Random Curiosity

「君たちキウイ・パパイア・マンゴーだね。」 (Kimitachi Kiui Papai Mangoo Da ne.)
“You Guys are Kiwis, Papayas, and Mangos.”

It’s the return of Hajime’s spicy food pranks. This time it’s a “Cutie Kiwi-chan” topping out at two million scovilles, which would make it two times hotter than the hottest pepper in the world, the ghost chilli. This isn’t quite the way I imagined them to conclude the second season even though it’s similar to the first’s, but the salt guy did get his salt!

「レーダーマン」 (Reedaa Man)
“Radar Man”

“A professional manga artist and a pervert!?” Why Hajime acted so surprised about that I don’t know, because those sure seem to go hand-in-hand a lot lately. I got a good chuckle from that, but this episode really shines with Kobayashi Yuu and Koshimizu Ami making guest appearances. Knowing Yuu’s role as Mariya in Maria Holic, the craziness she can exude is well-suited for director Shinbou Akiyuki’s works, much like it is here.

「ハイスクールララバイ」 (Hai Sukuuru Rarabai)
“High School Lullaby”

The planets magically align and Hajime has a good feeling about the return of the pretty girl maid warrior Yamazaki Kanako. As hilarious as it was seeing Kanako’s reaction to the thought of that, we get another unexpected development — a grown-up, well-endowed Jun in hotpants!

「昭和ブルース」 (Shouwa Buruuzu)
“Showa Blues”

In order to understand Arashi better, Hajime travels back in time to the Showa Era with the help of Yayoi. In 1940, Arashi is the same age as Hajime is now and got into her fair share of scuffles with punk kids. Not exactly what you would expect from a young girl from a wealthy family, but Hajime tags along and becomes a key memory of Arashi’s past — her first love.

「淋しい熱帯魚」 (Sabishii Nettaigyo)
“Lonely Tropical Fish”

Ask and you shall receive seems to be the case here, as the story is finally starting to string together like I’ve been waiting for. This season, it looks like things are focusing on Arashi and Hajime, who suddenly lose the ability to time slip together after their relationship enters some rocky waters.

「コンピューターおばあちゃん」 (Konpyuutaa Obaachan)
“Computer Grandmother”

We have air conditioning problems at Hakobune and the unbearable heat brings about an unexpected problem — Arashi is known to lose it and wreck havoc once she reaches her limit. This is what a history of strict family customs and pent up rage leads to. She’s like a volcano on the verge of erupting!

「天城越え」 (Amagigoe)
“Amagigoe”

If you believe in the single timeline theory, it’s safe to say you believe in fate as well. Things will happen and won’t happen at predetermined times, ensuring that nothing in the past, present, nor future will ever change. While that may be the case here, Sayaka still manages to give everyone a heart attack by sending them to the past over and over again and risking running into their former selves, just so that she can retrieve a teacup worth 10 million yen.

「ギザギザハートの子守唄」 (Gizagiza Haato no Komoriuta)
“Jagged Heart Lullaby”

The quest for the legendary tasting cold noodles begins! With everyone trying to recreate the taste that Arashi’s raving about, we’re set up for the destruction of a lot of taste buds. Better yet, time slipping into the past to retrieve the good tasting one that Jun supposedly created sheds some humorous light on its actual origins.

「ロマンティックが止まらない」 (Romantikku ga Tomaranai)
“Don’t Stop the Romance”

Meganekko and bishoujo henshin. I never knew the two of them were related. Normally you’d expect the magical transformation to happen after the glasses come off, but it’s the exact opposite with Kanako.

「みずいろの雨」 (Mizuiro no Ame)
“Light Blue Rain”

With the delay of Bakemonogatari episode 13, you’d think SHAFT is busy shifting their production efforts here, but doesn’t seem to be the case. Things looked pretty lackluster this week as well.

「時をかける少女」 (Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo)
“The Girl Who Leapt Through Time”

From the quirky introduction dialogue between Kanako and Yayoi to the “getting up early” preview line, it looks like the series is finally going back to its roots.

「ギャランドゥ」 (Gyarandu)
“Gal and Do”

It’s about time we saw some (more) School Rumble cameos in Natsu no Arashi. I was starting to wonder if Tenma, Yakumo, Harima, Eri, and the others were ever going to show up.

「夏休み」 (Natsu Yasumi)
“Summer Vacation”

As the pro-Natsu no Arashi voice in the Fall Preview, it’s probably my place to say a few words about the sequel. So without further ado…

I normally don’t do a lot of mini-reviews like this, but I was short on time and really wanted to comment on both these series.