Nourin – 02
Time for “Becky Instinct”
The second episodes continue, and this is my third and last for this season. Witch Craft Works was a knockout, Chu2koi was a nice continuation, but how will Nourin do?
Maybe Not As Good
Boooooring for everyone
Honestly? A bit weak. I enjoyed the wackiness of the first episode, but the second episode, which focused a lot more on the four main characters as they showed Ringo around her new school and then tried to get to know her (since she’s the fourth person in their whole dorm building now), seemed to really get bogged down a few times, and spent the rest of the time in a bit of a panic, just like Kousaku did.
At least Yoshida doesn’t have a crush on Kousaku also
It’s understandable that Kousaku is a bit overwhelmed that his dream idol is now interacting with him. And Becky-sensei put any speculation about whether Ringo is Yuka-tan to rest right away: She is and she isn’t. She was Yuka Kusakabe, but now she is Ringo Kinoshita, your class- and dorm-mate. This is probably a good plan for the show to not drag out that uncertainty, cause it’s really not much of a compelling story, especially since the audience knows without a doubt. But what it does is put Kousaku in kind of a weird position of trying to interact with Ringo as if her being the object of his affection for years doesn’t matter. That’s the biggest thing, isn’t it? For years, Yuka-tan has been an object, and now she’s a person, right here in front of him. And more…
Why Come to the Middle of Nowhere?
Before the pantsu gag got really old, it was cute how unaffected Ringo was
They don’t really directly address this question, in amongst the horribly awkward school tour and frankly terrible pantsu discussion, but it really seemed clear to me why Ringo would come to this podunk agricultural high school: Kousaku. I know it’s a reason, but it’s a pretty eye-rolling reason. Why would this idol give it all up to come to a school with a guy that she seems to have a crush on from his writing her a few letters and receiving fresh vegetables? Maybe they’ll make it some actual reason, but right now, it’s super farfetched.
Kousaku chose poorly
But it’s pretty obvious. Ringo blushes every time Kousaku is around, she acts shy around him, and him alone. She treats him much different from Kei, she gets quite jealous when Minori gets close to Kousaku. When their attempts to rig the Osama Game to have Ringo interact with Kousaku lead to Minori doing things with Kousaku, Ringo’s visibly upset, and she outright asks him what number he is when she’s the king to make sure he’s the guy who has to call her by her first name, no honorific, from now on. Really forward. She definitely seems different from what you’d expect someone who was an idol to be, tho, and I think that’s throwing off these characters a bit as well. She’s so reserved, and says she’s bored, but she still hangs around with Kousaku and the others.
Ringo got tired of it, too
A bit of a weaker effort. The show really needs Ringo to not be a wallflower, and develop a personality for her, more than a toddler hiding behind mommy’s skirt. That’s really what she reminded me of the whole time, at least until her final outburst. She was just too quiet and too reserved. The way that Minori and Kousaku were acting wasn’t necessarily inauthentic, but it was a bit oppressive, like they were trying to fill the silence and not doing a good job of it. The best part of the episode was when they wrapped Yoshida into the conversation about fertilized and unfertilized eggs, and had to come up with the dodge of “eggs with condoms.” From the OP it looks like Yoshida will be a bit more regular, which will be good, one because haughty Marina Inoue is always good, and two because she brings a nice ‘outsider’ type character to the group.
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 Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
I like the wallaby. Kyu… kyu… One day someone will make a contract with the wallaby and then… BAM!
Obviously Becky got some horrible mental scars from her teenage teaching years and snapped something. Either that or she misses the lolicons.
Seriously though, amusing show to watch but nothing too special.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I don’t quite get where WakkaDanna fits into the show, except being a wacky mascot to distract us from the characters.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
KYU! KYU! KYU! (bey)
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I hope for better next week.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
That’s kinda the thing, isn’t it? It’s a show that seems to have some promise, but having a nearly mute Yukarin and overly hammy rest of the cast just doesn’t really work. It’s a show that I really want to be better. Some shows you’re not that disappointed if they’re kinda bad, and some shows you even revel in the badness, but this one’s just being disappointing.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
A step backwards but it wasn’t bad enough that it would damper interest for the rest of the series. There’s still hope for this. So many things that a girl’s underwear is meant for, so many philosophies. I dare say I’ve reach enlightenment.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
Eh, I find the second half to be crazy hilarious. I can’t stop LMAO at the whole pantsu part XD Who knew pantsu can be so philosophical 😛
But I still don’t think I have a pantsu in my heartNourin/No-Rin passed the test and I will be watching itt.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I’m personally going with Nourin because that’s the romanization scheme I prefer.
I think my problem with it was that it was quite a bit too talky, and dipped a little too much into skeeviness. I mean, I totally understand their point about the value of girl’s pantsu. It just may not be something I want declaimed at length.