Active Raid – 08
how shocking.
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All these weeks of poking fun at Active Raid, and it finally pulls a good episode out of its ass. Instead of swinging between “bad” and “bad in a way that’s mildly enjoyable”, this episode was genuinely good without any irony involved. |
Kuroki wishes she’d carry him in her arms like that
What really made this episode for me was seeing the relationship between Sena and his ex, Ooshikouchi. It works so well because these two know each other intimately, which allows us to see hidden sides of their personality. Sena, who I assumed was some asexual robot, actually had a girlfriend and did all sorts of romantic things for her. That’s adorably unexpected! It also became increasingly clear that he still has feelings for her and would jump at the chance to get back together. I didn’t expect someone who usually doesn’t react to things to look so wounded when Ooshikouchi was insulting him. The looks after she threw wine on him in his fancy suit just killed me.
BITCH, THIS THIS GUCCI
Speaking of that wine scene, Ooshikouchi is also quite the one to subvert expectations as well. During her previous screentime and during the “drinking party”, she was so polite she seemed almost angelic. That facade quickly washed away when she was alone with Sena though. She dings Sena for being a controlling perfectionist, but it turns out she’s actually just as bad as he is. For Sena, he shows it in obvious ways such as planning every single aspect of a date to an obsessive extent in order to please his girlfriend.
For Ooshikouchi, her version of perfectionism is a little more selfish. She’s obsessed with her image being “untarnished” and strives to be the best in every aspect of her life. She also seems to be sadistic to the point where she feels pleasure from seeing Sena apologize profusely to her (for literally the dumbest things), meaning that she actually kind of expects Sena to cater to her every whim. You can’t complain about someone doing too much during a date and then turn around and get mad when they don’t do enough. They’re definitely both perfectionists in their own way, which may or may not make them a good match in terms of forming a healthy relationship. Still, I thought they were a cute couple. It’s a shame all this drama got in the way of their reunion, because they both seem to harbor feelings for each other after all this time.
Yikes
Watching the ups and downs between the two was fun, but what really elevated the story was having that romantic plot layered with the Ultimaid plot. Bringing the two together worked so well, as each story enhanced the other instead of muddling it. Having a vigilante hero butt in became even more interesting when it turned out to be a planned attempt to show off the USDF’s skills…and that the pilot was Sena’s ex. It fell into place so perfectly that I’m amazed I didn’t catch on to the connection sooner.
So good on you, Active Raid, for making me feel more than just pity this week. This was the best episode to date! Unfortunately, I think we’ll go back to the level of derp as “I LOVE TRAINS” once again next week. This is just a pleasant anomaly, but I’m going to enjoy it while I can.
The Ex-Files
About Overcooled
A neuroscience graduate, black belt, and all-around nerd. You'll either find me in my lab or curled up in my rilakkuma kigurumi watching anime.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Wow, what thing this was! Normally, when you see people who are opposites of one another, you expect some friction as a result due to not seeing eye to eye. But if both are exactly the same, it won’t be friction, there’ll be sparks flying. It would’ve been difficult to imagine a relationship like that because since both Sena and Ooshikouchi are confirmed over-the-top perfectionists, neither would want to bend backwards to the other on any circumstance.
I can’t really say Ooshikouchi completely caught me off guard with her attitude at the bar. We’ve seen a fair amount of signs in other animes. People who always appear to act perfect in public tend not to stay the same in private, enough that you’re hard pressed to admit it’s still the same person. At least it shows she is still a human with flaws like everyone else. What did surprise was her sadistic attitude during Sena’s apologies as though she was getting aroused from it.
We might’ve made the connection sooner if she was using the same Willwear. That’s what threw us off. This one’s red with improvements while the one she used in her first appearance was gray and a prototype.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
It’s really…an intense pairing lol. I don’t know how they’d survive as a couple, but I really want to see it.
She was leading up to a sadistic moment with all her pleasantries, I just wasn’t sure if Active Raid was going to try and pull it off. But they did alright.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Since you’ve been a fan since childhood, I’ll tell you this. Yesterday marked the Pokémon franchise’s 20 year anniversary. Hard to believe it’s been that long, right?
In celebration, there are 2 two new versions coming later in 2016. The promoting teaser trailer is something else and trust me, the nostalgia hits hard watching it. Enough that I’m actually beginning to consider getting a 3DS. I still have the Pokémon games made during the GBA SP and Nintendo DS eras.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Yeah, I’m pretty darn excited for this. I’ve been playing Pokemon since the very beginning!
A 3DS is a great purchase, to be honest. So many JRPGs. SO MANY.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Same here. My first game was Pokémon Blue version.
The new players are lucky everything is wireless now. They’ll never know the pains of needing and using link cables just to make trades and initiate battles.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
ANN News: Food Wars Anime’s 2nd Season’s Title, Summer Premiere Revealed
Hopefully, nothing you pick next season will be 2-cour to obstruct you from again holding the reins on the Shokugeki no Soma posts.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Thanks! I’ll be watching but I actually doubt I’ll blog it since I’ve read the manga already…it’s not as fun to blog when I already know what’s going to happen :/
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I guess and you’d probably fight yourself not to give out spoilers. But it’s got to be something seeing what you’ve read being animated, especially when the adaptation is staying true to the source material which I believe that it should be. Otherwise, it doesn’t deserve to share the same title because the content is different and diverges elsewhere. I know the feel, it’s pretty nice and even if everything isn’t covered, it’s satisfying knowing the studio put in as much as they could to be as accurate as possibly permitted.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
I’d love to see you blog Souma, if so we can relates it to Hannibal Lecter’s cooking skills and his brand of fine dining.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
I also learned that Funasaka’s well fit for a man his age…I need to find out his exercise routine.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Well, he is in law enforcement. Fitness should be a priority in that department, I believe.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I didn’t think someone so..middle-aged…would still be so fit. He hides it well under his clothes!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
…that’s why I’m secretly a LOLi…