Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai / First Impressions

「奇行少女は傷つかない」 (Unbreakable Weird Girl)
“Kikou Shoujo wa Kizutsukanai”

Maybe I’m just expecting too much, but I was hoping for a much larger reaction from the Neighbor’s Club after Yozora casually revealed that she and Kodaka were childhood friends. Because when you have a group of people who overvalue the word “friendship” to the point where they can’t realize they’ve all become friends with each other, I thought it would be natural that they’d follow up this discovery of “friendship” with something equally over the top. And even though I didn’t get the reaction (or accompanying humor) I was expecting, it was a nice surprise when the episode didn’t completely shift back to its normal gag format but actually kept on rolling with the friendship theme.

If you look at Sena and Yozora, the relationship that the two share could be considered okay at best. While their intentions may not always be the same; Yozora trying to kick Sena out of Kodaka’s spotlight versus Sena’s inability to give up the grudge she has on Yozora; the pair are always at each other’s throat. But in this week’s episode I think I caught the first glimpse of the two slowly beginning to become a bit more perceptive to each other. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not crazy enough to think that either of them will leave their past behind them but with friendship being the revolving theme throughout the episode I’m hoping that this might be a signal that their horribly caustic relationship may slowly begin to change!

With all that said, I have a feeling that most of you don’t watch Haganai every week for the sappy emotional stuff. And in true Haganai form there were more than enough gags and suggestive shots to get anyone’s blood pumping. For me personally, I’ve become a big fan of everything and anything involving Rika. I’ll admit that I wasn’t fond of her in the beginning but something in season two has really changed my opinion of her. Be it those ridiculously over the top facial expressions combined with some awesome swearing or whenever she’s trying to fish compliments from Kodaka — there’s just something about her that’s really piqued my interest. And let’s not forget that she’s one of the few characters in any show that actually changes the way she looks!

Now that we’ve reached the halfway point, here’s a question I want to leave for all you readers out there — What is your favorite part of Haganai so far?

P.S. Moe Moe Kyun! There will be a clean end card cap when I find a good one.

 

Preview

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64 Comments

  1. For me personally, I’ve become a big fan of everything and anything involving Rika. I’ll admit that I wasn’t fond of her in the beginning but something in season two has really changed my opinion of her.

    It’s the glasses. She has taken off her glasses in this season. Sorry but someone had to tell you Takaii 🙂

    Voyager
    Reply

    2. Not just the glasses… The change in hairstyles, the change in hair color, and heck even the change in personality! Rika is becoming a main contender of the main female lead whom used to belong entirely with Yozora and Sena, despite the fact that it’s supposed to be a harem, it’s always those two whom was taking the spotlight in the first season. Now it’s Rika’s turn! And I gotta say, I’m LOVING IT!

      Ryner
      Reply

    3. Rika’s hair completely defies continuity error – last episode she dyed her hair blonde and goes straight back to brown hair after he gives the time machine to Kodaka

      https://randomc.net/image/Boku%20wa%20Tomodachi%20ga%20Sukunai/Boku%20wa%20Tomodachi%20ga%20Sukunai%20NEXT%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2011.jpg

      https://randomc.net/image/Boku%20wa%20Tomodachi%20ga%20Sukunai/Boku%20wa%20Tomodachi%20ga%20Sukunai%20NEXT%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2025.jpg

      https://randomc.net/image/Boku%20wa%20Tomodachi%20ga%20Sukunai/Boku%20wa%20Tomodachi%20ga%20Sukunai%20NEXT%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2032.jpg

      ActuallyIsDonald
      Reply

    1. Inb4 shitstorm at a overall good natured character.
      Yozora realised that Meat will just embarrass herself with a little push and is tricking her to learn not to be so gullible in future but went too far. She later gets closer to Kobato due to Kobato helping cheer up Sena after her trick.
      And again, most fans will be surprised at what happens when Rika gets seriously angry later!
      Looking forward to it.

      D
      Reply

    3. Yozora is seriously mean and broken. She will not win Kodaka’s heart with that attitude. Who would want to date a girl thats meaner then a one eyed junkyard dog? She needs to evolve into a better person.

