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「予算と納期と新展開」 (Yosan to Nōki to Shin Tenkai)
“Budget, Deadline, and New Development”
Development of Tomoya’s dream game finally starts this episode, but at least half of it can be considered a character episode for Kasumigaoka Utaha, pen name Kasumi Utako. We already know that she’s a published author, but behind the glamour of her genius creative talent is still a mortal who has to deal with corporate publishers and lose sleep because of writer’s block. She’s also the kind of writer who has nothing but disdain for the unwashed masses she writes for, which is not all too surprising considering her personality. More surprising is that the novels she writes are of the incredibly sappy romance variety, though perhaps not actually that surprising considering her persistent plays for Tomoya’s attention. In the end, Utaha just wants love, though she’s perhaps more aggressive in its pursuit than the star-crossed heroines of her novels.
So there’s plenty of Utaha-senpai for everyone this week—from crying Utaha to sleeping Utaha to blushing Utaha—and we learn a bit more about her background with Tomoya (but not why she calls him Ethics-kun) and establish some motivation for her to join the coterie. I do wonder how much she actually believes in the project, or whether she’s just looking for leverage with Tomoya. She’s even willing to throw her own money at it; she understands well what fuels the creative machine. That said, if Tomoya really is the king nerd that he’s supposed to be then he could probably crowd-source that funding. Or maybe that’s not a widespread practice in Japan. In any case, Tomoya remains the sole financier (which is how you retain creative control over your work; by retaining control of the purse-strings).
I know I should be glad that Tomoya has finally gotten his project off the ground, but I’m still not sure it’s entirely healthy for him. By the way he overreacts just to seeing Megumi with her cousin, it seems that he still has a very blurred view of reality. He still doesn’t see Megumi as a person so much as a character, and it was a bit painful watching him rave like a madman about Megumi having the gall to have a life that does not revolve around his. In a less self-aware anime I’d just put down Tomoya’s self-centred delusions as an off-note Quirky Character Trait, but for Saekano I think it’s deliberately poking at the sociopathic implications that the kind of dating sim Tomoya wants to make often contain. At least, Megumi calls Tomoya out on his mad ways. Yet she still manages to entertain his selfishness in her own way.
So, next week, Megumi and Tomoya go on totally-not-a-date. More interaction between the two is good, because that’s where Tomoya gets his character growth. And, of course, I want to see more of Megumi’s nuances. She called Utaha’s novels tearjerkers, which implies she’s capable of tears, right? Megumi, with an emotional range? That’s madness, too.
Mostly watching this show for the girls I like their personalities. The MC is a little grating though he needs like a reality check or something. Other than that this is a good show for sure.
completely in agreement with the heroine personality, saekano did well with that. it’s really something that most harem series lacks these days, personality that stands out.
Aki being ‘irritating’ is necessary for his character to developed and become less irritating. To figure out the difference of 2D and 3D. And for him to realize that he can’t help but to love Kato even if she didn’t keep to the stereotype that he wanted her to follow.
I think he is their to just make fun of Otaku’s honestly.
I really don’t care for the MC or the twin tailed tsundere character either. Since both of them are grating at the least. Both Kato and Kasumigaoka Utaha are the perfect girls who actually understands reality. Hell the twin tailed just smack the MC for no reason when getting angry when Utaha called out on her about her selfish reasons. I hate tsunderes characters so much these days, that they are not reallly interesting at the least.
I actually disagree, I mean Eiriri does come off as something as childish or eccentric, but there are some tsundere characters that actually do a decent job in showing off development, and besides being amused by her twin-tail antics, I’m awaiting to see how they’re going to fit her role in the story; I think its a matter of time before Eiriri gets her own story to portray, showing why she decides to hide her otaku hobbies at school, possibly explain why she fell in love with Tomoya, etc. In itself, compared to how she was described in the first episode, just like Utaha, she’s not the kind of girl that people thought she would be and that selfish side of her gives her the opportunity for improvement as the story goes on and makes her interactions with Utaha even more hilarious and fresh. (A little off topic, for me tsundere are either a hit or miss, seeing as the archetype has the potential to either be touching and amusing or cheesy and annoying, which for now I like Eiriri, especially with her twin-tail attacks)
https://randomc.net/image/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2003.jpg
Heh. The seiyuus of these two characters are the seiyuus of Haruki and Setsuna in White Album 2, Takahiro Mizushima and Madoka Yonezawa. Knowing who the author of Saekano is and given the dialogue here, it’s surely intentional that they were casted here. Bravo A-1.
