Angel Beats! – Special

THIS POST IS SO HIGH TENSIONNNNN!!!!

I don’t know about you, but I heartily enjoyed Angel Beats!. It had a few flaws (most of which would be resolved if it were longer), but still managed to build up a lot of tension despite the rushed development. So here we are with a special! If you were like me, and thought this was going to be a serious, alternate ending…you’re wrong. The alternate ending epilogue is apparently still coming out, but…this ain’t it.

The episode does start off on a serious note, with Yuri briefing her SSS members about her latest plan. She proposes that everyone acts with HIGH TENSION all day, as if they’re living completely fulfilled lives. Since they’re just pretending, they won’t disappear, but will trick Tenshi into thinking they are happy. Yuri is convinced she will report straight to God when she sees happy students not disappearing, and wants Tenshi to lead them right to God. Oh, and if they fail, no food for a week.

For the rest of the episode, we get a Tension-o-meter in the bottom left-hand corner. It’s actually pretty clever, and it revs up once someone starts screaming their lungs out. Hinata starts up the crazy tension episode, completely ecstatic to play baseball. Like, this is going to be the most exciting game of baseball EVER OMG YES I LIVE FOR BASEBALL. From here it’s split into the FUCK YEAH BASEBALL group, the FUCK YEAH EATING group and the FUCK YEAH GIRLDEMO group.

BASEBALL OMG YEAH I LIVE FOR THIS SPORT, IT’S THE SPIRIT OF YOUTH RAHHHH!!!!!! …and then Tenshi interrupts them to say they should be in class right now. They switch tactics to being overly enthusiastic students, ditching baseball to attend class. Otonashi is practically sweatdropping the entire episode, as his classmates scream at their teacher to TEACH THEM PLEASE, THEY’RE DYING TO BE TAUGHT!!!! All I can say is that I wish class was that interesting to merit that sort of reaction in real life. History should be so intense, that Takamatsu needs to be topless to do it.

Before the guys can play their epic baseball game, they have to clean the classroom. Tenshi doesn’t seem to be buying their act yet, and Otonashi is more low-key than usual if anything XD The boys do some over-the-top cleaning as Otonashi creeps along slowly. Also, we get to see NAOI!!!!!!!!! …And then he’s gone. FFFFUUUUUU-

The eating group eat so much that their tummies become big balloons (poor TK’s stomache became “destruction” thanks to all the Mapo tofu, so he’s not fat). That doesn’t seem to stop them, as they decide to go dance outside. Do not try this at home, you will get a cramp/throw up/BOTH <_< At the same time, Girls Demo decide to have an impromptu outdoor concert, and Hinata’s baseball nuts decide to play that game they had to postpone.

All 3 groups get there at the same time, and have a roaring argument over who gets to use the space. Otonashi finally screams at full tension to get everyone’s attention and suggests a sports festival. With that, the episode shifts gears to a sports festival. Very wtf, but HEY, IT WORKS. HIGH TENSION FOR ALL!

Yuri schemes in the background, waiting to see if Tenshi will take the bait and laughing all the while. By now, everyone is preparing for the final event – a piggyback contest. I don’t know what else to call it – but one person is on all fours as a horse and the other rides them. Whoever steals the most headbands form the other teams wins. Sadly, someone was unlucky enough to pick up one of Shiina’s dog plushies as he picked up the equipment from the shed, causing her to rush in and KO everyone instantly. That is what I’d call epic mobbing skills.

Tenshi left the Student Council Meeting (TEEHEE Naoi spotting number 2! The final one, sadly T.T) to confront Shiina, but she’s not here to fight. She’s there to…squeal at cuteness. That’s probably the most character I’ve seen from her the entire series <_< She’s..making it hard for me to continue hating her…so moe…*AHEM* Back on track, Tenshi mumbles “how can I explain this?” and quietly walks off. Yuri, who had come down to the sports festival to investigate, hears this and excitedly wakes up her comrades to go stalk Tenshi.

FANGIRL SQUEE ACTIVATE!

