Brothers Conflict – 04-06
Miwa took Wataru to the beach once and seems to have forgotten his existence ever since.
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Oh crap. In posting up my game review, I totally forgot that I skipped covering a few episodes of the anime. OTL On the plus side though, this makes talking about the anime a bit easier since you guys have a better idea of what I’m comparing to. |
Episode 4
…Come up with your own joke for “Panzer of the Dead”
Twin drama this episode~. I was expecting for Ema to have a freak out over her own family issues with Rintarou, but maybe they’ll move that towards the end of the series as a climax of sorts. As for what happened this episode… well it certainly wasn’t as dramatic as I was expecting it to be. Azusa had some nice emotions when he was yelling (ish) at Ema that this was Tsubaki’s role, but the whole thing overall didn’t feel as angsty as I thought the anime would have made it. …Not that having less drama is a bad thing (since drawing out drama can be really tiresome), but maybe it made the whole conflict thing here a bit bland. I don’t know. Game or anime, overall, I didn’t find this event too bad. Both twin’s sides of the story (and their individual issues with what happened) was understandable and that’s how the industry works I guess. Now we just have to wait and see if Azusa falls deathly ill or whatever and passes the job on to Tsubaki.
As for the other triplet, aaaaah!! Ema’s interactions with Natsume were great. Maybe this is just some personal bias I have, but seeing her go to him for gaming advice just seems adorable. I’ve said this before, but I’m really glad that they kept in the fact that she games a lot. I thought having her pull an all nighter to play the game was a nice touch for her character too. She doesn’t look like she’s that passionate of a person in the anime, so it’s nice to see her obsess over something for once. …Plus I can’t see how else Natsume would interact with Ema if they didn’t have games in common.
Episode 5
I thought there’d be more Yusuke in this series overall, but they seem to have put Subaru in here instead. Tsubaki has already made a rather bold move, so I guess it’s Subaru’s turn. Natsume seems to be kind of jealous too, so we’ll see how this goes. His words for Subaru were pretty harsh at the end of the episode, and they probably hurt more coming from him (since Natsume was the sports person in the family, until he suddenly quit). Overall, the brothers have all had some exposure. …Well, all of them minus Masaomi. He’s adorable in the game, but I can see why they’d skip him just due to how old he is. They also seem to have effectively crossed off Wataru on the list of possible love interests too. I haven’t done Wataru’s route yet (since the game he’s in isn’t even out until September), but they seem to have him set up as the immature loveable little brother instead of a serious love interest.
As for Ema, maybe it’s just the fact that they’re showing her doing chores around the complex, but it seems like she’s opening up the the family more. She’s still a little emotionless, but at least the interactions with the family weren’t too painful anymore. She has emotions! She cheered Subaru on during the game! …I’m still a little sad that she didn’t fangirl over the seiyuu event from the last episode, but seeing her get excited over the basketball game was nice. Anyways, some of the brothers (like Tsubaki) are still pretty forward, but they’ve all accepted her as part of the family for the most part.
Episode 6
…And then we get to this episode and everything starts getting complicated (though actually, things got complicated between Subaru and Natsume a while ago). This is what I meant by Brothers Conflict going against normal harems a bit by having all of the brothers fight over Ema. We had a few episodes of everyone peacefully fawning over Ema, but obviously that can’t last forever. So now the twins are having issues of their own along with Natsume and Subaru. Natsume’s way of dealing with Subaru actually seemed kind of petty, since he’s hiding behind the excuse of giving Subaru advice, but I admit, I’m rather enjoying watching Azusa and Tsubaki fight. They’re two of the closest brothers and know each other so well, so they don’t really want to hurt each other, but both don’t want to give up on Ema. Yay twin drama. (Though the family moments were still nice. I liked seeing the pictures of the siblings when they were younger.)
