Random Curiosity

「観測者たちの宴篇I」 (Kansoku Sha Tachi no Utage Hen I)
“Fiesta for the Observers I”

Awww yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Strike the Blood just gets better and better. Chock full of vulgar psychometricians, massive misunderstandings, prison escapees, epic Vatler faces, and a new familiar who looks like Nagisa—this could be the best arc yet.

Seriously. We might’ve had quite a bit of fun with the previous four arcs, but none of them had a loli Natsuki following Akagi like she’s her mother (NO, SHE’S NOT YOURS AND KOJOU’S CHILD!), Vatler getting slammed on his ass (and HE LIKED IT!), or Sayaka doing what she did here either (AND SHE GOT CAUGHT IN THE ACT!). To top things off, we finally get to meet Akatsuki’s mother too, and it’s just as Himeragi says: he really is his mother’s son. Although, in his defense, the perverted moments come to him and not the other way around. His mother on the other hand… I’m surprised she still has a job considering how vulgar she is, but I guess when your patients aren’t conscious when you do stuff like this and their only other alternative is death, that’s not a bad exchange. Maybe. Probably. TRICK OR DIE! Wait, is that not how it goes?

But yeah, it was a fabulous episode overall, and it’s especially good to know that both Yuuma and Natsuki may yet pull out of this alive. At the same time, they managed to fit in a great mixture of the comedic/fanservice + serious moments the series has been especially known for, and also set up the basis for future developments too. Because although Akatsuki thinks he’s involving his mother here in the first time, it’s pretty clear that’s not the case, and it’s interesting to see that she involved with Avrora/Kojou’s 12th familiar, Alrescha Glacies. Considering the latter’s able to toss even Vatler to the curb, it’s a game changer in more ways than one. Not only does this show that Akatsuki clearly has a lot more power than we’ve seen so far, it shows just why he’s such an X-factor in regards to the power balance between the other Primogenitors. There’s also another big plot line here too, because the 12th familiar seems to be physically separated from all the rest, activated without Kojou even noticing, seems to relate to why Kojou ended up receiving Avrora’s powers, and looks strikingly similar to Nagisa to boot. There’s a plethora of questions to say the least, and considering how entertained Vatler was—it takes a lot to get him this happy—it looks the answers we’re all waiting for will be worth it. The question is whether or not they’ll answer some of them before the anime ends its run in about 8 episodes.

That said, I can’t help but feel like Vatler would’ve liked Sayaka’s “step-on me” kinkiness… but I think that’s one venue that is better off left to the imagination. Truth be told, the only thing missing this week was La Folia, who seems like she may be missing for a majority (or entirety) of this coming arc. If this does end up being the case, it’ll be quite the pity indeed, but I suppose it’ll just make things sweeter if she gets an increased role in the arc after this one (hopefully). Looking forward, it looks like things are just starting to hit their stride with this show, and it makes me wonder if there’s any chance we may actually get more than this two-cour initial adaptation in the future. I don’t know the actual sales numbers for Strike the Blood though, but what I do know is that the fan-service scenes seem to have been planned out since the beginning (see this nice visual guide linked to me by Croos), which doesn’t surprise me considering how tasteful and unobtrusive they’ve been. Here’s looking forward to the next episode! And don’t forget that the soundtrack’s out too!

Full-length images: 01, 02, 15, 23, 37.

Author’s Note: Due to an important exam, next week’s post will be delayed until at least Saturday night EDT. Here’s hoping the above full-lengths are enough to make-up for it. :D

 

Preview

OP2 Sequence

OP2: 「ambiguous」 by GARNiDELiA

「女はそれを我慢できない」 (Onna wa Sore o Haman Deki Nai)
“The Girl Can’t Help It”

Kill la Kill’s highly anticipated episode 16 is here, and it’s not without a boatload of story line revelations—all amid a new OP/ED and a “recap episode” that was thankfully cut into only a minute’s duration. Needless to say, every one of these story line bombshells are vital to the overall story, and some of these will be listed below for reference’s sake:

Satsuki’s having a lot more trouble controlling her Junketsu than we previously expected.

Life fibers are actually extraterrestrial organisms that artificially guided human evolution.

Ragyo, using Revocs (< --> Covers) has already spread life fibers around the world in daily clothing made by the company.

Matoi Isshin founded Nudist Beach in order to combat her.

Senketsu was made for that sole purpose.

With those revelations in mind, it’s easy to see why many had this episode pegged as the series’ game-changing episode. After all, the “ultimate enemy” has been finally revealed, and it’s likely that there aren’t any huge revelations left to give out from this point. The cards are all on the table and it’s an interesting spread that could lead to some interesting developments—including the ever appealing possibility of having Satsuki and Ryuuko fighting on the same side. Because if one considers the fact that Satsuki seems to have been gunning for Ragyo for a while now, the fact that the latter’s essentially turned the family into a spokesperson of an alien being just adds more wood to the fire, and both of our MC’s are ultimately on the same side in this respect. Indeed, it can be said that many of Satsuki’s actions regarding Ryuuko—she did make sure not to kill her when she had the chance—have been done with the intention of priming her for the upcoming Culture and Sports Festival, and it’ll be interesting to see how her inevitable involvement changes the Satsuki vs. Ragyo equation. Because while it’s entirely possible they end up on the same side, it’s also possible that Ryuuko decides to go through both of them instead, which would be a sight to behold.

That said, the show’s really taking the whole evolution and clothing thing pretty far, which ends up fitting right in with how the series has been up until now. It might be causing a few select biologists to roll in their graves, but it’s a generally interesting twist on what’s been a rather grounded series so far. And by that, I mean grounded in the sense that the series has been playing within a certain set, formulaic boundary—one that did not suggest the involvement of extraterrestrials. But now that they are involved, well, let’s see where it takes us. I’d hesitate to say this is a game-changer episode without seeing the rest of the episodes, but it could very well be one.

Author’s Note: I’ll be taking a significant exam next week so I will be unavailable to cover episode 17. As of now, it looks like Stilts should be able to cover episode 17 in my stead, but this is not a guarantee. If anything, the episode will be made up with a double post the following week.

Full-length images: 26.

 

ED2 Sequence

ED2: 「新世界交響楽」 (Shinsekai Koukyougaku) by よならポニーテール (Sayonara Ponytail)

Preview

「すっぱい大作戦？／もしかして肝試し!?」 (Suppai dai Sakusen? / Moshikashite Kan Tameshi!?)
“A Sour Plan? / Perhaps a Test of Courage!?”

I knew it! I knew that onee-chan was in love!

Yuu is Totally Gay

First things first – Yuu is totally gay. Not that there was ever a great deal of question there, but there were times where it seemed like she might still be figuring out her sexuality. If so she’s got the question answered through, because this suddenly transformed into Amagami redux. I am not complaining! It just bears noting that if there was ever going to be any complexity in this show, it’s pretty much shot. This is straight, shameless, uninhibited yuri fun. Deal with it!

