Now several days closer to being on time!

Summary:

Rin wakes Reiji in the morning, and while presenting breakfast to him, she constantly reminds him that she is in the fourth grade now. Reiji notices that Rin had prepared his meal splendidly, but hers burnt, causing him to internally find her extremely cute. In other places, Kuro and Mimi prepare for the fourth grade in their own unique ways. When Reiji sees Rin in a particularly revealing outfit, he worries about Aoki’s seeing her in such a state. Because of Rin’s usual charm though, he ends up allowing her to wear it. This causes trouble as he walks her to school, with even the police mistaking him for a molester.

Reiji meets Aoki at the school gates, leading both of them to undermine each other in their minds. Rin gives Reiji a kiss on the cheek before leaving him though, seemingly giving Aoki’s rival the upper hand. When Aoki asks Rin if she always does this with Reiji afterwards, she teases him in the usual way. Aoki clearly sees that Rin would be trouble again, but as he had already decided to understand her, he decides to do his best from here on as well.

Aoki asks for volunteers to represent the class in homeroom, but the students only express their reluctancy. When the majority of them pick out Mimi though, Rin steps in to volunteer. Aoki and the others are surprised by this action, but they settle in agreement by the end. Aoki continues to ask why Rin would do something so suddenly afterwards, but she only replies by saying that she wanted to try it. Aoki doesn’t seem confident despite Rin’s responses while in the teacher’s office, but when he starts to ask for Shirai’s advice, she tells him to take care of his own class. When Hoin sees Oyajima and even Aoki agreeing to Shirai’s beliefs, she falls into the usual confusion.

Daisuke has the class cook in a later class, but Rin’s usual playing causes him a lot of panic. Rin eventually gets Aoki to say that the class can make whatever they want, exciting the class and leading them to make various dishes. Rin further reverses a prank that Kuro plans, making the class an overall success. Mimi later asks if Rin had become representative for her or Aoki’s sake, but Rin denies by claiming that it was for her own sake. As she was able to relay things that the students and Aoki were unable to, she would be perfect for the role. As the girls separate for the afternoon though, Mimi can only wonder how exactly this benefits Rin.

The next day, Aoki is impressed by how much of a leader Rin is able to be. When he finds the classroom empty in the afternoon though, he suspects that she had the class leave like she did in the past. When Rin meets Aoki, she quickly sees that he does not trust her. She runs from him because of this, and as Kuro and Mimi return to the school, Aoki realizes that Rin had actually convinced the students to do cleanup together for more productivity. Ridden with guilt, Aoki quickly searches for Rin around the school. He eventually finds her on top of a cherry tree, but even after apologizing, this leads to a very embarrassing situation. As Rin greets her friends afterwards though, things seem to return to normal.

Impression:

It’s amazing to see what all I was missing with that dreaded censoring in season one. No really, as I was far too lazy to check out the dvd versions of the first season, some of the scenes in this episode really came off as shocking to me…. And by shocking, I mean hilarious. Despite everyone being in the fourth grade now, and the new position Rin has, this episode felt very much like most of season one. There were plenty of laughs, a little bit of drama, and the usual underaged goodness that we all love. I don’t think I can say much more though, besides that this was 20 minutes of great fun. The manga readers already know what to expect, of course, and fans of the anime will only be getting more of what they want.

Notes:

• They chose to use the same OP/ED from the first OAD special, which is great.
• Hadaka aprons…an essential for wifu status.
• Do fourth graders really cook like that in Japanese schools? Yikes.
• Is it bad that I will always associate cherry blossoms with B5C now?
• Reiji is still a lolicon.

OP: “Guilty Future” by Eri Kitamura – I’ve been listening to this single ever since it was released. The style is similar to the non-anime single that Kitamura Eri put out previously, and it’s quite catchy. The OP animation has some stylish touches that I like, but otherwise, it’s kind of standard.

Summary:

Rin has become the class rep upon reaching the fourth grade with her friends. Aoki notices that she has become much more mature because of this, but this doesn’t stop her from giving him a bit of service every once in awhile. Kuro implies her jealously about this later, but when the girls suspect this of being her way of appreciating Aoki, she becomes flustered as usual. In the meantime, Hoin argues with Shirai’s announcing that there will be activity cuts for the children. Hoin starts to despair upon seemingly losing to the “cool beauty” afterwards, only causing awkwardness between her and the male teachers.

Kuro eventually meets Shirai after hours, then expressing her fondness of her. She had been a fan every since she substituted for Aoki in the previous term. This leads Kuro to start following Shirai everywhere, referring to her as “Shiro-chan”. Shirai approaches Aoki after becoming extremely annoyed by this, but he can only express his amazement towards her for making Kuro act in such an attached way. Kuro continues to meet Shirai throughout the following days, eventually presenting her with a hair pin with a white rose on it. As Kuro is wearing a darker one, this would be a sign of their friendship. Shirai guesses that this would never look good on her, however, as she recalls a time from the past.

When Shirai was still in school, she took note of a popular girl named Chika. Her mother warned her not to get close to her because of her showy demeanor, but Shirai knew that Chika was quite popular because of her personality. Shirai one day overheard Chika and her friends talking about her though, insulting her for being the daughter of two teachers among other things. While Shirai recalls this, Kuro meanwhile spends her time in her room at home. She becomes excited upon hearing her mother return, but is disappointed when she states that she has only returned to retrieve some documents. Reminding her that she has been spending too much money on clothes, but refusing to take the card, Kuro’s mother leaves her daughter in loneliness again.

