Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko / First Impressions

「サンクスギビングの憂鬱」 (Sankusugibingu no Yūutsu)
“The Melancholy of Thanksgiving”

A couple weeks ago I woke up in the morning unsure if I had posted that week’s Denpa, prodding my still hazy brain discerning whether or not it was a dream that I hadn’t posted about it. Took about 20 or so minutes before I settled on the fact that I did post it, but didn’t bother to check, out of some pride to the ability to separate reality and dreams. The absurdity of the show is getting to me.

Following what appeared to be the “main” story, the “plot” moves on to Erio trying to get a job, which of course she finds to no avail. I put “plot” in quotation marks because I see it as more of a “point” or a “goal.” It’s like how slice of lifes have “plot” in that one episode they need to do a certain thing, and then spend the entire episode screwing around either eventually doing it, or never at all. So it’s like K-ON, because at the end of every episode, you realize, wow, nothing really happened and you’re okay with that.

And yet, if you look for development, it is there, like Meme’s constant front over what’s actually bothering her, and in this case, that would be money for Erio’s schooling. I still find her antics a bit annoying and pointless, and generally an excuse to bring out moe. But wait, moe is like 60% of the show! Yes, but Meme somehow poisons and ruins whatever kind she creates. I much rather prefer the one on one scenes with Erio, which were littered all over this episode. She’s become a really likable character, if not simply because she lacks bad qualities, but she’s also just a very modest try-my-best girl. The obsession with making her look cute doesn’t hurt either, but it finally works more for her character than any other for those very reasons.

In the end, I find myself enjoying Denpa, but only here and there. The absurdity of the show really works against it at times, and other than comedy, it really doesn’t succeed in setting any other tone. Certainly it can do it if it tries, such as near the end of the series to wrap things up, but as of now, I simply see it as a comedy. I guess it’s exactly like Arakawa in that sense, except a little more on the rail with the plot. Sometimes I think maybe it’s a culture discrepancy that has me misunderstanding the show’s real value, like why all their commercials try to be as weird as possible. Or maybe not. Screw it. I’ll think more about it next week.

Leftover Thoughts:

  • The conversation with the grandma was oddly entertaining, so she should bring some fun in the coming episodes.
  • Maekawa still doesn’t get enough screentime to my tastes, but made some comments about the rockets, and that’s about as far as that goes.
  • I loved how Niwa’s parents were extremely cynical about Meme, and I liked that his shirt said “Pray for Japan.”
  • And you know what was the funniest part this entire episode? That little girl at the barbershop suddenly making a shrieking mew and then leaving.
  • Also if you were wondering, the show they were watching on tv was Ghibli’s Whisper of the Heart, which was not to my tastes.

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    56 Comments

    5. The commercials are hella weird. No doubt about that. Especially the little dango damily wannabe one(chiba I think they are called). A family of little globs of plastic trying to be cute and failing. Anyways back to the show…

      I like this series. The plot doesn’t seem to be really going anywhere at a steady pace and its no Ano Hana or Hanasaku Iroha but I still enjoy watching it each week. I’m dying to find out if Erio really was taken by aliens or if she just had some sort of a mental breakdown?

      Karmafan
      Reply

    7. The randomness and absurdity like in arakawa is one of the reasons I love this show, and how I feel like every episode is connected and makes the plot advance just a little bit each time( Yeah I do feel the plot moves on each episode). For me continuity is very important in comedy shows and I like how it’s done here. I guess Meme is also a hit or miss character like Ryuuko. Like I said once I’m not really into moe but I like them both.

      Rockmanshii
      Reply

    9. I knew i knew what was on tv, but didnt bother trying to find out, whisper of the heart is a movie i enjoyed a lot, music was specially enjoyable…

      Its hard not to like Meme, the twintails remove 20 years from her…

      Djisas
      Reply

    10. Twintail cutie and twintail hottie!! Gods it’s too good!! Meme really is friggen insane though lol. Maekawa and Ryuuko’s jealousy was adorable once again, but Erio still blows them away.

      Glad Erio found a job. Kinda wanted to strangle the guy who basically told her no one would ever hire her. The store-owner seems fun in the crazy-older-person kinda way.

      Aex
      Reply

      1. Fairy tail. The fairy tail guild symbol is a dead giveaway. Although I don’t recognize the girls since I don’t read fairy tail, I do recognize the art style.

        Seriously though, I think this is not the place for asking this kind of unrelated question. Try manga-update forums next time.

        Dusk
        Reply

    12. I do find this show sometimes a bit tedious to watch, since the pacing lends to the idea that not a whole lot is happening- nor will anything anytime soon.

      Really- as things are currently- the main draw for me is the artwork; everybody just simply looks drop-dead gorgeous, all the time. With Erio of course being especially entrancing.

      If looks could kill, this show is packed chock-full with heavy artillery, with missile support at that.

      I just hope the story can become as enrapturing as the character art, right fastish.

      Stranger
      Reply

      1. Man I so agree with you. I know saying this will probably start shit, but It piss me off how people keep saying Makoto doesn’t have a **** for not humping his aunt, while he’s actively trying to seduce the other girls around him.(Okay I know I exaggerated a bit there but you know what I mean). People says he’s a typical harem looser lead while I’ve seen much worse in terms of typical harem looser leaderness and unjustified harems.

        Rockmanshii
        Reply

    18. I must say, Denpa Onna Seishun Otoko is getting better and better
      This episode was the best of the bunch and Meme is just super funny this week
      Ten years down the road, Makoto will realised that Meme added +10,000 to his Seishun points instead
      My Denpa Onna ranking:
      (1) Meme (Lickity lick lick)
      (2) Maekawa
      (3) Erio
      (4) Ryuuko

      Postit
      Reply

    20. at least we now have confirmation that erio really isn’t an alien 😀

      if the grandma’s to be believed, meme had a liaison with some foreigner named elliot! maybe that’s also why meme doesn’t talk about erio with the rest of the family?

      Dalman
      Reply

    22. So this is a partial comedy, eh? I will accept that. But I like it and it isn’t anywhere near the comedy Nichijou is. I also am not a huge fan of moe, but I like it. So if it is only partially a comedy and I don’t like moe… why do I like it?

      I have no freaking idea. Lets just put it in the slot of ‘milfs are awesome’ and be done with it.

      Ricalloo
      Reply

    30. hehe Meme and Erio are one pact of moeee familyy

      hii Kiiragi see how moe Meme make me think if Meme Participant in saimoe international then win surely that will break anime moe history record
      a 40 year old moe mother become winner of International Saimoe League
      lol i cannot stop thinking that

      Figure X
      Reply

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