Spying on Haruka & Yuu

I’ll talk more about Mitsuki in a bit, but for now I’d like to focus on Kaede and Yuzu, because the whole spying-on-Haruka-and-Yuu bit really let us have some more fun with them. For one, it made me realize that Mikan–I mean, Yuzu-chan is at her most hilarious when she’s being abused. She’s just great as the butt of a joke, especially since she’s good-natured and silly enough to not make it seem cruel (usually).

As for Kaede, I didn’t expect her to have the mischievous side necessary to tease Mitsuki like that. Totally not complaining, and it fits in well with her being best friends with Yuzu.

Either way, I enjoyed them spying on Haruka and Yuu, especially since they managed to miss all the hot and heavy stuff in exchange for lighter fare. It was typical but still funny, especially since we got a Yuu sitting on Kotonoe’s lap interlude (seriously, how did they not figure out Haruka & Yuu are gay when they were watching that?) followed by that straddling make out section. I…I need to go lay down.

Spend Some Time With Your Other Friends, Haruka!

It’s funny when Yuzu is the butt of jokes, but come on Haruka, spend some time with your other friends! I know she wanted to do the test of courage (that ended up being a lie…another bit of good misdirection, so good job writers) with Yuu, but poor Yuzu-chan. Which brings me to another point – I would like to see more mixing among the groups, if only to see what kind of comedy would arise when different characters are put together. This ended up working, even if I felt bad for Yuzu.

Onee-chan Loves Haruka

What can I say other than TOLD YOU SO!! Mitsuki is totally crushing on Haruka. Now, I don’t think Mitsuki will pose a serious trhreat to Yuu’s domination of Haruka – Haruka is completely smitten with Yuu and Yuu alone, so the fun Mitsuki brings to the table is mostly in her reactions to Haruka. And that’s enough, because when I realized that Haruka accidentally created a harem of sisters, I realized why she’s so amazing: she’s the male lead we’ve always wished for. She’s funny, perverted, has a way with the ladies, and most of all, she is a girl. (And therefore has boobs.) What more could you want? Nothing, that’s what!

Looking Ahead

Can’t think, I’ve lost too much blood. Quick, someone…help… *dies from the yuri*

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – I knew it! I knew that onee-chan loved Haruka! Now Haruka has a sister harem, ufufu~ #桜Trick 04

Random thoughts:

• But seriously, they haven’t figured it out yet? Kaede and Yuzu need to get some glasses.

Check out my blog about storytelling and the fantasy novel I’m writing at stiltsoutloud.com. The last four posts: I can quit anytime, so I don’t have to, Admiration & those who try, Dogfights, battleships, & sword fights, and Combo counter update – It’s going well, it’s going not so well. My current combo counter: Editing chain, 20 days long. Writing chain, 4 days long.

Full-length images: 20, 22, 32, 45.

 

Preview

End Card

「 南九条、あらわる」 (Minamikujou, awa warou)
“Minamikujou Appears”

I may have been laboring under a false impression of who the main character in this series is…

Gin no Saji is living proof of the old show biz adage, “Never work with kids or animals”. The series has a pretty good track record of having its four-legged cast members upstage the two-legged (though to balance this, none of the humans have been butchered for meat yet), but so far that’s mostly been based on the kawaii factor. But increasingly, the breakout character of this season is a horse of a different color. Quite literally.

I’ve always wondered why a white horse was named Maron, which is the French word for “chestnut” (actually it’s “marron”). I suppose parts of him are the same color as the inside of a chestnut, but since chestnut is the generic English term for any breed of horse with a certain type of brown coat, I thought maybe it was meant ironically. In any event Maron has been commanding a lot of attention this season – though his facial expressions were always memorable – and this week, he was undeniably the star of the episode.

Silver Spoon continues to do what it does, so surprise is one element you’re going to find in short supply here. Most of the time it offers a slice of life at Ezonoo, and via the events that transpire gently but unmistakably colors in the portrait of Hachiken just a little bit more. This time around the theme is the local equestrian competition (if porcine was the dominant aroma of the first season, it’s definitely equine this time), which also marks the debut of Hachi-kun and all the other first-year club members in show jumping.

To be fair, this ep does offer up one surprise – the introduction of Minamikujou Ayame (Sayuri Yahagi). She’s an old middle-school classmate of Mikage’s and, in a nutshell, completely unlike any other character in the cast. In fact she sort of seems as if she dropped out of the sky and landed in the wrong show – as generic an anime ojou-sama as you could every imagine, complete with the trademark laugh. We just don’t get those kind of 2D characters in Gin no Saji – so I’m going to assume she’s here for more of a reason than to vamp for the camera and make Mikage look good, and that there’s more to her than the walking (and riding) collection of tropes we saw this week. Sayuri is an excellent seiyuu and while there’s not much any actor could do with the generic material Minamikujou had to work with in this ep, she does all she can to make her performance amusing if nothing else.

If Minamikujou is the diversion, the main event is Hachiken’s first competitive ride. The tie-in is where you’d expect it, in his extreme competitiveness – this is a boy that hates to lose – and happily, so is his horse. In fact it’s becoming clearer and clearer that Hachi-kun and Maron are very much alike in many ways, which is no doubt why they kept butting heads. Of course this isn’t an exam and Hachiken has no reason to expect to perform well, but he undeniably has an ability to produce when the pressure is on. And he does here, trusting his horse to do the heavy lifting and managing a very strong penalty-free run, though he does nearly disqualify himself by falling off when he spots Shingo in the crowd and loses his focus.

That intense competitive comes out when he roots for the final rider to make a mistake and incur a penalty – which I assume is extremely bad form in equestrian sports – so he won’t lose his place on the podium (which he does when the rider finishes a clean ride and beats Hachiken by a second). As for Mikage, she ends up riding Maron as well and manages a third-place performance, as well as thoroughly stealing Maron’s affections from Hachiken. Seeing Hachiken struggle with his demons is good stuff, though nothing we haven’t seen before – the best part of the ep for me was definitely Maron’s chewing the scenery (and Hachiken’s head). If the whole show jumping thing doesn’t work out, I think he has a future in the performing arts.

「ビョーキなふたり」 (Byōki na Futari)
“Two Sick Ones”

Is the sickness truly in loving someone for five years, or is it in vowing not to change to keep that intact?

The universal fear of change, of that which is different, is something we all feel at some point in our lives. It’s an inherently human emotion, the dreading of anything changing, especially when that which you treasure in the moment is something you hope never to part with. No matter how happy or unhappy you consider your life, chances are you, as a human being, have thought at some point that you did not want things to change, whether it is who you are, the way things stand between you and another person, the status of someone ill, or even where you live or how you do so. But if there’s something we can never avoid, it’s time, and change. Especially not when you’re growing up.

