NouKome – 08
Embarrassment abounds
It’s a nice short week in the US, so let’s give thanks for some good shows, and start with NouKome! And everyone else, I hope you’re enjoying your November.
Will the Real Chocolat Please Stand Up?
Domestic Chocolat!
So which Chocolat did you like better? After 7 episodes of spacey Chocolat, I thought responsible Chocolat was somewhat interesting, and I was kind of disappointed that they changed her back. She was definitely a more serious candidate for Kanade, to the point of being too serious. But having someone who is actually competent around could be a huge boost for Kanade, even if he was getting a bit too uncomfortable at the atmosphere that serious Chocolat brought to the house.
Chocolat Explains It All (also I love the smudges on the whiteboard)
I start to wonder if maybe Chocolat isn’t quite telling the full truth about how to get rid of Kanade’s curse. Very convenient that she lets him think that a kiss would help get closer to the resolution, after she’s claimed that she loves him very matter-of-factly. And Kanade does think about it for a second, but things are probably just moving too fast for him. I was also surprised that we got so much background about the situation with the gods, even if it ultimately didn’t help Kanade learn anything. But how long has Chocolat had her memory lost? I thought at first she said it was because of her fall, but then seemed to hint that she had been lazy and ‘not herself’ since before the flippant god was in charge. I think she’s much more interesting as a mysterious beauty, rather than a puppy.
Different reactions to the pool
Who Do You Love?
Seira makes a scene
A question that’s rarely asked in harem anime, to be honest. We always know who the harem loves. But who does the main character love? It’s always assumed that he would love any of them, or sometimes it’s made obvious that he loves all of them. Sometimes it’s that he doesn’t really ‘love’ them, but likes them all enough that he doesn’t want to hurt anyone. But in Kanade we have a harem lead who isn’t really in love with anyone. He’s not even really close to being in love, and he’s forced to confront that fact when Seira asks him if he has ever fallen in love. Who the ‘she’ that Seira is referring to is is a different story, tho. Is she an assistant from the kami who is backing up memory-loss Chocolat? Or is she perhaps talking about either Furano or Ouka?
Is it Furano?
But interestingly, Chocolat seems to think that there’s a person that Kanade likes, so she’s jealous of Furano and Kanade. Will this show be a classic “First Girl Wins”? Furano definitely seems to be the favorite of the OP, having the only scene to herself, and being the first girl shown in the reflective part near the end. And she’s definitely been the one who’s been more openly shown as interested in Kanade (besides Seira the troll). But with only 2 episodes left, is there actually going to be a move made?
Chocolat tries to make a move
I’m afraid that we’re probably going to get the Diomedea 10-episode No Resolution Special again. But we do have two episodes, and we’re smack dab in the middle of a harem, so maybe we’ll get some movement. I think that it’s really down to Furano or nobody, and I kind of wish that Kanade would get the hint about why Ouka is acting the way she is, but I suppose we can’t expect too much from a harem lead.
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
I thought this episode felt like filler. Chocolate’s two timing conversion was interesting, and the jealousy that Ougi and Furana feel cranked up a bit, but it just felt a bit tacked on. With only two more episodes, can they afford that?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I think there’s a bit of a fine line between ‘filler’ and ‘setup’. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between the two, especially in a non-serious show, but I think the main points were the exposition about the different gods, Chocolat’s feelings for Kanade, and the pointed hinting by Seira about someone not doing their job (which makes you wonder why Seira thinks it’s her job to take over).
Also, important that Kanade realizes he’s never really fallen in love with anyone.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I found the point about Seira to be the valid of things. The rest was kinda in the show already. Well, except the part about Kanade never being in love; I find his hi jinks distracting from that.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I think the part about Chocolat genuinely being in love with Kanade was important, that it’s not just her puppy personality that likes him because he feeds her, but it’s her actual feelings for him.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…she isn’t first girl…But I am kinda hoping that the wacky this show brings tromps that cliche into the ground.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 95 comments
I still have Ouka as my favorite character.
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 175 comments
well give focus on chocolat seeing with memory back & yet bit way too normal.
give 2eps left yea pool eps coming up oh my yea how going wrap-up it all.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 104 comments
Aw,c’mon!Did they really have turn Chocolat to her usual self after teasing us her apparently real,responsible self?Talk about getting trolled hard(although maybe I should’ve expected it after being trolled with Furano,twice even).
Also,am I the only one that finds Kanade’s jelly classmates(or most of the school for that matter) annoying as hell?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I think the jelly closes him off to everyone else, forcing him to deal, in some way, with the Reject
FiveFour. IOW the girls that have the somewhat HOTS for him.POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
One thing I find interesting is that Kanade only has a reputation as a weirdo. It’s not a reputation as a jerk, or even as a pervert. Just a weirdo. And on top of that, he actually *talks* to girls, as opposed to all the other guys who just wish they could. And even more, the girls all figure out that Kanade is such a genuine guy: Konagi, Ayame, Yuragi, Furano, and especially Ouka, who has figured out that his terrible behavior is not something he believes in.
I think the jealousness of the other guys is because Kanade either doesn’t have the luxury of, or just doesn’t care about, being a ‘normal’ guy and worrying about being shot down.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
I too find every jealous crowd characters and the Yawakaze fan club members (except buttlover-kun) to be annoying/unfunny. They just crossed the line of comedic violence to unfunny violence.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I actually find the unfunniness of the jealous crowd to be part of the charm of the show. Those parts are spectacularly unfunny, especially as they go back to them again and again and again. But one of the things I actually like about the show is that they have those things that just bomb. Plus, like I said, I think the jealous guys do a good job showing the character of Kanade, especially as he knows that a lot of the things he does will get him that treatment.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Only in this show can we find “buttlover-kun”.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
All I will say is: Yaoi