First Impressions / Special A

OP2 Sequence:

OP2: “Gorgeous 4U” by Fukuyama Jun (福山 潤), Shimono Hiro (下野 紘), Yonaga Tsubasa (代永 翼), Horie Kazuma (堀江 一眞)
Watch the 2nd OP!: Mirror 1, Mirror 2

ED2 Sequence:

ED2: “Special☆Gyutto Good luck!” 「スペシャル☆ギュッとGood luck!」 by Gotou Yuuko (後藤 邑子), Nabatame Hitomi (生天目 仁美), Takagaki Ayahi (高垣 彩陽)
Watch the 2nd ED!: Mirror 1, Mirror 2

「魔法・友達」 (Mahou / Tomodachi)
“Magic / Friend”

Episode at a Glance:
Instructed by Tadashi’s mother to attend and help out at a regular high school for three days or lose their S.A rights, the super elite class members undertake the assignment and find themselves extremely popular there. While Akira’s annoyed by the whole thing, she’s overjoyed about being paired up with Hikari (as decided by Tadashi’s mother via throwing darts). However, her attitude changes suddenly when she runs into Oikawa Yui, a girl in her class who looks exactly like Sayo, a former friend from her childhood. Traumatized by what happened with Sayo, Akira makes a scene by refusing to be friends with Yui. To make things worse, Hikari’s attempt to cheer up Akira by getting her some tea results in more resentment from the class.

Later on, Akira hits Tadashi for his quirky remark and is reminded of how Yahiro once told her that she can’t get along with anyone but him (thanks to his meddling), making the subsequent stares and whispers from the class feel worse. Tadashi speaks up though, telling the others that it’s fine because Akira only hits him because she likes him. Kei then comes along and sees Yui’s resemblance to Sayo, but infuriates Akira a bit by implying that she got worked up over this when they’re clearly different people. Seeing this, Yui apologizes to Akira even though she doesn’t know what she did, causing Akira to recall how she used to talk about having magic that can bring people a bit of happiness. Calling in enough cars for 42 people, Akira invites everyone back to her place for some tea, where she apologizes for her rash behaviour. After making up with Yui, Akira is also reminded about how Sayo was the first friend she made while Yahiro wasn’t around, but when he came back, he ruined that friendship.

At the Saiga mansion, news of the S.A class going to an ordinary high school reaches Yahiro, who also has information on a member of Akira’s class—Yui.

 

Next Episode:
「守りたい・ごめんね」 (Mamoritai / Gomen ne)
“Want to Protect / Sorry”

Impressions:
Being a two season series, I kind of expected Special A to have two separate opening and ending songs, but for some reason or another, it didn’t occur to me that episode thirteen is the halfway point until I double-checked. (I’ll attribute this to being on vacation and not quite on top of anime-related matters though.) Regardless, we have new songs this week, with the opening featuring the S.A guys and the ending featuring the S.A girls. While the first ending song didn’t sound all that great until you got used to it, “Gorgeous 4U” actually sounds noticeably better. Now I’m not sure if this is because I’ve become accustomed to the S.A cast’s singing or if it’s actually just better, so you be the judge. As for the actual OP/ED sequences, I felt that the new opening was nicely done and I particularly like the part were Hikari grabs onto Kei’s hand and it shows the childhood version of the same thing. The part where they both push a ball of light together looked like a Rasengan (for you remaining Naruto fans).

As for the actual episode, what the heck is wrong with Yahiro? Given how manipulative he is in getting Kei and Hikari closer together, I thought he wasn’t all that bad of a guy, but given the torment he put Akira through when they were kids (i.e. not allowing her to have any friends other than him and Kei), I’m not sure if Yahiro simply wants her all to himself (i.e. his twisted way of expressing how he likes her) or if he’s just that damn sadistic. I’d like to lean towards the former, but I’m not so sure at this point. If it’s the latter case, then all the things he did for Kei probably wasn’t really for him and Hikari, but merely for his own personal enjoyment.

On the plus side, it was nice to see Tadashi step in for Akira when the class she was sitting in for didn’t like her at all. Saying that he doesn’t mind getting hit by Akira evidently moved her a fair bit too. The preview seems to indicate that the two of them are getting closer as well, so perhaps Tadashi will be the one to free Akira from Yahiro’s torment. I had a feeling that Tadashi and Akira would make a nice pairing from the very beginning, but after the introduction of Yahiro, I thought he was a likely “candidate” as well. After this episode though, I’m rooting for Tadashi all the way.

