Amagami SS / First Impressions

「七咲逢編 第三章 ヘンシン」 (Nanasaki Ai-hen Dai San-shou – Henshin)
“Nanasaki Ai Chapter 3 – Transformation”

I think I just watched some “ramen porn”, whatever the heck that means. Aside from some surreal vibes during Junichi and Ai’s date at the amusement park, this episode also showcased an emotional side to the story not yet seen in the three arcs prior. Out of all the girls seen thus far, Ai doesn’t seem like an obvious candidate for the first one to shed some tears, yet is also the most obvious one at the same time given her cool exterior. As such, when I saw her running from Hibiki to hide her disappointment over not earning a spot in the next swimming meet, I was a bit caught off guard by how things unfolded. For one, Ai’s the first character to get an insert song to add more emotion to one of her scenes (titled “minamo”), which is aptly performed by Yukana as well. Making good use of it, Junichi actually dove into the pool after her like I was hoping he would, which arguably made him the most respectable Junichi to date. This was after the kiss Ai gave him on a swing following their date as well, so he was likely all confused on what to make of her when she acted relatively indifferent about it. From the viewer’s perspective, the answer is pretty obvious. In Junichi’s shoes, not so much.

Admittedly, I’m still at a bit of a loss on what to make of all of the weird encounters Junichi experienced in the haunted house. This includes Kaoru dressed as a guy with Keiko, a childhood version of Tsukasa who turned out to be a ghost, and the aforementioned “ramen porn” with Ai getting buttered and eaten up by Junichi. (Mmm, a buttered up Ai.) In any case, I really like the unassuming progression that this episode took, as it allowed their first kiss to creep up on us. With the way Ai was rocking the swing back and forth on top of Junichi, her kiss wasn’t the only thing that crept up either. That red sweater dress she was wearing that showed just the right amount of “absolute territory” was almost criminal in my eyes, but my jaw dropped a bit when she figured that straddling his lap was better than potentially letting him see up her dress. Straddling his lap, facing him. If that wasn’t a tip-off that you should get the kids out of the room, then I don’t know what is. As my now infamous “diary” on Ai already mentioned, it’s that girlish side of her cool exterior that makes her something special. Comparing the way she acted around Junichi when they first met to the way she does now highlights the two ends of the spectrum and goes on to reiterate why I have a soft spot for her character stereotype.

With their first kiss already in the bag, it’ll be interesting to see where the eventual Christmas episode to wrap things up takes us. These two are already ahead of the curve if the other routes are any sort of a guideline, but I’d be lying if I said I was expecting a mixed onsen scene to take their relationship to the next level. Does everyone see why Ai is awesome now? She knows how to take the initiative!

 

Preview

60 Comments

  1. That first half with the haunted house was indeed strange. Having read the manga, I was hoping for that pool scene. They should’ve kissed there. A great episode nonetheless – can’t wait for the final 😀

    Antoine
    Reply

  6. Can’t wait to see how this arc will end. The best arc for me so far. Lets see how Tsukasa’s will be. BTW Divine, I think the image you linked for “when they first met” is wrong.

    inter4ever
    Reply

  10. So Haruka was the back of the knee.
    Kaoru had the bellybutton.
    Sae had her feet done by the fish.
    and Ai had her finger kissed.

    Talk about strange places, indeed.

    This made for an awesome episode. I guess whatever mist the mummy at the start of the place sprayed was what made them both trip. Also Kaoru as a dude was funny.

    TehJawknee
    Reply

  16. Well, like I said previously, totally Hibiki fan here!

    Nanasaki vs Hibiki, love them both!

    Though when I first watched the haunted house, I was going like “huh?!?” there too. Thought it was Ayasugi’s little sister instead of her in child form. I wasn’t sure whether I was watching the right show at that time with all that illusionary psi-fi stuff. I want to go to a Japanese haunted house now, seems fun. Oh, and the pharoah getting up rocking the entire building, that’s epic. How much money do they spent on attractions like those?

    TheNewHorde
    Reply

  17. That swing scene pwnz all others. Seriously, Ai officially wins. Plus she’s tight with Hibiki, so extra points by association!

    Even more, next time we get the hot-spring scene!! Awesome!

    Aex
    Reply

  19. The first part was kind of weird, but overall it was a great episode. It seems like they are not going to the shed scene from the manga, I think that it would have made a great addition to this arc considering Ai’s personality.

    I kind of wish there were another two episodes left, so they could expand the story some more but I would be happy if they added a time lapse like in the first arc to see how they live in the future.

    ClementIV
    Reply

  20. w0w what a daring kiss. the best episode i seen so far. from what i have analyse junichi already seen Tsukasa during his childhood(i havent played this yet so i dont know). i also think that the haunted house has drugs or marijuana in it.

    Croosboy
    Reply

  21. lol… the noodle part was a bit random… but really the episode is awesome!!
    love the swing kiss and the pool scene… They are great 🙂
    Junichi is still as slow as any human being can be…
    hoping for a great final for this arc… can’t wait

    jrj
    Reply

  22. Oh, I just found out that about the random part in the haunted house… that is actually a part in all girls routes… someone made videoes on NICO… Each girl in her route will transform into different things at the park… Apparently the noodle is one of the funnier ones… so that is why it is shown here 🙂

    jrj
    Reply

  26. Ai is my fave girl, now! She takes the initiative, she has vulnerable side too, and she is on a swim team. Only thing I’d love to see, but wasnt included, would be an underwater kiss in the pool…
    I have a new theory about Hibiki: she’s secretly in a relationship with someone adult. She’s just too mature to play around with boys like Junichi.
    Was the man giving out the amusement park tickets “Tge voice of the TK”?

    ewok40k
    Reply

  28. Ai is now my second fav girl!! love the way she loosens up over time.
    Haruka still being the top girl!

    btw how many girls are there in the game that the player can go after???(besides out 6 main girls)

    karnos
    Reply

  31. Hibiki is the other reason I love Ai’s arc so much, lol. (Besides Ai herself.)

    Junichi getting another fetish attack next episode, lol.

