First Impressions / Yuruyuri

「あーと☆あーたー☆あーちすと」 (Aato☆Aataa☆Aachisuto)
“Art☆Arter☆Artist”

Wow, they won’t even let Akari have her short opening message anymore. This is really verging on trolling levels thanks to Kyouko. It’s one thing to joke about how Akari has no presence; it’s downright cruel to take it away from her. It’s probably not much reconciliation when everyone busts out”cute” (i.e. creepy) faces and Akari somehow winds up with a butt-ugly one. (I still wince every time I look at that picture.) On the plus side, she did get some attention playing with clay, even though it degenerated to another troll-fest before long. Poor Akari. It’s not even a figure of speech when I say the world is out to get her.

The highlight of the entire episode was undoubtedly Kyouko seizing an opportunity to finally get Chinatsu in a Mirakurun cosplay, which was all-too reminiscent of another pink-haired girl in Oreimo. Chinatsu even acted like a grumpy, chain-smoking alcoholic when Yui’s relative Mari (Uchida Maaya) was gone, much like Kanako did after she got off stage. The similarities alone made Chinatsu’s misfortune a lot of fun to watch, and Mari pretty much sealed the deal on it by getting disillusioned at the very end.

Unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing about Chinatsu’s drawings from hell. Some people may consider it art, but images of Kobayashi Yuu’s drawings came to mind. The first time I saw her drawings, I thought she was just messing with everyone to try and get a reaction out of them. Not too long after, it became painfully obvious that that’s actually how she draws and it wasn’t the least bit funny anymore. In fact, it’s pretty unsettling how a normal sweet-looking girl has a hand possessed by Satan. Much like Chinatsu, she instinctively draws with black and red too, making whatever she’s trying to draw look like a scene of a massacre. I still remember the look on the faces of other seiyuu who were on television specials with Yuu, which weren’t too different from Yui and Kyouko’s. A quick online search of “Kobayashi Yuu drawings” will show you exactly what I’m talking about. I really really don’t want to re-post her drawings. *shudder*

Drawings from hell notwithstanding, I love how Kyouko staked a claim on Yui in her doujinshi and provoked the jealous wrath of Chinatsu. It’s just too bad Chinatsu didn’t take Kyouko up on her offer to let her ravage her instead, because I already had some S&M yuri scenarios in mind. In lieu, I did get a kick out of Chinatsu’s bipolar personality when it comes to Kyouko and Yui. It’s an ongoing gag that the series has been playing up in the past while, but only now did it really emphasize how impure Chinatsu’s thoughts are. For those who have seen Seikon no Qwaser, she reminds me a lot of Hana and her aggressive stance toward Katja, except Yuruyuri has stayed clear of all the lesbian S&M (for the time being anyway). If Chinatsu’s fantasy was any indication, things can probably head that way fairly easily though. I’m sure she’d love the prospect of being (wo)manhandled by Yui. I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing it either.

* Amazingly enough, I only had one full-length shot to put together this week.

 

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31 Comments

  2. These are some exceptionally dirty minded girls. Just where did Kyouko learn about Haigure? And what else did she learn there?

    Anyway, after last episode, its no surprise to learn that yes, Chinatsu is indeed rotten inside, but that makes her a far, far more interesting character than she was before.

    And speaking of yuri S&M, my personal preference is Chinatsu dominating and mind-breaking Akari. Not that Akari might not have experience with that already…

    Fencedude
    Reply

  3. Honestly, after last episode, how can anyone consider Chinatsu a “normal sweet-looking” girl. Finally getting her in Mirakurun cosplay was unexpected. At first I thought it was one of those things that would keep Kyouko obsessed till the end of the anime. Kobayashi Yuu’s drawings is getting her special attention as a VA, so I guess it works for her. Chinatsu on the other hand…

    I love the preschool kids in this anime. First we had Himawari’s sister last episode, now we have Mari. Would love an episode that focus on these two 😛

    x
    Reply

  4. lol @ drawings from hell…
    I love how Yui is only person trying to keep her sanity intact…
    And poor Akarin, gets even her starting scene taken away plus has her hairbuns “stolen”.
    My shipping pairings are set as Yui X Kyoko (after seeing the childhood sleepover scene) and Chinatsu X Akarin (after the forced kiss)…

    ewok40k
    Reply

    1. same for me. this ep gave me more proof for yuiXkyouko to happen. chinatsuXakarin is only jointly because it’ll get rid of an obstacle and I still dont really see the romance enough between them(even with the kiss, since it wasnt brought up).

      and I found kyouko’s clay sculptures hilarious, both for akarin and chinatsu.

      amado
      Reply

    2. Me too 😀 I’ve always liked the subtle bond between them although it gets swept under the rug pretty often whenever Chitose switches to full-mode fantasizing xD

      AkarixChinatsu sounds only logical to me. They are often stuck together in the manga and in the anime.

      Looking forward to the Yui/Ayano “date” next week LOL

      anon
      Reply

    1. Yui showed some Mio tendencies in this episode. When she got embarrassed in the beginning and when she hugged the pillow because she was so horrified by Chinatsu’s drawing.

      blub
      Reply

    2. Actually, I like Chinatsu more. She’s a little weirder but we finally got to see a bit of her personality as well. And I don’t know anybody who would go out in public dressed as Mirakurun the way she did. She deserves kudos for that even if she did rationalise it with her delusions. I think most adults would have groaned a bit once they thought Mari was out of the room.

      I wonder what was in the drawings of hers that they didn’t show. The ones we saw were madness.

      Mockman
      Reply

      1. I know some people who would do that in public. Some do enjoy this stuff. I know even more who will gladly do this for kids (and not groan about it afterwards). 😛 Though I must say that they should give Mari more credit. I’m sure she would have understood and accepted it well if they told her the truth. Though I suppose it would be harder to force Chinatsu to dress as Mirakurun (Miracle-un?) without the excuse of tricking Mari. Then again, it might not, given how she reacted to Mari’s requests.

        x
        Reply

  7. awww Mari was so cute, and the way Chinatsu acted really destroyed her image for me. I’m sorta disappointed that they left what happened last week alone. I mean normally speak considering what Chinatsu pulled on Akari, the poor girl should be terrified of her. Oh well still hoping to see the Onee-Chan in the remaining 6 episodes.

    gawrshness
    Reply

  8. Ok, two things.Back in episode three the show kind of hit a serious note when Kyouko stayed over at Yui’s house for the night. It kind of had me thinking there might be something going on that was not a joke. Like why Yui’s parents would just let a middle schooler live by herself.

    Secondly didn’t last weeks episode end with chinatsu kissing Akari. Seems like kind of an important point in the story, it was not even flash backed to this week.

    Seven
    Reply

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