Kuro returns to her friends in class after being absent recently, just to find Rin excited about the upcoming sports event that has been organized by Aoki. Kuro only agrees to participate if Rin would kiss a girl, and though this surprisingly seems like a lucky chance for her, Rin simply kisses Mimi on the cheek. This has Kuro running out in the halls to meet Aoki, but when he expresses his excitement about creating posters for the event, she kicks him in the nuts. Kuro meets Shirai again next, expressing that she likes her for not treating her specially as a kid. When Kuro implies her love for Rin though, another girl, Shirai only tells her that she would eventually grow out of such feelings. As this was like Shirai was calling her abnormal, Kuro runs away in anger.

Shirai returns home thinking that this is what she actually wanted. When she listens to the messages she has received throughout the day though, she hears from her mother that Chika would be getting married. As Shirai had not gotten a boyfriend or anything of the sort, she suggests that she take this as an example. Shirai is enraged by this hypocrisy, but this only reminds her that she had hurt Kuro in the same way earlier. As she had not even dated once despite being as old as she is, it was not as if she could judge someone of being normal or not.

During commencements at the school the next day, Shirai surprises Kuro by showing that she is wearing the hair pin that she had given her. Kuro quickly puts her matching one on in excitement, but when she overhears two boys insulting Shirai for such an action, she quickly turns to beat them up. This causes a panic for Aoki as well as the other staff and students, but to Hoin’s surprise, Shirai only smiles while watching. In her mind, Shirai could only wonder how her life would have turned out if she had a girl like Kuro at her side in the past.

ED: “1, 2, 3 Day” by Little Non – I don’t really like Little Non at all, and the animation for the ED isn’t anything special, so the OP is definitely winning this battle. How bout that fourth grader fanservice???

Impression:

OVAs and I don’t really get along, and I practically only blog Kodojikan for three people, but hey….Why let those three people down, right??? In all honestly, I hadn’t been keeping up with this series at all ever since the first season ended. Though I definitely considered myself a convert after watching it, I just couldn’t find the motivation to pick up the manga. With promises of the second term being announced awhile ago though, I had no problem with continuing to be lazy and wait to watch the animations. The first of the batch was hella fun, though I really wasn’t expecting such a big focus on Shirai. Kuro is easily one of the more fun characters in this series, and her play on “black and white” made for a pretty good story. I would say Shirai could have used more development than she actually got in this episode, but I suppose it’s not like she wouldn’t be getting more in the future. Watching slightly older Kuro slap a b was really awesome too.

Oh, and a shout out to Doutei, haha! Totally watched this version because it had more seeds out of reverse fan loyalty!

Notes:

• Cutting activities because of academics……or a falling economy!???
• Hoin is always the bomb. A megane Hoin is fine too.
• Mimi knows the truth. Unfortunate that she must be the least likable out of the three.
• If Shirai had a friend like Kuro, she would have obviously become a super “cool beauty” idol.
• ……and a lesbian.

Understand. My final impression is included!

Summary:

Kuro and Mimi notice that Daisuke is acting a bit strange during class, so they correctly guess that it is because Rin is absent. Daisuke apologizes to his fellow teachers later for what has happened, but Shirai suggests that such attitude was common for a child’s guardian. At the end of the day, Daisuke is finally able to send a message to Rin. This makes Rin happy, but she is quickly interrupted by Reiji. Reiji wonders what Rin would like to do at the amusement park they are at, but Rin insists that she would like to return to school. Rin tell Reiji about the worried messages from her friends, but he simply takes the phone from her afterwards. Daisuke is unable to reach Rin at her home, but he still slips the letter he brought into her mailbox. Thinking about what has happened up to this point, Daisuke declares that he cannot break his promise. Seeing the letter in the mailbox when she gets home, Rin quickly takes it inside before Reiji can see it. After opening it up, she realizes that everyone is waiting for her. Reiji has another nightmare, but he panics in his wake at the appearance of Rin’s face appearing this time. While he prepares breakfast in the morning, Reiji unstably believes that he is the only one who is able to protect Rin. Rin attempts to leave the house in her wake, but Reiji quickly stops her. Rin expresses that it is Reiji who truly does not understand, but he strikes fear into her by declaring that everything he is doing is in order to protect her. Leaving the house for awhile, Reiji locks Rin in her room. Thinking of her past, Rin is only able to think about her mother and how Reiji has changed.

Mimi and Kuro confront Daisuke at school, realizing that he is keeping something hidden from them. Daisuke pats Kuro on the head after realizing that she is worried about him as well as Rin, leaving her in a bit of surprise. The atmosphere is quickly changed, however, when Kyoko informs Daisuke of Reiji’s arrival at the school. Reiji suggests that Rin transfer schools, but Daisuke does not believe that this is what Rin wishes. Reiji expresses that an adult like Daisuke would not understand what Rin wants, but he leaves when Daisuke calls him an adult as well. Looking outside afterwards, Daisuke wonders when he became an adult himself. At home, Rin has been making paper cranes in her room. She panics when she hears Reiji’s talk of transfer, demanding to let her go to school. When Reiji sees the scissors in Rin’s hands, he panics at visions of his own nightmare. Hearing a scream from outside, Daisuke enters the house to see Reiji collapsed in front of Rin. Reiji thinks to himself that before he knew it, he became the same as those he could never forgive. In his dreams, Reiji believes that he has betrayed Aki’s promise. She believes that Reiji has protected Rin, however, and that Rin would protect Reiji as well. Reiji raises himself at this thought, but Aki is no longer anywhere to be found.

