First Impressions / Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun

「魔法をかけて、あ・げ・る♡」 (Mahouwokakete, Ageru ♡)
“I’ll Cast a Spell on You”

Yuzuki is the cause of, and solution to, all of Wakamatsu’s problems. Poor guy.

Yuzuki Works Better With Wakamatsu

So far, Yuzuki has been a relatively underutilized character. Partially this is because she doesn’t help Nozaki-kun with his manga, cutting her out of those scenes by default, but even Kashima has wormed her way into the story after her introduction, whereas Yuzuki has been largely absent. No more! What she needed was a comic foil, because while Nozaki-kun has proven himself willing to react to her shenanigans, he hasn’t been willing to interact with her directly. With the introduction of Wakamatsu Hirotaka (Kimura Ryouhei), Yuzuki finally has the comic foil she needs.

Seo Yuzuki: The Cause of, and Solution to, All of Wakamatsu’s Problems

I haven’t seen this insomnia angle explored before. Like many elements in Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, it’s fresh without being mind-blowingly unique. That plus Yuzuki’s normal attitude set up the delicious conceit: that Yuzuki is the cause of, and solution to, all of Wakamatsu’s problems. That this would appear in Nozaki-kun’s manga was no surprise. Such a delicious setup is too good to waste!

But the real reason the Yuzuki versus Wakamatsu bit worked so well was communication, or the complete lack thereof. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun is good at using comedic miscommunication without it becoming tiresome. The ur-example would Chiyo’s crush on Nozaki-kun, which has avoided being aggravating because this isn’t a romcom and it isn’t dwelt on. This it was the constant talking past each other – an utter lack of meaningful communication, i.e. the exchange of mutually understood meaning – that worked so well, and I don’t expect it to get tiresome anytime soon. Not when Wakamatsu is writing rabu-rabu challenge letters and Yuzuki flies right past any semi-logical assumption and lands on “He must want a nickname”!

Gender Flipped Couple

It’s gender flip time again! This time Yuzuki was playing the male role while Wakamatsu took the female role of writing love letters and giving presents. What I wonder is, does Yuzuki actually like Wakamatsu? I know this is going to be like Hori-sempai and Kashima all over again, and we’ll never really know because the best comedy is in toying with the audience, but there’s a compelling argument to be made that she does. Targeting him with the ball, treating him at family restaurants, and buying him presents… It could easily be that she’s just being nice, or her misunderstanding his actions, or she has a crush even she doesn’t know about, or Yuzuki has a secret sensitive side we don’t know about.

Okay, maybe not that last one. But the others are possible! We’ll see…but wait, we probably won’t. They’re just going to ship tease us. How mean!

Liberal Arts Club Pride

I’m not as interested in the intricacies of how manga is made, so the second half was interesting if not as funny as the first. Two things stuck out. First is the futility of trying to anticipate this show. I first assumed Nozaki-kun wasn’t sick, and they played it well, because by the time Chiyo showed up at his place and it became clear he was sick, it was already too late and I was laughing from a joke well done. Subversion of expectations is huge, and Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun knows what we’re going to expect, how to play with our expectations, and then turn it into a joke.

Second is how warped everyone’s view of the opposite sex is. Wakamatsu and Chiyo trying to pattern Mamiko’s actions after Yuzuki was bad, but Hori-sempai doing the same with Kashima didn’t work any better. Every character is just a little broken, and that’s why this show is so much fun!

Looking Ahead

What I’m really looking forward to is seeing all of the cast interact now that they’re all here, mixing and matching all these different elements to pull different jokes out of the comedy hate. Next episode looks like it’ll be a lot of Mikorin though, and to be honest, I’m not going to complain. I felt the lack of Mikorin this episode, especially when Chiyo should have been thinking of him rather than Yuzuki for Mamiko’s lines. I know using Yuzuki there was funnier, but come on Chiyo! You know Mikorin is the eternal heroine. Not that Wakamatsu isn’t making a play for the throne.

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Yuzuki & Wakamatsu, sitting in a tree, m-i-s-c-o-m-municating. Does she like him or not? Just go back to bed, Nozaki #nozakikun 06

Random thoughts:

  • I figured out why I like the OP so much; it’s like the Space Dandy OP, full of swing, life, hip, and hop, and sex appeal. I still listen to it every time. Single please!
  • I think Yuzuki is breaking the boys basketball team. They’re going to be a wreck! Soon they’ll be a total mess, planting flowers and wanting to be nice to each other, and we’ll have to bring in a certain sergeant to rehabilitate the club… (Name that reference, people)
  • Yuzuki’s reactions never cease to make me laugh. I don’t know why. She’s just so chill.
  • Remember kids, don’t search for life advice in shoujo manga. Or if you do, make sure to tell me how it goes. I love me some hilarious failure!

