Mikagura Gakuen Kumikyouku – 08
The perfect eye test for Eruna…
While this would technically have been a week to have a Nanoha ViVid post, since I posted about both shows last week, and all ViVid had this week was a couple fights, we’ll talk about Mikagura this week. After the rookie battle dust settles, can Eruna make any inroads with Otone?
Give Her an Inch
Eruna definitely has the wrong approach
Eruna may be the epitome of the saying “Give her an inch and she’ll take a mile.” It seems like part of her irrepressible nature is the one-way ratchet where if someone makes any sort of concession to her, she’ll use that as the starting point for her next assault. So when Seisa hints that she might allow Eruna the opportunity to give her a shoulder massage, that somehow turns into her thinking that she’ll rub some places that aren’t shoulders… until Seisa quickly and firmly corrects her. But it seems like Seisa is the only one that that works with. Noone else has, perhaps we should call it the presence, to be able to shut Eruna down when she gets going.
I give Himi credit, she’s figured out how to deal with Eruna, too
But the theme this week is the First Year’s Treasure Hunt. This school doesn’t actually have any class…es, apparently. So we move from event to event, and that’s what we get to see in the show (one would think that the concept of the “Houkago Six” would require a class to be actually after, but the show isn’t really interested in showing us that, apparently. But let’s take it as understood that the kids are somehow getting an education. But what they’re doing today is orienteering, and there’s definitely someone who manipulates these things for the audience, as they team up the students in pairs. Maybe it’s an attempt to limit the number of characters, but all the characters we know are paired up with other characters we’ve seen, some for laughs, like Ton-kyun with Haruka from the broadcasting club, and some to just tease the characters, like Usamaru with Azumi from the band ensemble, the same girl who humiliated him in the Rookie Battle. But maybe it’s more to give her a chance to not be the bad character anymore, since she has the chance to explain that she’s got a Jekyll and Hyde personality. And of course, Eruna is paired up with Otone.
Gradually Getting Closer
Otone’s had enough of Eruna having “friends”
As we’ve seen, Otone’s biggest problem is not being able to deal with situations and people that are new. We’ve even seen her regret that she turns abusive when that happens, but now she’s in a situation where it’s hard to run away from Eruna, even if she doesn’t want anything to do with Eruna. And this is a chance for the steamroller we know as Eruna’s personality to get a good crack at Otone. One thing that I really like about the writing of Eruna is that it’s not that she just ignores what the other person is saying, it’s that she just doesn’t accept any negativity from it. So when Otone says “I have no interest in the likes of you”, Eruna takes the chance to say “Then I’ll introduce myself to get you interested!” I don’t think much of her introduction is true, but she does pique Otone’s interest by mentioning Seisa. But something that drives a wedge between Eruna and Otone is Eruna’s friendships with the other students.
Finally letting her in
It’s not that Otone dislikes the other students. I think it’s just straight up jealousy: she’s jealous of Eruna’s ability to make friends and be comfortable around other people. We’ve seen the two sides of Otone, including her regrets that she acts that way. So when Eruna starts getting chummy with the others, Otone feels like she can’t join in. But when the two of them end up alone again, and this time on Otone’s more home turf, or at least her Gingerbread House of Unwanted Solitude, it gives Otone a chance to get more comfortable with Eruna and relax. She still ends up having trouble with the others, but at least she’s now seeing that they can recognize her and be friendly to her. And in the end, she even accepts Eruna’s invitation to create a new club.
Oh, there was Mecha-Bimii, too
As one is rising, another is falling. Seisa’s moods are apparently tied to the amount of attention she gets from Eruna, and as she sees Otone being more friendly to Eruna, Seisa seems to feel like she’s being left behind. And maybe that’s something that’s going to be rough for Eruna to get across to Seisa: That she can still be friends with her while bringing someone else around. I think the next hurdle is to get Seisa and Otone together and see what happens. That’s the only way that Eruna’s going to get her 3 people for the club, it seems.
Someone’s feeling left out
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: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
I love Himi’s character, especially how she just rolls along with Eruna’s antics and then manages to easily divert that raging river that is Eruna.
Otone’s mood switches feel a little forced to me though. Like she’s a little attention starved.
Eruna does remind me a little of Kanako from Maria Holic, especially her delusions.
I do wonder though, are you only restricted to being in one club only? Because Sadamatsu is all alone in his club, and he seems a fairly go-where-the-wind-blows type of character. He’d be an easier pick-up than Seisa, I think.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I think it’s part of the point that Otone’s mood switches are forced. She doesn’t want to be the mercurial type, it’s a defense mechanism that she would like to be rid of, so that she can open up to people more and have more friends. But now she’s got at least one.
I watched about 2 episodes of MariaHolic, and disliked the message so much that I stopped watching. Plus, I didn’t find any of it funny, it was too manic for me. Somehow Eruna doesn’t push that particular unfunny button for me.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Yeah, he’d be an easy pick but ultimately a hollow addition since we already know what Eruna prefers.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
That’d be the perfect test for anyone. 😛
Eruna’s just so all over the place she can’t keep herself in moderation. She’d probably have a good chance at getting members for her club if she didn’t come on to them like a creepy stalker. Bad move. But we all know she doesn’t stay down long.
A phobia of needles? I rarely see a doctor and I’m hardly bothered by that. The only time I come into contact with one is for the occasional prescribed shot.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Are those rocket nosecones? Are they Thanatonium tipped warheads?
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Sounds dangerous. 😛