The thing about growing up is that it is not solely a physical process. You may grow in size, your body may change, you may develop Ena, you may look taller or more developed as Sayu and Miuna do, but the important part is what’s on the inside. It is a mental process too, an emotional one; you begin to develop who you are, your personality, your unique thoughts and feelings, and the various choices that define the place you take up in the world. This is not something mere willpower can stop; as you live, you experience things and you are shaped by them. You think based on what you have seen and felt, you learn based on your mistakes, and choose based on the options available to you. That too is true for Miuna and Sayu, just as it is true for Hikari, Kaname, Chisaki, and Tsumugu. No matter how much you wish to cling to something, things will always move on with or without you. That is the cruel lesson the sea kiddos have had to learn, and it would seem that now it is time for the new generation to understand it as well.

This, of course, changes nothing about the importance of belief, or about the strength of emotions. The sickness is not in loving someone, no matter how long the period; the sickness is in doing nothing about those feelings and forcing them to remain undeveloped or unchanged. Love deepens, love wanes, love changes in form; it all depends on the experience of the one loving in relation to the one being loved. As romantic as it may seem, it is never healthy to force oneself to stagnate in any way. In, fact, Sayu was quite wise in recognizing that despite her love for Kaname, a day may have arrived when she would have loved someone else or dealt with his loss differently (unhealthily or otherwise); it is the child in us, the romantic and the nostalgic, that tries to hold on tightly to the present, never to a full degree of success.

Kaname and Hikari are in a similar situation despite now understanding better. They do not want to let go of the past or their present selves. Who, after all, would want to lose the bonds and emotions that they’ve held so dear for so long, especially when they’ve suddenly found themselves in this nightmarish situation? But if Hikari has proven anything over the last seventeen episodes, it’s that change is his modus operandi, and that he, better than the other sea kiddos, has reached a point where he can acknowledge the futility and harm in avoiding it for too long. It’s important to follow how one feels, and to deal with one’s feelings and choices properly and see them through in healthy ways, but it’s another entirely to never develop and mature those feelings. That is how Hikari has grown from bratty and possessive to the poignant individual he is now, and this is no doubt something that will eventually come back to haunt the young and their stalwart decisions to stay who they are now.

 

Preview

Renji’s time in the spotlight has been put on hold for now as he takes a nap after defeating Mask de Masculine. His hiding spot turns out to be a poor choice however, and Nanana Najahkoop finds him and observes him sleeping. Renji has never been the brightest shinigami out there, but luckily for him, for some unknown reason the Sternritter chooses not to dispatch him while he’s vulnerable and instead fight him after he wakes. I certainly hope it’s not because some honor bullshit, because Nanana just made a really stupid decision. Nevertheless, I’m sure he will be able to give Renji a run for his money and catch him off guard; after all, the protagonists almost always face the villains in ascending order of strength.

Right now, its Rukia’s time to show off her new skills, and after seeing Renji’s fight, I’m pretty curious as to what she’ll be capable of. As she roams around Soul Society, she runs into As Nodt – a fitting match-up against the person that took Senbonzakura and defeated Byakuya in the first round. The somewhat androgynous As Nodt has huge black irises and a very slim and tall figure; as before, his power is “true fear”. Despite his creepy appearance, he seems somewhat arrogant and overly talkative regarding his powers, a sign of weakness and predictor of defeat in Bleach. I’m pretty sure she will be able to kick his ass handily; she’s already off to a pretty good start by easily overcoming the fear. Being “incapable of fear”, it is now her turn to strike fear into As Nodt’s heart. Of course this battle probably still has a few chapters to go, and both of them have yet to reveal any more powerful abilities like Volstandig or Bankai. Rukia has clearly advanced several levels through her training with the Royal Guard, so I’m still expecting a relatively one-sided battle like Renji vs. Mask. It should be fun watching the new bad-ass Rukia spitting off more cool lines and effortlessly countering her opponent’s powers.

「無垢なる…生徒会長選挙（クイーンメーカー）」 (Mukunaru… Seitokaichou Senkyo (Kuiin Meekaa))
“An Innocent… Student Council President / Queenmaker”

Silly me! Did I really think Nibutani would have become Student Council President? I mean come on, I totally should have saw it not happening rom like a light year away.

Nibutani and Dekomori

In my opinion probably one of the funniest duos of the season (which doesn’t say too much since I’m not watching a huge amount of shows yet), these two have such great comedic compatibility that whenever they’re not in some huge argument or fight it always tends to surprise me. But come on, who wouldn’t have been surprised when Dekomori, if only temporarily, accepted that Nibutani is the real Mori Summer?

What followed was probably one of the oddest but sweetest moments this series has given us that hasn’t involved Rika or Yuuta. As awkward as it was, Dekomori really showed us just what she’s capable of doing when her heart is set on something. And don’t get me wrong, I completely understand what can happen to someone when the person they’ve idolized for years suddenly appears in front of them. Which is why as strange as it was to not see them fighting, I couldn’t help but feel those butterflies in my stomach start fluttering around as their relationship started exponentially growing.

At the same time, I was so happy when Nibutani didn’t completely take advantage of the situation she was thrown into. She completely understood that she was the one being idolized by Dekomori, meaning the amount of power and control she had over her was absolutely ridiculous. Ridiculous to the point that she could have probably asked her to jump off of a bridge and she’d probably have done it! But instead of grossly abusing her power and in very rare instance of Nibutani showing her deredere side, I loved it when she opened her “sealed” box and put on something that she probably vowed to never even look at again.

Is that Jealously I see?

While they weren’t the main focus of this week’s episode, it just wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t talk about my favorite couple of the season. Relationship hiccups and awkward hand holding aside, I think I’m beginning to see the start of a bit of a jealously streak coming out of Rika. As if she didn’t have enough problems in her life already, Shichimiya is doing a great job at pushing all of her buttons. The thing is, because we already know that she’s not out to get Yuuta (for the time being at least), I can’t help but laugh as she gets Rika all riled up over nothing. That and if last week’s episode was any indication, Shichimiya may be doing the best thing possible in order to get Rikka and Yuuta’s relationship rolling!

Nice job, KyoAni.

After changing up the pace and focusing on other characters, I thought KyoAni did a great job with everything this week. From the well timed jokes to the surprise end to Dekomori and Nibutani’s short lived “friendship“, I don’t think there’s much more you can ask for in a mere 24 minutes.

Random Thoughts

• Isshiki, you are officially the running joke of the season. I bid you good luck in life.
• Nibutani is actually cute and kind of tall apparently. Also, dat foot.
• When will they learn that chunibyou isn’t a curse but rather something you can use to be more “creative”?
• I said this on twitter, but when Dekomori was taking a picture of Nibutani in her outfit I remember going, “If this is an intricate ruse on Dekomori’s part to sabotage Nibutani’s chances of being elected president I’m going to kill something.” Because after a scene like this, you have to be pretty messed up on the inside to purposely sabotage someone.