Daisuke assures Rin that Reiji is ok in his unconsciousness, while Rin worries to herself. She wants to return to school, yet she is unable to leave Reiji who has already been hurt in the past. Daisuke tells Rin that he understands, but then takes back his words. He tells her that he cannot understand, as he has lived a completely normal life until now. He states that he still wishes to understand those he cannot yet understand, and credits his realization to Rin. Although he does not understand, he can still learn. When Rin helps Daisuke leave the house, Reiji opens his eyes. Daisuke grasps Rin’s hand before leaving, reminding her that everyone is waiting for her. As he walks away, Rin recalls that Daisuke was the first adult that she could believe. In return, Daisuke believed Rin. Still waving goodbye to him, Rin states her love for Daisuke. Later at school, everything has returned to normal. At home, Reiji pays his respects to Aki. Rin meets and thanks Daisuke after school, before getting into the usual trouble with the other girls. Rin declares to herself that she will never forget; a child’s time.

ED: “Otome Chikku Shoshinsha desu” by Kitamura Eri, Shindou Kei, Kadowaki Mai – not a new song, but well placed. It plays in the background while the group’s antics continue.

Impression:

This wasn’t exactly the epic ending I was expecting, but it was decent considering the manga is still ongoing. I’m really not sure how I feel about the theme of understanding, especially with Reiji. Until the turn around, I was still pretty annoyed by his actions. I couldn’t really empathize with him afterwards though, and the ending just felt kind of empty. I really liked how the theme of adults and children played in with the episode, but it just felt like it came too early. The dream sequence seemed kind of odd as well, but the knife in Reiji’s chest was pretty hilarious. The rest of the episode was a lot like the rest of the series with the usual silliness, and I’m kind of disappointed that the censoring followed us all the way to the end. It would be unfair to judge the show overall though, because again, the anime can’t truly end when the manga hasn’t. I guess it’s on to the final impression!

Final Impression:

Although not extraordinary, Kodomo no Jikan was definitely one of the more interesting shows that I blogged this season. I had sampled the manga after all of the controversy earlier in the year, and became one of those who thought I understood the manga for what it was truly about. Ironically, I became unsure when I started watching the anime. I originally regretted picking it up, finding that it just wasn’t what I expected. I soon proved myself wrong again, however, slowly converting into a Kodomo no Jikan fan again. This might have worked well though, since this is typically what happens to the usual KnJ fan. On the surface, Kodomo no Jikan looks like a loli fanservice show with lots of laughs. Dig a bit deeper and you’ll find there’s a lot more to it than just that.

When it comes to the visuals of the show, it was probably a bit below average. I always found the video quality strange when firing up an episode of KnJ, though it didn’t really bother me that much. The real killer was the ridiculous censoring seen in every episode. I tried to keep it from bothering me, but it was impossible. With full screen censoring and bird chirps galore, it was hard to appreciate or even UNDERSTAND what was going on at times. I’m not sure if it would be fair to judge the show based on this though, since all of that is being removed in the dvd versions. In fact, I already know a few individuals who are waiting for those versions before even watching the series.

In the end, Kodomo no Jikan turned out to be quite a good and underrated show. I’ve always preferred anime over manga, but I might actually pick this one back up after such an unsatisfying ending. It’s rare that I do this, and I only do so when I am very interested in a series. I think just that proves what kind of potential this series has. I’m glad that I approached this show without spoiling myself by reading ahead though, as it really had a different impact on me. One of the funnier parts about this show was trying to figure out if you manga readers were really spoiling stuff for me or not. Haha, I’ll have to join the club now though!

Dodgeball owns!

Summary:

A young Reiji runs in fright from the expectations his family has of him. His mother tells him to listen to his father’s requests, making Reiji wonder about his own desires. After striking with the knife found in his hand, Reiji wakes in the present from this horrible nightmare. As these were events of the past, Reiji wonders why it is coming back to him now. However, he is also reminded of Aki’s previous advice to him. Reiji then realizes that Rin is in bed with him, quickly calming him. Rin wakes at Reiji’s whisper to her, before falling back to sleep. Daisuke praises Mimi during a dodgeball match at school, but Kuro reminds Mimi of what has happened recently. Rin meanwhile gives the winning blow for her team, before noticing how down Daisuke is. Afterwards, Kuro notices that both Rin and Mimi are in low spirits. Rin ponders the advice she got from Kyoko, before leaving for the bathroom. Mimi believes that she was more responsible for the confrontation with Daisuke, so Kuro comes up with a plan.

Daisuke finds that Kyoko is quite angry with him, and to make things worse, he is hit in the balls with a ball by Kuro right after. Daisuke is relieved to see a cheerful Rin upon her return, as is Rin who sees Daisuke smiling for his students. After the tournament ends, Daisuke’s team finds that they were just short of winning against Kyoko’s. Mimi takes the chance to apologize to Daisuke, but this results in a bit of awkwardness for Daisuke. Shirai overhears Kyoko’s excitement for winning against Daisuke in the locker room, before going to the office to remind Daisuke of his duties. Rin finds Daisuke cleaning up alone in the gym, and explains to him that Reiji is busy with work. Daisuke then realizes that Rin was always waiting for Reiji after school, not himself. Rin notices that Daisuke is spaced out while she begins to help, and the two are suddenly locked inside the gym locker. When Reiji finds that Rin is not at home that night, he searches for her in panic.

