Love Lab – 02

Watching Love Lab makes Riko happy

After a hilarious and cute first episode, Love Lab set a pretty high bar to clear for both the other shows this summer, and itself for the future. So how did it do on its second outing?

 A New Conspirator

I liked the togetherness but separation implied by this shot.

As we saw at the end of the last episode, Maki and Riko were discovered by the mousy first-year Student Council secretary, Tanahashi Suzune. We learn that she’s just too awed by Maki, and thinks Maki and Riko hate her now for spying on and running away on them. After some pretty typical (but still funny) pratfalls and misunderstandings, eventually things are cleared up and Suzu ends up enamored with the Riko that Maki is also enamored with. The big problem is that Riko’s not ‘exactly’ that person, she’s just going along with their expectations, and doesn’t have all the experience they think she does.

Suzu’s quite the dojikko

Suzu’s presence really helps out the group dynamics, giving another person to give reactions besides Riko, as well as providing an actual paper fan for Riko’s tsukomi act. But she definitely ramps up the pressure on Riko, especially after the secret group is declared a ‘no-lie zone’. Unable to just come clean that she’s as inexperienced as Maki and Suzu, Riko starts using a lot more weasel-y language, adding quiet “probably” and “I think” and stuff like that to the end of her statements. I think eventually, they’re going to find out, and Riko’s definitely going to have a hard time with it.

The fan was a great addition for this episode

Rival’s Arrivals

Peeping from the other building

But before they get to that, they’ll have to deal with the other former members of the student council. It seems that President Enomoto and Treasurer Mizushima aren’t too happy about being run out of office (one because she’s lost face and looks like a total 5^th wheel, the other because she can’t get her hands on the cash anymore), so they’re looking for ways to get back at Maki and Riko. Well, more like Mizushima’s looking for ways, while Enomoto spies on them from the next building. These two really are fitting into the ‘hopeless villains’ mold at the moment. I’m actually intrigued to see if they turn to Maki and Riko’s friends and join the ‘secret’ part of the club, or if they’re going to continue to play this “terrible villain” role. Their efforts so far are laughable, ‘insulting’ Maki and Riko by saying they’re ‘slim’, openly scheming to get their positions back where others can hear them, and peeping. Will their efforts become more effective? Or will they get coopted by the likeable Maki and Riko instead?

You’re just making yourselves look bad

Love Lab continues to impress with amusing characters, risible villains, and great physical humor. The introduction of an actual paper fan by Suzu was brilliant, and that Riko actually used it was excellent. The low rent bad guy antics of Sayo and Eno were good, and Eno’s breakdown about not being ‘hentai’ was amusing, as well as how well Sayo gets under her skin. I definitely want to see more of this show!