      Karmafan
      Reply

      1. Lol, I’d hire her as part of my management staff (If I had a controlling share in some major corporation). That sort of mean manipulativeness is just what you need to keep lazy employees in line…XP

        Zen
        Reply

    4. I too prefer a level headed girl that acts subtly and aggressively at times to get what she wants, rather than a girl that believes beyond all doubt that the world revolves around her.
      I personally find the way Yozora treasures friendship above all else endearing, which leads to her confusion with wanting to rekindle the old friendship with Kodaka and sparking up a new romance.
      More random Yozora goodness:
      http://i.imgur.com/Bu8y7HN.jpg
      http://i.imgur.com/m5xPdwR.jpg
      http://i.imgur.com/kVeGtt9.jpg

      Atrum
      Reply

  6. Well, Yozora skillfully disarmed the bomb of the “childhood friends” revelation, to be sure. It was her acting like that was nothing important that made people stop questions.
    Meido impressions from all the girls were excellent, though, from “megatsun meido” by Rika, thru “megadere meido” by Sena, to “anything to serve Aniki” by Yukimura, and of course to “I am NOT interested in playing meido – oops he caught me trying the costume on!” Yozora…

    ewok40k
    Reply

  7. Man Yozora used to talk about hating bullies in season one but seriously…she’s bully! A BULLY! None of Sena’s comebacks are ever as mean as Yozora’s when she gets into her diabolic mode and unlike Rika, Yozora does those things simply to be mean not for the lols.

    gawrshness
    Reply

    1. Yeah but I still like her the most. I guess she is just kinda jealous. Being lonely for so long and not able to become clear of her feelings seemed to have some effect on her behavior.

      Saturo
      Reply

  9. To answer your final question, I don’t like any character in particular because I find them quite unlikable, except Kodaka. What I love is the character’s interactions and how it’s hilarious. I may don’t like Yozora because she’s way too mean to Sena and dishonest, and I may don’t like Sena because she is way too stupid to always fall into Yozora’s traps, but it’s so fun.

    Rockmanshii
    Reply

  10. “Maybe I’m just expecting too much, but I was hoping for a much larger reaction from the Neighbor’s Club after Yozora casually revealed that she and Kodaka were childhood friends.”

    The problem is because they are rushing it. They rushing with everything. The last ep (5th) was already a full volume in the LN. They are just skip everything what they feel unnecessary to be able to finish it in one season. Took out everything except some jokes and the development, but there are no additional, secondary things left. The whole show somehow jokes after jokes, what I usually dont mind, but because I read the LN, I am very sad. There was much more than what they show us week after week. The animation just great, and overal the show too, but with a more decent adaptation, and without cutting it so short it would be 10 times better.
    Just 24 ep instead of 12 or 13.

    dangreg
    Reply

  11. The BIG issue that Haganai has is that it’s slowly becoming full dependant of cheap gags, repeating sequences and sketches that lately barely are worth laughing at all. Once again, Yozora escapes (once again, damnit!) with her bulling and the fact that she has the “experience of having a friend” with no more than a simple glance. Don’t misunderstand me, Rika and Sena as maids were the highlight of the ep, but the whole story isn’t advancing at all. After her last joke (way too cruel this time), I expected a little bit of drama to advance at least something of the LN (with Sena in that state, I was hoping Kodaka remembered that he’s a man and DO SOMETHING!), but then, Kobato’s appeareance dismiss the whole issue.
    Sorry to say this, but Haganai is slowly turning into Naruto, Bleach or One Piece: STUCKED!

    SeedStriker
    Reply

    1. See the comment above yours.

      Apparently the producers are rushing (relative to the source), and yet only barely inching forward (relative to the development).

      This is because this series is more a comedy than a rom-com.

      hoiut
      Reply

  12. Summary of this episode: “Fuck… Western Porn… Freaking Pig…”

    Side Note: Seriously, Yukimura is cuteness overload. Am I wrong to be interested in a cross-dressing cute girl?
    And Tsundere Rika, going dere maybe be good, but for me this is too much. People probably need to be super rich to patronize where she work. 980 for a cup of coffee? I’ll pass.

    Tingster013
    Reply

  13. I loved Yukimura and Rika’s reaction to Sena in the maid outfit (at least from the translations): “F*ck” and “Western Porn”.
    I seriously had to pause and just laugh there, especially at Yukimura. It just seemed so natural when she said it, kind of like when me and my friends say it when something goes bad.

    seltzermx
    Reply

  14. The more I saw Rika, the more I began to like her. Of all the girls she is the most perceptive, not mean nor snobbish, and obviously likes Kodaka. And as Kodaka said, “she’s right in his strike zone”, and I agree.

    The sad part about Yozora and Sena is that Sena wants to be friends with Yozora. Sena for all her intelligence, is totally dense about the real world and remains one of the worst types of ojousamas. That gives Yozora both motive and opportunity to torture her. When Yozora pulls one of her pranks on Sena, Sena practially falls all over herself with happiness. That makes what Yozora does even crueler.