In the empty gym locker, Daisuke notices Rin sneeze from the cold. Rin gets closer to Daisuke for warmth, and refuses to let go after mentioning both of their hearts’ sound. Kyoko starts to leave the office in school, but Oyajima and Shirai quickly run out to her after a phone call. Rin begs Daisuke not to leave her in the storage room, so Daisuke assures her that he is there for her. Rin suddenly gets a phone call from a panicked Reiji, and the teachers arrive with him soon after. In extreme anger, Reiji assaults Daisuke before dragging Rin away. Rin resists, but an enraged Reiji continues to take her home without listening to any of the teachers’ explanations. Daisuke attempts to set out in the office afterwards, but Shirai stops him by reminding him of his position. At home, Reiji refuses to listen to Rin’s explanation while pretending to be calm. Realizing his inner anger, Rin gives up on arguing with him.

Preview: The finale.

Impression:

WHAT. THE. HECK. Reiji, you are a freaking psycho. Screw you! Having heard that this series’ manga is still ongoing, I was ready to expect a mediocre anime ending. With the build up they’ve established in this episode though, I think I don’t have to worry as much. But seriously, as much as I loved the Aki arc, I am disliking Reiji more and more. Who jumps across freaking train tracks!? The final scenes were just intense, and left me pretty speechless. Of course, as awesome at this episode was, it could have easily been better. I just love how those censor bars come out at the most dramatic times. Speaking of that, the dvd for the first couple episodes has come out. You should check the comments from my last episode review for that. I refuse to post the images myself. I was joking the other day that there would be two seasons of Kodomo no Jikan; The one we’re watching now, and the uncensored one everyone else will be watching later. On a lighter note, Shirai gave a pretty nice slap to Daisuke. Also, I still want to see more Kyoko. She’s so awesome! The next episode is the last for the series. I might end up picking the manga back up afterwards.

Afraid.

Summary:

Rin wanted to push Kyoko down the stairs, but in reality, she couldn’t do it. The next day at school, Kuro reveals one of her new sets of clothes as usual. This causes the usual antics, and Rin watches Daisuke closely while he teaches. When Daisuke asks Mimi to get a library card for him, he becomes surprised to find Rin delivering it to him later. Dressed as Mimi, Rin confesses her love for Daisuke. Daisuke is unable take this in the way Rin meant for it, so she runs away in disappointment. Daisuke thinks to himself that he was able to come so far because of Rin’s help, but he loses his composure after thinking about the kiss they had. Rin returns to Kuro and Mimi in their switched clothes, expressing that Daisuke can only see her as a child. On the way home, the group is surprised to find Reiji waiting for Rin outside. Reiji takes Rin to a family restaurant and takes the change to apologize. His work schedule will start to be more hectic, so he will be arriving home later. Of course, Rin assures him that this is okay. Rin becomes excited after being offered desert, but after hearing the waitress’ suggestion, she decides that she does not need it.

During the viewing of a solar eclipse the next day, Rin is injured. Daisuke starts to treat her injury in the infirmary, but Rin asks for a date because of his refusal to treat her wound in a certain way. Daisuke suggests that something like that has nothing to do with the current situation, and that a kid would not understand what happens on a date. Rin reveals something to Daisuke by having him pull on the ribbons at her side, causing Daisuke to look away. Daisuke fears that Rin’s attitude has been caused by Reiji treating her as a woman rather than a child, but Rin goes on to suggest that it is Daisuke that is seeing her as a woman. The next day at school, Kuro and Mimi question Daisuke in private about why Rin has been acting down. Daisuke cannot give the reason, and when he raises his down to have the two leave, Mimi fears that he seems like their previous teacher.

Kyoko attempts to console an obviously troubled Daisuke after school, but most bars are unavailable. The two settle for canned beers in a park, and something hits Daisuke when Kyoko mentions experience to him. Daisuke realizes that if he had experience with women, he may not have become flustered towards Rin. Kyoko goes to on tell Daisuke how troubled she feels when she watches Daisuke, making Daisuke see some attractiveness in her. The two are interrupted by a phone call, and Daisuke rushes off after seeing the message that has been sent to him. This turns out to be a false alarm in the form of one of Rin’s usual requests. Daisuke is unable to say anything to this, and he simply leaves after hearing Rin’s suggestion that he is mad because of her interrupting his date with Kyoko. In tears, Rin expresses her gladness that he actually came.

On the train home, Daisuke wonders why he did not get angry. Looking at his reflection, he realizes that he is afraid of Rin. Rin treats Reiji to her cooking when he arrives home, but he notices the knocked down picture of Aki as Rin goes back into the kitchen. During class the next day, Daisuke calls out for a student to answer the question he has asked. He pauses for a moment after seeing Rin, but goes on to pick someone else. When Kyoko finds Rin by herself at the stairwell after school, she wonders what is wrong. Guessing that she has gotten into a fight with one of her friends, Kyoko suggests that the first thing she should do is be kind to herself. Rin genuinely thanks Kyoko for this advice, and makes her way to Daisuke. Finding him sleeping alone in a classroom, she puts a coat on him before leaving silently.

