Bet you didn’t see that coming.
Before we get to the STARTLING REVELATIONS slightly predictable developments in this episode, I’d just like to take some time out to once again express my appreciation for Minorin. Within 2 seconds of the episode starting, we already gain a “ZORU ZORU ZORU” moment from the most likeable character in the show, but the classic fake eyes trick is just pure icing on the cake. All hail Minorin!
Chariots of Fire homage it seems. You could definitely hear the similarities in the music, and the entire montage was entertaining simply because of IMAGE TRAINING. Who needs real training when you can just visualise success?
Ami seems like much less of a stuck-up annoying bitch; she’s melded her fake ditzy persona with her true callous personality to create a slightly annoying but overall more likeable character. She’s also slowly winning over Ryuuji; his heart may belong to Minorin but his hormones say otherwise.
Minorin developement! It’s just nice to see that though she’s the best character in the show she’s not just being left as an entertaining side-dish to the main storyline. She cares about Taiga and respects Ryuuji for what he’s doing for her. Plus she can be slightly gangsta when she wants to: Pound It.
I can never look at a Teru Teru Bouzu without being reminded of Minami-ke. Is that a good or bad thing? I loved seeing TURBO TAIGA, in retrospect it seems logical that her having the monstrous strength that she does, she’d be a speedboat in the water.
Delicious symbolism. I think the rain’s representative of confusion because of what’s said here and in a later scene. Taiga seems to be doubting the reason she’s participating in this competition: is it for Kitamura or Ryuuji? Ryuuji, however, loses points for being as dense as board throughout the entire episode and having to be told by his drunk, hostess mother about the way Taiga’s acting. I expected more from the the best male character of this season (alas, Touma of To Aru has been knocked off his podium due to amnesia. DAMN YOU AMNESIA.)
Confusion = rain. Resolve = no rain. Conclusion: Taiga found soime level of resolve after getting her delicious bento.
When in doubt, CHEAT. VIOLENTLY.
Dammit, my thoughts on the relationships in this show keep fluctuating. We’ve gone from “They’re obviously goig to end up together” to “Maybe this won’t take the most predictable path of a romcom” to “LOVE POWAAAAAA~”. At this point, though, we know where this is heading, at least for Taiga X and Ryuuji. My thoughts are still on what the heck Kitamura’s doing. He’s supportive, friendly and honest, but as for his feelings about any of this, they seeem to be hidden behind a mask of indifference.
And then we brush it all off with a shallow statement that’s only half true.
I love romcoms.
Next Time:
LET’S GO CRAZY SUMMER FUN TIMES.
Huh. Beach episode?
this is turning out to be my favorite show this season. this episode made me cry buckets. awesome to the point that i don’t even care if anyone ends up with anyone since they made the level of their friendships in an awesome level.
i just seriously hate ami.
Hmmm, having read what’s out of the novel at the moment and spoilers, I can say that the anime really isn’t doing it a whole lot of justice. Then again, adaptations rarely do. However, this ep, albeit slightly altered compared to its written counterpart, won me over at with Taiga’s little/huge confession (or was it a declaration?) which is probably miles more dramatic than anything written text could have delivered. I think it’s the first time I haven’t been annoyed with Kugimiya voicing a tsundere.
On another note, I also liked Taiga’s explanation into why she was pissed off at Ami and/or Ryuji. It wasn’t what they were doing together, but apparently, it was the way they were assuming things about her and the way she’d react. Taiga’s a lot more dere in the novel though, since in the anime, she just declared she was pissed that people were pretending to know everything about her heart. In the novel, she stated that it was because people were assuming her relationship with Ryuji, and how she felt, which pissed her off because she herself didn’t know how she felt towards him at that point.
@The Soujourner
ORLY?
@biankita
As many do, of course. Though I kind of *facepalmed* @ the RYUUJI IS MINE!!! part.
@Rawr
You could even consture it as a declaration of war on anyone who challenges her. Especially Ami. TAIGA, PREPARE FOR GLORY!!!
I’d rather have more tsun than dere because it means that the characters don’t seem as simplistic as they do at first. But it’s nice to see that the adaptations still keeping in with the theme of people being misunderstood by others.
“awesome to the point that i don’t even care if anyone ends up with anyone since they made the level of their friendships in an awesome level.”
lol, I said the exact same thing pretty much. As long as there’s no one with Ami, I’ll be happy with whatever
[…] as of then, friendship with each other. From the “shed” scene in episode 3 to the “pool scene” in epsiode 8 the show we were continuously shown twists on traditional stereotypes. It […]