my roommate who always complains when I watch this show, saying oh god fanservice, or oh this show is why there old men leeching on young girls in Japan. SHUT THE HELL UP… the fan service is mild and it’s part of the jokes, on otherwise a very serious family drama shown and struggles of not having a parent. The show teaches you what you should value, and what you should aim for as well as how you should treat your kid right. If you can’t even see beyond that, then your eyes have a problem… You don’t even understand the entire premise of the show. That’s my two cents rant today.

    Anyways, I wonder how he’s going to handle school, school fees, and work all together. Sooner or later, everyone going to need to do some sort of part time I bet and sleepless nights with college work which may be a big thing later for Yuuta… as he may collapse. I don’t even know if I could take care of 3 kids and manage my college at the same time all by myself. I would have to take college for a long time and do part time at the same time. With that, I have to say, Yuuta is very dependable… I just hope he asks for help without shouldering everything on his own, you’re strong, but you’re stronger with friends.

    Sora no Kaze
    Reply

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