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「二人の休日」 (Futari no Kyuujitsu)
“A Day Off For Two”
Keeping up the pace, this third episode was probably the strongest of the bunch with its execution and the material covered. Mixing in a good amount of action with just enough story to keep things moving, it looks like we’re almost out of introduction territory.
Claudia The Vixen
While some would call her a side character, I would beg to differ. Popping in just often enough to make sure we don’t forget about her, Claudia has been a bit of an enigma to me. With her stunning looks and hidden agenda, it makes me wonder just what’s going on in that mind of hers. Besides wanting to provide protection to Julis who she apparently views somewhat highly, I really want to know what her motivation is for trying to seduce Ayato during all of their encounters. Showing obvious signs of affection for him, I can’t help but feel that there’s something deeper going on than a girl finding a guy attractive. I mean, how often do we see the girl take the initiative and make a guy palm their breast?
Julis’s Reason For Fighting
Constantly ramping down from the hot-headed princess we met during the first episode, I think this week’s did a great job at shining a really attractive light onto Julis. A bit more laid back and ready to at least listen to Ayato’s concerns, it’s nice to know that the co-star of this show has a good enough personality to hold her own. Toss in her simple but humble back story which points out her understanding of life from both the top and the bottom and how can you not root for her? (Hint: You have to. There’s no say in this matter — its orphans!)
On the romance forefront, it’s driving me crazy seeing all the mixed signals Julis keeps shooting toward Ayato. While she’s obviously fond of him and is quickly warming up to him, it hurts me knowing that there are other girls who are willing and ready to show just how much thirstier they are. Also, where the heck was Saya this week?!
Looking Ahead
With the pieces of Ayato’s personal puzzle slowly falling into place and Julis’s starting to appear, it looks like the show is ready to hit its stride. While it remains to be seen what direction we’ll be going from here, I do like how the show’s able to poke fun at itself without being too serious (like how Claudia totally calls out the fact Ayato literally leapt off a building in his mad rush to save Julis). In any case, I’ll catch you guys next week where it looks like a lot of fun action scenes are waiting for us!
Takaii’s Notes:
- Man, I love the ending song so much. This Rasmus Faber is pretty darn impressive.
- I hope these hired thugs get some fleshing out, because they’re starting to get old.
- I wish Lester would calm down a bit — he’d probably be a cool guy if he did. (Haha, catch the bad pun?)
Claudia is the best. A shame Ayato didn’t go for it.
This episode shows everything I find better in Asterisk than in Rakudai. OP&ED songs and visual quality are obvious, but all the rest – cuter girls, more appealing characters and more interesting plot, it’s all there. Though both shows are good. <3
This Anime Show, passed my 3 Episode watching testing, and added on my Watch List.
Welcome, and please stay true to yourself. You do not need to make an competition “how shows the most naked skin of our female MC”. Please keep this mature line between the family (Asterisk and Cavalry Siblings)
For me, Asterisk is the older and smarter one. But Cavalry is not much far behind it. Cavalry is right the behind Asterisk neck
So, if you like this one. Give it’s sibling Cavalry also a try
Asterisk:
Love between this MC Boy and our MC Girl, through mutual respect and understanding of her Background drive
Cavalry:
Love between the MC Boy and MC Girl, through real love on first look. Like real Lovers (Bathroom skin contact accident)
and so on. And do not worry, i also get both shows mixed up
I am not sure yet whether to drop this one or not. It’s execution is good overall, but lately I have been looking for anime with little or no tropes… This one is certainly not trope-free.
It’s also a bit cheesy from time to time. The same applies to Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry. I might drop both of them or at least put them on hold.
A show with no tropes…hmm…”trope free” hmmm….
right. Not possible. Come back in 20 years when anime/tv/films are reinvented.XD
Again on comparison between Rakudai and this, I find myself conflicted on prefering between a show which is trying hard to show that it could avoid/invert common tropes but failed hilariously at times, and a show which is embracing all the common tropes shamelessly without any twist whatsoever.
Take the protagonists for example. Ikki is undoubtly much more interesting, but at times I have no idea if Ikki is shown as an aware, alpha male or just another dense idiot. In contrary, I still can’t remember the name of Asterisk’s main (probably because Stella keep calling Ikki’s name while Julis did it very rarely), his reactions is taken from “how to make harem protag for dummies”, but it’s servicable and simple enough to keep things rolling.
In the end I prefer Rakudai for now because it at least keep throwing new things, while Asterisk is getting stale, especially at action/setting/new characters front. I hope this is the last time they will try to show another wave of generic mobs attacking Julis in outdoor since it’s been repeating for three ep already.
That’s right, Takaii. Rasmus Faber is one of the reason I keep watching this.
Maybe Gakusen Toshi Asterisk is the only harem anime with both excellent animation and BGM.
Shame, no Saya this week.
Hmm…production values and adaptation pacing for Gakusen is really quite decent so far, I like it.
If they get rid of the “Male MC easily blushes at female intimacy / fanservice” trope, even better..
Still a bit confused between deciding which illustration version of Julis is better,
the anime version
https://randomc.net/image/Gakusen%20Toshi%20Asterisk/Gakusen%20Toshi%20Asterisk%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2011.jpg
or the LN version though..
http://tinyurl.com/q73y8l7
I’d say the LN version is cuter, but the anime conveys a deeper sense of joy to me. I’d go with the anime.