Preview: Do your true feelings come out when you’re trapped in a gym locker together with someone?

Impression:

Ok, so Rin didn’t really push Kyokyo down the stairs. Funny, because some people told me that last week, and I thought they were joking. I swear I’m going to find out that everything you guys are saying is actually true, and I’m going to be feeling really silly by the end. Stop playing with my mind! Anyways, this episode was awesome. I was laughing at the trio’s usual antics at the beginning of the episode, but my laughter was instantly killed off by the drama Rin was making. The core of this show is finally showing itself, especially with Daisuke finally realizing what is going on. A desperate Rin is very interesting, and so is Daisuke’s confused state. The line he said in the train was brilliant. I really liked the irony of Rin meeting Kyoko on the stairwell again, and Kyoko’s statement that she wouldn’t lose. Oh, how she doesn’t realize what that loli really has up her sleeve. Something that I always find amusing in anime is that when a girl is suddenly suppose to be attractive, their lips are instantly changed from flat to full of volume. Another scene I liked was Mimi’s suddenly being scared out of her mind of Daisuke, and Kuro’s defending her. Haha, Kuro is so cool. There’s only two episodes left, and I’m surprised that it has come this fast. I’m totally ready for a powerful ending!

Pain, pain, go away.

Summary:

Daisuke finds that the trio had left the school grounds during recess, and he decides that he might be too soft while Shirai goes over a report in the office. Daisuke decides to be more strict about the students activities afterwards, but this displeases Rin. She chases after Daisuke as he leaves the classroom, and tells him not to punish everyone for her actions. The two’s conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Kyoko, who wishes to meet after school. After deciding too meet at a family restaurant, Kyoko is overjoyed when Daisuke wonders if she has a boyfriend. Unknown to her, Rin has overheard the conversation from the stairwell. In the afternoon, Rin finds that Reiji is home early because of complications at his workplace. She then suggests her want to go to a family restaurant, but Reiji has already started cooking one of Rin’s favorite meals. At the family restaurant, Kyoko finds that Daisuke isn’t feeling extremely well. At home, Rin observes her figure while expressing the unfairness of the situation. At school the next day, she causes trouble for Daisuke by giving the students a chance to escape the classroom. While dangerously standing outside the high story window, she asks for Daisuke to take her to a family restaurant. When Daisuke denies, she slides down the building to escape. The teachers have a meeting about Rin’s actions with Reiji later, but he can only suggest that the teacher is at fault. Even Shirai places blame on Daisuke afterwards. While Daisuke thinks about this on the way home, his sickness gets to him.

Shirai takes strict hold of Daisuke’s class the next day, causing the students to wish for Daisuke’s return. Some of the boys put the blame on Rin, causing her to run out of the classroom despite Kuro’s attempts to defend her. The girls visit Daisuke at his flat later, and take the opportunity to clean up for him. Rin destroys even more than necessary, including some of Daisuke’s old University pictures, but his health prevents him from stopping her. When Shirai meets Oyajima in the office at school that afternoon, she describes how Daisuke has too close of a relationship with his students. Kuro takes Mimi outside so that they can leave Daisuke and Rin alone in his room, and Kuro decides that this is fine as long as Rin can cheer up a little. Inside, Rin nurses a seemingly sleeping Daisuke. She finds that he is awake, however, and Daisuke finally convinces Rin that she is not at a fault. Rin suspects that Kuro and Mimi have returned when she goes to answer the ringing doorbell, but she is disappointed to find Kyoko outside. When Kyoko discovers that the girls have brought in all the snacks for Daisuke, she uses them along with her own ingredients to make a meal for everyone. When Kyoko decides to take responsibility for brining the kids home, Rin is deeply impacted by the mere statement. Daisuke is welcomed back with open arms when he finally returns to school, even by Shirai. While Daisuke is overjoyed, Rin cannot stop thinking about her label as a child. After everyone has left school that afternoon, an enraged Rin pushes Kyoko down the stairwell.

Preview: The aftermath.

Impression:

Holy. Crap. I have chills now. It’s amazing how quickly this show can go from horrible to amazing in one episode. I was instantly turned off by the massive censoring at the very start of the episode, but I was at the edge of my seat by the time the train rushed past Rin. The deep theme of this show is finally showing its true colors, which isn’t surprising considering how close we are to the end. Rin cannot get Daisuke’s attention, as she can only be seen as a child. This is common sense, but she is willing to do anything to change that perception. I actually heard a discussion about Rin pushing Kyoko down the steps in the past from manga readers, but this was way before the anime started. I didn’t suspect a thing. Now I totally understand why this series is so popular. It’s slowly been growing on me up until now, but I think I’ve finally fallen into total conversion. As a fan of both Kyoko and Rin, I have a lot of mixed feelings about these events. I actually have a lot less sympathy towards Shirai, as soft as she really is on the inside. Reiji is also getting on my nerves despite the events from episode six. It’s gonna to be a ride seeing how all this stuff turns out. KodoJikan has seemingly reached its climax, so I can’t wait to see the next episode.

IT’S A [reverse] TRAP!!!

