Absolute Duo – 07
You know, I could get behind this Duo
Well, I guess this counts as a Summer Break. Students usually get homework over a break, and Kouryou Academy is no exception. Hey at least it’s a field trip on a nice tropical island, right?
The Bus goes to the Island
Never go unprepared, Julie…
Ah, yes, unorthodox teaching habits and Bun-Bun go together like potassium and water, or school uniforms and water as this case clearly demonstrates. So I guess they used Survivor as a curriculum model for this particular field trip. Not bad really, but I would still like to see rhyme attached to reason for some of these exploits; combined with Bun-Bun’s yandere revolving door personality these gags come off as all madness and little method. But when you have a headmistress as determined to reach the goal as Sakura clearly is, then everything goes, including the Back on the Bus Trope.
It’s good to see the show focus on Tor and Julie’s growing relationship, and even show that it might even have some competition. Well, of sorts. It’s clear that Lilith’s level of pursuit will lead to No-Go land, and Miyabi’s doe-eyes feel more like her own personal development than possible matchmaking. Still, they do let her shine a bit more in this episode, both on the action front and ecchi tenancies.
As with all harems you can just let the second in line take a back seat once their arc is over. Lilith still proves to be the Exception (at least she can swim, the helicopter was just for show, but the bikini was a clear cheat), and the level to which both she and Julie competed was quite endearing, at least for Julie’s standing. Now the question is at this point, does Tor see Julie, as they say, a woman ?
Nice to see you again, Imari
But you can’t keep the plot points at bay forever. I felt that Inari’s return, along with her new classmates, was a good development. It wasn’t outright explained why this group was retained after they failed the Entrance Exam from the first episode, but I do get the feeling that Sakura likes to play this game on as many levels as she can. It feels like a mix of personalities and combat tendencies are the key to creating the Absolute Duo, and she will mix what brews whe must to achieve that alchemy. As it stand, it looks like Julie has achieved Level Three of the Rite of Sublimation …if the beaten C class is anything to go by.
I still wish the animation would live up to the OP….it was still quite nice though
Island Fun
Well, the show could have gone a bit more back on pace for my liking. Personally I don’t know if the Miyabi route will be going anywhere, so time spent on that felt like time they could have spent on more background development. The re-addition of Imari and her seemingly forsaken class is a fascinating little step that I hope they don’t forget to keep adding embellishments too. I just hope they aren’t as forsaken as they seem, given Sakura’s side comment to Tor later in the episode. At this point I think I’m comfortable with the mix they have with Julie and Lilith, it’s fun to play around with the shyer Julie’s state of mind, but that can get old quick, as will Lilith’s insistence on matrimony. If they can just keep it as a one-two note deal and be done with it, then that would be fine. Add more storyline with the Smith and his cohorts, and I think I’ll be happy.
Next Time
Look forward to Steam-san!
About skylion
All around nerd that enjoys just about any anime genre. I love history, politics, public policy, the sciences, literature, arts...pretty much anything can make me geeky...except sports. Follow me @theskylion
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
And in the words of Saber: “AND JAM IT IN!”
Also, your lack of Usasensei is most disturbing.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
May it disturb you to the core. 😉
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
I always expected Imari to return, but I thought she’d be working with the bad guys after failing the entrance exam.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…well, for the given value of “bad guys”…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
A rather unknown value considering the fact they’re only now surfacing.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I’m actually surprised that Imari said the losers had a choice. I would have thought that they’d have said more “Where do you think you’re going? You have to go to loser school” or something like that. I like that they brought her back, but we’ll see how much she figures into anything.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Should’ve known activities of any kind wouldn’t go without a hitch and that screwy wabbit (me pulling a little Elmer Fudd) is at it again. The academy sure love screwing over their students for the sake of progress. Lilith joining the fray in a hot swimsuit was eye candy during plot progression and regardless, an unfair advantage for mobility. I so want to know how much influence she has that the academy doesn’t even try to object what she does.
