「言わなきゃ伝わらないが, 言ったらかなりの確率でぶつかる. 厄介だよ, 親子.」 (Iwanakya Tsutawaranai ga, Ittara Kanari no Kakuritsu de Butsukaru. Yakkai Da yo, Oyako.)
“If I Say Nothing, It Won`t Be Heard, But If I Say Something, It`ll Be a Critical Hit. It Sucks Being a Family. “

With Episode 08, we’re wrapping up the saga that is the conflict between Medhi and her mother. But as their issues are settled, questions arise as to whether this will happen to many more mothers, how they would become corrupted, and what it is about the game itself that makes it easy for someone to exploit its vulnerabilities and allow for someone to manipulate the players into breaking the game.

By the time that Mamako was able to get Medhimama to see the damage that she’s done in the game world, it raises questions regarding how her case could relate to Wise’s mother. Unlike her, Medhimama appeared to be an ideal mother growing up as she was supportive of Medhi throughout her childhood and they even looked cordial as they began their adventure in the video game world. Resentment should be something harbored outside of the game world to get the pair in the world, but it felt like they didn’t go into how Medhimama’s support became toxic in the real world. And with the staff taking on similar qualities to the items that corrupted Wise’s mother, it appears that it amplified her supportive qualities so that she would go from being by her side to cheer her on to placing unrealistic expectations to be the best for her own sake or else. It had to be enough of a problem to get Medhi within Shirase’s crosshairs, but at the same time, Medhimama looked genuinely taken aback by what she said and did in the video game. A parenting blog that Medhimama alluded to writing might be a clue as she gave advice on how to be as cutthroat as she was in the video game, but we aren’t given much insight on how this played a role in Medhi’s growing rage.

There are also questions raised as to how far her corruption went in changing her behavior and how much of what she did in the video game were behavioral patterns she displayed in the real world. If so, are all of the mothers being corrupted by turning their worst qualities up to 11? And with that in mind, has Mamako already been corrupted by the overpowered abilities that allow her to constantly dote on her son to the point of stifling his ability to express himself? Shirase hints at someone being behind the anomalies within the game, so it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary to say the game is as much of a trap for endangering relationships as it is a haven to repair them.

The episode is still able to have its fun though, or at least as much fun as you’d expect from a show where you can pair a heart-to-heart between a reformed stage mother and a well-endowed dragon with long blue hair. Wise’s magic stalling is getting a little old, but it was amusing to see Porta’s solution to the problem by carting out bottle upon bottle of MP potions that she has to painstakingly chug through in order to regain the magic necessary to defeat Medhi’s dragon form. Another funny addition was a gacha system that proved to cause Masato and Wise, the two kids who wanted to gain something beneficial from the academy the most, despair as their E-rank luck resulted in them pulling nothing but potions and a single apron that Mamako can use as armor. There is evidence that Medhi might be a fun addition to the party as well with her comical reaction to Wise’s criticism of Masato. Whether she’d take up the role of a healer, dark mage, or well-endowed dragon, however, will be something we’ll see within the next episode.

16 Comments

  1. Chris hall
  2. https://randomc.net/image/Tsuujou%20Kougeki%20ga%20Zentai%20Kougeki%20de%20Nikai%20Kougeki%20no%20Okaasan%20wa%20Suki%20Desuka/Tsuujou%20Kougeki%20ga%20Zentai%20Kougeki%20de%20Nikai%20Kougeki%20no%20Okaasan%20wa%20Suki%20Desuka%20-%2008%20-%20Large%2013.jpg
    Yeah, I know that’s not an alcoholic drink, but Wise is starting to resemble her own mother–even if she’s quick to deny it.

    https://randomc.net/image/Tsuujou%20Kougeki%20ga%20Zentai%20Kougeki%20de%20Nikai%20Kougeki%20no%20Okaasan%20wa%20Suki%20Desuka/Tsuujou%20Kougeki%20ga%20Zentai%20Kougeki%20de%20Nikai%20Kougeki%20no%20Okaasan%20wa%20Suki%20Desuka%20-%2008%20-%20Large%2028.jpg
    It’s amusing that once Medhi is saved and makes up with her mother, she immediately makes use of her Mamako-like figure to make her move on Masato. (To the chagrin of Wise.)

    https://randomc.net/image/Tsuujou%20Kougeki%20ga%20Zentai%20Kougeki%20de%20Nikai%20Kougeki%20no%20Okaasan%20wa%20Suki%20Desuka/Tsuujou%20Kougeki%20ga%20Zentai%20Kougeki%20de%20Nikai%20Kougeki%20no%20Okaasan%20wa%20Suki%20Desuka%20-%2008%20-%20Large%2030.jpg
    Wise and Masato–the faces of s**tty gacha pulls. (Also, even though no real money was spent in-game in that scene, I still couldn’t help but cringe at the thought of encouraging gambling compulsion in teenagers through videogames–to say nothing of doing something similar to kids, which is much worse. Yeesh.)

