Classroom Crisis / First Impressions

「旅の恥は上書き」 (Tabi no Haji wa Uwagaki)
“The Shame of the Journey Overrides”

While a younger me may have at least worked up a disapproving frown at overt fan-pandering in anime, like the everybody-strip-because-it’s-summer episodes that are ever so prevalent, but these days I find myself hardly batting an eyelash. I’m not even all that cynical about them anymore. It’s scary what one can get used to. I suppose there’s really no great harm in episodes like this week’s, full of surf and sun and… titillation. The bottom line is whether the episode can provide some value, and ‘fun’ is valuable too.

And so, fun we have; even Angelina, ninja deputy teacher, gets in on the hijinks (but not without drug assistance) . Compared to the corporate intrigue and impending A-TEC shutdown that have loomed over us for the past weeks, this episode seems utterly removed from earthly troubles; in fact, they’re scarcely mentioned at all (enough so that we don’t forget about it, but not so much that we have to care about it right now). The cast just sings their own OP while pretending to be a hot-blooded mecha show (how many layers of meta is that?) without a care in the world . Evidently, we’re playing the ‘Clasroom’ much more strongly than the ‘Crisis’ this week, with a mashup of the classic beach and onsen episodes. It’s a page straight out of the comical Fullmetal Panic? Fumoffu. In a similar vein, water jetpacks and over-engineered bottle rockets aside, it’s sometimes hard to remember that we were supposed to be a gritty sci-fi series. Set on Mars. To think that they can terraform Mars to have beaches (even more decadent than Dubai’s refrigerated beach) but are still stuck with bulky computers instead of holographic haptic interfaces. It’s like how we’re in 2015 now and we still don’t have flying cars. I am thoroughly disappointed.

The greater purpose of a ‘fun’ episode like this one is obvious. Since we’ve already surmised that Nagisa is probably not going to be a final boss (and the more he manages to anger his vilified elder brother, the more likely that seems), he (and his majordomo, Angelina) needs to build a rapport with the rest of the cast. He seems to have embraced his pariah status, but we’re not going to have much of a show if he never gets any character development. And since A-TEC managed something resembling fiscal management last episodes, it’s only fitting that Nagisa loosens a bit in turn. That is, he needs to make friends and convert from his ‘bah, humbug’ ways. Well, he’s not going to be won over in a single episode, but there’s progress, at least. Even the guys intending to haze him still treated him like a bro, not a boss. For us, the viewers, getting to see Nagisa goof (i.e. be vulnerable) also goes a way to humanise a man who first introduced himself as the boss from hell. That’s character development too. So, all in all, although this has been a ‘fanservice episode’, it was hardly filler. Many important things got done. Isn’t that the best compromise? The plot moves, the bikini-quota is filled. Bread and circus. Everybody’s happy. Hopefully.

Looking ahead

On some level Classroom Crisis is a mystery anime, and it is continuing to unfold episode by episode. We now know that Iris is apparently an amnesiac (which may explain why she’s imprinted onto Mizuki, yuri magnetism aside) and that she and Nagisa do have a shared history. Perhaps—and this is just a tentative guess—Iris and Nagisa were in some kind of accident together in their past, which would explain Nagisa’s scars—scars that, incidentally, Mizuki now also knows about. See, that onsen wasn’t just for fanservice! It’s also a plot device! I appreciate versatility in the sets.

Hopefully, Classroom Crisis has thoroughly gotten into its stride. Now that the mystery has been allowed to expand freely for a few episodes, now seems to be the time for our protagonists to be drawn into it. Obviously Nagisa is connected to the entire Kirishina conspiracy, but now Iris is connected to him, and perhaps Mizuki in turn. Eventually, I assume everything is going to be connected, and the moment the entire hand is opened—the payoff—is the most glorious of any mystery. Classroom Crisis may not be strict genre fiction, but that does seem to be what it’s working up towards. I’m looking forward to how it builds up from here.

Full-length images: 07, 08.

 

Preview

25 Comments

    1. Iris has like no interest in anyone at all other than Mizuki. Nagisa doesn’t seem to be romantically interested in Iris either. I can see Nagisa and Mizuki though, she seems to be the only one who can see under that invisible armor of his.

      Irenesharda
      Reply

  2. Now that’s what I call an entertaining episode. <3

    Passerby, how do you enjoy Gate after 5 episodes? I hope you didn't drop it? For now we hardly see any right-wing or left-wing propaganda, but a lot of likeable characters, good fun and interesting setting instead.

    brajt
    Reply

    1. Gate has thus far deviated little from the manga, so my opinion remains unchanged. I continue to watch, but remain wary. I’m not too concerned about overt elements, because those are easily dismissed by the informed viewer. I’m more concerned about subtexts. Those wriggle into people’s heads. Of course, how I end up seeing it is only one viewpoint.

      Passerby
      Reply

    1. There is a Easy way out. The English Translation Tool for this Web UI, was broken. So, they can defend it in saying it is an Computer Software Bug on this Terminal he uses

      Save

      WorldwideDepp
      Reply

  4. Damn it… For some reason, I just couldn’t get myself to love the members of A-TEC. From my point of view, I saw these people as nothing more but a group of immature and childish brats except Mizuki and Iris. I don’t know why I keep having this negative impression towards them.

    Perhaps, one of the reason is because I’m an engineering student so I took discipline and respect towards my superior very seriously. So, in that sense, I think I got offended when one of the A-TEC decides to mess around with their chief with no good reason behind it at all.

    For example, this one dude, Maioka, an expert in computer, chose not to help Nagisa to fix his tablet even though he can. Not to mention, they are the one that broke Nagisa’s tablet in the first place. Instead, he and the other three dude force Nagisa to join their secret “operation” if Nagisa wants his tablet to get fix. This selfish action almost cause Nagisa to literally lose a 5 billion yen worth of deal. I just don’t see how that could forge a strong bond between the employer and employee.