 

Episode 03:

「ラブコメの波動を感じる」 (Rabu Kome no Hadou o Kanjiru)
“I Can Feel the Love Comedy Waves”

I changed my mind. I really don’t have the time to blog another show, but screw it – picked up. I’m enjoying this too much to not talk about it.

Good Comedy, Consistent Comedy

The reason I was originally not going to cover this is because, as opposed to say Sakura Trick, is that it’s hard to write about. The comedy in Mikakunin de Shinkoukei is solidly good every episode, from Benio’s delusions to Mashiro’s love of Western food to Kobeni’s reactions to everything, but there’s not much to say about it. If you like the jokes you like the jokes, but they’re not so far out there as to make me go “Whoa!” They’re good, solid, warm, relaxing, and funny. Which I love to watch, it’s just hard to write about without getting repetitious.

A Reveal Already?

Then there’s the reason why I’m going to continue covering it anyway. Most shows would have saved Kobeni learning about how Hakuya saved her as a child, but this one threw it out there in the third episode. I can’t comment on my expectations because obviously I’ve seen Episode 04 by this point, but I can tell you that it was niggling at me all week that I wasn’t covering the show. It deserves it, but I really don’t have the time! I have work to do, a book to finish, all these other things!

But screw it. Better to be busy than to regret. Show picked up. Onto Episode 04!

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – “Kobeni already learned about her past with Hakuya? How dare this show get even better right when I decided not to blog it #mikakunin 03″ < -- Whoopsie! I spoke too soon.

Random thoughts:

• Kobeni’s kobenis are not a handicap, they’re the dreams of humanity! Also her hips are amazing. That can’t be said enough.
• Rocket launchers!! Seriously though, I promise not all my random thoughts will be about Kobeni’s oppai. Probably.
• That cooking animation. I haven’t seen cooking so lovingly animated since Gin no Saji. I want some scones now.

 

Preview

 

Episode 04:

「あれはただのへんたいです」 (Are wa Tada no Hentaidesu)
“That’s Just Being a Pervert”

For what started out as such a relaxing love comedy (with emphasis on the comedy), this show isn’t afraid to dive into the weeds of romance and really develop the situation.

It’s Benio’s Fault

Not to put too fine a point on it, but bullshit. The whole situation is broadly faultless as we know it. Kobeni tripped by accident, no one pushed her. Hakuya tried to save her from that accident of his own free will, so it’s not her fault he got injured too. Neither is it Hakuya’s fault she got injured when it was, once again, an accident. Of them all though, Benio’s guilt seems the silliest. She did nothing wrong by wanting to play with her friends and suggesting her sister go play with a boy her age when she should have been in no danger whatsoever. The guilt they all feel was silly, even if it did lead to the cute scene where Kobeni and Hakuya both kept trying to take on the blame. D’aawww!

That is, until you put yourself in their shoes. They all know their guilt is silly, except for perhaps Hakuya, though there seem to be extenuating circumstances for that. The thing is, I can think back to similar instances from my own childhood (and adulthood, for that matter) where I did or said something out of no malice and with no intent to harm, and yet I still feel guilty. It’s irrational, but it’s a very human kind of irrational.

Supernatural Love Comedy

It’s a tricky thing, adding in supernatural elements where they aren’t expected. To use a recent Western example, I was watching The World’s End with a friend, and he reacted with surprise and alarm when the dramatic pub crawl turned sci-fi. Yet where that was jarring – though I would argue to good effect – here the supernatural elements have slowly leaked into the rest of the story in such a way that they seem natural. Or rather, they haven’t changed the fundamental DNA of the series. This is still the same warm romcom it was during Episode 01. The direction it is taking has just somewhat changed.

All that said, damn this show continues to impress me. I’ve talked about this before, but I feel it’s better to go quickly and to continually surprise and delight one’s readers (audience), even if it means the story will be shorter. I keep expecting them to stretch out these revelations like any other show would, but by the 4th episode they’ve already taken care of one big reveal that I thought it would take the whole season to resolve. That’s why I had to cover this – because they’re doing storytelling right. I have to encourage that.

As for what kind of “ambiguous” creatures the Mitsumine household is made up of, I think it’s clear that they’re some kind of wolf or dog youkai. (Or something of that sort.) We’ve seen hints of this before, but this time not only gave us more, but also featured Kobeni continually describing Hakuya in dog-related ways. How this eventually comes out – and what it will mean for Kobeni and Hakuya’s fledgling relationship – is where the fun will be.

Kobeni x Hakuya – The Problem With Hakuya

Pardon me while I indulge in a little light shipping, but Kobeni x Hakuya hnnnngg!! Okay, it’s mainly cute because of Kobeni and her reactions, but any guy who can get those kinds of responses from a girl like Kobeni deserves part of the credit. Not much, but some. Kawaii!

That said, I know some people are already sick of Hakuya, and the more he comes into the spotlight, the trickier this balancing act becomes. The problem with Hakuya is that he doesn’t seem to try. I wrote a post about this matter just this week, but it’s not the characters who succeed that we love, it’s the ones who try. Kobeni is an excellent main character because she’s always trying, and now that she has decided that she needs to (or, let’s face it, wants to) get closer to Hakuya, she immediately went about doing exactly that, even when she didn’t exactly know how.

Hakuya though, is very, very passive. It’s not that he never talks to Kobeni, it’s that he doesn’t seem to try. That makes it harder to cheer him on, and if he were the primary character it would have killed this show long ago. Fortunately he is not, and as with the main male character in most love comedies, it’s less about Hakuya and more about how Hakuya actually seems to be a pretty good fit for Kobeni. Since she’s the focus it’s still working. Plus, to me Hakuya is saved by the fact that he’s clearly not human, which gives him some leeway.

It’s interesting to think of how we would likely respond if the tables were turned and Kobeni were the male lead and Hakuya the female lead. I imagine far fewer people would have a problem with female-Hakuya being passive. I’m not passing judgement – personally I prefer to see both the male and female love interests being proactive – it’s just something to keep in mind if you’re totally hating on Hakuya. But I don’t completely blame you even so.

Looking Ahead – Loli Mama Incoming!

Damn, can you believe I said this show was hard to write about? Not this episode! Regardless, the big question at this point is how long it’ll take for this next big revelation to come to the fore. Personally I hope the arrival of someone who is going to “check up on” Hakuya and Mashiro draws some more reactions from Hakuya. That boy needs to be flustered more often if him and Kobeni are going to get anywhere!

