Nazo no Kanojo X – 07

There is only one person these legs belong to. Er, maybe technically 2. (click for full size)

We’re now passing about the halfway point of the season, and I wonder how it’s shaped up so far to everyone? I’m enjoying the hell out of it, with Tsuritama being my pick so far, and I was happy to see enough people thought the same way to knock Kids on the Slope off the top of the Anime Power Rankings this week. Nyaruko-san has also been a consistent pleasure to watch. But, of course, there’s Mysterious Girlfriend X as well. What new thing will Akira and Mikoto learn about each other this time?

I like the perspective this shot. Most of the show has taken place outdoors, so not many opportunities for close quarters shots like this.

There’s always been a feeling of contradiction in this show. The main characters swap saliva before they’re a couple, and once they become one, they continue without kissing for months (still yet to happen!). Mikoto is loyal and even affectionate toward Akira, but she refuses to smile when a photo of her is clearly important to him. This time, the creepy unsociable girl was a match for the track star.

Besides her drool, Mikoto’s athleticism is something that has felt supernatural. It’s a shame that we haven’t seen another display of her paper cutout skills since episode 2, because those scenes were delightful. But we got to see her physical talents another way here with her running. Though the show gets a lot of leeway thanks to how weird Mikoto has been shown to be, I must admit that she’s starting to feel a bit too perfect: she’s got quite the body too, which we saw a couple episodes back. But hey, that’s not at all what you’d expect from Mikoto from the start, and the show does revel in its incongruity.

(click for full size)

I’ve enjoyed seeing how the show plays with fetishes. The main ones like drool and sweat have been cleaned up to look innocent, even if the visual direction sometimes fought that. Early on, the exchanges were drawn out a little too much, but they’ve gotten shorter and less indulgent recently. There were the panties Mikoto gave Akira after not wearing them the whole day as well as her scissors tan lines which were more blatantly risque. This episode, Mikoto’s faux exhibitionism was back, with her wearing only her swimsuit under her coat in order to heal Akira.

I found it funny that that was what Mikoto came up with upon hearing Oka’s already funny story of healing her own boyfriend. I like the way Kouhei thinks, and good on Oka for taking him seriously! Just like Mikoto’s faux-exhibitionism (is there another term for that? Wearing almost nothing but then covering it up?), Oka’s behavior felt contradictory there. Well, even if she was frigid to him and only let him look, I guess he had nothing to complain about.

Proven technique to cure colds, much like how getting cold and wet is proven to cause colds.

Oka continued to be a very fun this episode. Besides the way she played with Kouhei, her interactions with Mikoto were also cute and funny. It almost feels motherly, the way she spoils Mikoto with the food. Even if she’s not above some deception to perform her oral espionage (which is already cheating in itself!). Her appearances in this show have been brief, but she has undoubtedly left her mark as a fine side character (who I believe will become more important, along with Kouhei, based on what I remember of what I read of the manga).

Mikoto’s new technique is no match for Oka’s wits.

Well, at least she gets to enjoy treats in return.

The show is admittedly slow, but there is always the feeling of forward momentum. There were 2 separate occasions in this episode in which she escaped from Akira’s embrace and transitioned right into the next portion of the conversation as if nothing had happened. That’s why we haven’t seen her paper cutout skills recently; she’s stopped reacting instinctively violently to Akira’s advances but learned to work around them. There’s still a disconnect because she’s not letting her own boyfriend hug her when he wants to, but at least we know that she is loyal to him. Her physical abilities could easily make her the star of the track team, but she values being with Akira more than all that. To the point of playfully marking herself as his belonging as a prank.

It’s just that she’s inexperienced, and so she’s clumsy. Her actions seem irrational. But that’s how everyone is, isn’t it? Being with someone means accepting those irrationalities (to an extent, of course – the limits of that would be a fun thing to see this show explore) as part of who they are. Akira has been tested in this like few people have. But no matter what, Mikoto is a fun girl with some interesting talents who genuinely likes him, and he likes her back. That’s all that really matters, isn’t it?

Preview

Mimi-taboo! (5 points if you know the reference)