Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou – 02
C’mon Usa, just a foot over the line…
As always, when the First Impressions wind down, we get into the season. And of all the shows so far, Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou is still very high on my list for this spring season. Let’s see how episode 2 was.
Fits and Starts
Mayumi can enjoy life also
It’s pretty evident that this is going to be a show where the main character makes progress in small chunks, and loses almost as much ground immediately. This week’s episode was broken into three setups, the first with everyone enjoying playing with bubbles, the second with laundry hanging, and the third with a horror movie. In each one, we see Usa trying to make some progress with Ritsu, and actually getting somewhere, only to blow it later. Whether it’s getting turned on by Ritsu’s “unwitting sexuality” or mistaking scrunchies for panties (and the other way around), he always kinda blows it. But as the most ‘normal’ person at Kawaisou, he’s also mostly the foil for the antics of the others.
At least Usa gets a cheering section
I do like how quickly Mayumi and Shiro have picked up on Usa’s crush on Ritsu. It makes it feel like they’re a lot more involved when they’re doing things with the group. And we get a lot of group activities, which makes the show feel very slice of life. It’s interesting that this group that’s not really doing the same things ends up doing the same things: Two students, one working woman, a NEET (any idea what Shirosaki is really supposed to be doing?), a college student, and the obaa-san landlady. And yet, they spend time together playing with bubbles, hanging laundry, watching movies, eating dinner. And I’d imagine most of these activities aren’t super exciting, just more fun to do with other people than by yourself.
Pushing and a New Person
Everyone’s getting along famously
I’m not quite sure what Sumiko’s agenda is. After warning Usa away from Ritsu in the first episode, she seems to be more interested in pushing them together. Maybe it’s just because she thinks Ritsu needs to be more involved, or maybe she actually is interested in pushing Ritsu together with Usa, since he seems to be a good guy (she was commenting on how well he judges the correct social space to other people). But she seems to at least be more welcoming to the idea of Usa having a crush on Ritsu, sending them off together to get the curtains. As often as not, tho, it seems like Sumiko’s attempts might backfire, because Ritsu is pretty darn resistant to any attempts by Usa to chat her up. So instead, he’s making progress in the accidental happenstances, such as making funny art jokes.
Usa’s trying to make some time with Ritsu
We finally also meet the final resident in the house, as Sayaka comes back. And the war between Mayumi and Sayaka doesn’t take long to get back to its (seemingly) long running high level. Sayaka can really put on the cute act, and it definitely seems like it’s an act, one that is the antithesis of Mayumi’s existence. Played by Fosh’s favorite seiyuu Hisako Kanemoto, she’s the two-faced ‘misunderstood’ person who seems to delight in ruining other people’s relationships, as well as toying with everyone else. I liked Mayumi’s line to Usa “I’m not interested in you at all, but I would hate to see you get ensnared by her.” I don’t think that Usa’s the type to go after that kind of person, tho, because he’ll probably see through her act pretty quickly.
Sayaka’s true face?
A good follow-up episode. The community-building in this show is great, and the snappiness really works. The characters still feel very real, and like we’re looking in on someone’s real life, rather than a TV show. Mayumi was the real show stealer in this episode, but there was some good progress between Ritsu and Usa. It’s more of the type of “She’s noticing him” rather than “she’s falling in love with him”, but I think that’s a step. The show’s definitely looks like it’s going to take it slow on their relationship, which could work just fine, as long as interesting things keep happening.
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, yes, the Love Hina thing just got blown away pretty hard.
Apropos for a episode two, it was two steps forward, two steps back. But we get so much great characterization along the way.
Yeah, don’t trust Mayumi with a ten foot pole.
Bubbles make everything better.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I still think that it would be an interesting twist for the show if it made Mayumi be the person that Usa ends up falling for. Especially if Mayumi did the same as well, and have Ritsu just become friends with Usa. I think that would be a lot of fun.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 88 comments
I greatly approve of this. A busty meganekko is way better than a book nerd.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I don’t know if I’d frame it that way, but it would be nice to see the put-upon forever alone side character actually turn out to be the main character and the initial love interest become just friendly. It’s kind of been done before in shows like Toradora and even Golden Time, but Mayumi would be even more of a transformed character in comparison. Especially because she sincerely says right now that she has no interest in him.
What I definitely wouldn’t want is for Mayumi to fall for him and get left in the cold as Usa goes off with Ritsu.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
We need more obaa-chan! *forms the Obaa-chan camp*
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 88 comments
I’ll never look at a scrunchie the same way after this episode.