Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei - 05
We’re at the hot springs episode! Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei has now become a typical fanservice filled anime….or has it?
Summary:
After the girls have their usual body check up in the nurse’s office, they return to class where Nozomu decides to have the students’ realize their self worth. Calling Usui Kagerou into a room, Nozomu suddenly asks if he can borrow ten thousand yen. Kagerou declines because that isn’t possible for him, so Nozomu lowers the amount. Kagerou constantly declines until Nozomu reaches fifty yen, which he can agree to. With this, Nozomu declares that his human worth is fifty yen. He then describes the pitiful things someone worth fifty yen can do, which causes Chiri to applaud in agreement. Believing that realization of human worth is important, she begins insulting those around her by telling them what is enough for them. Fearing this, Nozomu decides to follow a celebrity’s way of despair and suicide. However, even after staying in a hotel with the best wine and the greatest kind of woman, he fails to kill himself. The woman he spent the night with returns to meet Nozomu again at school the next day, but only to give him a huge bill of the expenses.
Nozomu later goes to a hot springs bath to relax, but he finds that his students are there as well. After Maria causes the border between the male and female baths to fall, Nozomu tries to hide himself in embarrassment. Wondering if his students aren’t embarrassed at all, Nozomu finds that they don’t mind him looking at all. In fact, some of them would rather have him look. After Nozomu asks why they are there, the students tell him that they were trying detoxification. Not wanting any part of it, Nozomu leaves before he can be affected. Meanwhile at school, Chie finds Kiri bathing alone in one of the rooms. She decides to join her, and they both enter the bath together after admiring each other. After everyone exits the hot springs, Nozomu finds that most of the students have changed. Believing that this isn’t good at all, Nozomu has measures taken to turn everyone back to normal. This works, but when the students suggest that Nozomu try removing his poisons as well, they find that his existence becomes very small.
Impression:
I didn’t catch as many references this time as I did last episode, but there were still quite a few. This is from Getbackers! I was really proud of knowing that one. Akabane was my hero back in the day, and so was “SNAKE BITE-O!!!”. I’m sure you stinky otaku will love this one. I don’t think it needs an explanation. Here’s the “keep out” tape that is seen in anime such as Galaxy Angel Rune. Kiri’s super white skin was probably reminiscent of those old Japanese horror films, but I’m not too familiar with those. This reminds me of something, but I can’t come up with it at the top of my head. I’m sure one of you will be able to tell me what it is. There were also tons of other references as usual, including a familiar Pani Poni Dash line towards the end. This isn’t a reference, but it’s something that I want to note. Abiru has two eye colors! We couldn’t find out until now because of her eye patch, and I just thought it was worth mentioning.
This episode touched on things such as social status labeling and rehabilitation beliefs. Social status labeling is very common in any society. Although people want to be considered equal, the fact is that there are different class structures. Nozomu’s measure of Kagerou’s worth was good example of this, and I found it really funny when Chiri started putting people in their place. This mirrors peoples’ want to be in a higher class than they really are, though it is practically impossible. I also agreed with Nozomu’s view on people without self realization, such as the neets insulting neets despite being neets themselves. The second half of the episode reflected the typical fanservice filled hotsprings situation in anime, but had a twist in the Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei way. Detoxification is a removing of toxins from the body, and in this case, it removed the students’ faults. This reminded me a lot of the ridiculous followings people go through such as the Atkins Diet or even the law of attraction belief, though that might be a stretch. It looks like they are finally done introducing characters, but hopefully this series can still display the real world negativity in the humorous way they have been doing all along. Otherwise, I may run out of things to say about this show like all the other bloggers have. Not that it would keep me from loving this show.
EDIT: Ok guys, maybe I should have expanded when I said this episode was reflecting a typical fanservice filled anime episode with the “twist”. The twist is that it wasn’t just being fanservice to be fanservice. It was like a wake up call, kind of like moetan’s “you’re a lolicon” concept (and no, I didn’t watch past episode one of that show, so don’t quote me on that or anything xD). It was like, “this is the ridiculous reason you’re always watching anime for, so we’ll give it to you!” They even had the completely random reason for being in the hot springs, yet it wasn’t random. Yes, in the end it did result in fanservice, but the fanservice was in your face like, “Hey look! It’s fanservice!!”. The things they use to censor their bodies should tell you that. No, those aren’t just there because the show is being broadcasted on tv. No, those probably won’t be taken off in the dvd version. Don’t put this show off as another typical fanservice filled show, because it’s not. Of course the plot is formulaic. The show is not suppose to be moving anywhere. It’s representing different real world events of society through Nozomu’s class in each episode. I mean, that’s what I like to talk about in my posts and half of the reason this show became one of my favorites so quick. I’m not arguing with anybody, I’m just trying to clear up what I was trying to say. This is a really great show on so many levels if you know how to appreciate it, so don’t go dropping it yet.