Because I am a pretty gullible person, I figured things would actually take a serious turn here. I mean, it was dark out, they were sneaking into a basement, this was the real deal! Of course, that was stupid for me to expect a 180 turn for the last few minutes. Tenshi just went to check up on her cute turnips for the Gardening Club (which is…adorable. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A CUTER TURNIP) after hearing Shiina say “cute.” Everyone facepalms, Yuri rages, and the whole SSS brigade go without food for a week. THE END.

MORE TENSION!:

Yui, don’t be jealous of my bromance with Otonashi here

Is it sad that I’ve actually done this before at my dojo?

This is why “12345” and “password” are bad passwords

Bitchslaps. They kill.

End Thoughts: I went into this expecting a serious, alternate ending to clear up some plot points and provide some much-needed extra character development. What did I get? A silly filler episode. Don’t get me wrong, I like having funny specials, but I was faked out by thinking it was the serious one.  I was literally waiting the entire episode for something meaningful to happen, AND IT NEVER CAME. This makes me long all the more for that epilogue episode~ <3

When I rewatched it for screencaps, I enjoyed it a LOT more without my pre-conception of what was going to happen. This is a darned good extra episode with a lot of great moments. It’s funny, and we get to see our favourite characters in action once again. It’s simply an indulgence for fans of the series to enjoy once the main show is over. Like dessert after the main dish. I literally sat through the whole thing with a pokerface on, because I’m weird like that, but it was probably the funniest thing I’ve seen from AB! (aside from Hinata jet-packing into the ceiling a million times). Best moment? Shiina’s CUUUUUTTTEEEE!!!!!! XD Also, more TK quotes! DIVE INTO YOUR BODY!

I wish Naoi was in it more. Heck, even Otonashi got shafted this episode. He said like 4 things the whole time. With such a huge cast, it’s hard to fit all of them in there, I guess. Anyways, the high tension plan was a pretty amusing concept for the special, I’m sure everyone was thinking “IT’S OVER 9000!!!!!” at least once. Not much else happens aside from the characters acting at 3x their normal speed and vigor, but each scene ends before the joke gets old, switching to a new situation to keep it fresh. :3 Really, it’s some nice fluffy, silliness before we get our serious epilogue. I liked it, although I know I’m probably going to like the epilogue even more XD

About

A neuroscience graduate, black belt, and all-around nerd. You'll either find me in my lab or curled up in my rilakkuma kigurumi watching anime.
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33 Responses to “Angel Beats! – Special”

  1. Thanks to this episode, Yurippe’s officially my favourite character – I just love her villainy MUHAHAHAHAHA.
    I really enjoyed this though it felt a bit like an amped up version the operation with Hinata being propelled to the ceiling.

    WHERE THE HECK IS TAKEYAMA/CHRIST?!Computer hacker too cool for operation high tension?

    • Overcooled says:

      She was magnificently bitchy this episode. =D Yes, it was like Hinata being jetpacked to the ceiling on loop XDD

      Christ never appeared much anyways, so he gets ignored for now. Someone should just photoshop him into all the screenshots lol.

  2. Foshizzel says:

    Lol this episode was awesome!! and funny!! XD Love getting to see my favorite pink demon girl <3 Yui.

    Man this was so fun 😀 heard there will be another soonish! with a actual ending for them…

  3. anaaga says:

    they have another episode? so this isn’t the alternate ending they’re talking about? THANK GOD I WAS ALL HULK ON MY LAPTOP THANKS TO THE STUPID ENDING

    but i still enjoyed this episode. i’m glad they still put all of those humors that always existed in angel beats. i was laughing so much my stomach was hurting. and my sister got mad at me because she wasn’t able to sleep.

    btw, did u watched episode 13. 5?