Okay, I understand the impulse why, but it’s really a damper on things to keep comparing Asterisk and Rakudai this early on, don’t ya think? It’s probably a futile effort on my part, but can’t we agree to postpone the comparison until at least the halfway point?
ANYWAYS.
Good episode, strong episode. Asterisk is turning out much better than I would’ve imagined. Fingers crossed that it keeps it up.
Three episodes down and not sure what to do with this one. To be fair, same goes for Cavalry as well. Not enthusiastic about either, but as tempting as it is, I’ll leave the comparisons out.
I did appreciate the background on Julis. Added a bit of depth to here character beyond “tsundere red-head princess”. Like how she’s not pure ouju-sama spoiled. She’s also more mild on the tsun part which I appreciate. Maybe not “trope avoided”, but perhaps “trope lessened”. Agree with Takaii that she has sufficient personality to hold her own – enough to leave a somewhat favorable impression (sorry, but IMO Julis is no Kuon). I like the fact that Julis holds her own with the ML rather than suddenly becoming submissive and fawning. Points for that.
I would have preferred a less extreme (and tropish) blush/run-away reaction by the Ayato (had to look up his name :/) to Claudia’s advances (agree with Takaii Claudia’s memorable if not perhaps for the “right” reasons XD). This isn’t hentai so I’m not expecting them to go at it like sex-crazed weasels, but it was a good opportunity to insert a nice, snarky line as the ML’s reaction like the one we got in Utawarerumono this week. So trope maintained though it doesn’t bother me as much as apparently it does some. What did bug me was given all that happened (i.e. assassination attempts, Claudia’s warnings, Julis’ “I’ll handle things on my own”, etc.), it’s not until Claudia shows up that Ayato figures out that maybe, just maybe, he shouldn’t have let Julis run out on her own. *sigh* Denseness/obliviousness isn’t the best character trait, but at least try to keep it to one aspect. I get that the plot required it to set up the inevitable rescue, but still…
Long story short = status quo for me. Show’s “OK”, but that’s about it. Guess I’ll go to a “4 Episode Rule”.
It takes GUTS and willpower of steel to run away from an attractive busty blonde offering you her chest.
I tip my hat to Ayato.
Wat?
Is not this the modus operande for every shonen harem protagonist ever? Since the fantasy of having a harem of girls that lust over you can only be maintained by the protagonist never choosing a girl to be a target of his affection and therefor entering a relationship. How is this praiseworthy
…I actually kind of like this show right now? Episode 2 was kind of weak, but in general the characters actually feel somewhat realistic and fairly nuanced. It actually feels everyone has their own motives, instead of quickly being assimilated into the main character’s story.
I’ll admit, though, my opinion may be being influenced by Sakamoto Maaya x Rasmus Faber, and by the backhanded but scathing indictment of a corporate-ruled future this episode had. Heh.
Funny how Touyama Nao is both an this (as busty Claudia) and Rakudai (als loli sister).
Dude Ayato… I know you have now figured out what you really wanted to do, save Julis. But don’t be a dufus and forget to bring your weapon and blindly rush in. Good thing Claudia was there to toss it to you.
And OH SHIII~!
Don’t just jump off a skyscraper!!!
Somehow… I’m beginning to like this more than Rakudai, the scales are tipping towards Asterisk. Thought there’s that 35th squad too.
So far….so good. I’m actually enjoying it quite a bit to this point.
The show definitely is taking all those tropes and running with them, but they are doing such a good job with them. Tropes are fine if you use them well. I mean in a lot of ways Julis is that tsundere staple. But she’s pretty quick to bounce back from any embarrassment related outburst and isn’t actually a violent tsundere. Her greatest act of it was in ep 1 and that’s about it, even then she was basically going for a duel which allows for both sides to get their shots in.
This was a good episode anyways. A nice chance for Julis to get more characterization and flesh her out. Her motivation is actually pretty nice and not overly complex. She wants to raise money to devote to an institution that housed so many of her friends, that’s not a bad thing.
It’s a fun show. I look forward to the next ep and seeing Ayato cut loose for the first time.
I find Claudia more attractive if only because she has the dare to play seductress. Tsunderes are overrated!
Rakudai
1. Ikki’s a badass and not a couple ecchi protag idiot, but still questioning.
2. Stella isn’t some basic hot and cold (tsundere) main girl like most main girls………….. for now. Nothing against tsundere characters but it’s sooooo overdone.
3. I saw this first.
Asterisk
1. At least Julis hasn’t been degraded to enemy nudity…………………. yet (Please don’t do it)
2. Claudia is haaaawwwwT
For now Rakudai is winning (impo) but because of the sister kiss, and degrading Stella scene; it’s not winning by much and Claudia might come through for Asterisk because as of now the show has nothing more to offer but the seductive nature of Claudia. The main is passive, the setting’s been done, the weapon’s been done sure but the fights are lacking so it doesn’t help. At least Rakudai has nicely done fighting scenes………….. at least episode one anyway.
Ep 04:
Show Spoiler ▼
Yeaaaaah…no Saya this episode, Claudia is good, but no Saya….Rakudai is in the lead as of Episode 3, I feel like I have to say it so as to not upset people, but in my opinion.