First Impressions / Shinryaku! Ika Musume

Only Ika could laugh so hard or cheer for the wrong side at a Hero Show.

Then again, I wouldn’t cheer for this guy either.

「ヒーローショーじゃなイカ？／勉強しなイカ？／恋じゃなイカ？」
(Hero Show Janai ka? / Benkyou Shinai ka? / Koi Janai Ka?)
“Isn’t it a Hero Show? / Won’t You Study? / Isn’t it Love?”

After last week’s Mini-Ika skit, I swear that I’m going to constantly be on the lookout for hidden gems like that. This week’s episode wasn’t as funny as the previous weeks but made up in the making fun of Ika department. I don’t think I’ve seen Ika praised so much in a single episode, getting her mind to fly so high, only to get dropped back to earth twice as hard. But without some good ol’ Ika bashing, what would this be? de geso!

I never thought that Ika would be a genius at math. I mean, I can understand that she’s great with computers (everyone has Internet under the sea!) but when she started solving complex math equations without breaking a sweat, I was pretty startled. Not only was I surprised but I think Eiko’s brain snapped as well. Imagine what she must have felt when she thought about how our useless Ika was better than her at something? Even better is when Ika finally realized that she had this dominance over Eiko and started banking on it. For the sake of passing her test, Eiko becomes little Ika’s slave for day so that she’ll teach her the secrets to math. I commend Ika for her idea to change positions with her – Ika barking the orders and Eiko doing all the hard work was fun to watch. I wouldn’t mind a manager like Ika, she’s just looks so cute with that little yellow megaphone! Of course nothing with Ika is as it seems, and even I don’t understand what this means. It’s supposed to be the ultimate formula for math +_+

The rest of the episode had Ika in a hilarious Hero Show and once again fighting for dominance over Nagisa. I don’t even understand where or why Chizuru had a hero costume hiding somewhere in the store, but boy you know someone is scary when the sound of their voice scares you. Chizuru is just plain devious. Also did it also occur to you guys that an “invader from the sea” should look like this instead of this? Makes me think Ika should learn from this and make a costume for herself! I also love Nagisa’s character with a passion. The comedic relief she provides just keeps getting better every episode. With Ika constantly fighting to keep Nagisa under her thumb, it’s just hilarious how Ika’s attempts to make herself look evil doesn’t even matter. With Nagisa’s dogmatic view of Ika as an invader from the sea, I hope she never understands how cute Ika really is. It will never get old watching Ika run over to Nagisa only to get flung hundreds of feet away.

 

Of Course Ika would make the best squid monster! Is that Chizuru standing on the top of the stage?

Yes, it is. I thought Ika learned last time that she can’t win against Chizuru like that. Silly Ika ._.

IKA-BOSHI!

Who would have thought that Ika was so good at math? Probably not Eiko.

This is called: Ika finally understanding she has power over Eiko.

After obliterating Eiko’s mind, she starts going so crazy that even Chizuru opens her eyes in disbelief.

I can’t hear youuu! GET ON YOUR KNEES! Buwahawhahaha.

After failing to use math to invade the world, the only person who really understands Ika is Eiko.

Squid Math. (lol)

I know you’re angry Eiko, but was it really worth getting squid ink all over your face? At least it tastes yummy!

Nagisa is pretty gutsy taking on such a huge wave. Good thing Goro is here to save the day!

Ika’s always on the move to somehow play with Nagisa. It’s so cute <3

And here starts the big misunderstanding. Gotta love Eiko for getting Ika to get so embarrassed. Also Nagisa is Ika’s “Prey”.

In Goro’s Mind this is how Chizuru looks. Pretty innocent especially with the sparkles.

After Ika shows just how much she loves Nagisa..

She takes it the wrong way like usual and flings Ika into the air. (How freaking strong is she? O_O)

Preview

OH MY GOD SCIENTISTS? It looks like they aren’t taking her seriously though.

57 Comments

  9. Grrr. MAL is down, I can’t update my list…

    I wouldn’t mind being on either side on that hero show. They’re both amusing.

