First Impressions / Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu

「変じゃないでしょうか…？」 (Hen Janai Deshou ka?)
“It’s Not Weird Is It…?”

Episode at a Glance:
Figuring that something’s bothering Hazuki, Haruka consults with Yuuto, who doesn’t sense anything out of the norm, so Mika suggests that they follow her for a day. Upon seeing Hazuki enter a plush toy store and hearing how she loves them, Yuuto finds it difficult to imagine her that way. When Nobunaga unexpectedly runs into them, Yuuto desperately tries to hide Haruka’s Shana cosplay, before being saved by Nanami’s “It’s Ueda Kana!” distraction. After Hazuki enters a large department building, Yuuto is worried about being within range of her inhuman 50 meter detection radius, but Nanami informs him it’s fine when she has her attention diverted by other people. With Hazuki shopping for underwear though, Yuuto decides to wait outside, where he runs into Shiina for the second time. Upon peeking at her underwear again, they recall running into each other at Akihabara. Shiina then teases him about being on a date and running into her on purpose, adding how it would be a miracle if it happens a third time. As Shiina leaves, Haruka comes out of the store and apologizes for making him wait alone. Having left the infiltration plan to Mika and Nanami, the two of them are suprised to see Hazuki come out alone, unaware that the other two have already abandoned their “mission” for a sale.

Reminded of how she’s always gone with her, Haruka realizes it’s been a while since Hazuki went shopping alone. Yukari then comes along drunk as hell and wonders if Yuuto’s having an illicit sexual relationship with Haruka. Claiming she doesn’t mind, Yukari suggests a threesome, but Yuuto sets her straight for a second, long enough to get away. Haruka then asks Yuuto what sanpii (3P) is, but embarassed, he simply says it’s fine if she doesn’t know. Having lost sight of Hazuki, the two of them later find her at a cafe that Haruka’s been to her with. While they wait outside, Ruko notices Yuuto and explains she’s working at a newly opened winery before questioning who Haruka is. Seeing her embarassed expression though, Ruko figures that she’s the girl that Yuuto “lusts for with animal desires and sexually assaulted to make his“. She then introduces herself as Yuuto’s older sister and somehow figures out that he’s protecting a secret of hers, so she asks Haruka to take care of Yuuto (…which saves her from starving too).

Later on, Haruka has a very different image of Ruko than Yuuto and asks him if she should become like her. Back at the department store, Mika and Nanami are still trying on underwear, while Hazuki enters a bridal shop. Seeing her meet with a man outside before entering, Haruka begins drawing conclusions and rushes in. However, an employee mistakes the two of them for someone else and gets them dressed up for wedding pictures. After Yuuto and Haruka are all dressed up, the employees realize that it was their mistake, so they offer to take a photo of them for free. After leaving, Haruka wonders if Mika and her are preventing Hazuki from getting married given how dependent they’ve been on her, so back at home, they ask her about what they saw. However, Hazuki explains that she merely went to a hardware store that she’s a regular customer at to buy a new chainsaw, as her old one has gotten dull. Hearing this, Haruka and Yuuto apologize for their misunderstanding, but Hazuki thanks them for looking out for her sake, leading to a very emotional Haruka. Mika and Nanami then return home with a present for Haruka, which she rushes over to out of embarassment, dropping the wedding photo in the process. Catching sight of it, Mika and Nanami tease them about it, but Hazuki just congratulates them, much to Yuuto’s surprise.

 

Next Episode:
「そんなに見られますと…」 (Sonna ni Miraremasu to…)
“If You Look at Me Like That…”

Impressions:
Kawada Mami‘s “Hishoku no Sora” opening song, Shana cosplay, and her trademark, “urusai urusai urusai!” line, coming from Noto Mamiko (Hecate in Shakugan no Shana) didn’t quite make me want to watch 48 episodes of Shakugan no Shana again, but it did make me want to listen to Mami’s music. On another note, this episode made it pretty clear that my knowledge of seiyuus isn’t helping me in the non-otaku image department, seeing as I found it pretty funny when Nanami distracted Nobunaga by saying, “Isn’t that the super popular and beautiful seiyuu Ueda Kana?” followed by “Hello” in her normal voice, whereas a regular everyday anime fan would probably react more like Yuuto and simply ask, “Who’s Ueda-san?” (Nanami is voiced by Ueda Kana, so talk about some personal promotion here!)