Though from the looks of it, Ema is just going to familyzone all of them (which is kind of funny considering that that was what they did to her in the game if you weren’t on their route). She’s not acting any differently around Subaru. …Though on that note, she’s not really pushing any of them away either. She had 0 resistance against Futo (minus her passing “welp, this might make things complicated” comment), and I was kind of surprised at how easily she let Tsubaki take over at the end of the episode. It would be hilarious if Ema was doing this on purpose to make a huge harem, but I think it’s more like she has no idea what to do. As we’ve seen, she’s really happy to have siblings, and she doesn’t want to push them away right now. Though not pushing Tsubaki and Futo away this episode was being rather doormat-y on her part. That probably plays a HUGE part of why she didn’t push them away either….And maybe I’m wrong about this not knowing what to do thing, since she’s not in that much of a panic over this. Rather, it’s like she has no emotions. …Now if only she acted this okay with romantic development during the game. We could have avoided 12 months of unease in Kaname’s route with her “NOOO WE’RE SIBLINGS” routine. Though having her emotionless would have sucked.
I don’t know why, but the fact that they don’t call Ema by her name really started to bother me in episode 6. I was fine in Amnesia, since the heroine has no name and I was used to that, but Ema HAS a default name! Even in galge turned anime, I have yet to watch one where they don’t bother calling the protagonist by his name (though if there is an anime like that, I’d be really interested in finding out about it, what it was based on, and if the protagonist lacks a personality too). …I really, really hope that this doesn’t become a habit in otome games turned anime. It’s annoying. Anyways, in contrast, the storyline is starting to get pretty interesting. Hopefully Ema starts reacting to these developments though, or else her conclusion to stop all of the fighting will look like something she came up with on the spot after staring off into space for a while instead of agonizing over it for weeks.
Next it looks like Yusuke and Futo start fighting. …And as always, Ema looks like she’ll be observing awkwardly.
About Karakuri
University student and the one at Metanorn who's known for wearing glasses. Likes blood, insanity and plot twists, but also plays otome games and adores cute romance anime. It balances out... somehow.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Yeah, she gets pushed around way too much. And it’s always by the guys I don’t like (maybe I don’t like them because they’re pushing her around?). I was thinking “wait a sec, how did Tsubaki end up pushing her down on the sofa? What’s his plan after that? That’s pretty, uh…” And after we just got finished saying this wasn’t very rape-y in the game thread.
So far, guys I favor for Ema (if that’s really her name! :P):
Subaru
Yusuke
Azusa
Ukyo
Masaomi
Guys I disfavor:
Fuuto
Fuuto
Tsubaki
Fuuto
Kaname
Natsume
Fuuto
Guys who seem to be nowhere near the running:
Iori (who? he shows up like twice total)
Wataru (sorry kid)
Rui (seems a lot more likely to be Ema’s confidant)
Hikaru
Ukyo (yeah, he’s in two categories, cause he’s not really trying, but I think he should)
Maybe you could tell I don’t like Fuuto? I dislike Tsubaki pretty hard as well.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
PFFTAHAHA that’s exactly what I was thinking during that scene too. “Whoa. Wait. What?! Tsubaki, what are you doing?! Ema, do you know where this is going?!” xD
…By this point, I’m starting to wonder if that’s really her name too ahaha…
Something tells me that you’re not fond of Futo. xD (oh wait, you said that at the bottom of the comment too) Tsubaki was cute in the game… he’s pretty pushy here though. I don’t think the anime will get to the part where he matures either.
Ah, Hikaru is indeed nowhere in the running. More, he’s playing the amused observer watching all of his brothers fight over Ema. He’s not going to get involved as heavily as the others (though he can see her charm… even if we can’t since she doesn’t really have any in the anime). Iori should play more of a role soon (and you’ll see why I keep saying that he has issues) and in turn, those event should probably give you a better image of Kaname. …Let’s just say that Kaname brotherzones himself.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I can see Kaname bro-zoning himself, and that would probably make me like him better. But honestly, he’s the best of the ‘dislike’ group, and would probably move into a ‘not so bad’ group without that smarmy, smoovy first impression.