    Gotta take note of Ika’s formula, it might be useful for my thesis xD

    Lol Okazaki Tomoya saved Nagisa xD. And Sanae joining in will make it even interesting.

    Great episode again.
    Yay for next episode, Ayako Kawasumi’s character will appear again. I’m sure Takaii will be pleased with next episode xD
    Though, isn’t Divine covering this show?

    belatkuro
    Reply

  13. Ika is just Hnnnnnnnnnnng. I mean seriously, I bow to her cuteness and then I’d tell her to really use my place as her base (even if it’s really far from the sea/ocean). Yes to Ika musume sama! I think she brainwashed me…and I like it.

    Shinjiro
    Reply

    2. Seriously!? Because when I was reading the very first paragraph I started thinking ”Why is Divine’s writing similar to Takaii’s?” and then I looked and noticed that Takaii was the one who wrote it lol.

      I gotta say, I’d like if the do something similar to this from now on. Having the writers rotating between shows. That’d be interesting.

      Arabesque
      Reply

      3. I want the writers to take ownership of the shows and make them theirs, otherwise it’s too easy to brush off work to other people and get them to cover for you. It gets sloppy and means someone (likely me) will have to cover for those long periods that Suzuku fell behind on all his shows (as an example).

        Also, I didn’t want impressions to vary too widely within a given series, which may happen if one person really likes a show and another hates it, making it hard to follow week to week. Plus there’s final impressions to think about. If the other writers have something to say about a show, they’re more than welcome to simply comment about it.

        Divine
        Reply

      4. I understand what you mean. However, I think that you’re focusing on the worst-case-scenario in regards to writers being late. From my point of view, the reason this season’s coverage ended up being so hectic, aside from the new arrangement with the staff, was that the amount of shows, and how many allocated to the writers.

        I think that Suzuku in particular suffered because of this. He had to cover two highly prolific (Index and Star Driver) while initially covering 3 other shows as well as MM!. I don’t know what happens internally with the staff, but as a frequent reader of this blog since the Omni era, and while yours and Omni’s stamina and commitment to blogging is legendary, there were cases where shows did get late/dropped, and Suzuku is making sure to catch up to his shows. I can see how you’re worried that if this falls apart, then all the work load will be automatically dumped on you, but I think that thus far, the writers had been responsible enough to not do that.

        For the impressions, I personally think that’s part of the appeal of the rotating system. seeing what each writer has to say about the show each week, the different contrasts etc. While your point about each writer taking a show and making it their responsibility, but I also think it’s equally important to have the staff try and work together as a team. For the final impression, why not have a general over view about how the team thought of the show, or do something like the Best of Anime posts, where you and Omni posted your own impressions together.

        Here’s my idea. How about next season, two or more writers (or even everyone) picks one show to collectivity blog together, with each writer doing an episode. It can even be in the Snapshot format. Just to see how well it goes. It doesn’t need to be a highly prolific show (or you can do a poll asking which one would readers like to see, or you can decided among your selfs).

        Trying something different wouldn’t be bad.

        Arabesque
        Reply

      5. Given my plans to really lighten my blogging schedule next season and “recharge” for a busy spring, there will definitely be some room to experiment. If a show wasn’t going to be covered by a writer to begin with that is.

        Divine
        Reply

      6. For the record, me taking up so many shows had more to do with my ignorance/naiveté than necessity, as Divine only wanted me to take on 3 shows to begin with. I didn’t realize how long it takes to get one post out, not to mention that I underestimated RL ( i.e. college freshmen + part-time job + wrestling team = very little free time and many unexpected occurrences). But yeah, I never asked Divine to cover for me during those times because I wanted to take responsibility for them.

        As for the rotation format, me and Kiiragi wanted to do it for PSG since I have work on Fridays and wouldn’t be able to cover it every week, and we even had an idea of how to do the Final Impressions, but Divine was against it for the reasons mentioned. I still think we should have experimented with it, and maybe we’ll be able to next season.