    Just sad that there’s only 1 episode left for the arc =(

    HalfDemonInuyasha
    Reply

  32. The most respectable Junichi for me was the one who skipped school looking for Kaoru the entire day, waited for her and gave her encouraging words.

    I love this series, really… but this episode was plain weird; it took off how biased I am about the show, I am starting to think rationally and from a cold perspective and I do not think this was a good episode…

    Damn, no kinky water storage room but at least we’ll have kinky Hot Springs.

    Lectro Volpi
    Reply

  34. I love this arc. I wonder if the show will be better without all of those weird (Haunted house anyone?) scenes all the time. Oh well, ending to this ep made up for it. I knew my expectations for the Ai arc wouldn’t be disappointed. Now hoping Tsukasa arc will be just as good.

    Eternal
    Reply

  36. I always thought Juinichi was high on something and the haunted house part just proves that. Dude was likely totally tripping balls man.

    and am I the only one who’s actually not very impressed with this arc? I like her character, but I don’t find it exceptionally interesting either. Sadly, the highly anticipated pool scene at the end was kind of ruined for me by the low budget animation. Juinichi was running like Mr. Game&Watch or something, which was…..really distracting (now im also worried that this might happen to the last 2 arcs).

    Ai is a sweet character and there’s no doubt about that, but her arc in anime so far? Eh not really…..which is strange because I enjoyed it in the manga too.

    Kururu
    Reply

    1. haha Mr. Game&watch, i cracked up so hard. you’ve made a valid point though.

      i get kind of bored when they throw the most random filler into these episodes (like side character cameos; really now–its ONLY 20 MINUTES, anyone with a brain can ‘improv’ some script or a romantic scene or two.)

      Dawn
      Reply

    2. Probably because the manga has the luxury of taking more time to more greatly detail development and story while anime, as said, has a much more limited time overall; episode length and series overall length (which is pre-determined, so they’re forced to work around that schedule). This is why, at least with (very) shortened manga-based anime, the manga version tends to be more enjoyable overall for a lot of people.

      Perhaps if this was…say…30-42 episodes (5-7 episodes per girl rather than just 4), then we could get more of that in there.

      HalfDemonInuyasha
      Reply

  39. The “ramen pron” sequence was…metaphorically kinky yet weird, but this episode also shows that Ai is more daring than the other girls we’ve seen so far. (Though Tsukasa could prove us wrong, not that I mind.) Just when you think you got her figured out, she throws a curve ball at you… That’s a critical strike right there. Definitely not a test kiss.

    And apparently, being a kohai and a swimming athlete aren’t the only things Ai expied from Mina Yayoi. Emotionally vulnerable side? Check.

    Anyway, this scene is either a prelude to an awesome heartwarming end to the Ai Nanasaki arc, or a good example of “Never Trust A Preview.” I’m obviously hoping for the former, with a side helping of (take your pick) Squee/WAFF/D’awwwwwwww/HNNNNNNG.

    Incognito
    Reply

  40. Ai Nanasaki exists in real life, she’s the only character among the rest of the girls have such persoanlity that you can expect from girls in real life. Figure, Attitude, and Hair. Probably born around 1992 onward.

    arigatou
    Reply

  41. Ah, they changed the pool scene in this episode. I was ok with the other original material, but i was hopping they would have left that scene intact. Just because it was both amusing and heart warming. Though the anime version was still good. Though i found it a bit off that juinchi caught up with Ai so fast in the pool…maybe he should join the school swim team.

    As for the rest of the episode goes, it was over all pretty good. Even with all the WTF moments this episode had. (Mostly during the ramen porn segment.)

    -This may just be me, but i think they were trying to imply some deep meaning behind illusions during the haunted house scene. What this meaning is or if we’ll ever know, remains to be scene. Though before i read this review, i thought Junichi was thinking back to something that occurred in the haunted house before. Like maybe he took that girl that stood him up a few years ago their before she dumped him.

    Also it appears that this arch is going to end some like the game/manga did. However, i’ve never been one to trust previews.

    Snicket
    Reply

  42. Lol… he now agrees it’s his diaries lol! Yeah that first part was so weird. So daring and taking initiative. I was actually hoping they would have a kiss in the pool, but >_>. Oh btw just to put it out there, it’s not a manga end. The manga adapted the game ending which this one is doing as well.

    Though, I would have preferred him defending her from the dog scene (like the manga). The amusement part was nice, but that part where he was tripping on “fear” if that’s even possible just made me sad. I’m sad that the next one is the last episode of Ai. Argh, I want more Ai-Chan!!!! I hope for a good ending. And yes, I totally agree with you on that arigatou. My girl exactly like that XP.

    Sora no Kaze
    Reply

  43. All hail Ai-chan!

    I’ll admit that this was a weird episode, but I can’t help wondering if Ai was also on drugs…. Most people would notice a bit quicker if someone was going to kiss your finger.

    Avalanche
    Reply

  44. I absolutely love it when male leads grab on to the stomach of the female lead and drag them in for a kiss. I think it was also used in H20? I’m not sure, my memory is failing me at the moment.

    Oh, I’m a guy. Don’t judge me because I like romantic stuff 😀

    Ayatan
    Reply

  47. @admin: I must say your site is the first I’ve come across this morning that doesn’t have spelling errors every other sentence. Thanks for taking the time to write something that doesn’t look like a 5th grader put together. I apologize, just had to vent.

    Corinna Lyall
    Reply

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