It was a given we’d be seeing Imari again though like HannoX, I was surprised the story decided not to make her affiliated with possible antagonists or harbor any animosity for that matter.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I could imagine that Lilth’s backstory is typical. Her rich family supports the Academy. You can get away with murder…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Plus, Sakura realizes Lilith is strong, and Sakura really doesn’t care what the rules are. She just has her goal, as you said elsewhere.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Pretty much saying “Leave no obstacle in your path”.
POWUH: 600-699 and LN Enthusiast with 623 comments
Lilith’s grandfather is one of the investors of the organization that founded the Academy. That and she has the gun Blaze and that’s why she’s an Exception and can get away with what she wants to do. Was revealed last arc/volume before they went to Amagi Brilliant Park.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
In other words, the slightest opposition will be seen as a “biting the hand that feeds you” type of scenario. Talk about abuse of power.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
I suppose Imari doesn’t harbor any animosity because even if it’s the “losers school” she was still accepted into a part of the academy so still has a chance at her dream. Of course, it’s always possible the students of the secondary school are being played for patsies who exist to battle the students of the main school and increase their strength only to be tossed aside when no longer useful.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
That last could get Imari and some of the others into the antagonists camp.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Another link in the chain to increase the main students’ potential while giving the wash-outs a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Sounds like something the headmistress would try and I wouldn’t put it past her actually taking that course of action.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I actually felt like the show was focusing more on Miyabi, and that was making Julie’s relationship look a little worse, or at least the way Julie was going was in a worse direction than it had been going. I fear they’re making Julie be a little bit too helpless, a little bit too scatterbrained, a lot bit too jealous, and a lot too dependent on Tor. At the beginning of the series, she was stronger in battle, more independent, more self-reliant, less shrinking violet. Now she’s doing pantsu capers, hanging on Tor jealously, getting carried by Tor because she can’t swim, relying on him too much. It’s like she turned into Mashiro (since I’m rewatching Sakurasou at the moment), and Tor slips into Sorata mode (same VA after all). Kinda offputting, I would much rather see the “what? Other people think something? I don’t really care.” attitude that Julie had before.
Personally, I’m starting to be more in Miyabi’s camp. She has had a little too much self-doubt throughout, and of course blew through that by imagining Tor (not Tomoe, who I think really loves Miyabi), but still she got through it. Meanwhile, the show’s doing more of a slow burn on her pursuit of Tor, which definitely puts her ahead of Lilith, whose head on approach of Tor just puts him off.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I agree with the Julie assessment, but I’ve been wanting to hold off my mind on it for a bit more. I’m thinking they are setting up some sort of “betrayal” with Julie becoming more dependent on and less confident in Tor as it progresses.
She was set up as his adversary in the first episode cold open. I only hope they don’t ham-fist it along the way, making her as a generic, you did me wrong, mis-guided antagonist.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Yeah, Julie is getting more dependent upon Tor and less interesting. While Miyabi is very slowly getting more confident and stronger. I’m happy to see what’s happening with Miyabi, but not at all with what’s happening to Julie. But I suppose her arc for now at least is catering to the teenage boy demographic where they want to imagine themselves as the hero that the heroine must depend upon.
POWUH: 600-699 and LN Enthusiast with 623 comments
Usa-sensei did say about the Rite of Sublimation that they did at the end of the first term. The main group was already Level 2 because they fought against Usa-sensei so they were able to reach Level 3 because of that. Except for Miyabi though, who was still a Level 2.
Also, the branch school knows who they were up against because of some tracking device that the main school have with them, in case they get lost. They would know who they’re gonna fight and what level they were. That’s why Imari went for Tor and there were so many fighting against Miyabi/Tomoe and Lilith/Julie.
And Miyabi’s going to be a bit more prominent in the next couple of episodes, whether you like it or not. Slight spoilerShow ▼
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
So…more LN depth that was unplumbed in the anime! Sigh…