    • Overcooled says:

      I thought they were trolling us, but no, they’re just releasing the other episode later XD I wish I was able to laugh at anime, that sounds like fun…

      13.5? Uh…tell me what happened and I’ll see if I remember XD

      • anaaga says:

        it’s the two-minutes episode. otonashi became the student council after the others are gone. he looks so lonely, poor guy ;___; i think after that’s to set the special…

        • Overcooled says:

          Naw, didn’t see it. At first my reaction “eh, 2 useless minutes, I won’t watch it.” but it’s ANGEL BEATS! so maybe I’ll go and watch it XD

  4. amado says:

    yep this isnt the alternate ending, but it did give me several laughs and I still enjoyed it. im thinking this was like after ep 4…

    • Overcooled says:

      It certainly wasn’t what I was expecting XD I think it’s probably after 4 and before 6…Somewhere in-between

  5. A-chan says:

    XD I think it’s beetween 4 and 5 episodes too! It was a funny special episode, but so sad we didn’t see too much Otonashi-kun.
    I found a preview for an epilogue of Angel beats !

    http://hidden-anime.com/angel-beats-another-epilogue/

    I really love follow your site ! Thank you all !

    • Overcooled says:

      Otonashi was in it only slightly more than Naoi lol. Thanks for the preview, I’m the type who doesn’t watch a trailer unless someone shoves a link right under my nose XD It looks so INTENSE.

      Awww A-chan, thank YOU for following us XD

  6. Kyokai says:

    Epilogue was SOOOO GOOOOD!!! It’s like 2.5 minutes but PWNs this special. Still, I liked it and I rewatched it with High Volated (LP) playing in the background. Yeah, I’m weird like that but it was so FUN!

  7. amado says:

    btw, 2nd season confirmed:
    http://forums.mangafox.com/showthread.php?t=195117

  8. Robert says:

    Liked this episode! (even though this episode wnt nowhere)

  9. Dan-go says:

    WOOOO SECOND SEASONNNNN ILY ANGELBEAAATS

  10. Dan-go says:

    cannot find a decent copyyyyy, ugh stupid xvid

    • Overcooled says:

      Ugh, I know. I would’ve posted this DAYS sooner if I had found a proper version on time -_-

      BUT YES SECOND SEASON!!!! REJOICE! =D

  11. Teabie says:

    kyuuuuuuuto! shima’s one pwns. 9999! i totally fell off my chair laughing at that.

    i didn’t care about the randomness of it. i guess i kinda needed it too, i didn’t mind anything as long as angel beats continued somehow. it’s like a nice reunion of sorts, seeing the characters again and realising they hadn’t changed at all! i did wish otonashi would say something more, and nao was so under-utilised! it was kinda amusing hearing otonashi speak, since i’m still very much in kyousuke from ore no imoto mode, hahaha.

    but the epilogue was short… and unforgettable. it made its mark, no doubt. SOOOOOB. sometimes, there’s no need for long grandmother stories.

    • Overcooled says:

      That was my favourite moment of the special for sure.

      It served it’s purpose as the funny, random special, so I can’t really complain. I wish they stuck Otonashi in it more as well =/

      If it’s really that powerful I should get around to watching it. >_< Ahhh I feel so lazyyyy

  12. Dan-go says:

    btw that “piggy back contest” is called a cavalry fight, tis muchos fun, i tried it when i went on exchange to japan

  13. Tofu says:

    CUUUUUUUUUUTEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 xD Shiina is love~ Same goes for Kanade and her whole greenhouse garden, and I will honestly say I've also never seen such a cuter turnip! xD MAPO TOFU KANADE!!!!!!

    EVERYTHING MUST BE IN HIGH TENSION!!!! OOH YEAH!!!

    Can we say that… we've seen god? apparently his very big and casts a very big shadow with big giant hands like Niche's ^^

    NO FOOD FOR A WEEK!!!! (I thought it was 10 days… ^^")

    • Overcooled says:

      Only Tenshi can make turnips look adorable. I was having a discussion about turnips with my friends (don’t ask why) and I kept imagining Tenshi nuzzling her little turnip XD

      Now I know what God looks like! He’s not as majestic as I had imagined…

      7 days, 10 days…you starve either way XD

      • Tofu says:

        Kanade makes anything adorable, she is adorable herself.. no she’s more than adorable!!! x3 And yes, you would starve either way… Yuri you witch! xD

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