Summary:

Rin asks Reiji to pick one of the outfits she is holding, so she picks the one that he doesn’t choose. At school, Rin happily greets Daisuke at the start of the second semester. Shirai scolds Daisuke because of what this looks like, but Kyoko convinces him that this is because of Shirai’s relation with a teacher named Nogi. Despite Kyoko’s suggestion that he is thinking too much about it, Daisuke cannot help but believe that there is some truth to the sexual harassment statement. Rin attempts to get Daisuke’s attention in the classroom, but he begins to ignore her. This only causes more trouble, but Daisuke finally states that female students should not be sticking so close to him. Rin believes it is unfair when she looks at the boys playing with Daisuke outside later. When Kuro and Mimi appear at Rin’s house as requested, they are greeted by Rin who is now disguised as a boy. Kuro becomes very excited at this sight, and goes on to help Rin inside. While putting makeup on Rin, Kuro remembers when she met Rin.

When Rin arrived at Kuro’s school, she did not have any expression. Mimi was unable to answer other girls about her opinion on Kuro, but she soon walked in on Kuro talking to Rin in the classroom. Kuro had attempted to converse with Rin about her clothing, but received no reply. Rin, Mimi, and Kuro were coincidentally paired together during gym class, and it was revealed by some troublesome students that Rin has lost her mother. In the present, Nogi-sensei visits the school. She asks Daisuke if Rin is in his class, and he quickly stands up in attention. Kuro claimed Rin as her doll when she observed her reactions in the classroom with Mimi. When Kuro started to undress Rin in order to have her put on another dress, Rin was finally able to let out one word: “mother”. Nogi had come into the classroom shortly afterwards, and became excited at Kuro’s claim that Rin had finally spoken. Rin also remembers Kuro’s actions of the past, but she has a bit of a different opinion about it.

After Nogi leaves the school, Daisuke recalls what she had told him. Telling him about Rin and other children’s feelings, she hoped that he would embrace them. Shirai cannot understand this afterwards, and she claims that it is the parents’ job to embrace children. With this, Daisuke takes his leave first. As Rin does not have her parents, Daisuke wonders what he should do about her. Daisuke attempts to get Rin’s attention at school the next day, but it is now her turn to ignore him. Rin transforms into a boy in the bathroom with Kuro’s help, so she gives Kuro and Mimi a kiss of appreciation before taking off. This makes the two girls wonder what it would be like if Rin was really a boy, causing some over the top imagination. Rin successfully gets closer to Daisuke while playing in the middle of the boys, but she panics when Daisuke gets more touchy than she expected. When Daisuke attempts to take off Rin’s dirty clothes after an accident, she runs off in resistance. Kyoko realizes that there is no “Itou” in their class after meeting with Daisuke, and she finds a long strand of hair on his shirt.

Daisuke quickly realizes what has happened, and he confronts Rin as she is letting down her hair. Daisuke wonders why Rin would do something like this, and which of the events she is angry about. In apology, Daisuke kneels to the ground and allows Rin to punish him in any way she wishes. In exchange, she would have to return to normal the next day without any grudges. Rin slaps Daisuke despite his predictions, but she quickly bursts into tears afterwards. She says that it is ok to be angry, as she falls into Daisuke’s arms. Daisuke recalls Nogi’s advice while comforting Rin, and Shirai smiles at the sight from above. Reiji finds Rin asleep when he arrives home, and sees that she has been crying. This makes him recall the time that she had lost her voice. Reiji declares that he cannot yet leave her alone, but Rin suddenly gets closer in his arms. In Rin’s sweet dreams, she is being embraced by Daisuke.

Preview: Sweet! Kyoko finally gets a date with Daisuke?

Impression:

Oh yes, KnJ is definitely getting good now. This is serious business!! This episode began by giving me the comedy I expect from a love comedy, but went on to surprise me with some very awesome and meaningful drama. I think this is why the series has such a strong cult following, and I have a feeling that even I might be converted by the end. It was absolutely hilarious to see a trap Rin, and Kuro’s reactions made it even better. There are two things I want to know about Kuro after this episode. One, do grade schoolers really have that much blood? Two, where does she get all those outrageous outfits (Neko Mimi Mode!)? I love how she said the stereotypical lines like “Mou ii wa~” as a child. What a personality change! You could say the same thing about Rin though. It was pretty funny to see Rin have Daisuke grab her boob for attention, to turn around and freak out about it as a “boy”. This episode again had me wondering what the heck was going on with all the censoring again, but the drama totally made up for it.

The so called part two of Rin’s past was wonderfully believable. I’ve personally had experience with a similar situation, where someone was completely unable to speak. This is usually caused by a devastating event, much like Rin’s losing of her mother. Of course, the majority of people would be unable to understand that kind of situation. It was awesome to see Kuro and Mimi befriend Rin and accept her. The kids who taunted Rin about her dead mother were total trash, and they would probably turn out to become trash adults. It’s just like this in the real world. Adults and children really aren’t too different in many aspects. Nogi, the new teacher who was introduced, was a really great character for leaving the message that she did. By the end of the episode, I was totally absorbed. Rin looked really awesome in black hair when she let it down. I loved Reiji’s old reaction come back, and I couldn’t help but smile at Rin’s dream. I’m looking forward to the next episode with Kyoko finally getting some action, so hopefully the troublesome lolis won’t get in the way as usual!

Daisuke, scarring little girls for life since 2007.