I think part of Wataru’s problem in my eyes is the exaggerated anime drawing style. There’s no way a 13-year old in that family is going to be shorter than Ema. He’s drawn more like he’s 9 or 10, so it’s hard to get the idea that he’s only 4 years younger than Ema. And that’s less ooky than Natsume, Azusa and Tsubaki’s age difference.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Ahaha Futo and Tsubaki probably aren’t going to move from your dislike group. I don’t know about Natsume. I’m not even entirely sure what you currently dislike about him.
Wataru totally looks and acts way younger than he actually is. …But, uh, Highway, Wataru IS actually only 10. (…11 now maybe if they’ve already hit January).
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Ahh, for some reason I had the impression he was 13. Is someone else 13? Fuuto is 14 if I remember correctly.
I think Natsume dislike comes from 1) being a jerk with Subaru (who I like) and 2) being kind of standoffish from the rest of the family. There’s probably some history there that we don’t know from the anime, tho.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
Yeah, Fuuto is 14, maybe 15 if they’ve already hit summer (though I think they’re in spring right now).
Hmm, there’s kind of a history there with Subaru (I don’t know if you picked it up from the photo conversation, but the two did used to be SUPER close). I can’t exactly remember if there’s a definitive reason why he left the complex or not though.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I actually liked episode 4, and 5 was mostly good. I would have thought Subaru would have had a better chance, but he confessed so early in the series that I have to say that he’s now pretty unlikely as the real love interest. Plus, his brother is right, he should concentrate on his basketball career and not have it all carry on if he’s in good graces with Chii or not.
Also, with all the brothers interested in her (even Ukyo who is pretty much 2 times her age) I just don’t see what they all see in her! I can understand Yusuke since he’s liked her even before they were family, and I can see Subaru a little since she’s the first girl he’s really interacted with. However, come on! She’s not the only fish in the sea! She’s not even really that interesting. Go find girls of your own! Jeesh!
I think having the older brothers (I’m talking 24+) getting hot and steamy over her is kind of ridiculous. You all are attractive, cool guys with good careers. And you can’t find a girlfriend? You have to stoop to longing after a close-mouthed with barely a personality teenager who just happens to be your step-sister? Come on guys, you can do better than this. Especially Ukyo…you are a very attractive, 28 year-old lawyer, who can cook and isn’t afraid to help around the house….how the heck have you not been snapped up by now?!
Why are you blushing over a girl almost two times younger than you? You really can’t find a woman? Not a teenage girl, a woman.
Really for the older guys, its not cute, it’s really kind of sad.
However, when it’s all said and done, I really don’t think Chii could be with anyone. It would end up creating a sharp divide amongst her brothers and serve to drive the family apart. We can see that beginning with the boys in twins in episode 6. I just can’t really see this working out well.
Honestly, I thought Natsume was acting the most big brotherly like out of all of them. He looks after Chi as well as his other brothers. He’s constantly checking up on Subaru and trying to knock some sense into his twitter-patted head, and even if he does seem to have an affection for Chi, he holds his emotions easily in check.
While knowing this show, and where it is probably going, I’m giving Natsune the benefit of the doubt. He has never truly shown to be jealous of her. His questions of if Subaru really met her by “chance” is because of his concern that his brother was beginning to have an unhealthy crush on his sister than would not only harm their familial relationship, but would also harm Subaru’s athletic career. He seems to be keeping an eye on her from afar because he knows what his brothers are like and how some of them react. Subaru and Natsume seem to have close big/little brother relationship, where Natsume actually behaves like Subaru’s father and gives him a reality check when he needs. It’s seen that none of the other brothers really seem to have an interest in his sports, but Natsume keeps on top of him even from afar by reading articles and going to games. He even sends him texts if he happens to not be in town.
As for “bribes”, I’ve never really seen him bribe her as he hasn’t asked anything of her. He gave her preview game, which isn’t much and something I would do for my sibling if I worked at such a company and had access. If he has the resources, why not use the perks for what seems to be the only sibling who likes gaming like he does? He’s complimented her, which is nothing. He gave her a scarf as a Christmas present, what’s wrong with that? He offered her a car ride home because of the rain and offered his jacket when she needed it: again, all things I would do for sibling any time.