Check out my blog about storytelling and the novel I’m writing at stiltsoutloud.com. The last four posts: Different answers, Compromise, Control, and Temporally unfocused.

 

Preview

49 Comments

  1. Seo and Wakamatsu have basically just stumbled into the dating part of a relationship–while remaining blissfully (well, okay, that’s the wrong word for Waka) unaware that they somehow skipped every other part.

    Malchus
    Reply

      1. Speaking of “You know, for kids!” (awesome username) and taking things wrong…

        Dammit, Seo, people are gonna get the wrong idea if you just nonchalantly say “We have fun ramming into each other” while Waka is shaking you.

        Malchus
        Reply

  4. Yuzuki’s Waka’s medicine, but it looks like she’s Nozaki’s poison…poor guy was just retching how misguided Waka’s Lorelai was so much ‘better’ than Yuzuki.
    Then it showed HE did get sick! XD

    Hmm...
    Reply

  5. This show continues to hit all my comedy cylinders not only with all the just-a-little-off personalities but the continuing character visual gags. Call me a simpleton (or overly fixated), but Chiyo’s hair adornments continue to amuse me episode after episode. I swear those white pokey dotted monstrosities started off seemingly perfectly acceptable but somewhere along the line crossed over into the absurd.

    eviltrain
    Reply

  6. Okay, so the Seo/Wakamatsu/basketball bit had me laughing a lot harder than I should have.

    Before I tore my ACL, I used to play lacrosse. Like basketball, girls’ lacrosse is technically a noncontact sport; however, high school girls are vicious as hell (me included). I got whacked constantly by girls who I swear play lacrosse purely for the opportunity to swing sticks and inflict pain. So while I’m fairly sure that Seo’s character is intended to be some sort of caricature, she’s pretty damn realistic to me, lol.

    That being said, the animation quality this episode was pretty great. There’s nothing better than witnessing these kids hurtle down the Chasm of Horrific Embarrassment and Utter Failure in all of their fluid glory.

    igriega
    Reply

  7. I grossly underestimated Yuzuki’s oblivious shield, but Waka is her match! They stumbled into a relationship by all definitions, and act every bit while almost completely unaware themselves. If it weren’t for Nozaki on Waka’s side and Chiyo on Seo’s pointing it out. The gloves scene with Chiyo cinches that she suggest the idea they’re going out. Nozaki points out to Wakamatsu all the hanging around each other is dating. I think the couple would maintain having no inkling even as they get married.

    Yes, I am totally shipping Yuzuki x Wakamatsu so hard. I can picture the wedding now: I imagine Nozaki being Best man and Chiyo Maid of Honor, while both are totally oblivious as Yuzuki slips the ring on Wakamatsu’s finger.

    Match made in Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki kun! =D

    Drasca
    Reply

      1. “Poor” Waka, having Lorelei lullaby him to sleep every night, and going on dates with Sei in the day. She’s like, middle school, showing attention in crazy ways. Highschool applies too though.

        He’s in a good spot, an enviable spot even. He’s got a talented and independent young woman after him, that’s his mirror match personality wise. It may not be intentional, but he’s still choosing to act spend time with her outside while she does the same.

        Nope! No pity for Waka. Maybe a twinge of jealousy, but no pity.

        Drasca
        Reply

  10. Lorelei… is my goddess!
    Waka… could you say that one more time!

    I love that scene where Waka tries to compare Yuzuki with Lorelei. It works on two levels for me, and I can’t decide whether Yuzuki understood she was being complimented and wanted to hear it again, couldn’t quite understand the whole speech, or both!

    Maybe somewhere somehow she takes it as a compliment subconsciously in her twisted brain of hers, even without quite catching and understanding the whole speech, and wants to hear it again for her own ego as well as not comprehending well. Maybe she just liked Waka going gaga for someone, not understanding it is supposed to be an insult to her, or a compliment either!

    Also, not sure if Yuzuki knows she’s Lorelei to her glee club.

    So adored Nozaki’s reactions, spying on the lovebirds on the roof, throughout all this. Oh the pain… ahaha.

