Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru – 05
Things got dramatic in a hurry.
The Volunteers Club continues to assist folks with their problems. This episode, the little brother of an alleged high school delinquent seeks them out.
This Week’s Job
We learn that the “delinquent” introduced at the end of episode 4 has nothing to do with the slanderous gossip going around. Instead, she brings problems of her own. And actually, I’m not sure if staying out all night and only coming home early in the mornings really qualifies you for the label of “delinquent”. I’d think “problem child”, as with Hachiman and the others, would suffice. But apparently it does. In any case, this is what our delinquent has been doing, and it’s understandably worrying her little brother. So the guy turns to his friend Komachi, who just so happens to be Hachiman’s little sister. And thus the Volunteers Club gets involved. It’s a small world after all. This case is “solved” in a relatively straight forward manner, and actually serves more as a springboard for more serious matters. But I will say that I liked how SNAFU sort of subverts the cliche development of a chick with a tough exterior working at a maid cafe (or some equivalently “cute” establishment).
And so by now it seems fairly obvious that SNAFU might follow the “problem of the week” formula every episode. It’s been pretty much that way so far, and each “case” has provided some opportunity for the main characters to grow a little. In fact, I’m tempted to reiterate what I’ve said in the premiere about how SNAFU resembles Medaka Box. I have a feeling this is what that show would have been like if it didn’t change genres midway and become a shounen fighting anime. But that’s enough of Medaka Box.
Insert Some Drama
As mentioned, SNAFU very smoothly inserts some important developments into this episode. We first learn that Yukino might have had a wealthy upbringing, what with her fancy clothes. While she attempts to brush her wardrobe off as a triviality, I don’t think any of us are buying it. The delinquent, Saki, also accuses her of being a “rich girl” daughter of a Diet member. This upsets Yukino visibly, a reaction which I don’t think any of us have ever seen from the usually cool and composed girl. Come to think of it, I feel like we’ve heard something along these lines about Yukino’s family before, but I digress. Obviously this is something she is not comfortable with, so I’m sure we’ll see more of it in the future.
Another important development is the revelation of Yui to Hachiman. I was wondering when Komachi would bring it up as all three of them are present in the same place at once. And of course, she nonchalantly slips it in almost as an afterthought. Hachiman’s immediate reaction is to assume that Yui is just acting kind to him out of pity and guilt for ruining his “high school debut”, and when he confronts her about it, he leaves the poor girl running away crying. While I’m displeased with how he handled the situation, we have to remember that this is coming from a guy who has disdain for and no trust in society. The show is clearly setting him up for another life lesson, so we can only hope that someone (probably Shizuka-sensei) comes along and beats some sense into the guy. And once that’s done, Yui’s true feelings might even be revealed to Hachiman. How he handles that would be an interesting sight to see. Or maybe I’m getting ahead of myself.
Here we have the beginnings of some more dramatic developments, which seem to go hand-in-hand with the romcom genre. But while this is going on, it’s nice to see SNAFU retain some comedy. Shizuka-sensei getting shot down with the sure kill “single female teacher” attack is nothing new, yet still hilarious. It seems there’s no shortage of lonely female teachers in anime. Someone marry them already! Also equally amusing is Yukino getting caught fawning over Hachiman’s cat. I don’t think Hachiman has ever feared for his life as much as he did in that situation. Finally, we have Hayato’s hilarious failure of an attempt to hit on Saki. That was probably the first time in his life that he has been rejected. I guess there’s a first for everything, even for sparkly bishies. Needless to say, SNAFU continues to do comedy well.
Extras
About Sumairii
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
While not a great show, this show has not sunk into the rubbish the way many shows do by this point in the season. I think the “problem of the week” is a problem, though. Wrapping the problems up in a single episode tends to keep them from seeming substantial. I think the show could be better if they set the problems up in advance — like if we had met the “delinquent” several episodes back, and come to believe she was a delinquent.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I have to agree with Joojoobees on the “problem per week” backbone. It has served it’s purpose so far, time to drop it, as it is the weakest element. It’s like the classic Dungeons and Dragons beginning, “So, y’ll meet in a tavern”.
I would gladly cut to first in like to beat some sense into Hachiman. This is a basic empathy problem, one that he is aware of, but decides not to risk….Which is problematic for me, as I have no real attachment to Yui at all.
…also….I’m interested in buying into a Wacnordo franchise, anyone interested? It will be staffed, exclusively, by Saika-medio-chan…
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
WacNordo’s versus MgRonald’s… Who will win?
Seriously though, I see what you are saying with the “problem of the week”. And I will admit that a show consisting purely of episodic mini-arcs throughout its entire run would be awfully dull. Maybe we will get a lengthier arc dealing with Yui, at least. I know I did just write that SNAFU might continue with the episodic business, but this might be a good chance to change that.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I will say this, Yui just got ten times more interesting this episode. Typically we want girl A and boy B to get together, or other may want girl b and boy b. But, at this point, I just want to know more about her…
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
Yeah, at the moment I can only see Yui as a wannabe socialite. A poser, if you will. And that doesn’t exactly give me a very good opinion of her.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
yeah, but what does that poser hide, I’m willing to see if this character has some layers….
POWUH: 400-499 with 445 comments
Yui isnt as much of a poser as she is someone who just doesnt know how to stand on her own two feet. She has stated before that she just kinda goes with the flow and doesnt assert her opinion because she herself lacks the fortitude to stand out of the frame of her social click. Even so, she does not want to be a poser and if anything, her scene with hikki proved that.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
It seems to me that Yui would like to be a part of Hayato’s entourage of popular folk.