    Bear
    Reply

  16. Welcome sadist rika~~~ I think Sena shows her true qualities in this episode!!!
    LIKE MOEMOE!-She was so adorable and shows her naive personality that embraces all Yosora’s saying

    LoveAsuna
    Reply

  17. Yozora should give her gratitude to Kobato for cheering Sena up after realizing she went too far on her latest prank on Sena, which nearly jeopardized their “friendship”.

    Still, it was a funny episode, with Sena showcasing her otaku knowledge of Akihabara maid cafe culture at its best, despite her vehement denials. XD

    And last but not least, highlight has got to be Yukimura’s reaction to Sena’s maid outfit: F**K.

    Anonymous
    Reply

  18. Hey LN readers, was yozora a cosplayer in the past?

    I remember in a manga episode that she uploaded some photos.. but I don’t know If that is part of the novels…
    And well in this episode she was wearing the maid uniform because she liked it….

    al
    Reply

  19. My favorite part so far you ask? It would have to the official revelation of Yukimura being a girl.

    As the show getting a bit stale, hopefully the events leading up to Kobato’s birthday will spice things up a bit.

    Also it seems like Rika got Tsundere and Yandere confused. 😉

    Sena is still really stupid.

    Roguespirit
    Reply

  20. Not only does Rika change her look every episode – she has changed it about 2 – 3 times per episode over the last few episodes! However it did feel slightly out of character when she looked completely shell-shocked when Yozora was reading Sena’s fortune. I would’ve thought she would’ve joined in the teasing too. At least her bad attempt at being a Tsundere maid was a treat to watch.

    I love how the characters keep swearing in English lately, with Rika’s “F***” at the top of the rollercoaster ride, her “God Damn” when Kodaka asked Rika why he would want any love points from her, and Yukimura’s “F***” after seeing Sena fill out that maid outfit well. It sort of reminds me of Okabe’s “You son of a b****” in Steins;Gate and the many occasions in Panty and Stocking.

    My favourite part of this episode had to be Yozora forcing Sena to reveal that she has been visiting maid cafes by only saying “Niku…”. Yozora trying on the maid outfit while Yozora walked in was also a treat!

    Taiakun
    Reply

    1. “Yozora trying on the maid outfit while Yozora walked in was also a treat!”
      Yozoraception.
      Yea, about the Rika and Yozora teaming up, it wouldn’t have worked as well if two people started giving fortunes, that’s why Rika stayed quiet to let it work.
      Just imagine this happened shortly.

      Atrum
      Reply

    2. Aside about Rika’s outfits in this ep:

      Before the intro, she was dressed as Hirai Yukari, which was afterwards replaced with Shana. This is the same progression featured in Shakugan no Shana.

      hoiut
      Reply

  22. Rika with the black hair reminded me of Shana from Shakugam no Shana.

    Moreso after her “tsundere” maid… Only thing missing is the triple urusai line.

    Oh how I miss Shana T^T

    “Oishi no moe moe kyun!”

    A legion of puppies have been strangled to regain my manliness.

    Waffles
    Reply

  23. Many of the comments last week were trying to argue that Kodaka is actually a very perceptive and intelligent male lead whose “Eh?” and “Sorry, what was that?” lines are carefully calculated to block romantic progression.

    So I paid extra close attention today, but I didn’t see it. Far from displaying any signs otherwise, Kodaka actually says these lines to himself after leaving the room or walking out of earshot. This leaves us with either a “perfect facade” on his part (which he doesn’t break even out of earshot). Perhaps this is actually a classic example of adaptation decay, or simply a result of viewers reading too much into his character/personality.

    hoiut
    Reply

  24. I felt horror and sadness when Yozora actually made Sena cried. Cause it meant that Sena actually really genuinely care then those negatively feelings turn into “FUCK YEAH, YURI GOGGLE TIME 9000 MAX!” >3>

    Solara
    Reply

  29. so cat out of bag & no probs on it so now focus on school fest ideas?

    maid oh rika a foul maid, meat’s maid uh, & oh yozora maid kodada just walk & go.

    & fortune tell yet meat does thing of yozora’s fortune calling & hey kobato is back in club.

    cir
    Reply

  31. The best part? The Sena spanking! She will be the perfect (M) waifu! Good training for her.

    Sadly Kodaka disappoints me again. I can live with the dense harem lead; but he watched passively again as Sena is bullied by Yozora and never steps up. Man learn from Tomoki put some reins on your harem. Get you tama’s in place. <- cookies for the two "hidden" references.

    Wonder how things will turn out from here on! More Haganai!

    GiNoCo
    Reply

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