Aho Girl / First Impressions

OP1.04 Sequence

OP: 「全力☆Summer!」 Zenryoku☆Summer! by Angela

「入！アホガール」 (Totsunyuu! Aho gaaru)
“Charge! Aho Girl!”

Yoshiko’s conquest to spread her parasitic idiocy continues at a rapid pace as the fruits of her labor begin to ripen. Episode 3 solidifies the idea that Yoshiko is much smarter than she lets on, but her wits are applied solely on wrapping her friends, colleagues, and teachers around her finger. The mind game she played on her teacher, Atsuko (Satou Rina), hints towards her sociopathy, using her singleness as a way to prod at her for bothering to interpret the message of a story. It was a segment that made me laugh specifically because of my experience with how convoluted it can get in how many ways you can interpret a story’s theme and message. The author of Aho Girl definitely had some critical analysis classes that drove them crazy. If you really want to get meta, reading Aho Girl as a psychological thriller like I am at the moment is just one of the many ways to read the text.

What I know for certain, however, is that Yoshiko may have slacked on her readings, but picked up the theme of the story enough so that she was able to use the couple in the story’s feelings as a way to hit Atsuko’s weak spot. Those of us who were conditioned to conduct critical analysis on everything are taught that there is no wrong answer in reading a text except for not reading it at all. While Yoshiko didn’t put the work into reading and writing out the assignment, she still technically did the assignment; it was just done as a way to verbally reduce Atsuko to a blubbering mess who only wants someone to show her love, even if it’s Akuru.

Her lasting effects on Ryuuichi are felt the hardest in this episode as he spends a majority of the episode being trained to be Akuru’s lapdog. Because his concept of friendship is centered around obedience, Yoshiko takes advantage of this by conditioning him to worship the ground Akuru stands on. He’s oblivious as to what any of this means, and just assumes she’s teaching him social skills, but that only gave her carte blanche to teach him how to genuflect towards his new master. Additionally, the little boys caught on that their friend Nozomi looks up to Yoshiko way too much. The scene where Yoshiko takes it upon herself to interfere with a department store hero show goes from being a goofy segment about the kids keeping her out of trouble, to a thriller where the boys must be the ones to protect Nozomi as she is further influenced by Yoshiko’s worst habits.

To see Yoshiko as a puppetmaster in having those around her behave as she’d like isn’t too farfetched, but she also excels at bringing out the worst in the people around her. In the last segment, she enables the Public Morals Chairwoman to join her in breaking into Akuru’s room at night under the guise of giving him a birthday surprise. This surprise, however, revolves around digging in his boxer drawer and fighting to lay down next to him. Despite accidentally gives Ruri the basics of CQC, the Chairwoman redirects her attention towards Akuru’s sleeping bag as soon as she sees Yoshiko made herself comfy next to him. Yoshiko enabling the Chairwoman’s Akuru addiction also manifests into what makes Sayaka throw a fit at everyone. It was hilarious how even with Akuru staring daggers at everyone for breaking into his room, he still brings himself to feel sorry for Sayaka after she gets pissed at the girls for giving her more trouble to deal with.

Aho Girl is still as funny as it’s ever been, but I feel like as the show goes on, Yoshiko is developing into a fascinating character for how much influence she has over the cast. When the show goes beyond just having her be silly, it goes deep into just how far Yoshiko pushes those around her to the edge. What appeared to be a show with a one-note premise of a stupid girl that loves bananas is shaping up to be a journey of how many lives this girl will have control over by the last episode.

21 Comments

  1. This is why I always take the “There are no wrong answers, only dumb ones” approach when I teach literary critical analysis classes.

    That said, I think the most terrifying thing in anime I’ve seen this month is a little girl idolize this idiot.

    Sayaka is best girl imo. Mostly for being both adorable AND sane.

    JohnPeacekeeper
    Reply

    1. That was the approach I took when I was a TA. It’s all your own interpretation, so there is no way you can screw up this paper unless you’re deliberately going under the word count or neglect to write a thesis statement. And there’s no need for outside sources, but if you must, at least put in a works cited page!

      It’s offputting how much I can relate to some of these anime teachers. I had an awful moment recently when Kawakami in Persona 5 mentioned how students kept misusing the phrase “couldn’t care less” by saying “could” instead. Rather than feeling lucky that I didn’t do that, I was thinking “I know, right!? So many grammatical errors to comb through…”. I smiled too much about being on the same wavelength.

      The fact that the little girl segment is framed as the boys desperately trying to save her from Yoshiko’s web of influence made it end on a terrifying note.

      I’m glad that Sayaka ended up being such a great character. I was worried she’d be ignored for not being zany, but her reactions to being constantly roped into Yoshiko’s nonsense have been wonderful.

      Choya
      Reply

  3. Yoshiko seems more like the broken clock being right twice a day than a person who is in any way smart. I have a really hard time believing that her treatment of the teacher and the yankee were calculated, given her full throttle idiocy in literally every other part of the show.

    Lorp
    Reply

    1. I’m with you on the teacher since she spontaneously hit a sore spot for her. But the delinquent seemed more planned out since it was a lesson plan that she had for him to get him on good terms with Akuru.

      I agree in a sense that Yoshiko’s mindset only focuses on what is happening at the moment so she doesn’t have the chops to be that methodical. The only thing I’d say is that Yoshiko is so caught up in wanting to play that her motive for driving those around her crazy is either to give herself a free pass to play or to get them to join her.

      Choya
      Reply

  6. God, the sneaking into Akkun’s room must be the best of the trio yet. I can’t stop laughing at how much Sayaka is covering up for them, how surprisingly horny the Prez is and how unsurprisingly that idiot is behaving in someone’s bedroom lol

    Kaineng
    Reply

    1. All while he’s sleeping. Yoshiko and the Prez couldn’t take any hints at all about staying quiet or calm when their impulses drive them towards being as disruptive as possible while Sayaka’s tearing her hair out.

      Choya
      Reply

    1. Poor sensei wasn’t equipped to handle Yoshiko’s weapons-grade idiocy.

      The power of Akuru’s fists must not be that compelling if they only conditioned the delinquent and Yoshiko to be worse.

      Choya
      Reply

  8. >Do something a little bit stupid.
    >Head bashed by childhood friend.
    >Concussion, slightly brain damaged.
    >Becomes slightly more stupid.
    >Back to step one ad infinitum.

    Remember guys, don’t bash someone’s head just because they did something stupid, it will damage their brain and made them even more stupid…

    cryarc
    Reply

    1. If Ryuuichi’s transition from delinquent to doormat is of any indication, the long-lasting effects of repeated headbashing is only amplifying Yoshiko’s behavior.

      Choya
      Reply

    1. Yoshiko has gained 3 bananas. Yoshiko can now learn the move Reading. Should an old move be forgotten and replaced with Reading?
      YES
      > NO

      True, I like how even with Sayaka and Ruri as the only ones who are still normal after everything they’re put through, they’re still very funny characters

      Choya
      Reply

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