        Anyway, good post Takaii, glad I’m not the only one who though of Kiraboshi when Ika did that. :p

        Suzuku
        Reply

    3. I think we’re treading on some dangerous waters. I’m totally envious of Divine’s writing and I love reading it. I don’t think I’m the best writer, but I really wanted to take a stab at the filmstrip post and I love watching Ika 😀

      I also totally agree with Divine and the whole sense of “owning” a show. I think it helps the writer focus more and you don’t get conflicting points of view when you read multiple posts. I also wanted to fulfill my other purpose – ease Divine’s blogging load even if by a little. 🙂

      Takaii
      Reply

      1. Hey, the Viking went through those waters, and ended up finding North America. Sometimes doing something dangerous might help you find something valuable /fortunecookiewisdom

        I like to read your posts, especially about Tamayura. Thanks to you I picked up that show.

        @Everything else see above post

        Arabesque
        Reply

      3. Epic Ika-Boshi LOL.
        About your writing style, I can say that I really enjoy reading all your post. Also, I think that yours and Kiiragi’s writing style similar to Divine which is a good thing of course. Though, when I read Kiiragi’s writing style I get a little Jaalin-vibe……wonder why (-,-)

        briex
        Reply

      6. Yes, I’m sure its Takaii’s. When I first read Takaii’s post not too long after he joins RC, I thought his writing style is very similar to Divine. Thought now I think when Takaii post a show, his format is divided into 2 part….an impression part and a summary part. But its just until recently and I don’t mind it either. As for Kiiragi’s, now that I think about it….like Suzuku said, maybe I get the Jaalin-vibe because Kiiragi is more open to talk about his mind whenever he post a show and I first realize it when I read Kiiragi’s HSOTD post on the episod about Takashi and the katana-senpai(forgot her name, just remember the boobs-grip :p) take a shelter in some shrine.

        briex
        Reply

  15. Hahahaha I’m sorry but that Ika-Boshi! caption made me laugh so hard.

    I really liked this episode and had a pleasure watching it with people who don’t watch anime. They actually liked it and thought it was funny. Power of this show.

    solarguardian
    Reply

  17. Wasn’t there like an old Discovery Channel(?) documentary showing how oceanic animals use complex mathematics in order to capture their pray? Considering that, it’s not really that difficult to imagine that Ika would be good at it.

    Arabesque
    Reply

  20. This episode was pretty good. The Hero show staff was funny with the announcer doing a Lucky Channel switch and giving up after Ika stole the costume (The costume itself was cute). The idea to evolve Ika monster man into Tako monster man to solve the problem wasn’t bad. The mask the heroine uses does look ugly though

    The second skit cuts off a part IIRC where Eiko first teaches Ika the basics of math then she takes it from there. The other point that they could have done better would be at the end where Eiko was shaking Ika hard enough to hurt, making Eiko seem like a horrible person (which she’s not in the manga). They could have changed it into dizziness and kept everything else. The part where they floated the equations and finishing with the palm on face look mimicing Galileo standard ending was amusing. Ika = Yukawa = Genius

    The last skit where everyone misunderstood everyone else, especially Nagisa’s idea of Ika brainwashing everyone (and she was next!) was funny. Chizuru wearing a squid hat

    Zaku Fan
    Reply

  24. All the side characters are interesting and things start to move out into a really complicated love geometry thing.Like Eiko ,I’m really interested in this situation and I love this more and more very week.Seeing Nagisa scared is my favorite thing .

    Rockmanshii
    Reply

  25. Although I wouldn’t want her out of the show, I can’t really say I’ve developed any huge affection towards Chizuru — leave Ika alone de geso! ><

    It sure was funny to learn that Ika Musume has some divine squidly super effective multi tentacled way of tackling all the mathematical problems imaginable. Did not expect to see that.

    Yeah, this wasn't exactly the funniest episode so far, but still very good. I could never get tired of watching Ika Musume… <3

    Oh and by the way, that fried rice + shrimps dish looked awesome!

    dietwarrior
    Reply

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