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Supernatural elements, in my warm love comedy? Yesplz. In other news: I’m weak. Show picked up #未確認で進行形 #mikakunin 04

Random thoughts:

• But seriously Benio, you’re way too much of a siscon. That’s supposed to be the onii-chan’s job y0.
• Only in anime do girls look cuter while sick. In the real world they look all achy and snotty and whine a lot. The guys too, I just never think they’re cute.
• Seriously though, damn! Just, yes. More please! Whoa. I need to go lay down.
• For once it’s the girl chasing after the guy! D’aaaaww~
• Here, have some pictures of Kobeni blushing. Those are almost as delicious as her rocket launchers and child-bearing hips, yum!
• He just out and said it! Daaaamn, Hakuya can be daring as long as you prompt him.
• I wasn’t fond of how Mashiro basically started trying to coerce Kobeni into taking Hakuya, mostly because it’s not an effective way to go about it. (Sorry, still a marketer.) It does make me wonder why they’re so desperate about Kobeni being with Hakuya, though.
• Probably my favorite part of the episode was how Kobeni has learned to read Hakuya’s expressions. They’ve already got a sort of language that only the two of them understand, d’aaawww!
• In the two years and one month I’ve been writing for RandomC, I’ve never done a double post before today. I’ve never been late or unable to find someone to cover for me. I find it fitting that my first double post isn’t because I finally had a late post, but because there was a show I just couldn’t not blog, despite my best efforts. M! Stilts is an M because he can’t not blog!

Check out my blog about storytelling and the fantasy novel I’m writing at stiltsoutloud.com. The last four posts: I can quit anytime, so I don’t have to, Admiration & those who try, Dogfights, battleships, & sword fights, and Combo counter update – It’s going well, it’s going not so well. My current combo counter: Editing chain, 19 days long. Writing chain, 3 days long.

Full-length images: 06, 19.

 

Preview

「ブンダン×ト×ゴサン」 (Bundan × to × Gosan)
“Divide x and x Conquer”

I’m going to the well time after time in trying to sing the praises this series deserves, and all I’m coming up with is pure awe at this point.

So – there goes another 10 seconds. 10 seconds that seemed to encompass a lifetime and 22 minutes that seemed to last 10 seconds. I like this ED theme a lot, but the first strains of it are one of the cruelest sounds in the world, because it means the wait begins again. As writer it’s hard to build up anticipation, but exponentially harder to deliver on it. That Togashi continues to do so time after time while simultaneously moving the goalposts back and extending the torture is truly remarkable. How can he – and Koujina-sensei – keep delivering such incredible payoffs when they’re not even giving us the actual payoffs?

It’s not a shock that this run of episodes has split the Hunter X Hunter fanbase to some extent, because it’s hard to come up with a literary rule that isn’t being broken by it. But the more I watch it unfold the less I can envision it playing out any other way. I’m sold – this is sheer brilliance, unorthodox as it is, and I wouldn’t lose a second of the Narrator’s role if you gave me the chance. What Togashi-sensei is doing shouldn’t work, for so many reasons – and Madhouse should certainly have never adapted it as it was written. But for me it comes down to the fact that you just can’t look at work on this level and apply conventional standards to it. What would be disastrous in lesser hands is transcendent drama here – and Togashi and the anime team have both proved beyond a reasonable doubt that they know exactly what they’re doing.

More than anything else, I found this episode to be indescribably tense. In many ways Knuckle truly was the audience insert character this week, in a more profound and personal way than any anime character I can recall. He was in the same shoes we were – forced to watch helplessly as Shoot was committing a kind of slow-motion (except that in reality it was all happening in a blink) suicide. Because Knuckle is such a relatable character to begin with – such a good guy that it’s acknowledged in the series itself that being too nice is his greatest flaw – one can effortlessly relate to his agony. And of course, share in it.

Once again, the young stars of the series have a very small role to play in the episode, but it’s a memorable one. After Killua has caught up to Gon (in-time after all) and verified his Grandfather’s presence with his own eyes, Zeno summons “Dragon’s Head“. Its sole purpose, it seems, is to take Netero and the King (though not Zeno himself, interestingly) away from the palace so they can fight without collateral damage. In effect there still seems to be a truce between these titans. The King offers no resistance to the change-of-venue – perhaps as an acknowledgement of Netero’s allowing Komugi to be cared for – and Zeno makes it clear his Nen is not being used to attack. Once they’re gone, the boys are left on the rooftop and Gon turns his attention to his own task.

The crucial line of the entire episode, surely, is Gon’s “Iko! (Let’s go!”) to Killua, and Killua’s response (a silent “In what sense did you mean that? If I ask that question, I won’t be able to stop anymore… I won’t be able to go back.”) is fascinating. It’s amazing that in the heart of all this chaos Togashi can deliver such an emotionally devastating moment, but so he does. The depth of Killua’s love for Gon is heartbreakingly apparent here – it’s not so limited as to be defined by doujin-bait innuendo or GAR bromance. This is simple, filial love in the Platonic sense – affection, dedication, friendship, and willingness to sacrifice. It’s what changed Killua’s life, and it’s the backbone of the entire series.

So why is Killua so crestfallen at this moment, when Gon utters those words? Is he aching because Gon seems to have transcended himself in the moments since this final battle began, leaving Killua behind in his world of self-doubt and hesitation? Is it because Killua fears that Gon has accepted the notion that he might die in support of this cause, and while Killua could accept his own death – if his life was given to help his friend – the one thing he could never live with is Gon’s? I suspect it’s some of both, and more – and it’s truly astounding that just as Togashi can pack endless drama into a few seconds of elapsed time, he can instill so much depth of emotion and so much hidden meaning in a short, simple phrase. I’ve spent three paragraphs on two words (one in the original Japanese) and barely scratched the surface.

If you can look at Killua’s face as he watches Gon’s back in the distance (Killua is always fated to follow Gon and never catch him, it seems – in his own mind at least) and feel no pain, you’ve a stern heart, indeed. Killua and Gon each have moments where they reveal themselves to be not monsters but the emotionally fragile children they are, and this is one such moment. And it must be said, if this one small passage illustrates Togashi’s genius as well as any can, it also shows us just how superlative this adaptation has been. The way Gon and then Killua are framed, Killua’s face, the pitch-perfect music (“To Give a Marionette Life”) and the Narrator’s voice with the emotion of the moment just creeping in at the edges – I’m astonished that anyone would want the tiniest element of it changed. It’s perfect – profound and powerful and simple and elegant. This is what anime should strive to be.

And it’s just a sliver of everything that’s happening in this episode, all over the palace. I felt every blow Shoot was taking from Youpi, and agonized with Knuckle as he watched his friend slowly dying. When Knuckle reacted with shock at the realization that only ten seconds had passed, I did too. Knuckle is someone who would agonize if he had to watch his worst enemy suffer and could do nothing to help – imagine how it feels to watch his closest friend. Meanwhile Meleoron is quite fittingly holding his breath, because it feels as if we are too. The sheer monstrosity of Youpi is so tangible here, even if he isn’s “evil” in the conventional sense. He absorbs the attacks of Shoot and Knuckle and relentlessly attacks, displaying still more deadly abilities. His only weakness, it seems, is that uncertainty unsettles him – and he doesn’t understand the nature of his enemy here. In the end, it’s a relief when Knuckle finally reveals himself, even if it seems to be an unwise decision – how could this good man possibly stand by and do nothing while Shoot died right in front of him (and he still might, after all that)?