Summary:

As Rin comes up with ways to get Daisuke’s attention at home, she uses her stuffed bear for practice. When Kyoko mentions the fun school trip that will be coming up at school, Daisuke replies with how very not fun it will be dealing with the children. Kyoko is still as enthusiastic as ever, giving words of advice to Daisuke. As the students all get ready to depart, Mimi notices Kuro and Rin’s devilish intentions. On the train, Rin gets very close to Daisuke. Kuro goes on to cause a small uproar on the train, as the passengers around complain. When some passengers get off the train later, Daisuke can’t help but wonder what it would be like if he had taken up a different occupation. When the class finally reaches their destination, Rin watches Daisuke look over his notes as Kyoko gives the students instructions. The class begins walking down the mountain path, but Daisuke is forced to scold Rin, Kuro, and Mimi for lagging behind. After Rin and Kuro run away from a now frustrated Daisuke, Mimi states that she needs to use the bathroom. Finding that the next bathroom is still quite far away, Daisuke suggests that she do it around where they are. Daisuke notices that it is already lunch time, so he starts to dash with the girls.

When Daisuke finally catches up to the rest of the class, lunch is served. After a bit of playtime and an employee’s revealing of Kuro’s large amount of luggage, dinner is served. The girls frustrate Daisuke again, but he finally has a chance to rest with Kyoko. Daisuke tries to get Kyoko’s opinion on what it would be like if he were a salary man instead of teacher, but she can only notice his gaze afterwards. Mimi expresses her disappointment that it is already night time, but Rin implies that this is when the real fun starts. After realizing how big Kyoko’s boobs really are in the hot springs, the girls decide to have some fun elsewhere. Daisuke scolds some of the boys for their perverseness, only to find the regular trio behind a door. As Daisuke chases after them, he causes even bigger troubles for Mimi. Finding that Rin is not very excited about her sleeping wear in their cabin later, Kuro suspects her of something. Daisuke makes rounds stopping the students from doing things they are not suppose to, and makes his last stop at the trio’s cabin. He is forced to take responsibility for putting Kuro back to sleep, and notices that Rin is not there.

Daisuke finds Rin in his own cabin, and to make things worse, Kyoko is at his door. Daisuke attempts to prevent Kyoko from finding about Rin, but becomes surprised when she tells him how glad she is for being there with him. Kyoko quickly runs away afterwards, thinking about her actions behind a tree. Daisuke finds Rin in very inappropriate garment when he returns to the room, and she begins harassing him about love. The morning comes quicker than Daisuke wishes for, while Rin sleeps peacefully on his back. As activities continue, Kyoko notices how sleepy the trio is. As Daisuke is exhausted as well, they are allowed to rest. Rin sleeps with Daisuke in a tree’s shade, and they are joined by Mimi and Kuro when the two see them. When Kyoko arrives to wake Daisuke up, a bit of trouble is caused for him again.

Preview: Rin has a dream about being a boy!?

Impression:

So I’m beginning to think more and more that this whole censoring thing is just a market ploy. How can they censor the slightest sight of fanservice, yet leave loli butt in the clear open? I also love how I couldn’t understand anything that Kuro was trying to say at the end. Like, I basically watched her mouth move to the sound of bird chirps. Oh well, this episode was actually pretty funny. Kyoko is so awesome, and I’m still rooting for her. If it weren’t for Rin, this could have totally been a normal romance anime. I’m sure everyone remembers going on school trips, but they were probably nothing like this one. Would a teacher usually make their student pee in the bushes like that? I’m also wondering why elementary school boys have porn mags with them. Daisuke’s manhood was used as a joke numerous times in this episode, and I can’t get the reaction Mimi had on her face out of my head now. That was just hilarious. The preview for next week’s episode is really weird, so I’m probably in for a surprise. Any manga readers want to fill me in?

What kind of magic did you use (to get that loli)?

Summary:

When Reiji’s mother died, he did not shed any tears. In his violent past with his aggressive father, he had offered to help with a part time job so that he and his mother could leave the house. However, he discovered that his mother was not dealing with this abuse for his sake. Reiji had thought it better for either of his parents to die, and one day this wish was granted. Reiji was sent to Tokyo to live with his relative Aki, who had Rin with her. Of course, in the present, Aki is now gone. Reiji was unable to appreciate Aki’s hospitality at first. However, when he questioned Aki’s single parenting of Rin, he became shocked at the answer. In his depression, Reiji wondered what it would be like if he had left with his mother. Rin had visited him that night, and embraced his crying figure. With this, Reiji’s attitude in the house totally changed. Aki suggested adoption to Reiji one night, but he was unable to accept. Apologizing, Aki suggested that he had his own parents. However, this was not the reason he refused. Reiji wanted to marry Aki, and with this, wished that he could quickly become an adult.

When Aki began to show health problems, Reiji quickly found jobs to help her. Reiji claimed that it was ok for Aki to depend on him more in the hospital, but she became shocked when Reiji moved to kiss her. Little known to the two, Rin had actually witnessed their kiss. Aki was surprised that she could find love in such a situation, but her health continued to worsen. When Aki visited the hospital, she became devastated at the doctor’s response. In the present time, Reiji and Rin visit a now crowded beach. Placing a sea shell to her ear, Rin brings nostalgic memories to Reiji. In the past, Aki was relieved when she saw how well Rin got along with Reiji when they visited the beach. Aki had told Reiji to take care of Rin on the way out, but while embracing her, he promised to protect them both.

