Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru discussion thread

[something]

俺の彼女と幼なじみが修羅場すぎる

The most light novel-y light novel title ever gets an anime adaptation. Love triangle ensues.

Airs Saturday, Jan 5 at 23:59 JST on Tokyo MX

Animation studio: A-1 Pictures

ANN Entry (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=14450)
Official Site (http://www.oreshura.net)


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[Buckeye]

- Wait, is this a fantasy anime? There is a knight and a wyvern. Nah, it is Eita falling asleep.
- Wrist slap at the market. Chiwa really wants her meat.
- Love is dangerous! Eita is as anti-love as they come.
- A new student appears, and it's time to change seats. Eita sits by the popular Masuzu. Everybody wants it, but not Eita.
- Just study, and study some more. Eita's plan seems solid.
- Eita is backed into a corner now. Masuzu publicly confesses her love to Eita.
- Whoa, that was play action on Masuzu's part. The confession was a lie and on top of that, she is pantsu-less.
- What's a smart guy to do now? Eita is now Masuzu's fake boyfriend after some blackmailing.

This show is off to a good start as it seems like Eita is a nice guy, Chiwa is your typical tsundere, and the yandere Masuzu is quite an interesting character seeing how she seems to be the perfect match for Eita even though he is totally ditching love. It's a show that could have been loaded with fanservice, but there was not much of that which is certainly good for a show like this. The setup is nice so far with Eita being forced to become Masuzu's girlfriend on the surface. I wonder what Chiwa's reaction to all this is going to be given what just happened. This show definitely a keeper for me this season.

[Nico87]

For some reason this show is fucking blocked in Norway. Arrrrrrgh. One of two announced CR animes that I was planning to watch.

Also, did anyone find OreShura to have very, very bright colors? It's just.. bright.

[FUNiOP]

That's the wrong seat, Anime Protagonist.

Oh, and he's a former chuunibyou, too. This all sounds awfully familiar.

And of course it's all as typical as you could imagine. But hey, the production values and direction are pretty nice.

[Buckeye]

For some reason this show is fucking blocked in Norway. Arrrrrrgh. One of two announced CR animes that I was planning to watch.

Also, did anyone find OreShura to have very, very bright colors? It's just.. bright.

Yes, I thought the animation was bright as well, just a hair below Humanity Has Declined in the brightness department.

[ookamigirl]

Eita, a totally average high school guy obsessed with his goal.
Studying all the time; pretty boring guy.
That was until Masuzu set her sights on him.
His life was about to become more normal and less boring.
He didn't want anything to do with love, but something interesting found him!
So she just needed some uninterested guy to be her fake boyfriend so others wouldn't bother her with confessions anymore. She's really good at blackmail.
This anime is kinda OK. So far the best out of other Winter season anime that are out so far, which is kinda sad actually. It's gonna be a long boring winter...

[TheGreenMan]

Ohhhhhh...Masuzu is going to fun, won't she? Hahahahahahaha!

[Draneor]

The animation was very pretty and I especially loved the pastelish color choices. Initially, I was skeptical of Tamura being picked to voice Masuzu, but I think her evil Rika voice suites the character rather well.

Not that it needs to be said, but Chiwa is my favorite.

Oh, and he's a former chuunibyou, too. This all sounds awfully familiar.
I know a lot of people are going to make this comparison, but technically, OreShura came out first (by a couple months).

[FUNiOP]

The animation was very pretty and I especially loved the pastelish color choices. Initially, I was skeptical of Tamura being picked to voice Masuzu, but I think her evil Rika voice suites the character rather well.

Not that it needs to be said, but Chiwa is my favorite.

Oh, and he's a former chuunibyou, too. This all sounds awfully familiar.
I know a lot of people are going to make this comparison, but technically, OreShura came out first (by a couple months).

I wonder if KyoAni's adaptation of Chuunibyou had any influence on the timing of Aniplex's decision to adapt this.

[superdry]

Well, that was pretty cute. Chiwa? Meh. Natsukawa, on the other hand, is interesting. Her cute side is cute (mmm...zettai ryouiki), but her evil side is really fun to watch (I sure hope she gets to continue reading Eita's chuuni diary in the future...those were pretty fun). At least for now, Eita doesn't seem like a bumbling idiot.

I'll keep with the show and see where it goes.

[pathos]

The animation was very pretty and I especially loved the pastelish color choices. Initially, I was skeptical of Tamura being picked to voice Masuzu, but I think her evil Rika voice suites the character rather well.

Not that it needs to be said, but Chiwa is my favorite.

Oh, and he's a former chuunibyou, too. This all sounds awfully familiar.
I know a lot of people are going to make this comparison, but technically, OreShura came out first (by a couple months).

I wonder if KyoAni's adaptation of Chuunibyou had any influence on the timing of Aniplex's decision to adapt this.

Considering most shows are announced a couple of seasons early, and god knows how long they are planned before airing (and Chuunibyou aired last season), I'd guess probably not.