The internet tells me a poser is “a person who attempts to blend into a specific social group”. As everything I read on the internet must be true, I would say Yui does fit the “poser” label to a tee.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I don’t think Yui is a poser, as I think your definition misses an essential component of deception required for being a ‘poser’. For Yui, she’s not pretending to be someone she’s not to blend in, it’s more that her normal self just doesn’t quite fit into any particular group. So she’s more on the outside, not in the ‘core’ of the group.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
I see. So the point of contention is that Yui is not actually trying to change herself to fit in? I guess I’ve just been too harsh on her since I don’t really like her too much. Hopefully this will change if we get some more focus on her character.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I see Yui as someone who doesn’t have enough self-confidence to be actually in the group. She really is as much of an outsider as Hachiman or Yukinon. She’s just an outsider who orbits around the popular people, so she knows about them. But they don’t really include her in their reindeer games.
To be honest, I see a lot of myself in Yui. Being the person who’s always asking to be included, not the person that people go to to be included. It can be difficult to realize you’re in that position.
POWUH: 400-499 with 445 comments
The thing that puzzles me is why she is so transparent to her peers. She’s fits the hot, busty-school type to a tee; you’d think she’d have a fan club or guys fawning over her like horny dogs
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
As you said above, I think it’s the lacking of self-confidence when push comes to shove that’s her problem. She doesn’t have the charisma to pull people into her own orbit, thus she really doesn’t end up with her own ‘group’. Plus, it’s possible that her desire to be included with multiple groups (because she seems to me that kind of person) is self-segregating since there’s little crossover between the other groups.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
As Highway says, looks aren’t everything. If she doesn’t really have a strong personality, people won’t pay much attention to her.
Yumiko certainly has good looks as well, and she’s in with the popular crowd, probably due to her outspoken and conceited nature. She may appear to have a rotten personality to us viewers, but to the popular crowd, it’s her strong personality that matters.
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 63 comments
So we’ve got three people with serious problems, not two. Kinda makes sense now.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
Also, if you’re going to staff your WacNordo’s entirely by Sai-chans, you might as well rebrand to TrapNordo’s.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I would be such a full time, lead by example, give it all owner/operator of such an establishment…..
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
I presume you will provide personal, one-on-one, hands-on instruction?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I’ve written the second draft of the employee “hand” book already…
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Chef Ramsey: “You have so much trap on your menu, you might as well have made opened an anime studio rather than a fast food joint”
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
You have so much trap on your menu, you might as well have
madeopened an anime studio rather than a fast food joint”POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Ah, the Spammy love.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
When I have evolved from fresh meat to stale meat, I will gain the ability to save your comments from spammy. But until then, it looks like we’ll have to rely on some caped crusader to save the day. Looks like whoever is doing it is doing his/her job well though.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Stale Meat, I choose you! Metanorn Evolve to Fresh Meat Spammy Tamer!
::tosses Metanorn Writerball::
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Sumairii’s weaker than me, or he doesn’t know that he can save comments on his own posts…
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
HWY-chan I choose you!
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Oh, I’m definitely gunning for my Spammy Tamer title back. Just have to get past this initiation phase, and I will be the MASTER!
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
I guess I just don’t check Meta obsessively enough to catch the comments in spammy… orz
POWUH: iLurker with 7 comments
I laughed so hard when Hachiman tells them his reason for getting a scholarship. It’s kinda worrying that I’m having the same thought as him.
Anyway, I really like this show. The constant life commentaries are really good. And oh, I think I’m falling in love with Saika-chan <3
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
This show definitely has a different feel to it for a ‘romantic comedy’, in that the male lead is nothing like the ‘nice guy’ trope, and is so prickly that he can’t help distancing himself from everyone except the cute guy who wants to be his friend.
I do hope we see some growth from Hachiman. Right now, the show seems somewhat tragic to me: 3 main characters who are all very lonely, yet they each cultivate a fatalism that drives them to push away the other lonely people that they actually do get along with.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
The culmination of this is the heart of the story.
Face it, folks, no matter your gender, you really want Sakai-chan to make and serve you miso soup don’t you?
For the record, I make a damn fine miso soup….And I’ve been a trap…
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
I hereby dub thee Saikalion.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…neat.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I also wanted to say how much I liked the slow / solo version of the ED song “Hello Alone” by Touyama Nao this episode. I am hoping for a similar version from Hayami Saori.
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 63 comments
This version was a nice addendum to the end of the episode. Fit the mood perfectly, and I think I suddenly understand the lyrics now.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
Saika: Still the best trap of the season. I’m very close to shipping HachimanxSaika there ^^;
The fancy dress goes quite well with Yukino and Yui 😀 And Hachiman looks like a well dressed punk lol.
And I will let you guys handle the serious discussion since I’m late to the party.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Seriously, why do these guys always slick their hair back when they’re trying to dress up? It makes them look like yakuza wannabes or something.
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 63 comments
Apparently it was the only way to do his hair without excessive cutting (we need it back untouched for the next episodes after all, lol).
Though, if he somehow changes his eyes to normal and learns to be more social, he can become quite a gigolo with that outfit.
POWUH: iLurker with 7 comments
Oh I’m already shipping those two. HachimanxSaika all the waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! ^_^
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 63 comments
>> like a well dressed punk
Well, that’s because he is. Yukino is the only one with manners here.
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 63 comments
On one hand, I perfectly understand Hachiman’s thoughts. Poor fellow has been thoroughly disappointed in the world, be it inside his head or outside.
On the other hand, in two years without some psychological ‘magic pill’ to cure it, he’ll definitely fit in 4chan’s /b/ and learn to laugh and ask for more. At least, that’s how such people end up IRL.