Amagami SS / First Impressions

OP2 Sequence

OP2: 「君のままで」 (Kimi no Mama de) by azusa
Watch the 2nd OP!: Download, Streaming ▼

「七咲逢編 第二章 トキメキ」 (Nanasaki Ai-hen Dai Nishou – Tokimeki)
“Nanasaki Ai Chapter 2 – Throbbing”

Despite the high probability of seeing a new opening in a two-cour series, I admittedly wasn’t expecting one with Amagami SS due to the unique endings every arc. That’s not to say I’m not grateful for it, as all the girls look great in the sequence. It also happens to feature Nanasaki Ai at the very end since we’re currently on her arc. The actual second episode in her arc was a bit weird though. To start, it was pretty cool to see Kaoru tag along with Junichi and Umehara to check out the cute girl working in the library (appropriately played by Hanazawa Kana), during which Ai got a taste of our male protagonist’s unsightly side. Subsequently, that led to her having an improved opinion about him just because he happens to be good at math, plus showed us a very suspect side of the class president, Ayatsuji Tsukasa, who people have already suggested is not quite as she seems. The real awkwardness began when Junichi started reconsidering why he didn’t take the Nakata Sae route again, in light of the first-hand account by Miya on what he’s missing out on. At that point, I would’ve figured that everyone would start questioning what kind of relationship the Tachibana siblings have, but Ai was actually displeased over how her bust size was looked down upon. That insensitive bastard doesn’t deserve her.

To his credit, he made good on highlighting the appeal of a swimmer’s body like Ai’s, but had to do it in the most embarrassing way ever on his hands and knees in front of her entire club. And here I thought he had totally messed up with Ai. It’s amazing how quickly 2D girls look past such an obvious insensitive screw up, to the point that Ai would actually find that earnest childish part of Junichi endearing. (The heck!?) I wonder if she’d feel the same way if she found out this is the same person who was checking out his hot teacher and giving indication that he might be a bit of a closet masochist too. In any case, the last bit with the “grasshopper action belt” that Ai wanted to give to Junichi was odd to say the least. It’s a pretty weird gesture even if her brother Ikuo didn’t care for last year’s toys. Granted, I wouldn’t be able to turn down any gift that Ai would have, but I could have done without “Instructor Junichi” resurfacing to show her how to use it. Needless to say, awkward stuff. I would’ve been more okay with some kinky kissing, particularly given how it’s Ai this time around. Maybe we’ll get to that next time, since it looks like we’re in store for a date between the two of them. I’m still waiting for the moment that Ai loosens up around Junichi with her polite Japanese.

* I couldn’t help but think of Kaoru’s arc when I saw the Port Tower in the background.

 

Preview

44 Comments

  1. For Ai-Chan!!!!!!! I’m liking this Junichi a bit. He’s a bit more reliable, despite being a pervert. And please don’t get mad, but is this another log in the Diaries of Divine XP.

    Yay for Ai-chan being so cute!

    Sora no Kaze
    Reply

  2. XD it’s AMAGAMI once again! XD i’ve been actually waiting for this post.and i guess, it ain’t much of divine’s love diary entry unlike the previous one.LOL. tower? yeah me too. it just shows how memorable that tower scene is.

    keiOnDaisuki
    Reply

  4. Well this episode was interesting but it did not live up to what I was expecting from it. I guess that I was expecting something on the kinky side, especially since Ai was willing to show him what was under her skirt last time.

    Also I’m interested in the glare that Tsukasa and Ai shared in the library. What’s up with that? And from the screenshot for the next episode, I’m also interested in what she is looking at. Is she Jealous?

    ClementIV
    Reply

  6. Teasing us with Haruka, Kaouru and Sae is pointless, their arcs are over… OVER MAN!!! snif*

    I fear that there will be no kinky water storage room… snif*

    I was moved when Ai’s expression changed when she thought Junichi was not going to accept the toy.

    Why Ayatsuji and Ai exchanged cold stares???

    Lectro Volpi
    Reply

    2. I’ve noticed the sparkles fly almost… I’ve heard Ayatsuji has been hiding quite aggressive personality under the cover of “prim and proper class rep”, cant wait to her arc too… but for now lets enjoy the swimwear 🙂

      ewok40k
      Reply

    3. yeah, I was thinking about the class rep as well… but why is she messing around here? lol… this is supposed to be a romance series, not a mystery one… 🙂

      Thanks Nhelraios 🙂

      jrj
      Reply

  10. Yeah, I was waiting on this after the week break. And as I stated before in the IRC channel I frequent “Why didn’t they do this right after the Sae arc?” They could have taken that week off before Ai’s arc started and they could’ve started Ai’s arc with this new OP.