    Other thoughts:
    – Medhi’s dragon powers include conjuring (small) storms? How very Ghidorah-like… (The MonsterVerse version, BTW.)
    – For a second there, I thought Masato unintentionally got a maid outfit for Mamako.
    – So someone else is handing out overpowered but corrupting items (hacked items?) to mothers joining the MMMMMORPG? Feels reminiscent of the “Break Decal” arc in Gundam Build Divers.

    Incognito
  3. This series has it moments of good continuity…

    “The golems I created took your orders?”
    “I didn’t order them. I asked.”

    was a great gag but it was an even better segway into the discussion about
    raising children and the difference between guidance and control.

    It’s a fun series cause I’m not sure what to always expect, and that keeps
    it interesting. With 7 episodes in and the candidates list harem growing,
    I kinda wonder how it’ll all end up — 12 episodes, how many more girls…

    Oh, BTW, don’t think I’ve ever seen a dragon rendered with a chest like that
    (even Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon didn’t have breasts in her dragon form)!

    mac65
      1. …at least the plot line in this series makes more sense than
        Isekai Cheat Magician or Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou!
        Maou-sama, Retry! has turned into one hella of a fun ride!

        mac65
  4. For wise, i can see why she would have gambled for that prevenire as that would prevent her magic from being sealed. If she would have that item, she would become more useful as her magic wouldn’t be sealed anymore.

    Masato however is not clear as the item he would get only raises attack power. No new skills or a general resistance to elements, magic or status effect. Just an increase in attack power.
    It would be better ( and smarter honestly ) to spend those sp for better stats in general. Going with how he seems to know the basics of how to get stronger in games, it just feels weird that he would prefer an equipment over stat increase. Unless we are going with Shield hero rules where a mastered item gives a permanent boost instead of only when equipped, that item for increased attack power is less useful then an increase in his stats combined with his current item that gives him resistance to negative status effects.

    Medhi didn’t even think of getting an item, she even said that she preferred to spend them in her own stats.

    Damrod
    1. Masato has the nonsensical idea of getting stronger than Mamako. That’s why he wanted that item. Not that he would have become stronger than her either way. He’s just delusional.

      Lin
      1. But wouldn’t it make more sense to focus on stats first, equipment later then?
        He already knows that it is wise to keep an item with resistance to negative status effects and going with how they started out, he should know that most of her strength comes from their stats. So better stats equal better chance of winning logically. And if we are going with game logic, if you have the proper stats then the gear would boost you even more.

        Damrod
  5. has Mamako already been corrupted by the overpowered abilities that allow her to constantly dote on her son to the point of stifling his ability to express himself

    No, Kazuno and Medhimama got corrupted for using an illegal item that someone gave to them. Mamako doesn’t use any illegal item. Besides, you can see in episode 1 that Mamako has always been overly affectionate. She hasn’t changed it all.

    Shirase hints at someone being behind the anomalies within the game, so it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary to say the game is as much of a trap for endangering relationships as it is a haven to repair them.

    The game is not a trap, but someone has been going around giving illegal items to some moms. In the case, the main take away from Shirase’s dialogue is that she trust Mamako and Masato to solve this issue.

    Lin
  6. The items seem to only enhance negative emotions. Which seem to result in making the purpose of the mothers joining the game to backfire on them.

    In the case of Mamako, I think the game has actually worked! She has actually given Masato some responsibility here. It’s a step in the right direction compared to how the show started.

    Looking at the real life flash backs, I really think Medhimama was the better parent here. But who knows what was written in her blog. She did decide to erase it after all. Must’ve realised something was wrong after meeting Mamako. In a sense the game probably got it’s intended outcome in an unexpected manner.

    theirs
    1. I am sort of surprised that Medhi’s mom, despite being snapped back to normal, didn’t reflect on other issues. Recall the previous episode where she strips her daughter just to win some stupid competition, wow.

      Greed

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