    Drasca
    Reply

    1. More specifically, Full metal panic Fumoffu and the Rugby Club episode. Now that’s a death squad if i’ve ever seen one! Good stuff.
      Let me just say though, I freaking love Yuzuki after this episode. This episode just cemented that. Overall I really liked the way they kept playing with expectations this episode, got good laughs out of me! I’m most likely just gonna buy this show when it comes out. I’m laughing to hard every week not to.

      Catsrofl
      Reply

  13. Every time someone says that there is no official couple on this show, I point them to Waka/Yuzuki. (They just don’t realise it)

    …Actually, consider how obvious both of them can be, I won’t be surprise if they somehow manage to keep doing this for another decade to the point of buying a house and living together without having a clue that they are basically married now.

    Kaitune
    Reply

  14. Wakamatsu is adorable and a very welcome addition to this brilliant cast of characters. I too am very anxious and excited to see them all interact together. Should be quite the colorful episode. The only miss for me though is bad editor. He struck a NERVE, man.

    sosbrigade1991
    Reply

  15. There was a missed joke as to why Mikorin wasn’t here. I’ll put it in a tag in case they include it next episode when he appears again.
    Show Spoiler ▼

    belatkuro
    Reply

  17. http://37.media.tumblr.com/0218e89e7334e89ff20158a23a8a7875/tumblr_na3wg2RSrF1slv5gyo1_500.gif

    http://31.media.tumblr.com/c870cdf7ebc5bbe90034bcfe1740042e/tumblr_na47auKsR81r3oj8fo3_500.gif

    http://37.media.tumblr.com/b8e39ebb841dcce7352d41a9bafa677c/tumblr_na47auKsR81r3oj8fo2_500.gif

    http://31.media.tumblr.com/a46bcb308e2c149bd4c12fbb8565d09f/tumblr_na3x1rC10u1ra23i2o1_500.gif

    I just can’t enough of Yuzuki when she makes that face. It’s gotta be the eyes. And that laugh! Yes Yuzuki is scary, but she’s still cute. I also salute Wakamatsu because so far he’s the only character who was able to stand up to Yuzuki and speak his mind…but still wasn’t able to get through to her though. Still he tried which is awesome. I definitely support the Waka x Seo pairing. I also wonder if it was just coincidence that they got Kimura Ryouhei to voice him considering he also voiced Silver Spoon’s Hachiken Yugo.

    and Stilts…

    I think Yuzuki is breaking the boys basketball team. They’re going to be a wreck! Soon they’ll be a total mess, planting flowers and wanting to be nice to each other, and we’ll have to bring in a certain sergeant to rehabilitate the club… (Name that reference, people)

    If it worked for dodgeball, then I’m pretty sure HE could whip the basketball team back into shape, and make them more terrifying than ever.

    Zhinvu
    Reply

    2. Wrong reference, but not a bad one either.

      Love Yuzuki’s face when she finds the love challenge letter and opens it up. Her face + Chiyo’s reactions really complete the set.

      Stilts
      Reply

      1. Really meant Rugby. For some reason my correction reply had to be moderated first. But yeah Yuzuki’s face when she’s being herself is just cute. Loved this episode since there was tons of Yuzuki faces. The Nozaki-pushing-Kashima-on-a-cart scene though remains my most favorite scene to date.

        Zhinvu
        Reply

  19. Glad I wasn’t the only one going “Come on Chiyo! You know this! What would Mikorin do?” when they were trying to write Mamikos dialogue.

    Poor Waka.. “Why do you always take me to restaurants and pay for my meals?!” So much ..err, Suffering..

    whemleh
    Reply

  21. I was curious about who would voice Wakamatsu, since the other characters have seemed right on the money, and it took me a few, but hey – it’s our other very clueless basketball player, Kise Ryouta!!

    I find Wakamatsu more lovable (than Kise), and yes, the perfect foil. Yuzuki didn’t become hilarious to me until their interactions in the manga as well.

    Gracelyn
    Reply

  25. Are you referring to that sergeant that turned a group of tea drinking, cake eating & pansy picking muscle bound guys who thought Rugby was too violent, and turned them into a real rugby team with murderous intent at their core?

    Kamui04
    Reply

      2. No one knows, but I wouldn’t bank on it. We’re getting into the “Holy shit, Mushishi is getting another anime!?” territory, and actually getting the sequel then is very rare.

        Stilts
        Reply

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