https://randomc.net/image/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2016.jpg
I’m curious as to why Utaha emphasized the word “shoujo” in that final talk of hers around this part. That and Tomoya reacting to the word “ethical” with that slight flashback and I’m more interested to know about their past.
https://randomc.net/image/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2014.jpg
I would guess that her novel getting a sales boost because of being in Aki’s blog is what made Utaha interested in him. Though I doubt that’s all and it seems pretty shallow a reason for her to fall for him. Definitely interested in this and I hope we get some info later on.
haha then my suspicion is confirmed. i’ve been thinking from where those two characters are from. hearing the dialogue and the seiyuu quickly got me thinking white album 2, so i was right after all
Nice observation! Although the girl leaving her love in order to pursue her dreams fit’s Kazusa more than Setsuna.
https://randomc.net/image/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2020.jpg
Alpha and Beta strikes again!
Megumi Kato is the evil boss type character that players have to defeat
https://randomc.net/image/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2035.jpg
Something about this part really ticked me off. How dare he dictate another person’s life??
It can be painful to watch Tomoya at times true but I believe that’s one of the show’s more interesting parts(when interacting with Megumi of course), as long as it maintain’s it’s self-awareness.
i think this is saekano’s way of taking a dig at many otaku today
It was hilarious watching them take the piss out of otaku.
Hmmmm… where are you getting the idea that Utaha feels disdain for the “unwashed masses” of her readers? I can’t remember anything in the anime (or manga) to justify this conclusion?
About the “sappiness” of the Koisuru Metronome story: This one is going to actually be very relevant. Let’s wait and see on this one.
Well, she calls them ‘plebs’ in my subs, and she seemed to have very little interest in marketing her new book to them. Perhaps ‘disdain’ is a bit strong; she’s aloof in general.
I had serious case of LOL few times during the episode:
-random background characters overwhelming heroine in the train ride – from some tired salaryman to elderly oba-san…
-Utaha insta-sleep mode and tons of energizers brought to keep her conscious
-Utaha blurting out cynical lines that in no way were possible to be released
-…but then declaring heartwarming “joy of writing for you” (is it that she is writing for Tomoya? or is she being tsundere towards wider audience?)
-Eriri making major tsundere scene of joining into circle, only to be immediately called out on it by Utaha
-twin-tails slapstick comedy
-the duel of creative personalities spilling from whiteboard into facewritings…
-Tomoya being totally delusional about Katou “dating” her cousin and then gleefully accepting her “not-dating” him. Most obnoxious case of double standards ever!
The last one, though, is kinda creepy because it lampshades otaku “waifu” mentality that all too often spills from characters towards real persons and whatsnot…
That last scene, it’s all according to plan xD
So one of the things people have a problem with this episode is Tomoya’s crazy otaku banter.
You all realize that’s the point and is entirely intentional, right? The fact that the show itself points out Tomoya’s geek-ness proves it.
And despite that, Tomoya isn’t half as crazy as some real-life otaku are scary.
Man, Megumi’s cousin just got totally NTR’d…
Tomoya’s “pure heroine” complex was very disturbing/disgusting. Expecting a girl to remain single and dateless before meeting her one true love is total BS. I dissapointed that Megumi didn’t give it a royal smackdown, but hopefully next episode.
Megumi’s definitely got a thing for Tomoya. Could she have planned it all? Intentionally brought her cousin to his workplace, and then mentioned the shopping trip to get him to interfere? Food for thought…
If your theory about Megumi is true, then her stealth powers are even more fearsome than I’ve been led to believe.
All of a sudden, I have this image of Megumi being a full-blown “tactical genius”–when it comes to love, at least.
“Just as planned.”
https://randomc.net/image/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2024.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2025.jpg
Jigglypuff, is that you?!
The cousin got screentime too bad in tomoya flashback.
https://randomc.net/image/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2028.jpg
Gotta love how Megumi is just there in the room with everyone at the end there after things are more or less said and done, lol. You don’t see her open the door, walk in, and quietly sit down with no one noticing, but rather it’s completely focused on everyone else and she’s just there in the scene when it finally “looks away” from them.
Anyway, so much Utaha! <3 Only need Michiru to show up now. (Ironic how Tomoya acts about the whole cousin issue when Michiru is his own cousin, lol.)
But yeah, as I mentioned on animesuki, and not to insult anyone or the people in general (*prepares for down-votes*), but it feels like Tomoya is sort of play on what Miyazaki had said in an interview about otakus "destroying the industry".