As all this is happening – literally, as these 10 seconds are repeated from different perspectives – Cheethu and Brovada catch up with Ikalgo-Flutter. Cheethu is easily distracted like the attention-deficit child he is, and chases off after Zeno’s Dragon’s Head like a cat chasing a ball of yarn. But Brovada catches a slip-up by Ikalgo – he refers to “Hagya-sama”, when in fact that Ant now calls himself Leol. And so does Welfin, who as I predicted is watching secretly rather than interfering, no doubt trying to ascertain how to play this for his own advantage.

Meanwhile Morel and Shaiapouf continue their staredown, Morel carefully not breathing in any of Pouf’s scales and refusing to utter a word, and Pouf using his “Spiritual Message” ability to measure his enemy’s state of mind. We have a fascinating scenario where both Shoot/Knuckle and Youpi have the same goal – keeping each other away from the King – but Pouf simply wants to rid himself of this enemy and return to his beloved master’s side ASAP. To do so he reveals his own previously unknown ability, some sort of pupa or chrysalis that will no doubt open to reveal an even more powerful and dangerous foe – but Morel has ice in his veins if anyone does, and is happy enough to be stalemated for the moment if it means keeping Shaiapouf out of the game.

So many fronts, so much tension. I would equate Togashi’s style in these big moments (and this, surely, is the biggest) with earthquakes. Each of these fronts is like a seismic hot spot, the tension building as the plates creep past each other, destructive energy building up that will surely be released in a spectacular and harrowing display of geothermal power. Things don’t move quickly at these fault lines but the buildup of energy is huge, and it has to be released sooner or later. Yes, Togashi is taking entire chapters to lay out a few seconds of time – but he’s in no hurry because he knows the moment all stored tension is released will be truly awe-inspiring.

I must close this week with some very sad news. Nagai Ichirou, the 82 year-old actor who plays Netero in this version of H x H, passed away on Monday. He died in his hotel room in Hiroshima, where he was recording narration for a local TV production. In purely practical terms it seems likely that most of Netero’s dialogue for the rest of this arc has already been recorded – what Madhouse will do if that’s not the case remains to be seen. But the main point is that this is a great loss for anime – Nagai-san was one of the greats, with memorable turns in Ranma 1/2 and the eponymous TV hit Sazae-san among his hundreds of roles. His Netero, of course, has been utterly brilliant and will stay with us forever – but I’ll also remember Nagai for one of his final roles, as the alien ramen oji-san in Space Dandy. It seems a fitting sort of epilogue for the great man’s career. Nagai-san will be missed, but his amazing body of work will provide a legacy that will last as long as anime.

 

Preview

「星の海原」 (Hoshi no Unabara)
“Sea of Stars”

Let’s get right down to business and address the elephant in the room, shall we? Claire Cruz as Nina Viento? I did not see that coming. At all. And really, I’m still reeling from the shock of the revelation, which was game changing both in terms of the series itself and the impressions I have of the series as a whole. Because even though I’ve spent the last few episodes discussing how Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta has potential, this sudden twist makes me realize that even I may have underestimated the series, and it’s a pleasant surprise to say the least.

It goes to show how important it is to properly execute developments though, and Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta hits the nail on the head with this one—sucking us into its pacing since the very beginning by hinting at darker things to come, then striking us with probably the biggest reveal this series has to offer when we least expected it. Here I was, thinking it was merely going to be a straight forward rescue + character development episode, and look what we got instead. This is pacing and shock value done right, and it’s a revelation that completely changes the dynamics between Claire and Kal-el from the viewers perspective. The sudden “fairy-tale” couple turns out to be just that—too good to be true—and it’s something that both leaves you in awe, and wondering what the future ends up holding for the two. Could they be star-crossed from the beginning? Or will Kal-el really find out what it means to forgive?

There’s so much they can do from here, and it’s a testament to how much they’ve managed to develop here without us even realizing it. The gradual flashbacks to the past have started giving way to the big picture, and as I mentioned in my previous post, it’s a picture that notes just how similar Claire and Kal-el are. Indeed, it can be said they are two sides of the same coin—similar in the respect that they’re both on the same coin, but also literally (and eternally) separated by the fact that they’re on the opposite side of the same coin, just as they were during the Wind Revolution and just as their developmental paths were.

That said, it’s interesting to note that despite the many revelations we’ve been getting, we’re still far from the full picture. The series is doing things in such a way that we can’t really confirm or deny whether or not the Wind Revolution was warranted or not, and like many of the other developments we’ve gotten so far, it keeps us guessing at what’s to come—a notion that separates this series from the rest of the pack in terms of viewer engagement and development. At the same time, it’s important to note that this revelation suddenly makes it possible that they can wrap things up properly in the one-cour time slot given to them, and I don’t know what else to say here.

I’m just eager to see what Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta has left to give us. With the whole plot between Claire (Nina Viento) and Kal-el, Ignacio and Kal-el, and the inevitable developments regarding the “End of the Sky” all left, there’s just a lot of great plot lines to explore, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that it’s one of only a handful of new Winter shows with this kind of potential left. Many of the new series have already shown most of their hands in terms of what to expect, but this series looks like it’s just getting started, and I’m darn excited to see how things end up. It may yet fulfill the high expectations placed upon it.

Full-length images: 18, 36.

 

Preview

「死んでも死にきれない時もあるじゃんよ」 (Shindemo shi ni kirenai toki mo aru jan yo)
“Sometimes You Can’t Live With Dying, Baby”

Four weeks in, some trends are starting to emerge with Space Dandy.

For those that care about such things, Space Dandy seems to have been better received in the U.S. than in Japan – which is not surprising given how much backlash the show got in advance in Japan for being overhyped and premiering in America (and having viewers not comparing it to Cowboy Bebop 24/7 can’t hurt either). Its ratings have increased 25% since it premiered, and it’s exceeded initial projections. As for stalker points they’re actually trending up a bit (and the Niconico ratings are excellent), but the series certainly doesn’t appear targeted to sell a ton of discs. But that may be less important for this show than almost any other anime out there, given the diversity of the revenue stream and the number of companies invested in it.

As far as the show itself, one of the most striking things I’ve noticed is that almost invariably, the second half of an episode is funnier than the first half. It’s been most striking with this episode and the premiere but it’s been true every week. Given that the first ep was the weakest on the whole, the upswing in ratings is very encouraging – and if people stuck around for the B-Part this week they were treated to possibly the best 10 minutes of Dandy yet (though I’d rank Episode 2 ahead overall, as it was consistently funny start to finish).