So, though they are probably going to have him fall in love with her too (that’s the idiocy of this series) I will give him the benefit of the doubt until they do otherwise.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Part of me is thinking Ukyo is actually looking for a husband…
I don’t see Natsume acting like a father figure, I see him acting like a jerk towards Subaru, trying to vicariously live out some wish he had of his own of being a star athlete (well, some fathers do that, but it’s not admirable).
I wonder if she’s so much of a wedge in the game, where guys are fighting over each other. It would seem that in that case, you could be more focused where instead of it being a contest for Ema, it’s more that one guy just loves her more, and they end up together.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
But if he swung that way, why is he attracted to Ema?
But despite all that, I still can’t see why every guy from the eldest to the youngest (seeing Wataru confess his “love” for her in the opening of episode 6 was just plain icky) is in love with this boring, wishy-washy girl. I would have nipped this thing in the bud in the first place, saying that I am their sister and friend, but that is all there can ever be. Especially since you know that this is going to cause contention in the family.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
In the anime have we really seen Ukyo sniffing after Ema? It’s always been super platonic encounters in the kitchen.
It’s problematic that Ema is basically a moving doll. I do wish she was more willful, and getting pushed against a tree by Fuuto, then pushed down on the couch by Tsubaki was just galling (that goes a long way towards those two being included in my ‘dislike’ category, although it’s not just that).
I don’t know that Ema would really want to shut *all* possibilities down, cause some of these guys are not that bad. But a little push back against some of these guys would be good.
*roots for Subaru and Yusuke*
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
…You’re really overlooking how otome games work. It doesn’t matter how bland the heroine is, what the age difference is or any of that, they’ll all inevitably fall for the heroine because that’s the point of these games.
Not that I’m saying that the things you’re talking about aren’t totally true, but the entire premise of the series is “13 brothers fall in love with their stepsister”. …There’s nothing deep to this anime. At all. Logic, and the fact that all of these guys are kind of sad for not having girlfriends by their age be damned, the enjoyment is supposed to come from watching everyone fall in love with her. ╮(─▽─)╭
…Maybe this would be less frustrating if Ema had the same caring personality that she had in the game/LN (and a range of a emotions greater than a cardboard box), so it would be more obvious why the guys all fell in love with her. Watching the anime alone, I certainly don’t see why they all are.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
If Ema was more volitional and willful, this show would be so much better. It would even help the guys look better, because it wouldn’t seem like they need to have a passive captive girl to hit on to have any success. And it would certainly make ‘winning’ her be a lot more of an accomplishment.
I still think this isn’t as good as Arcana Famiglia, tbh. And even with the way that ended, Brothers Conflict is losing ground in the comparison.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
This is still okay in my books, but I’m liking anime Ema less and less than anime Fel. …At least Fel had her knives and wasn’t afraid to kick her harem if any of them pissed her off. I don’t even think Ema feels anger. Like I said above, Ema has the emotional range of a cardboard box.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
I already gave up on Ema. Come on, half of the guys already made their affection visible and she doesn’t do a thing. She’s just….. *sigh* whatever. But her doing that to make a harem is such an awesome theory 😀 I would do that in her place, too :3 Probably.
To me, the best part of this show is interaction between the brothers. My faves are Tsubaki, Azusa Natsume and Ukyo. <3 Though all of them are rather cute and fun.
POWUH: Meta Team and Megane-chan with 3214 comments
It would certainly make things interesting if Ema was doing this to make a huge harem. xD …Unfortunately, that’s not how things are going to work out. OTL
Yeah, that was my favourite part of the games~ I wish this had more of Tsubaki and Kaname making fun of the brothers, but so far it’s just been how they’re all over Ema.
POWUH: 600-699 with 691 comments
shikamaru was right…”women are troublesome”