Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? – 03
…meanwhile, on the set of the Theed Palace…
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Is it better to admit that you’re crossplaying? Than admitting you’re an older woman? Is it really? |
I think I’m getting used to being called Rusian
I honestly think I’d watch the show like this all the time…
You know, I don’t think Project No. 9 is going to win any awards for animation quality with this show; much less with this episode. But there’s is quality and there is consistency. This production doesn’t screw up anything major, and the visuals have been within the bounds. In my watch experience, producers would rather fail on writing than on visuals; but then I’m sure most producers would like to have ALL the budget. In the long run, when you have a character driven show such as this, I’d rather see a producer fail toward the visual side, if such a damned choice really does do the trick. I’d rather have good writing with average animation on top than the other way around…
You’ll get used to it…
The trick here is keeping up with Ako. She’s the lynch pin of the show, and her antics is what can make or break it. So far, I find what she’s up to is quite interesting and believable, for the given value of a piece of commercial television that is. I’m not convinced that she is out from left field as most of the characters assume she is. For sure, some of the choices she makes, and the groove she is on are totally her own and runs contrary to everyone else, but so what? That’s a good place to be for an anime story; a culture that has a reputation for hammering down the nail that sticks out.She’g getting closer to folks, and that something that Nishimura’s teacher is all for it seems.
Combini and Chill…
That’s the most fascinating point I find for the show in general and this episode in specific. Much like Haganai, this show and the club it portrays are based around finding friends for the friendless, for those that stick out so far from everyone they seemingly can’t make friends at all. But, that’s already been done hasn’t it? Making friends? The ice has been broken, these people enjoy being with each other, and are working towards a variety of goals that they seek out and set. Mission accomplished. Now we get down to cases, and the real story at hand. And still, going by Haganai, the approach kinda sneaks up on you. It pretty much had to do with Ako’s game equipment didn’t it?
It’s an odd way to see it, but that is an Airplane of Love…
But that isn’t the only game they’re content to play. Both Master and Schwein recognize that Nishimura isn’t just being a nice guy. I think it’s a neat little touch that they don’t play them off as destined OTP, but instead it’s two people that have found each other, are compatible, and one of them is being real thick dink about it, and the other is being really clingy. He does like her, and it’s obvious she does like him. Yeah, it’s got that”in love with the idea of love” thing going on like a new car smell. But that really is teen romance for you. After that, again, it get’s down to cases. It comes in with some jealousy too, which is always scary Rusian…it’s always scary.
Nekohime: Bring it, Tits McGee…
None of the other characters are addressing it, and the addition of Saito-sensei into the mix might be part of a preamble, but its too soon to tell at this point. But… there really isn’t anything wrong with Ako. I’m sure she can tell the game from reality, or else she would be having a host of much more relevant problems, and they would be on display, giving us a much different style program. What is wrong with her? LOL. It’s pretty simple. She just can’t communicate that she’s using the game to meet people and she feels that that is completely OK. Sure the rules and the items and how she got them are cute and engaging, and they very much fit the puzzle she is trying to solve…Just not the puzzle that everyone seems to think is being agreed upon, i.e. the net-game in question, or that Ako really needs to be “solved”.
Fun and Games
It’s neat to be able to see this sort of gamer trouble at a remove rather than being in the thick of it isn’t it? Just think of Ako as the Leroy Jenkins of online relationships, who already found her chicken. LOL KDG. We in the audience are very privileged to see the thoughts and goings-on, outside and inside the characters, with some things they aren’t even aware of until the right time. Most could probably see the “surprise” reveal coming from a mile away couldn’t we?
Sensei might have a past….that’s what I’m saying…
But I think that obvious reveal, and her big take down of Ako might be covering up something in the plot. They’ve got a bit cooking up with Ako. I say that she’s acting fairly within bounds, but there are bits and pieces there which might un-nerve if looked at too closely. I don’t know if it’s deliberate or if the writing broke down at some point. But that smack down followed by an immediate smoothing over really didn’t sit quite well with me. I can see Saito-sensei being the club adviser, that much is obvious given her gaming experience. But this dichotomy at the end has my attention, and I might be looking at something odd down the path of the show later on? Of course I could be wrong in how they are treating Ako, and are going for a special, stupid kind of story forced crazy…
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: 500-599 with 540 comments
I actually don’t have much to say, yes I saw the Saito sensei being Nekohime twist coming ages ago, yes Ako was portrayed as less unhinged and more misunderstood this ep, yes I enjoyed the episode, yes I never found problems with animation (I probably would though if I rewatched the episode XD) and yes I’m not sure what you meant by “the dichotomy at the end”. Did you mean some kind of contrast between Ako and Saito sensei?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
If I was saying what the tension in viewpoints is, it would be that Nishimura is finally realizing he likes Ako a bit more than just as a friend, but he’s still trying to enforce this “Real life and the game are separate!” thing. But if he does hang out more with Ako, and they do become koibito (because it’s a good word), then he actually will have to meet her parents, and have her meet his, and do things that riajuu do.
And I still wonder if the show will have Ako realize that is what she’s become.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
I still have a hard time seeing her as a gamer, per se. She games, yes, but she is obviously not that into the vagaries of the game. She just knows, on some level, it’s a way to chat with people “at a remove“. Heck, she still types the chat out when she’s in the club room, like old habits die hard…for the laugh…but works cause part of her might still want that remove/might not want to commit.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
It’s the contrast between, essentially, Saito-sensei having a violent break there, beating Ako down to the next scene where everything is forgiven and she’s the club adviser. I mean, I’m a big proponent of how anime can externalize how characters feel, but that beat down compared to the next scene throws me. It also competes with the contrast between an understanding, very jealous, Ako and even her wanting to lash out in violence.
So yeah, that’s a bunch of dichotomy right there…
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
Yeah, that clothesline looked painful, but I suppose they didn’t want to take it too seriously lol. Ako doesn’t seem like the type to hold grudges that don’t involve Rusian at this point in time.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Project No. 9 is never going to win any animation awards, although they might be in the running for “Good Enough Story That You Don’t Really Care About The Animation Quality You Get Used To”. But I think they’ve really figured out the “get seasoned VA’s to make up for visual mediocrity” formula. Rina Hidaka, Yoshino Nanjou, Inori Minase, Toshiyuku Toyonaga, and MAO in this one is bringing a ton of experience, yet not those super well-known “I can only see that other person” distinctive voices that would invite comparison. I kind of like the approach, and the writing is adequate for an enjoyable show.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
..any trick that works to keep people engaged, right? For me, I have to admit, a good trick is Inori Minase…
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
I say aye to that! (Toshiyuku Toyonaga plays well but he’s the type that you don’t notice and just take for granted) Inori Minase definitely adds a lot of flavour for sure.