    Makes me wonder what the broadcasters were thinking. Don’t they have a proper sense of scheduling?

    TehJawknee
    Reply

    1. With that said, I’m quite pleased at how Hibiki turned from overprotective fearless leader to understanding mother hen. I somewhat wish she’d been one of our heroines, but alas, it is not meant to be.

      TehJawknee
      Reply

  14. The belt part was awesome, TK voice: “MASK THUNDER KICK.”

    And the new op pales in comparison to the first engrish one (hey, it doesn’t have to make sense to be catchy), especially when you see Haruka dancing like the drunkard/crazy lady she is.

    Dawn
    Reply

  17. Touko > Hibiki > all the heroines.

    I seriously still cannot see any redeeming feature in Junichi at all so I don’t get what they see in him that makes them attracted to him. Though that’s probably just my point of view as a guy…

    NanoNano
    Reply

    1. It’s anime, what do you expect. Personally, he’s at least a bit more reliable this arc, as he should be, cause I would be annoyed if he wasn’t. At least he isn’t like the guy from School Days. God that would be bad.

      Yeah though, It would have been nice to see Hibiki have her own arc.

      Sora no Kaze
      Reply

      1. One thing about School Days though… and you’re going to hate yourself when you admit it… it was written very well. When you can hate the main character with so much passion that the end is justifiable, it means the writers did their job.

        TehJawknee
        Reply

      1. HARUKA> ALL.

        LOL.

        nwei, i think tsukasa and ai were childhoodfriends secretly? but they had some serious misunderstanding that caused them to act like that in the ep.XDDD so random~ my thoughts that is.

        keiOnDaisuki
        Reply

  18. hawt teacher has hawt legz…
    Miya is scoring pervy imouto points again!
    Hibiki seriously might steer the other way – maybe thats why she escaped being inducted into harem… though shes one cool sempai, to be sure.
    and the way to “apologize” to Ai was so wrong that I cant even imagine how any girl could take it in a good way…

    ewok40k
    Reply

    2. yeah,.and i thought the teacher looked a bit like rukia.XD
      AAHH!! MY MIYA! x3
      nwei,you meant,you sense some yuri potential from hibiki? LOL. if so,me too.XDD in my fantasy, she ends up with haruka XD *killed*

      keiOnDaisuki
      Reply

  21. Hanazawa Kana in Amagami was unexpected, though they could have at least shown the library girl’s face (I mean, one more cute girl is always welcome). ^^

    As for the episode, looks like Junichi is still Junichi no matter what route he takes. His true color was just a lot more visible in Sae’s arc, when he was (How should I put this delicately?) on “top” of things. Anyway, his apology was indeed very embarrassing though pulling them off definitely took some balls. Still, I didn’t expect Ai to change gears that easily, I was kinda hoping for a some cold treatment for Junichi before the reward of sharing another sunset with her again.

    Jaden
    Reply

  25. After a week-long hiatus, we’re finally back on track. Yeah!

    The new song will take some getting used to, especially when the already WAFF-y “i LOVE” has been stuck in viewers’ heads for the past 13 episodes. (Not that the new song isn’t WAFF-y in its own way…)

    And the cute library girl was voiced by Kana Hanazawa (a.k.a.: “She of the perverted seiyuu jokes”)? Wait, what?

    Why didn’t they show her face, you ask? Besides being a possible cameo from another series, HNNNNNNG-worthy voice + cute face = ensemble darkhorse. And I’m sure we have enough ensemble darkhorses in this series. (Kaoru, Miya, Hibiki…)

    Anyway, I like how Junichi still tries to be the reliable guy taking the lead in the relationship with a younger girl (like the Sae arc), but this time the younger girl is not naive and knows when the guy is going too far. (Death glare of jealousy, anyone?) And Ai is definitely becoming more interesting (and intriguing) with each scene. Unfortunately, this only makes me more impatient for this arc’s kinky kissing scene.

    That said, I’ve also checked out Amagami: Precious Diary and thanks to it, I’m now more excited to see Tsukasa’s arc. Her “bitch in sheep’s clothing” description may have dampened my enthusiasm to see her arc at first, but after reading the manga, it turns out her “dere” side is just…HNNNNNNG! I’ll still do some research on Amagami: Love Goes On though.

    Incognito
    Reply

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