The season is ending, and studios are already deep in promoting new shows…the shows that are left anyway. So many have been moved to the Fall season, as an extra precaution in case things in the world escalate. Well, the shows I’m covering for that season are all not big franchise ones, aside from season 2 of Mahouka, which I won’t be taking seriously anyway. As for the Summer season? Well, you’ll have to come back to me on that one still; I just haven’t totally decided what I want to watch, if I even want to watch it, that is…
But I might as well get back to wrapping up this season’s shows.
Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 2 Episode 10
I’ve gone on about former SHAFT staff being brought in to help with this second season of Kaguya-sama, and now they’ve done it. Those madmen have finally done it, and given us that SHAFT-trademarked headtilt that we’ve been waiting 10 weeks for…
Alright, so it isn’t that much of a headtilt. I’ve seen some SHAFT headtilts that are practically at 90 degrees almost. I guess that Chika doing this here in this week’s episode is the show’s nod to an animation studio that’s well-renowned and still going even with its spectacular franchises (Monogatari, Madoka Magica, March Comes In Like a Lion, etc.). They brought out a Madoka Magica spin-off in the Winter season that wasn’t that mind-blowing, but they have another magical girl project coming in the Fall season that I have my eye on. But enough about all that – let’s talk some Kaguya-sama…
It’s becoming more and more obvious that the end-story for this second season is to be the school sports festival, where the two get another shot at saying how they really feel, and forgetting about this game of chicken that they’re playing. Everyone else seems to have picked up on how the two of them really feel, from Hayasaka right up to new character Miko. And so maybe by the time the final episode comes, either Miyuki or Kaguya will say something…
Episode 10, meanwhile, brings us more than just Chika and her headtilt. For one, it decided to not go down the casual short story gags of typical episodes, and is developing this ongoing story a lot more, right down to some very small details. From Miyuki having to learn the Soran dance (and Kaguya and Chika fighting to be his teacher), to Miko’s friend learning about Ishigami’s real motive to joining the Cheerleaders’ club (because of past experiences in middle school). We even get a much better look at Miyuki’s family this week as well. We’ve already met Kei in a past episode in season 1, and now she’s reached her rebellious teenage phase, she’s both determined to know why her brother’s heart is pining and desperate to avoid him, but we see the father this week too. Seems like Miyuki’s motivation in high school life is to become someone so much better than his father, who is lazy, unemployed, perverted, and chugs beer on a regular basis…and the type of person Miyuki desperately wants Kaguya not to meet.
I’m really enjoying this arc, compared to the student council election arc at the beginning of this season; we get more character development, both main and secondary, and we may well just get a final result when this all wraps up.
Wave, Listen to Me! Episode 11
Right now, over on Wave, Listen to Me!, I’m finding it extremely hard to imagine how this show could even end. This week, we are shown the story of the radio piece that was written, and it all sound very unrealistic and rather idiotic. A woman hires a hit-man to bury an ex, only for it and the dead hit-man to reemerge from the ground as zombies, and suck her down to an omnipotent spirit. Perhaps I might have had a different opinion on this if I only heard this story via the radio, and not have to actually watch the story unfold (along with the crew adding sound effects to the story as well).
Over these past 11 episodes, Wave, Listen to Me! has gone down all sorts of weird routes. From where it began as a bitter woman seeking revenge on an ex who wronged her, we end up with some more bizarre and ‘out-there’ stories, such as Makie’s possessive and psychotic older brother demanding she quit her job at Voyager and return home, to the possibility that there is actually more to Mizuho than meets the eye (like what is being hinted this week). The show has been on a really wild ride – one that I wish that the writers had had better control of from the get-go. These mini-stories are all ones that I genuinely do not care about. There isn’t really that much of a spark in them, and it’s taken me this long to realize that that was what it was that has thrown me off from liking this show. Now, if it had just kept on with this one story of Minare getting her revenge on Mitsuo, with her show just being on the side, then perhaps it would have all been better. I suppose we’ll never know now though.
Tamayomi Episode 11
Watching this week’s episode of Tamayomi actually made me wonder a lot why I chose to cover a sports anime for this season. I was largely expecting a lot of yuribait in this show, but instead we’re getting something a little different.
Ryouyukan is an amazing team, and it’s this week’s episode where we get to see that in full. Last week saw Yoshino go into a deep depression when she felt responsible for every little fault that the team made, and so now we’re about halfway through this match, Ryoyukan are starting to make Shin Koshigaya sweat, leaving them precious little to work with…and even despite all of this, Yomi still seems totally oblivious to how serious the team they are facing are. It’s almost as if all she cares about is playing baseball at a high level once again, and losing is just secondary to her.
I thought that this was just going to be a two-parter, but clearly we are going to see this match stretch on to the very end of the show. And you know something: Tamayomi might well end up becoming one of those shows where Shin Koshigaya do end up losing this match, but the end result is in fact that this newly-formed team were able to escape the shadow that their predecessors gave them, play against some excellent school teams in a tournament, and have fun while they’re at it. If we see some pairings in the show, then that ends up becoming a plus. I say this because, after watching this episode, Shin Koshigaya are going to need a miracle if they have any chance of winning this match; Ryoyukan are just that good.
Tamayomi has been a nice casual watch, but now as it is approaching its end, I’m not really sure how this will end either, just like I’m not sure about Wave, Listen to Me!. But unlike the radio show, I would be okay with any scenario; I get the impression that I’ll end up getting a little frustrated if Wave, Listen to Me! doesn’t end well.
Next week, shows will end, and I get the chance to give my two pennies on how I felt watching the entire things. Kaguya-sama will still be going for just a little while though. What have been the shows you’ve enjoyed the most while stuck at home in a quarantine? Feel free to hit that like button, and air your opinions in the comments below!
And remember to wash your hands and keep good hygiene!