Servant x Service – 08
My Tipsy Co-Worker Can’t Be This Cute!
It’s been a busy week at the office for me, but nothing like it is on Servant x Service. This week delves into the love triangle of Lucy, Hasebe, and Tanaka. What? Tanaka too?
Hasebe Beats Around the Bush
Hasebe works the “You should practice drinking!” gambit
Lucy is just not quick on the uptake. We know this. But she just can’t fathom anything about the interest Hasebe has in her. But he really wants to spend more time with her. Even to take her out, his treat. He even gets her a little tipsy, but even then she won’t date him. And everything always goes back to her name. She’s just got a huge block about it: she won’t date anyone with it, she hates talking to people because of it, and she always decides she’s inferior because of it. If anyone needed some self-confidence it’s Lucy.
Probably felt good for Hasebe to punch him
And everyone’s asking her out! Although it’s more correct to say that Tanaka-san ‘abducts’ her to dinner, and even says she should go out with him to get back at Hasebe. The fact that he does this in view of Miyoshi is a double whammy, who contacts Hasebe to come save Lucy, and deliver a message: “Taking a woman somewhere against her will? You’re the worst.” Hasebe even gets some licks in: one for asking Lucy out, another for saying that his whole plan was asking her out, and a third for trying to get her text number.
Hasebe does get a chance to walk home with Lucy, tho, and they talk about Tanaka and his disappointment in Hasebe that he doesn’t live up to his potential (boy have I heard THAT a lot in my life. I’m with you, Hasebe). But Lucy has a different view of it. She thinks that if you are enjoying what you’re doing, that’s more wonderful than anything. And this just causes Hasebe to fall even MORE in love with her, to the extent that he walks home, 10 rail stations worth!
Cracking Under the Pressure
Lucy’s obliviousness to Hasebe’s love for her finally does push him over an edge, to where he just doesn’t care about work. He even openly slacks off in Momoi’s office, and Taishi mentions that he’s actually messing up in his work, as opposed to usually, when he doesn’t ever mess anything up, just slacks off after getting his work done. But he finally gets a chance to use his saved points, and tells Lucy that she has to go on a date.
She thought she was saved
Well, he actually gave her a choice: Wear a skirt he picks to work, or wear a skirt on a date. I’m guessing eventually we’ll find out what Lucy’s big problem with a skirt is. You’d think it’s something about being unprofessional, but I’m sure that isn’t all of it, given Lucy’s penchant for linking weird neuroses with ordinary things. And she’s completely resistant to it, but feels a sense of duty to pay him back. And she’s almost saved by Megumi, who we know has an aversion to Lucy ending up with Hasebe… because she wants Lucy for her own nefarious purposes in cosplay. But Hasebe even defangs Megumi with including her in his date plan, so she gets to dress Lucy for the date. And he’s even so interested in Lucy that he’s willing to get on her schedule for this date: two months away.
This picture included for pure WTFery
I’m really starting to want Lucy to figure it out about Hasebe. It’s not only that she’s too down on herself to realize that he is sincerely interested in her, but it also seems like she’s constructed an image of him that emphasizes his bad points, minimizes his good points, and even has some straight up misunderstandings. But I think some of the blame has to be on Hasebe, too. Couldn’t he sit her down and seriously tell her that he’s interested in her, even that he’s fallen completely in love with her? Lucy just doesn’t understand implications. When everyone has said “Hasebe never hits on girls” she can’t believe it because he’s always asked girls for their email addresses, even though he says he doesn’t do anything with them. When he says he’s in love with her, she’s too worried about making him upset. So both of them are at fault for having issues in their relationship, but I really want them to get together.
So we’ll find out next week if we’re skipping 2 months to get to the date, or if we’ve gotta wait for it. But even then, Hasebe could try to get past her formidable ‘obliviousity’ and make the right impression. While I kind of like Megumi and Taishi’s relationship better for story, I’m really interested to see if Hasebe can actually get Lucy to understand.
About Highway
Proving that you don't have to be young to love anime, I enjoy all genres and styles of shows. If it's not hurting anyone else, you should never be ashamed of what you like!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Oh, they won’t skip ahead! The anticipation would be to delicious to pass up…Him reminding, the skirt designs…
Yeah, her name. I think he loves her, and especially adores her just for that name. I love how he pronounces it; he’s done it with sarcasm, with wit, and with pure puppy love.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…at this point, I’m falling in love with Lucy…and it doesn’t help that I have a Lucy in one of my own employment zones….
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
What a strange coincidence. With all the competition between Hasebe and Tanaka, I can easily compare them to the similar case between Haru and Rin from Free! One is trying hard and the other is hardly trying. Another frustrating paradox.
Tanaka is becoming a bonehead the more he shows up on screen. His grandmother forgot to mention some serious character flaws. One, when you’re offering someone a chance to eat out and they decline; you don’t drag them against their will. He’s lucky Lucy didn’t scream out or that the police might have been watching. Second, did he really think Lucy would accept that going out proposition knowing it’s just a shallow reason to settle a desperate score with a rival? Especially when he told her to the face that he doesn’t care about her. I’m glad Hasebe showed up to give him a beating.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I also thought it was great the way that the show torpedoed any chance that Tanaka has with Miyoshi with that one move. It also gives Miyoshi something to say to Tanaka-obaa-san if she brings him up: “Oh, you mean your grandson who dragged a co-worker of mine away against her will?”
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
There’s no way Miyoshi would consider him again. If he can do that, I wouldn’t be a stretch to say that he would be the controlling type. I’d like to see how obaa-san would defend her grandson with the “He’s responsible” routine after that damning stain of character. I doubt she herself knew he was capable of doing something like forcing someone against their will.
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
I liked the whole “business casual” thing. I read a story once about how the Japanese government was responding to energy problems by encouraging workers to not wear typical business outfits. They thought they could save some energy by not cranking up the AC quite as much, and men were encouraged to ditch their ties as a way of coping with the increased temperatures in the offices.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 88 comments
Just when I thought this show doesn’t get any better, this episode pretty much solidifies it. The reason? Because Touko wasn’t in this episode.
Seriously though, Any scenes that involved Lucy, Megumi and Hasebe makes a very awesome episode for me. Hasebe’s skirt deal with Lucy sealed the deal. Much better that he got Megumi on his side.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
I think one big reason Lucy doesn’t think Hasebe is serious when he asks her out is that she sees he’s not serious about work and doesn’t seem serious about anything. If you come across as the unserious type, it’s hard for people to believe it when you are serious. But her lack of self-confidence (it’s got to be due to more than just her name, like what’s her hang-up about wearing a skirt?) is also a big part of it. She just can’t think anyone is interested in her. Someone needs to tell her there are plenty of guys who like big boobs. But maybe that’s also part of her problem–she doesn’t have the figure of the typical Japanese woman.
I can’t wait to see the outfit Megumi dresses Lucy in for the date. But I suspect we’re going to have to wait. The anime creators are probably going to want to play this for all its worth building up to the date.
POWUH: 600-699 with 691 comments
I’m starting to pity Hasebe
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I pity the fool! 🙂
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Aaah Hasebe! He has a long and tiring road ahead but hopefully, it will be worth it… I can wish!