Futsuu no Joshikousei ga [locodol] Yatte Mita 03-04
Yukari loves Nanyako!
Back with more “local girls make good!” This show is still a lot of fun and let’s see what Nanyako and Yukari are getting up to now.
Uo-Uo… Uo-Uo… Uh-Oh…
Nagarekawa Girls [feat] Uogokoro-kun
It’s sketchy mascot time, and oji-san has come up with Uogokoro-kun, a blue moe-blob with a trident and a fish on his back. And the fish kinda cancels out most of the moe, so not the most inspired of things, but had to get some connection to Nagarekawa somehow. So while Nanako is excited about the possibility of a new idol member, it’s not exactly what she was looking for. And Nanako’s not the only one unsure about it, as uncle describes “the kid inside” as really nervous. But they make it through the on-stage events without too much trouble, although they have to sing a painfully bad song about Uogokoro-kun (by the way, uogokoro basically means “to do a favor for someone”, kind of a “he’s your helping buddy” kind of thing).
It’s cute when she’s just kinda popping out of the Uogokoro-kun suit
And Nanako’s having so much fun being the senpai that she’s really surprised when Yui, the girl in the Uogokoro-kun suit is a senior at their school, but Yui is adamant that Nana is her work-senpai. So Nana’s put in a weird position where a third year is acting subordinate to a first year, while friends of both look on. I think Nanako handled it pretty well, but it does leave her friends wondering about it. What’s more worrying is that they’re now “Nagarekawa Girls” and all of Nanako’s thoughts of a cool idol unit name are down the tubes. But the shows are getting better, even if Nanyako can’t get her name right, And she takes the opportunity to ‘transform herself’ when it starts raining, turning a show that’s going bad into a success, and even impressing her friends in the process.
The Calls Are Coming from Inside the House!
They’re just… uh… publicity pictures…
Well, not quite, but fears of a stalker are monopolizing Nana’s mind. And everyone turns into a stalker for her, including Yukari. So she’s relieved when they get a new manager, even if she thinks she’s a stalker pervert at first. Saori-san is on top of everything, with new outfits when Nanako falls in the river, and business cards to trade (giving the girls a chance to formally exchange their new not-really-a-joke business cards). She even brings more clothes for Nanako based on her history of losing them.
Nice meeting location
But Saori-san is leading a secret life as the #1 fan of the Nagarekawa Girls, and acting like a stalker as well. But nobody puts it together that the stalker-style website seems to have Spider-man Style insider pictures, including more gravure-style shots when you “like” a picture. And maybe it will help Nanako believe that she’s actually more of a big deal. And even when the girls get the idea that maybe it’s someone like Saori-san who is the site proprietor, they’re still fairly happy about the publicity. And it’s making a difference if all the kids at the department store amusement park are noticing them as idols, although it means they have to sing the terrible Uogokoro-kun song again.
Hopefully Saori doesn’t go over the cliff into full stalker mode
All in all, this is still a fun show to watch. I think it plays the level of popularity just right, with Nanako’s friends who aren’t so sure but climb on board the Nagarekawa Girls bandwagon after seeing them perform, and Nanako who can’t quite believe that she’s anything more than just “Nanako Usami, Normal High School Girl.” I do think it’s funny that everyone has the “Oh, but you’re better than I am” kind of attitude: Nanako thinking that Yukari is more composed and better looking, Yukari thinking that Nanako is cuter and more fun, Nanako thinking that Yui is her senior so she has to defer to her, and Yui thinking that Nanako is helpful and cool and her entertainment senpai. It works out all around.
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!