In the case of the premiere, it seems most likely that everyone was still feeling their way through the material, and learning how to use it to best advantage though. This ep, though, feels as if the first half was used as nothing more than an elaborate setup for the second. It was fine, with some good laughs – but my take on the episode is that there was a high concept in mind here, and the whole point of seeing the Dandy gang live through a stereotypical zombie film was to get to the second half, where the entire concept was turned on its head.

The most surprising thing to me is that anyone could still find anything fresh (no pun intended) to do with the zombie genre after the way it’s been done to death (pun intended) in the last several years. Yet Watanabe and scriptwriter Ueno Kimiko actually did it – they found a way to do a zombie parody that not only came up with gags we hadn’t seen a thousand times but managed to shoehorn a little social satire in too. It started with the unexpected plot twist of following Dandy, QT and Meow as they adjusted to Space Zombie no Nichjijou, and built from there.

In the first place, the whole notion of “Zombie-sempai” was pretty brilliant. But then what he(she?) came up with for advice – “I eat yogurt every day and it makes me feel a lot better!”. This leads directly to the transition from the pejorative term “rotting” to the much more PC “fermenting” – the whole notion of zombies eating yogurt is so pitch-perfect I can’t believe no one has thought of it already. There’s the whole notion of zombies in space having a much easier time not facing discrimination because, as the famous saying goes, “In space zombies don’t stand out so much”. We got a “Where are they now?” feature with the mercenaries and hospital staff, two of whom had met and fallen in love. “What do we do for fun? We go to the mall every day. For some reason we have a powerful urge to go the mall…” Even Dr. Gel and Bea’s spaceship has been zombified like they have – which reminds me that the initials of “Statue of Liberty” are S.O.L..

The entire B-Part was pretty much one brilliant gag leading into the next (the zombie marathon was a fantastic piece of visual humor) but the culmination for me is definitely the insurance snipers. What leads to this is the development that Dandy has figured out that he can live off his own life insurance policy now that he’s dead – a necessity because he and the gang are now too slow to catch any aliens – and countless other zombies have joined him. The insurance company, aghast at their payouts, has hired “zombie hunters” to go around sniping zombies through the head and killing them for real. And of course, it’s not murder to kill someone if they’re already dead. This definitely falls in the “it’s funny because it’s true” category – insurance companies have been behind some of the most despicable schemes in history, and if they could off their claimants without fear of legal retribution I’ve no doubt they’d do it. There’s a happy ending, though – the sniper gets zombified himself when following the Dandy gang into the theater on “Zombie Day“, and turns everyone at the insurance company (and eventually the universe) into zombies too.

As for what’s really going on the story here, I have no idea. Is Meow Schrodinger’s Cat? Are these alternate dimensions (“Hey, Everett”) or is the reset button just being pushed every week? Beats me – but if the comedy continues to deliver at the level it did here, I’m fine with whatever. Rumination on zombie language and facial expressions, zombie baseball, zombie narration, zombabies – pretty much everything after the eyecatch was a bullseye for me. And ending the episode as Watanabe did – with the gang watching “Night of the Living Dead”, and George Romero’s name scrolling on-screen – is the perfect touch.

 

Preview

「囲碁」 (Igo)
“Igo”

While I can’t remember my official count of who’s currently winning this “war” in the classroom, I think we can all agree that Seki-kun definitely came out on top this week.

Throwing the rules out the window, one game at a time

If there’s one thing I love about this show, it has to be the way Yokoi and Seki-kun manage to take everyday activities or games and change them into something special — and this week was no exception. While I can’t think of a good way to describe Go (which is sort of like Asian checkers, except it’s not), I’m sure all of us who’ve played it or even watched it be played got a few good laughs out of this week’s skit.

From the always recognizable “thunk” sound of the pieces slamming on table to the over-exaggerated hand movements to place said pieces on the board, Seki-kun beautifully captured the essence of what Go is all about (sans the fact he wasn’t even really playing the game).

Yokoi, why do you torment yourself?!

Going off of the assumption that she doesn’t enjoy missing important topics that will be on the next week’s test or getting in trouble for things she really didn’t do, you really have to wonder why Yokoi lets herself get pulled into Seki-kun’s little games. But as every episode has shown, I think we all know that deep down she really wants to take part in whatever Seki-kun is up to. Honestly, who wants to pay attention in class all the time?

Which is why even though I want to sympathize with her plight, I can’t help but giggle watching her get wrapped up in her imagination. Not only do I love listening to her stories because they end up being really interesting but it’s absolutely the best when she decides to take things into her own hands when Seki-kun gets a bit out of control. Which either leads to one or both of them “losing”.

Next Time, on Seki-Kun Z!

Seeing how the people adapting this series actually skipped a chapter, I can’t wait to see just how far they may skip around in the future. Not only do I remember some really funny ones down the line but I can’t wait till other students start getting involved in the story. Luckily for us, it probably won’t matter what happens since they’ve picked great chapters so far to bring to life — and I don’t expect that to change any time soon!

 

「強調部位ブイブイブイ, 萌えテイル, 画期的ズルむけ」 (Kyouchoubui Buibuibui, Moe Teiru, Kakkiteki Zuru Muke)
“Emphasis on VVV, Moe Tail, Groundbreaking Skin Peeling”

Fourth week in and I finally feel that vibe that season one left with me. With a decent variety of jokes that ranged from casual to dirty, there was a little bit of everything to hold you over. And while I could have done without some of the mini-skits, I’ll admit that a few of them were really funny.

Sharing is caring.

I didn’t think it would happen but I absolutely love Uomi’s character. Switching from complete deadpan humor to seamlessly following along with Shino’s gags, I can’t imagine a more perfect character to help accentuate the dynamics of our loveable student council. But her biggest asset might be the way she plays around with our two straightmen — Tsuda and Suzu. Unlike our President or Secretary who have their mind stuck in the gutter, I love how she manages to go outside the box and push their buttons in all the right ways. (My favorite probably being her reverse joke with Suzu’s height. Because who doesn’t like a good short joke?)

Shino and Aria — who’s your favorite?

Unlike the past few episodes, this week’s did a fantastic job at shining the spotlight on our two favorite upperclassmen. Highlighting their quirks in the best way possible, I was surprised after I realized just how underused they were throughout the past few weeks! Be it Aria’s airheaded nature that knows just when to snap back into reality or Shino trying to find a new pillow to help her sleep better, I’m just glad the two got some more well deserved screen time.

Side Characters that actually do something.

Unlike a lot of other comedy shows that let their side characters fade into the darkness until it’s their turn to suddenly appear at the butt end of a joke, I’m really starting to enjoy all these mini-skits that highlight characters we normally wouldn’t see or only hear one or two lines from. While I could do without Nene’s (or even Aria’s), I’m not sure how I lived this long without fully experiencing the awkwardness of Tsuda and his dry squid problems.

More and More, Keep Going, Don’t Stop, Please!

