Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai Shinai Taikutsu na Sekai – 02
You do NOT want to mess with Anna
New series generally have to keep the momentum going through the first few episodes. It’s always better to have a strong start than not. One of the strongest starts for this season I felt was Shimoneta. So did the second episode keep it going?
Having Doubts
Never a dull moment
After helping Ayame with her act of terrorism last week, more like being the diversion that gets Anna and Gorilla, er, Goriki-senpai out of the auditorium, Tanukichi is still feeling bad that he’s involved with Ayame at all. And even though it was a success, and he was kind of getting a thrill out of it, he’s still trying to get out of his entanglements with her. She’s not so quick to let go, tho, continuing to use some relatively flimsy blackmail to keep him involved.
“Nothing is gained without a little sacrifice”
But the show treats us to some good background, both about Tanukichi and about the society we’re looking at. In contrast to the fairly rosy picture they tried to paint in the first episode, this episode goes further into the history of the Law for Public Morals in Healthy Child-Raising, and shows that there was quite a bit of violence involved in the enaction of the law 10 years prior. And while slippery slope arguments are a tricky thing to use, because a lot of times they’re just ignored (even if they’re later proven true), we see how that slippery slope here goes from banning dirty words to banning smutty printed materials. But that didn’t matter to people, because they were using all digital files anyway… until the next step: mandatory usage of the Personal Monitors to rat people out, and make it impossible to view ‘unhealthy’ images.
Blue Snow Vs Blue-hairs
I did like that they mixed the genders here
I think this helps bring up a point that I think Ayame is making throughout the first two episodes, but it’s not really obvious. We might look at the show and say “the problem here is the law that bans dirty words.” But that’s not really the problem. The problem is that there was enough of a general shame that those who wanted to ban these things were able to cow the rest of the country into not opposing them, at least enough to stop a law. And while it doesn’t take a majority to pass this kind of law (look at the history of Prohibition in the US), it does take a general shame that allows the scolds to win. If there’s no shame, then there’s no chance for blue-hairs to win. That’s why I think people should be true about the things they like, and not bow to the shame that others try to put on them. If what you’re doing isn’t actually harming someone else (and no, being offended is not harm), then enjoy it.
“What if they made this illegal too?”
So I think that a lot of Ayame’s point, in celebrating the mere action of shouting out “Dick!”, among other “naughty” words, is to own that normalcy, to show that people enjoy doing that and that it’s not something to be ashamed of. The fact that the rest of the kids don’t actually have any clue about the normal function of human beings, despite being of a physical maturity that would seem to require that knowledge, just furthers that view. And this might actually be worse than historical periods that pushed public morals, since now it’s possible to perpetually keep people from hearing about those things even in private (used to be that everyone would hear about it, just not in ‘public’). It makes me wonder if they’ve seen an even bigger drop in birth rates since this law was passed (something I’m certain the show will tell us in coming weeks).
Breaking Anna
“But it’s such a wholesome picture…”
I thought this episode was a lot of fun through the first 15 minutes, keeping things at a nice low boil. But two segments really kicked it up a bit, first with Anna putting the raunchy picture in the Student Council room without realizing it was a raunchy picture, and the associated interplay between the various members of the student council, from Goriki trying to pass it off as thinking it was a banana (when he obviously knew what the picture was about) to Ayame trying to stop Anna from painting her as a sweet girl, to Anna’s blithering innocence that she couldn’t even fathom why it was a dirty picture. But she’s so sweet that it worries Ayame what will happen if she snaps.
Time to escape!
And we find out in the last part of the episode, during another episode of terrorism, as Tanukichi tries to educate the students about How Babies Are Made. I really like the way Ayame comes up with these things, and the way that they run everyone around. From the double misdirection about the boys urine samples to Anna becoming super strong and pulling Blue Snow up the rope, and then kicking the door off its hinges, I thought that part was hilarious all the way around. Tanukichi is warming to the thrill of skirting the law, and his escape from Anna, using quick thinking and a bit of help from Ayame, was just a ton of fun to watch.
Hmm, who is this?
I have to say that I think JC Staff is doing a terrific job so far with this show. Confident and funny, the show is hitting all the right notes. We’ll see how the future goes, because I’m sure that Anna is going to start feeling some pressure to be a little less innocent about things, and having a mother who is pushing the public morality laws even further (is she TRYING to wipe Japan off the map?) is just going to put her in all sorts of a bind. And we’ll also see what the latest little pixie for Satomi Arai to voice is going to do with her new knowledge of Tanukichi’s double life.
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 squeed with JOY hearing that voice! She is so much fun in any role. I miss Railgun! More SYD!
Anyway, it’s amazing what people can get away with when they used the excuse of “Think of the Children” PMRC, vs. Gay Marriage, etc.
But Blue Snow has a pair of b*lls if no one else does!
But I still suspect lots of things with Anna. Girl is going to explode if they aren’t careful. That repression, in a show of this context, could get dangerous.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I wonder if it’s repression with Anna. Is it really repression if she doesn’t even know what she’s missing? Or do you think she actually does know, and is putting on an act as far as recognizing Blue Snow or dirty imagery?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…it’s either that or, like every other character, she is putting on an act. If that is the case, she’s a great actress..
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Wow, when the announcement of this series a few months back said it’s a risque comedy, they meant it. Even with a few letters blotted out, I’ve never seen such profound use of indecent wordplay and actions in a mainstream anime before. If’ that’s not bravery, I don’t know what is. Imagine if all ecchi anime started adapting to this.
What a nice surprise.
KurokoSatomi Arai is in this show.Despite the direction of her actions, Ayame proves her point her again. That society is basically regressing.
I’ll give an example of what I think it’s like. Think of the immune system in prestine condition. If it encounters a sickness, it will weaken but over time recover. If the sickness comes back, the system will have adapted and be easier to fight off. But if the system never encountered a problem in the first place and something lethal comes along, it’s all over. That is what it’s looking like more and more with the absence of knowledge. Anna’s lack of distinction with that picture pretty much shows it.
Note to self: Be sure that just because a girl looks innocent doesn’t mean she can’t be dangerous. Anna shocked me chasing Tanukichi.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Always be wary of:
1) The silly ones (Jibril)
2) The innocent ones (Izuna)
3) The quiet ones (Shiro)
Better one 😛
http://metanorn.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/mondaiji-1-650×365.jpg
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Anime News: Voice Actress Miyu Matsuki Goes on Hiatus Due to Pneumonia
That’s the voice actress for Anna in this series.