Megumi didn’t need to open the door, walk in or sit down. She was already sitting in the room when Eriri shows up. You can see Megumi with her phone when Eriri heads over to the front of the classroom.
I missed it the first time around as well. I had to go back to see when Megumi entered the room.
Otakus is not a word, even if you are speaking of a whole herd.
Still no history of Megumi Kato, anyway Hocmeister’s idea has something in common with my idea.
Here is Megumi Kato’s plan “Otaku no boi furendo wo hassei sa seru hourou” ~~~ How to raise an otaku Boyfriend。
episode 0) Eriri hitting her own traumatic button seems implying something regarding Tomo’s relationship with his heroine “Although Tomoya is still dumb with Kato’s plan”.
Recaps of Megumi Kato plan
episode 1) The way she dress during that time to get Tomoya notice her. She’s been always around Tomoya for a very long time.
episode 2) Her passiveness and allowing Tomoya in the driver’s seat, since she barely show any resistance and just accepts everything as a whole as if Tomoya is caught in something. A girl won’t stay all nighter with a guy unless she has feelings for him.
episode 3) Right after joining a club, she planned that fake trip to Hokkaido, got the two girls also involved in helping her out, although the great plotmaker seems got the gist all along.
episode 4) As if its not enough, she check Tomoya’s every workplace and decides to bring her cousin along and even mention about some shopping to make some progress with Tomoya and Tomoya fell for it.
That’s a conspiracy!!! I don’t believe in conspiracies
Also, to tomoya.
Why don’t you fvck of and mind your own business you dipshwat!
I agree. Megumi is subtly and expertly working him.
I’m not so sure that everything you mentioned is engineered by her but, the story has her make excellent use of the opportunity when it presents itself.
I’M SAYING THIS NOW TO THE PEOPLE WHO STILL DOESN’T WATCH THIS SERIES YET,I heavily recommend this series to everyone(coming from a guy who really hates harem so much but still try to take the 3 ep. test due to its potential)and also this series (FOR ME) is ONE of the best shows that I watch this winter season. First the way they throw some cliches on each part of the episode is fantastic like the scene where one of the characters complain about Eriri acting like some generic tsundere character and also in Ep.0 where they talk about some shows who throws some fanservice and here’s the irony, they instantly throw some random fanservice too because we expect this series to be a generic harem series but when the Ep.1 was shown, this show throws its true colors, no fanservice or random generic harem scenes that almost all people expect, plus the random personalities of the characters makes this series lovable. I mean the characters of this series (and also the creators of this series) are also self aware of what’s happening in this series so far reaching to the point where they throw the cliches of a specific genre or thing to the audience be like throwing some shit to our expectations which makes this series enjoyable and fun like in one scene where Utaha said to Tomoya that continue to be a “consumer pig” which throws this line to us otaku people(and also to the weab*slaps*). I think due to the fact that the author of this LN is also the writer of this anime series itself that makes the execution of the series so far perfect.Second, the way they use some random color palette on some random scenes is great showing some creativity and some Monogatari atmosphere, plus the animation quality is awesome. Again I’m saying this again, I really really enjoying this series so far that I also recommend this to those who still plans to start this series, I think this is the REAL HIDDEN GEM of this winter season due to the fact that some people judge this by its genre (yeah too many harem shows this season).
Randomness:
https://randomc.net/image/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2008.jpg
Tomoya’s tsundere side strikes again especially on the after credits part.
https://randomc.net/image/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata/Saenai%20Heroine%20no%20Sodatekata%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2022.jpg
I think I can relate to this scene where I don’t have any talents to do that task that my groupmates always command me to buy some foods and stuff.
In short, Saekano is a critic to otaku lifestyle and generic harem anime
Ethics kun is explained in the zero or first ep, is a wordplay from his name iirc.
While that did come up, the way he reacted when Megumi said the word “ethics” implies that there’s more to that story.
Gotta love megumi kato here. I mean come on. There are 4(FOUR) girls for 1 guy here. And Kato doesn’t even have to act “high and mighty” + “jealouse” + “anime sterotype” to get her “evil plan” works on Tomoya:D.
And there is something else about megumi kato here. If you want to get someone falling into your “evil trap”; KEEP CALM, observe, and play it naturally, without having to mimic hyper-tsundere, hyper-elegant, hyper-cool, hyper-M, hyper-S, and hyper-whatever trait. Snatch the prey when the others are fighting amongst themselves!:D