Anyway, let’s look beyond that shall we? So I know of loud drunks and sleepy drunks, but I’ve never met someone that gets sexually aroused and wants to sleep with you, let alone it being a teacher. (This is coming from someone who has friends who are teachers too.) It sure looks like Yuuto has his hands full with Yukari though, but luckily for him, Haruka doesn’t know that sanpii (3P) means “threesome”. Also, I’ll acknowledge screams of “lolicon” here, as watching Mika dress up in lingerie underwear and flirt with the mirror was only mildly humorous because it felt so wrong. I’m fine with fan-service of Shiina and Nanami, but I can personally do without Mika. She didn’t quite come off like Kokonoe Rin from Kodomo no Jikan, who still makes you think lolicon, but not quite as lewd given the latter’s reasons for behaving that way.

In retrospect, I can’t say this episode accomplished too much, seeing as everyone followed Hazuki for a day thinking that something was bothering her, only to find out that she went shopping for a new chainsaw. It was pretty predictable that it would end up being something dumb, but at least all the little things on the side made up for it. They revealed her importance to Haruka, allowed Yuuto and Haruka to get a closer, showed Mika’s “adult side”, and had a couple of anime references (e.g. Shana and Ueda Kana). It also included the so-called “second fated encounter” with Shiina, who we’ll undoubtedly see more of next time. Based on the preview, she’s transferred schools to Yuuto and Haruka’s, so I’m wondering if this means Haruka will have some competition now. If not that then at the very least, someone to stir things up and make her a little jealous from misunderstandings. Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing Satou Rina (Negi Springfield in Negima, Minami Haruka in Minami-ke) in a more cheerful/playful role this season.

 

Cast:
– Nogizaka Haruka (乃木坂 春香) / Noto Mamiko (能登 麻美子)
– Ayase Yuuto (綾瀬 裕人) / Hatano Wataru (羽多野 渉)
– Nogizaka Mika (乃木坂 美夏) / Gotou Mai (後藤 麻衣)
– Amamiya Shiina (天宮 椎菜) / Satou Rina (佐藤 利奈)
– Sakurazaka Hadzuki (桜坂 葉月) / Shimizu Kaori (清水 香里)
– Nanashiro Nanami (七城 那波) / Ueda Kana (植田 佳奈)
– Kamishiro Yukari (上代 由香里) / Matsuki Miyu (松来 未祐)
– Ayase Ruko (綾瀬 ルコ) / Nabatame Hitomi (生天目 仁美)
– Asakura Nobunaga (朝倉 信長) / Takagi Reiko (高木 礼子)
– Mech-san (メイクさん) / Oohara Takashi (大原 崇)

27 Comments

  4. Haruka is just so freaking cute *drool a river* On another matter, It is not a concidence that every time haruka’s younger sister shows up, they show that sister underwear too. And now, wearing lingerie and flirting with the mirror. It is not that I dislike it though. But I would prefer if they just show her underwear like every scenes before.

    mysterious
    Reply

  10. @Duran

    Well, if you look on Wikipedia,
    Show Spoiler ▼

    But…
    Show Spoiler ▼

    Chicle
    Reply

  11. For some strange reason, I’m still watching this series…. can’t really explain it myself…. it’s clearly not the best comedy this season….. guess I’ve got too much time on my hands.

    Lithium17
    Reply

  17. I love this series it may stereotypical as ‘psgels’ says but I don’t care. I even dare say its better than Itazura No Kiss, I just don’t get the humor in that show. This show is so random and funny as hell!

    panaghoy88
    Reply

  20. Thanks for teh “sanpii” reference. This was a hilarious episode, all thanks to haruka of course; her Shana personification, her innocent quesiton of what a sanpii was and finally, her shyness at the photo session was priceless. Next week looks promissing.

    Syaoran Li
    Reply

  24. Finally got to actually watch the episode and loved it even more than the screenies:

    1) Shakugan no Haruka FTW!!! (the music made it 10 times better)

    2) Still loving Yuuto’s US Navy get-up, is this meant to be from another anime?

    3) Plenty of fan-service and Mika is clearly at that “I wanna be an adult so seduce me please” age. I’ll confess, I was in that “she’s only 14 dammit!” state

    4) Nanami was nice too and this time I didn’t feel guilty

    5) The voice actor bit was also funny, though funnier still since I’d read the summary and got the “inside” joke of it all

    FX102
    Reply

  27. Well, well…Wondering if the second-highest ranking maid in the Nogizaka family will be revealed so soon. >.>
    Nogizaka S. Haruka and Ueda Kana are probably the bombshells in this episode, can’t get enough of the ED as well.

    Show Spoiler ▼

    Heavenwargod
    Reply

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