First Impressions / RDG: Red Data Girl

「はじめてのルームメイト」 (Hajimete no Ruumumeito)
“The First Roommate”

There’s never a dull moment for Izumiko seriously. This girl seems to run into trouble wherever she goes, but I guess that’s the baggage that you carry being a vessel for a spirit. Speaking of which, where is that spirit? When does she ever appear? I think it’s sad to say that I’m more interested in seeing her than I am watching Izumiko’s everyday school life. I actually find her surroundings in general more interesting than her… which is sad. Sorry!

I always thought or assumed RDG would present to me something unexpected and original. So far to date, there hasn’t been anything that’s blown my mind or really stood out even 4 episodes out (that’s a third of the way through the season!). We’ve seen Wamiya – but who couldn’t guess that he was an outcast… and now there’s this new top student named Takayanagi Ichijou (Nojima Hirofumi) who pretty much resembles a jacka**. My point is, this show makes it quite predictable that if Izumiko gets bad vibes, they’re bad. This includes both the “foreign exchange student” and Ichijou. This whole episode, I was dying for someone to prove me wrong… perhaps the shadow-y figures are just figments of Izumiko’s imagination. Perhaps she’s just getting used to being surrounded by new people and maybe people aren’t just “out to get her”. But no – they are bad and once again, she’s saved by Miyuki.

We get to see a little more of Izumiko’s roommate, Souda Mayura (Yonezawa Madoka) this episode and her twin brother. I shall call Souda Manatsu (Ishikawa Kaito) her twin because technically their third triplet is dead. Judging by their introduction and the lack of surprises in this show, I’d say that these two will end up being Izumiko’s friends in school. They’re likely going to play a large role in helping her discover who she is and be there for her when Miyuki can’t. They give off a vibe that says they’re more than siblings… but perhaps that’s just me and they really just have a genuinely close relationship. Individually, Manatsu definitely appears to be more outspoken and cheerful, but Mayura is also an outgoing individual and I never pinned her as an A-class girl. I guess there’s something I wasn’t expecting.

In the end, Mayura invites Izumiko to meet Souda Masumi (Kimura Ryouhei) and I was already sure of who she is. Mayura mentions that Masumi is a homunculus so there’s a dead giveaway (haha! Unintentional pun!). I believe next episode would focus on why they called for Masumi since I’m not sure how or why they would revive their dead sibling anyway. I’ve always seen creating homunculus as a taboo thing, so perhaps they’re just calling on Masumi’s dead spirit. I’m also excited to see what Mayura and Manatsu can do. We all know what Izumiko and Miyuki can do (which sadly isn’t a lot at this stage), but this is why they’re at school with other “strange” people like themselves.

Full-length images: 21, 22, 30, 32, 36.

 

Preview

31 Comments

  1. I have to admit RDG is pretty generic in terms of characters and story line but I think I will keep an eye on it. The whole story is about “growing up” so Izumiko might become a little more interesting as we go on. Mayura is a pretty strong-willed person so she will have some interesting development too 🙂 I will keep this as my “filler” anime in between the others I am watching lol

    Kaka
    Reply

  3. “They give off a vibe that says they’re more than siblings… but perhaps that’s just me and they really just have a genuinely close relationship.”

    You ain’t the only one Cherrie. I cant help but feel that there is something more as well…
    And yes… Takayanagi is an a**hole…. Hopefully he gets his arse kicked big time.

    Also, regarding Masumi, wonder whats with the cross dressing (recognising the seiyuu’s name does have its drawbacks). Unless they have some explanation for it.

    Euzio
    Reply

      1. It’s possible, but I can still see it as an entirely sibling relationship as well. It’s generally expected (at least in fiction, I can’t speak from real life experience) that twins or triplets would have a closer bond than your average set of siblings. Here, he just heard that his sister was nearly killed today. You can bet he’s worried and upset, especially after they’ve already lost one sibling when they were younger. As for her… someone tried to murder her, and she’s hurt, tired, and may have even permanently lost an eye, I don’t know how bad her injury is. She’s putting on a strong front for her worried friend, but I’m not surprised to see her break down with her brother. He may be the only person there she truly feels she can trust.

        Wanderer
        Reply

      2. I have a younger sister. We have a year apart. We grew up together, played, studied, learned of the world, we talk, we fight, we cry together. We are the best true friends. The sibling love is about trust and friendship from childhood, we do not know completely but we share history and secrets.
        That is why it is difficult for the childhood friends be seen as lovers in the anime, because the protagonist is a moron and sees her as a sister.

        Sexual love between siblings is something twisted, has to do with many psychological problems

        Shadow74
        Reply

    2. I’ve often noticed that most people think it’s very strange when siblings are friendly towards each other, especially when it’s a brother and sister. It’s like everyone sees an immediate sexual connotation attached to any instance where siblings actually seem to care for each other.

      There’s no better example of this than the Folgers commercial from a few years ago (known on the internet as the Folgers incest commercial).

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOQk_pWmisA

      Tre
      Reply

    1. Remember how changing her hair in the first episode had some weird effects on her powers? Braiding might have something to do with shielding like with electrical cables… The electromagnetic waves or in this case spirit waves cancel each other out when she braids them because otherwise she would be attracting too many spirits. Heh so when she lets her hair down she becomes more attractive to both spirits and humans alike ;D

      mechazawa
      Reply

  11. Lol… First of all, sorry for my poor english… (T__T)Your site is a great reference for me. I always take a look in it, when the new anime’s season start. Thanks for keep it!
    They make brazilian people look scary ones though… I am from Brazil and when I watch the episode, I think WTH?!
    I have a doubt… The third twin… It is the girl who apperared in the final, or maybe is someone else? I don’t know… Because, in the RDG’s opening appears 2 “Souda Manatsu”…
    I guess RDG has so much to show to us, but I think Izumiko has no carisma at all…
    I am only watch this cause of Miyuki and I hope for some more action or romance though…

    Nyttah
    Reply

  13. I didn’t expect Masumi to be a trap and I love my traps >:3

    http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120724100232/spiritedaway/images/1/11/HakuV2.png

    https://randomc.net/image/Red%20Data%20Girl/Red%20Data%20Girl%20-%2004%20-%2020.jpg

    I’ll call Takayanagi Evil Haku from now on.Show Spoiler ▼

    https://randomc.net/image/Red%20Data%20Girl/Red%20Data%20Girl%20-%2004%20-%2012.jpg

    It’s too cute!

    Magoiichi
    Reply

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