15 Comments so far
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So that girl is going to keep stalking him? I thought that would happen in one episode, but I guess not. It’s becoming less “cute” and more creepy with each episode. Looks like we are getting “lapped” with the subs. Two eps behind. At least I can find the raws.
Unlucky Channel…wow, they’re referring to Lucky Star while it’s still airing…now I can’t wait to see Fuuka’s impression of Akira-sama…
> This reminds me of something, but I can’t come up with it at the top of my head.
The only thing I can think of right now is the last episode of Jubei-chan, with Koinosuke in Nozomu’s place…although Jubei-chan is probably copying it from some other anime I haven’t seen…
Im telling you, this show is on the verge of becoming a pointless harem/service show, i mean it doesent have any development this episode…Im actually quite dissapointed with it.(unless Chiri really is a monster, in which case i applaude this show for originality!) The Next episode really has to step-up or this series will be ruined not too long off.
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Lucky Star reference now used twice in Sayonara
Konata T-Shirt, and Unlucky Channel lol
it’s now common to all comedy animes
for example in episode 15 Nagaserete Airantou use the opening segment of Seto No Hanayome (rock in the water with triangle in the middle)
Damn 2 episodes behind too X_X maybe afk subbed plans to release them in three episodes or so…
P.S. whoa Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei want to join the likes of Umishou, School Days, and Zero No Tsukaima in ecchi maybe this episode only hehe…
I agree with mostly everyone,it is becoming a typical fanservice. However it does have unexpected surprised and twist in it to keep my interest.
Rentington > If it follows the SHAFT formula, she’ll continue stalking him as a running joke throughout the series. I think it’s suppose to be a mix of cute and creepy. xD
I would try to be patient with the fansubs. This show is a lot more difficult to translate than a typical anime. I had to break out two dictionaries during this episode to figure out a few conversations. AFK may not be extremely enthusiastic about it either, because everywhere I look all I see is “What’s this SZS crap, where’s my Lucky Star!?”. Personally, I would be extremely grateful with the speed they’re subbing. I remember that it took ages for Pani Poni Dash to finish getting subbed, and Hidamari Sketch still isn’t finished.
suguru > Yup. I think this is the first anime to reference another one while it is still airing. Kafuka doesn’t act like Akira though, the sign is just in the background.
I haven’t seen Jubei-chan, so I think it was something else. Maybe it’s just something common in anime.
Dularc > This show isn’t suppose to have a solid plot. Most people only watch it for the laughs. Pani Poni Dash was the same. If you watch it expecting development, you will be disappointed. Just try to enjoy it for what it is trying to accomplish :).
arigatou > Hmm, I remember seeing that in Airantou but I didn’t think of Seto no Hanayome at all! xD
and yea, I’m pretty sure the huge amount of fanservice was only meant for this episode.
Sniper > Lots and lots of twists :S
Where do you get the raws? I’m too impatient to wait for the subs anymore. TWO episodes behind. I know they have lives outside subbing (I hope) but keep a schedule.
Raws would be awesome. ^^ Sorry for my rant.
Totali-> Yeah I’ll be patient. Never really looked at watching Lucky Star. But the other people if they are thinking that, I’m thinking the same, just reversed. “What’s this Lucky Star crap, where’s my Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei!” I’m not throwing a fit about it, don’t get me wrong!! I’m not watching many animes,(Darker THAN Black, D.Gray-Man, Naruto: Shippuuden) so when it’s taking a long time to sub, I get irritated and play video games instead!
…Instead of putting pressure on other people I should just go learn Japanese, And take out a dictionary! XD
That’s the one thing I love about this show. There are so many messages packed into 20-something minutes that, for me, it’s a joy to watch the episode over and over again to get them all or just to have some fun and laughs.
Phoenixae > Everyone should learn Japanese. It’s like…super fun. Woot!
Leon > Yay, Leon knows exactly how to approach SZS!
Nice edit.
So allow me to edit aswell.
Things i found enjoyable about the episode:
For one thing, the concept of placing a price on ones students was just so absurd and well executed, having the hot springs actually purify the students, only to have omoiro kakaritcho turn them back made me laugh, and ofcourse having his poisones drained from him was a fun little joke.
Although i understand that this show was meaning to point out that we only watch this show for fan-service, i think that they did fail to deliver it correctly, because i dont really believe that most people were watching this show because out fan-servicy shots.
On the other hand, alot of people will watch this weeks episode in hopes of finding service to get their little fan-boy mittens on. Thus they were, in my mind, just fishing for ratings. Is it just me, or is this show the underdog of the season, meaning that its an incredible show but noone is watching it?
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You’re probably right. Most people only watch this show for what’s on the surface, so I guess they get more of that kind of viewer than the other. Well, there’s nothing wrong with that I guess. I do think this show can be considered the underdog of the season, but the few that do watch it can easily realize how great of a show it is!
She’s not stalking him, she’s clingy. I like her being clingy.
[...] also like to mention the parodied fanservice that SHAFT threw in once again during this episode. I had a fit about this during the first season, and I hope everyone can realize the team’s true [...]