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Oct 21 2007

Categories: anime, episodic review, ninomiya-kun
Tagged: goshuushou-sama ninomiya-kun

6 Comments »

Vapid brainless fanservice harem anime delivers.

I talked about trying to connect my computer to my TV earlier, and the solution that I settled on was to use an old Pentium III-class laptop to output to a VGA port on my HDTV, and if I wanted to watch something in high resolution, I just re-encoded for my XBOX 360. Unfortunately, that laptop isn’t powerful enough to decode 720p encoded video without dropping frames or losing sync with the audio and re-encoding is time consuming. So this week, I decided to get rid of that laptop and run a 25 feet HDMI cable from my server (which can decode 1080p without any issues) to my TV. Unfortunately, because I already had two monitors on that computer, I had to drop in another video card and add in another fan for cooling. So now my server went from pretty quiet to moderately loud, and I have an ugly HDMI cable running across the room. Why am I telling you this? It’s very relevant to Goshuushou-sama Ninomiya-kum. If this series motivated me to upgrade my audio video setup whereas I didn’t do it for Gurren Lagann, I think it is information relevant to the review.

In any case, the fanservice fest continues… and it ain’t bad! Shocking! Despite an almost u-turn into Inukami territory (buff guys aren’t funny or moe, at least for the target audience of this blog), Ninomiya-kun does what it does well: lots of fanservice, little of anything else to get in the way. This episode isn’t heavyweight by any means, but we get a better glimpse of Ayakawa, and we get to see a bit more of Reika’s evil tsundere side.

As a typical male loser lead, Shungo is tolerable. He’s not annoying, and after the Kyon/Kyoto-Yuuichi/Kyoto-Tomoya experience, a non-sarcastic, genuinely caring, afraid of females male lead is weirdly refreshing. I didn’t think the Umisho girls would have a competitor this year to Most Epic Fanservice, but Mayu and friends are working the category strong. Mayu is overmatched and overwhelmed 99% of the time, but isn’t this Mikuru’s signature move? Reika is conniving, and she’s almost the female meido version of Light-o. Ayakawa is showing a little softening this episode that makes a possible Mayu-Reika-Ayakawa triple fanservice threat not out of the question. They could be the Moss-Stallworth-Welker to Shungo’s Brady.

Service Service

I’m telling you, twins! Or maybe Mikuru’s grandmother from the present. There’s no other explanation.

“Just like I planned!”

It’s probably not a good sign that I pretty much guessed the plot before the episode was even a quarter done: Reika’s going to try to harass Mayu while Mayu is alone with Ayakawa, but only Ninomiya will randomly show up and take the bullets for Mayu. The plot structure for fanservice harem anime is only slightly more complex than a typical Ghost Whisperer episode.

“As girls, I need to socialize with her nakkid.”

I see no problems with this statement. Carry on.

If there’s anything else that watching fanservice harem anime has taught me, it’s that nothing solves a little female-female tension better than some good fondling. Ayakawa, please explain to me the thought process you used to determine that you should be friendlier to Ninomiya after fondling Mayu. If you can’t, it’s very simple: they’re magical and able drain conflict and hatred at a single bounce. I’m sure they’re the real key for long, lasting peace in the Middle East. We need to get the AEU/Union/HRL to try this out with Ms. Wang.

Let me make another in my series of “Ryoko is training Mayu and Shungo to star in their own adult video” joke. Though I think it’s becoming less of a joke and more of an actual plot point… why else are they doing training exercises like hugging to pop balloons and bathing together?

Dear Mayu,

You’re right. It is embarrassing to take baths with members of the opposite sex.

Sincerely,
The Nagasarete Airantou Girls

Maki maki maki…

Seeing how Mayu didn’t reject Ayakawa’s yaoi doujinshi outright, that means she must somewhat dig that stuff, right? She knew what it was, hence she wouldn’t have turned red (unlike, oh, a certain Doujin Work character who didn’t know). So Mayu is a manga-reading succubus who is afraid of guys, yet doesn’t mind seeing them engage in non-traditional relationships? This is too much to follow.

Enjoyed the ED, Furefurepponpon!. They’re going head to head with the Raki Suta girls… if you compare this ED to Motteke! Sailor Fuku, it’s like comparing an elementary school cheer team to the Miami Dolphins’ cheerleaders.