Subculture Anime Blog

OP: “HANAJI” by Yu Kobayashi – Definitely getting NEGIMA!? and SZS vibes from this. I will admit that I was a little freaked out at first though, since I initially thought Mariya was painting with the mannequins’ busted open heads. It’s also notable that Yu Kobayashi solo performs the OP, which she hasn’t done for an anime single since Dragonaut or Saint October (neither of which I have watched).

Summary:

At the start of the semester, Mariya impresses Kanako with his appearance in the high school’s uniform. Of course, this would be better if he was actually a woman. Mariya eventually brings up her own wish to change, asking Mariya to leave the room, but he refuses to. Despite Kanako’s unwillingness to undress in front of a boy, and her suggestion that they should be something of equals, Mariya easily shows Kanako that he has financial superiority over her. As time is running out for the girls to reach the breakfast hall, Kanako decides to change under her sheets. This saddens her, however, as her new clothes are already becoming wrinkly before school. When Mariya sees that Kanako is crying, he apologizes as he leaves the room. Kanako is unable to believe that Mariya did this, but she soon sees that she has developed hives. Matsurika guesses that Mariya did this on purpose, but he denies such a thing.

Kanako later meets her homeroom teacher Kumagai Fumi, who after explaining how strange it is for transfer students to come to the school, offers her help if she would ever need it. Kanako of course has a lot of trouble, but with Mariya’s warning, she decides to keep quiet about it. Kanako soon learns that Fumi knew her parents while attending the school herself, and that she even met her as a child. Kanako takes interest in this, even trying to calculate Fumi’s age with the information she has given her. Kanako is introduced to her homeroom class after reaching the room with Fumi, but because of her nervousness, her introduction comes off as a bit awkward. Kanako is then seated next to a girl named Kiri Nanami, who she takes special note of because of her glasses. She sees that the previous girl from the archery club is there as well, who finally introduces herself as Inamori Yuzuru. Further meeting a girl named Momoi Sachi, Kanako is overjoyed by the cute girls around her.

Kanako is surprised to see that Mariya is giving the introduction speech to the students in the auditorium later, but when he looks her way, she cannot help but be won over by his face again. Overhearing the girls’ conversations around her, she realizes that everyone is being fooled despite how much they admire Mariya. Kanako’s thoughts are interrupted by her stomach growling, which she becomes very embarrassed about as the students around her look for the culprit. This causes Mariya to take a pause in her speech to discuss the circumstances behind this, and though Kanako sees this as his saving her, Mariya had obviously had other plans. Getting off the podium, Mariya passes by what seems to be his rival Shiki Ayari. Receiving some candy from Sachi during Shiki’s speech, Kanako decides that she will do well at the school despite her difficulties.

Mariya is invited out by Sachi and Nanami after classes, and by other girls as well, but she is called by Ryuuken before she can agree to anyone’s request. Ryuuken brings up her being forced into a new dorm while outside with her, then wondering if she had troubled Kanako is some way. As Kanako begins to reply though, Mariya appears to explain instead. Mariya introduces herself as Kanako’s new roommate, then exchanging compliments with Ryuuken for her popularity in acting among other things. Bringing up several horrifying events that have supposedly happened at the dorm, Mariya convinces Ryuuken to accept a ridiculous explanation. As she leaves, Ryuuken can only believe that she has troubled Kanako.

Mariya then brings up her distaste in what happened between herself and Ayari earlier, and after hearing that they have known each other for quite some time, Kanako guesses that they are something of childhood friends. She questions if Ayari knows that Mariya is truly a boy, but he only replies by saying that Kanako has nothing to do with this. As Mariya leaves, Kanako thinks to herself that it wasn’t as if she wanted to know anything about Mariya either; especially since she dislikes men. However, at the same time, she suddenly notices a pain in her heart that she has never experienced before. In other places, rumors have already spread about Kanako’s relationship with Ryuuken.

Preview: I have no idea.

Impression:

Mariya is already in Kanako’s heart! As obvious as it is how this story is suppose to end, I found it hilarious when the narrator actually came out and mentioned the fact by the end of the episode. They say that it’s how these stories develop though, not how they end, and it already looks like there will be several other routes and developments after this episode. In typical anime fashion, there were quite a few character introductions this week. I’m already liking the silliness of Yuzuru and her refusal to leave her archery uniform, but I can’t really say I like Shiki. The childish types really aren’t my thing. Ryuuken seems like she will be playing a bigger role in Kanako’s story though, and the same can be said about Ayari when dealing with Mariya. I don’t have much of an opinion about Nanami yet, but it looks like she’ll be something of an observer/supporting character in soon to come arcs?

I’ll have to take back what I said a few weeks ago about the style being more subtle in this series, because this episode was as out of control as most all of Shaft’s other productions. I really loved the way the side characters were displayed, something that Shaft has always done uniquely, as well as how the classrooms were introduced. I felt like there were some Gainax influences with the shots going around the auditorium, and I definitely had “FLCL” at the tip of my tongue during the shift to manga pages. I know I will be watching that OP a few more times before the night is over too. Talk about awesome.

Notes:

• I’ll never get tired of Dorm Leader-sensei.
• Kanako knows that it is so wrong, but it feels so right.
• Harem route!
• Nosebleed flying!
• Payback for last week: the boob grab.
• Aroduc has the OP up.