With another week down, I can honestly say I’m a lot more pleased with what GoHands has given us, especially compared to how I felt after the first two. While I’m still holding out for an episode that is so off the charts that it might actually turn away viewers, I’m still really enjoying the pace we’re going at. Until next week!

Random Thoughts

• Sharing your porn is caring! Back in high school there were a group of guys who had this mystical “hard drive of porn” that apparently was stolen.
• Nopan Aria? Bloomers Aria? MAKE UP YOUR MIND.
• If this empty amusement park didn’t surprise you, did I tell you I may or may not be naked?
• I don’t know why they went so far out of their way to point out that there wasn’t any underage drinking going on. Might as well have not used those kind of glasses in the first place!
• I don’t know why Aria or Shino thought they could beat Suzu at math. haha.
• Did you find the one full length image? c:

 

Preview

End Card

「魔術師 THE MAGICIAN」

Before we begin, some miscellaneous snippets of interest to list:

• Apparently Jeanne’s efforts to hide her gender have failed miserably. Her two contenders have obviously noticed at this point thanks to her improper binding and voice–I suppose it wasn’t seiyuu or animation laziness after all!
• The heavy reliance on supernatural lore is stepping its game up, where ley lines and tarot cards seem to dictate the path forward. Jeanne’s increasingly visible premonitions also seem to contribute to this idea of a magical fate. Perhaps Nobunaga will prove to break this pre-ordained destiny through sheer will. I do admit that tarot cards are an excellent way to organize the show’s episodes.
• The technological potential of the East Star is remarkable, which makes us wonder what West Star technology will be like when it reveals itself.

Today’s episode marked an important development in Nobunaga’s character. We are fully aware of his ambitious and independent personality, but not to the extent that we’ve seen so far. As such, let use pose two questions.

First, how did Nobunaga arrive at this point of his personality. He has terrible ties with his father, a harsh yet possibly caring spot for his younger brother, indifference towards his betrothed, and overall disregard for everyone else except for his sister. However, as Queen Himiko often alludes to, Nobunaga was not always like this. He had a soft and cheerful persona once, at least enough to carry around the little Himiko around in the air. Himiko herself recognizes this distance that Nobunaga has placed between himself and everyone else (which clearly is unsettling for her). However, it is not that our current Nobunaga has no care for other around him. After all, he’s saved Jeanne at least once from that fire even as he was in battle. He gave meaningful advice to his own brother, which though masked in harshness, actually shows thoughtfulness for Nobukatsu’s well being (that double-take during the scene was an important cue, as well as the display of the watch once again). Although he clearly made a mockery out of the ceremony, the fact that he participated in it and didn’t outright reject Himiko was a bonus in itself. However, despite how well-meaning he is to those who are close to him, Nobunaga faces a serious problem, which is what our second question shall pose.

Who will match Nobunaga in ambition or resolve, if anyone? Our young leader either looks down on people for lacking the ambition and follow-through that he has, or carefully keeps his allies close to benefit his cause in some way. No one is ever his equal, and all who associate with him are merely retainers in his grand scheme. This is not to say anything truly negative about Nobunaga, but the story is definitely crying out for one of Nobunaga’s allies to step up to the plate and face him head-on. Will it be Mitsuhide, whose wariness of Nobunaga’s potential cause him to indirectly oppose certain parts of his campaign? Many signs have shown themselves with Mitsuhide’s close political dealings and his own verbal awe at Nobunaga’s potential. Another possibility naturally falls to Jeanne, whose antithetical views and attitudes could drive her to grow strong enough to become Nobunaga’s equal and most loyal defender. The sword fight, the resulting close kiss, and her potential life-saving premonitions put her in a good spot to become Nobunaga’s inspiring equal. These two characters are central enough to the story and have a unique position in how they interact with Nobunaga such that all other competition fails to meet the standard. Himiko and Ichihime will most likely play side-roles from here on out, da Vinci will continue to guide the story as an observer, and Saru…it’s pretty obvious.

From here, the story is more than ready to start the East Star campaign if need be or willing to repel the first attacks from the West Star if Caesar decides to make his move. Most likely we’ll see the former considering how the twins last episode implied they’d wait out the Takeda-Oda conflict, but either way the show is primed to show some more robot fighting action. What enemy will rise to challenge Nobunaga first and how long will it be until Arthur finally has to move his own sword?

 

Preview

「スーパー姑大戦 実習篇」 (Suupaa Shuutome Taisen Jisshuu-hen)
“Super Mother-in-Law War: Training Stage”

No really, what?

To start, let me say this. Despite all of its flaws, I will continue to blog Nourin. Though stable plot and characters are literally nowhere to be found, the sheer enjoyability of seeing people mess around with each other is amazing. Before we expand on that though, let’s get the gripes out of the way.

I decided to blog this show under several conditions. I had to promise myself this–ignore the plot as much as humanely possible. I need to flush out of my mind the fact that it’s very uncanny seeing Ringo already making the moves on Kousaku even though she really shouldn’t know that Kousaku sent her letters. I need to ignore just exactly where Minori gets her costumes and why she seems so open to stripping for the sake of Kousaku. I need to abandon the hope for a proper illumination of Ringo’s backstory–no hints whatsoever have been shown to us as to her sudden change of life choices. The plot is too unstable right now to rely on it as a source of judgment–hopefully in the future that sentiment will change.

Once that plot is completely ignored, then enjoyment of the show can commence. All the seiyuu show perfect execution of their lines each and every episode, with the intonations of their lines full of gusto and attitude. Kousaku easily transformed from the idiot to the straight man for episode three, having to deal with the crazy and mindless love rivalry between Ringo and Minori. Whatever I said about comparing characters to those in Baka to Test can go straight out the window, because everyone in this show is an idiot. No one is safe–the teacher is sexually desperate, the male friend is an eccentric do-it-all, the childhood friend is highly competitive, the quiet one is willing to show her dark side with mindless efficiency, and the idiot can actually be a consistent straight for some time (without losing his idiot self). This is beautiful though, since it offers boundless energy through their interactions, with each person trying to out-idiot the other through sexy and lewd actions, all in a vague agricultural setting.

Since this show has surprised me so much, defying expectations in both bad and good ways, I have to continue covering this to see where it goes. Despite all its problems, it’s still an enjoyable show to kick back, completely turn off the brain, and relax. It is a pleasure watching the well-crafted joke visuals as much as I do closing my eyes and listening to the excellent cast go all-out. For anyone looking for a plot of any sort, now’s the time to turn back, but if you enjoy the sexy, the comedy, and the stupidity, welcome. Though much suspension of belief is required, the payoff may just be worth it. It isn’t anything above a B-level offering, but it’s an interesting comedy nonetheless.

Full-length images: 6, 7, 9, 24.

 

ED2 Sequence

ED2: 「みのりのぞっこん未来予報♥」 (Minori no Zokkon Mirai Yohou ♥) by Hanazawa Kana