    So, yeah… I mean I enjoy the series because of the engineering aspect but still… They need to learn it’s okay to be friendly with your chief but they must know the limit. In the end of the day, he’s the one that gave you salary and has the power to fire you if he wish to do so.

    XXmakeitrainXXX
    Reply

    1. They are Kids? They are mostly egoistic, and their Instinct needs (Girls naked!) takes over Brain reason. Yeah, sometimes the Brain between their Legs are Stronger then the Brain sitting on the Neck

      Again, they are Kids? And with this 5 Billion Yen. He only said that to this Girl

      WorldwideDepp
      Reply

    2. I think, the enmity between Nagisa and the class stem from, you know, Nagisa basically vowing to destroy them. He’s here to dismantle A-TEC. That does kinda dampen the relationship.

      In any case, I don’t think the class really respects Nagisa as their ‘boss’, or at least he’s a classmate first, boss second. The boys treating Nagisa as one of the boys (i.e. adolescent bags of testosterone) is actually one of the more positive things they’ve done for him in this show.

      Passerby
      Reply

      1. I don’t know if they see him much as a classmate. We rarely see him in class and moreso as their boss. And I don’t know, but I would be concerned with how much I messed with the guy who approves my department’s budget and basically has more power of me and my department than anyone else right now. And honestly, I still don’t understand how these kids don’t understand that Nagisa could have honestly ended them a long time ago if he really wanted to. This is a guy who was able to make a deal worth billions go through in a week, that should have at least taken a month. I don’t think dismantling a single department would be something he would even blink at.

        In fact, he seems to be obviously stalling. He’s doing everything opposite of what his brother wants done. His brother wants A-TEC dismantled badly, and Nagisa wants to know why. And so, he’s obviously taking as long as he needs to to investigate. But I guess, without all the details, the A-TEC kids don’t know what’s going on.

        Irenesharda
        Reply

    3. That Trio certainly didn’t make a case for maturity when they tried to shift the blame of breaking Angelina’s tablet to Nagisa; it’s also very unprofessional because he’s their boss.

      The lack of flying cars also means no aerial car crashes to worry about so that’s something to not be disappointed by.

      Apathy
      Reply

    4. I didn’t mind the A-TEC kids acting like kids ’cause they’re kids. What did irk me was their quick denial of responsibility when they broke Angelina’s tablet. Accident or not, they still need to replace what they broke. Is there something in Japanese culture that allows the destruction of another’s property simply because it’s an accident? o_O

      Anyway, I wonder if Iris’ amnesia is tied to Nagisa’s scar in some way. Nagisa’s “You’re as reckless as ever” hints to me that he’s been dragged by her recklessness before.

      Beedle
      Reply

      1. I finally had the Time to Watch this Episode. Yes, this time the Flow is good. Some Secrets get out (Drunken Secrets) or others become aware of them (Amnesia, Big Burn Marks on the Back). Some Hot Bath cliches to easy the mood up. And a reason for our “only drive very Fast” Girl to shine. Everybody now had a reason to show their Skills. Even our Master IT Hacker, to save the Day (under pressure)
        So, the Show is now on the right Path. But you do not have any “Extra Life” left

        My Post on reddit

        I had nearly the same thoughts as you 🙂

        WorldwideDepp
        Reply

  6. Fun episode, but why is subaru sneaking around with the other two boys if she could just go into the bath with the other girls and get an even better view? Such a tight trio xD

    Arthur
    Reply

  7. I honestly like Nagisa the way he is, he’s much more fun that way. We have enough loosened-up goofy teenagers, I like Nagisa as the “boss from Hell”, he keeps A-TEC on their toes that way, also he’s perfectly suited for the cutthroat world of business.

    Anyway, Nagisa and Iris definitely knew each other at some point in the past, even if she doesn’t remember. The way he said she was as reckless as ever and then talked with her rather conspiratorially about why she came to work for the company, it was like he was testing the water to see how much she remembered.

    My theory is that they were either childhood friends or siblings that got separated when they were young. I honestly think Nagisa was actually adopted by the Kiryuu family, and thus why his brothers hate him and see him as an outsider. And it irks them that an outsider can do better at the business than they can. Iris was probably his sister and the two were probably orphans from whatever happened that gave Nagisa those scars. He was taken in to be with the Kiryuu family, probably because of his prowess and genius. And he had to leave an injured Iris behind, and so it was a shock to see her again, and since she didn’t recognize him, he could tell she had memory loss from the incident 10 years ago.

    Or at least that’s a theory. If anything, I can see them pushing Nagisa and Mizuki. She isn’t afraid of him and can actually see the real him behind the facade that he puts up. She continually reaches out to him, even after being rebuffed several times. And he needs someone like that to bring him out more, since he’s pretty asocial because of his family and job.

    Irenesharda
    Reply

  9. https://randomc.net/image/Classroom%20Crisis/Classroom%20Crisis%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2003.jpg
    cast singing own opening karaoke style, epic meta!
    https://randomc.net/image/Classroom%20Crisis/Classroom%20Crisis%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2008.jpg
    chain ice cream…
    https://randomc.net/image/Classroom%20Crisis/Classroom%20Crisis%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2026.jpg
    I never thought I would see Nagisa SCARED
    https://randomc.net/image/Classroom%20Crisis/Classroom%20Crisis%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2031.jpg
    someone has fallen UNDER Angelina’s charms…
    https://randomc.net/image/Classroom%20Crisis/Classroom%20Crisis%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2036.jpg
    possible hint of being in same accident Iris lost her memory in?

    ewok40k
    Reply

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