Reiji stopped his actions in bed with Aki when he found that she was still sick, putting her to tears. When Reiji had finally discovered what was wrong with Aki in the hospital, he was put into despair. When Rin visited Aki in the hospital, she was seemingly unaware of the situation. Reiji thought he had become an adult, but he did not have the power to protect the person important to him. Reji found Rin making a small paper crane when he went to pick her up, and was shocked when she asked him if Aki was going to die. Holding on to Rin, Reiji promised that Aki would get better. When Aki finally returned home, Rin continued to make paper cranes in hopes of her healing. With one of Rin’s paper cranes in her eyes, Aki wished for her well being. While looking for Rin that night, Reiji was devastated at the sight he found. In front of Rin laid a now passed Aki, and a letter with a simple apology for her dying. In the present, as Rin looks out into the sunset, Reiji declares that he will not let anyone hurt her.

ED: This episode got a much deserved special ED, with lots of images from Rin, Aki, and Reiji’s past. At the end, Reiji looks upon a sleeping Rin, calling her “itoshi musume” (beloved daughter).

Preview: The preview totally killed off all the vibes I had…next week is back to the norm!

Impression:

Great, now I’m about to cry….and I’m going to watch Clannad in a bit. This episode was just quality. I had not read up to this point in the manga, and I knew it was going to be satisfying. Reiji’s past with his parents was very realistic, and it was easy to empathize with him. His falling in love with Aki was very moving, and a lot easier to accept than Rin and Daisuke’s similar relationship. Aki’s death was very powerful, and I was honestly moved. After this episode, I have finally come to feel attachment for the characters. Reiji’s wish to protect Rin now feels a lot more serious, and the direction the story is going is amazing me. The comic relief came from the even more loli than usual Rin, if that is even possible. She was way too cute, and a lot more innocent. Watch her play with those blocks! I’m not sure if the color isolation helped this episode or not. I am a fan of that sort of thing, from being experienced with it, but I thought some other shows pulled it off a lot better. I laughed when they censored the sex scene too. What? It’s just sex! I loved the insert song though, as it really fit the mood of this week’s story. Unfortunately, next week’s episode looks a lot less emo. Reiji has a milf and loli complex!

In the depths of the water…..A LOLI ATTACKS!!!

Summary:

Rin attempts to get Daisuke’s attention in class, as summer vacation approaches. However, he is too busy with work. Daisuke expresses all the work he has in the teacher’s room, while Shirai-sensei confronts his actions. Seeing how hard he is working for his students, Kyoko’s feelings for Daisuke almost come to the surface. Daisuke finds Rin in the hallways afterwards, refusing to go to class. He discovers that she is upset about summer vacation approaching, since she will not be able to see him. Daisuke assures Rin that she will still be able to see him, so she finally shows him what she wanted to do earlier. After presenting the students with their reports, Daisuke bids all of them off for the summer. Kyoko approaches Daisuke in the empty classroom afterwards, comparing her loneliness from her childhood to the present.

The girls all seemingly enjoy themselves during the break, but in reality, Rin is only waiting for the day that she can see Daisuke again. Reiji apologizes for being unable to take Rin out, and even thought she claims that she doesn’t mind, Reiji realizes that she is hiding her true emotions on his way out to work. Kyoko approaches Daisuke in a bikini at the school pool, but she goes to change when Rin and the other girls arrive in their school swimsuits. This doesn’t really help the situation, and Rin begins massaging her breasts in the locker room afterwards. When the girls leave the pool, Rin is still bitter over Daisuke.

Rin is left all alone when her friends visit family, so she decides to visit the school. There, she finds Daisuke interacting with Kyoko. Kyoko attempts to invite Daisuke to the fireworks showing that will be happening, but he is distracted when he sees Rin watching him from above. Daisuke finally finds Rin after running through the school, but she teases him as usual. Elsewhere, Kuro and Mimi are unable to find Rin in preparation for the fireworks show. Daisuke wonders why Rin would come to the school, so she brings up the promise he made with her. Daisuke struggles with his feeling as Rin gets closer to him, but this results in his being pushed into the pool behind him.

Daisuke cannot stop Rin from getting closer to him, and the two look up to see beautiful fireworks let off in the distance. In other places, Reiji, Kuro, and Mimi see the same sight. Kyoko finds Daisuke and Rin in the pool, and Rin uses actions to make her jealous. Daisuke brings Rin home, and Reiji finds a note left on the table when he gets back. On another day, Daisuke finds Rin, Kuro, and Mimi in bikinis at the school, as they enjoy their summer there.

Preview: The background story on Reiji’s love.

Impression:

From the windows and through the cracks in doors, she is watching. The loli is always there, ready to screw over adults who want real relationships. Yes, this means you, Hoin-sensei! So, the anime has finally gone past the parts I’ve read in the manga. This probably helps a bit, as I am really starting to appreciate this show more. Call me slow, but I also just found out last week that the author of this story is actually a girl. I can’t help but see this series in a different way now. This episode was pretty funny with Kyoko being denied of her love as usual, all thanks to Rin. Kuro’s actions were as cute as ever, but I also found it really unrealistic for the lolis to be running around in bikinis like that. Hey, who said this anime was realistic? I could really feel for Rin during some of the scenes in this episode while she was all alone, and I’m really looking forward to next week’s episode. It looks like we’ll finally learn more about the girl Reiji and Rin were close to. See you next week, on “LOLIS ATTACK”.