There were quite a lot of different scenes this time around, so much that I had way too many screenshots to go through. There were also a lot of small jokes littered throughout the episode (in a good way) and I really enjoyed all the super deformed, a.k.a. SD, scenes as well. Some pretty funny moments for me were when the girls in Kei’s class when they wanted to call him “Takichi” and then laughing at him after he failed to hit on Hikari. Tadashi asking if Akira was troubled because she’s on her period was pretty priceless as well. I don’t know if Japanese people would get so offended by such a remark in real life (as the ones I’ve met probably wouldn’t even care), but Akira felt that it was pretty much sexual harassment (haha).

Next time, more of Tadashi x Akira and Yahiro continuing to be a pest.

 

Cast:
– Hanazono Hikari (華園 光) / Gotou Yuuko (後藤 邑子)
– Takishima Kei (滝島 彗) / Fukuyama Jun (福山 潤)
– Toudou Akira (東堂 明) / Nabatame Hitomi (生天目 仁美)
– Karino Tadashi (狩野 宙) / Shimono Hiro (下野 紘)
– Yamamoto Megumi (山本 芽) / Takagaki Ayahi (高垣 彩陽)
– Yamamoto Jun (山本 純) / Yonaga Tsubasa (代永 翼)
– Tsuji Ryuu (辻 竜) / Horie Kazuma (堀江 一眞)
– Saiga Yahiro (雑賀 八尋) / Taniyama Kishou (谷山 紀章)
– Yahiro (boy period) (少年時代の八尋) / Koshimizu Ami (小清水 亜美)
– Oikawa Yui (及川 唯) / Shitaya Noriko (下屋 則子)
– Yoshikawa (吉川) / Matsuo Daisuke (松尾 大亮)
– Class 1 Girl A (１組女子A) / Shindou Kei (真堂 圭)
– Class 1 Girl C (１組女子C) / Takada Hatsumi (高田 初美)

23 Comments

  3. No, I don’t think it’s just you, divine… I also think the new OP and ED seem to be noticeably better. Perhaps it comes with working with the same people for such a long period of time?

    cbhl
    Reply

  4. Kind of funny to see guys teasing girls about being moody during their cycle (and the female outrage in reaction) in an anime.
    I always thought that was an American culture only kind of thing.

    KillerB
    Reply

  5. I think in many Asian country (including Japan), it isn’t exactly polite to talk to girls about their period, and there are chances that they might get offend if you aren’t very close to them. Even if you are close to the girls, it also depends on her personality too. At least, that’s how it like in my country (Thailand) although I am not the type of girl who will mind much.

    Kaitune
    Reply

  7. Well guys, this is the start of the Akira x Tadashi stuff. Nice nice.

    And as for Yahiro, don’t be quick to hate him, he doesn’t do this for nothing. When the anime gets there and shows you everything that happened in their past you’ll understand. I don’t wanna spoil, but for those who’ve read the manga then you should know the reasons by now. I actually kinda feel sorry for Yahiro now that I know everything. 🙁

    GP
    Reply

  8. YAY!!! I’m so happy AkiraxTadashi!! <3, I think they’re my favourite coupling in Special A.

    @GP
    I feel sorry for him too! but I still prefer Tadashi to him…

    alliecatt
    Reply

  9. I think Yahiro has a method to his madness… well i don’t think it but i’ve read the manga :P. anyway don’t judge him too harshly, he’s helped Kei and Hikari get closer, so it isn’t like his intentions are bad

    Itadakimasu!
    Reply

  12. Yahiro is probably just too overprotective and paranoid. I mean, it’s obvious that he does care about Akira, but I think he’s just being too overprotective her, not wanting her to get hurt, so he prevents an opportunity of her getting hurt before it even happens (it probably makes sense to him o.o). Plus, he seems to continue protecting and caring about her even though he can’t even go see her.

    Final
    Reply

  14. As GP & Itadakimasu! have stated, don’t be so quick to judge Yahiro, he has his reasons that have been revealed in the manga.

    For those who don’t wanna wait (though it should be revealed by the next ep):

    Show Spoiler ▼

    FX102
    Reply

  21. Is it me or the graphics look a LOT better than on the first 12 eps? The faces look a lot more detailed and the character models look less like “sticks” (especially for Hikari)

    Johncraven
    Reply

  22. This was an awesome episode! I re-watched it about 10 times or even more!
    I loved the “Taki-chi” moment the best >.< I was thinking of Lelouch the whole time when he was saying the phrase ” Try to if you can..” to the fangirl crowding around him.
    Aww… but the next episode won’t have Takishima nor HIkari in it… T.T

    Miyazawa
    Reply

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