Plus, there have been plenty of chuunibyou characters, some fairly recently, like Kobato from Hagani, and Okabe from Steins;Gate. That sort of thing didn't start with Kyoani's show.

edit - Oh, I should add, this one was originally a light novel before it was manga. First volume back in February of 2011, iirc.

[HitokiriShadow]

In some ways, this show vastly exceeded my expectations, which were at "mediocre". Male lead is pretty good, as he actually is a pretty good students and has life aspirations other than "wants a girlfriend" or "wants to live a normal, trouble-free high school life".

And Masuzu is *fantastic*. I started liking her a lot when she did her little "baka baka baka stupid virgin" thing when called on her lie and then fell in love when she threw aside the act entirely and showed her real personality. So amazing.

Chiwa's okay, I guess. She's kind of fun but I don't really care much for her as a romantic option so far.

Unfortunately, this episode already had two "it would be just so fucking terrible if people thought I/you was/were gay" jokes and I fear its going to be a recurring thing. Aaaargh.

[FUNiOP]

Considering most shows are announced a couple of seasons early, and god knows how long they are planned before airing (and Chuunibyou aired last season), I'd guess probably not.

Plus, there have been plenty of chuunibyou characters, some fairly recently, like Kobato from Hagani, and Okabe from Steins;Gate. That sort of thing didn't start with Kyoani's show.

edit - Oh, I should add, this one was originally a light novel before it was manga. First volume back in February of 2011, iirc.

Well Chuunibyou was announced over two seasons before it started airing, so Aniplex wasn't necessarily working on this that far ahead of time.

And yes, there have been plenty of chuunibyou in the past, but this situation just seems so similar to that one that was such a big focus of the series that just wrapped up.

And I don't think anyone had thought this wasn't originally a light novel.

But yeah, I doubt there was any correlation, either. I just thought it was interesting timing, and given how early Chuunibyou was announced, it had me wondering a little bit.

[pathos]

Well Chuunibyou was announced over two seasons before it started airing, so Aniplex wasn't necessarily working on this that far ahead of time.

Yes, but I believe what I was answering, albeit vaguely, was if the Chuuni popularity influenced them making this show. If neither have actually aired when both are being planned, then the answer is no.

Well, unless these guys thought "Oh, kyoani is making a chuuni show? It's kyoani, so of course it will be popular, so we'll ride the wave". I'm not sure I buy that though.

And yes, there have been plenty of chuunibyou in the past, but this situation just seems so similar to that one that was such a big focus of the series that just wrapped up.

/shrug, 1 ex chuuni being blackmailed sounds vaguely alike on the surface, but what actually happened in this show, plus the one we are referencing, didn't really seem that close in reality. Well, at least not for me anyway. I guess perception is up to the person.

[Fencedude]

And yes, there have been plenty of chuunibyou in the past, but this situation just seems so similar to that one that was such a big focus of the series that just wrapped up..

Goddammit, are you just going to keep twisting things till someone agrees that yes, its possible?

Holy shit. Its not like the concept at work here hasn't been done before either show!

[Fencedude]

That was ok, nothing special, but I enjoyed it.

Yukarin is the main draw so far though. Absolutely delightful.

[stardf29]

Well, that wasn't too bad. Nothing spectacular, but I'll watch.

One major point for this series is that Eita is in no way oblivious to how Chiwa will take to the news of his fake girlfriend. Considering how often osananajimi get shafted not just in losing the guy but the guy not even noticing her feelings, I'm glad the series, at the very least, does not go down that latter road. That, in and of itself, makes me more willing to stick with this show than I normally would from the premise alone.

[Westlo]

Considering most shows are announced a couple of seasons early, and god knows how long they are planned before airing (and Chuunibyou aired last season), I'd guess probably not.

Plus, there have been plenty of chuunibyou characters, some fairly recently, like Kobato from Hagani, and Okabe from Steins;Gate. That sort of thing didn't start with Kyoani's show.

edit - Oh, I should add, this one was originally a light novel before it was manga. First volume back in February of 2011, iirc.

Well Chuunibyou was announced over two seasons before it started airing, so Aniplex wasn't necessarily working on this that far ahead of time.

And yes, there have been plenty of chuunibyou in the past, but this situation just seems so similar to that one that was such a big focus of the series that just wrapped up.

And I don't think anyone had thought this wasn't originally a light novel.

But yeah, I doubt there was any correlation, either. I just thought it was interesting timing, and given how early Chuunibyou was announced, it had me wondering a little bit.

It got animated because it sold well, unlike Chuunibyou.

-----------------------------------------------------------*2,000,000-----------------------------------------------------------
*1,920k | 18 | *,106k | Baccano! (Dengeki Bunko) [2012-10-08]
*1,820k | 12 | *,152k | Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon (Dengeki Bunko) [2012-10-08]
*1,600k | 08 | *,200k | Hanbun no Tsuki ga noboru Sora (Dengeki Bunko) [2012-10-08]
*1,600k | 15 | *,120k | Inukami! (Dengeki Bunko) [2012-10-08]
*1,570k | 08 | *,196k | Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo (Dengeki Bunko) [2012-11-17]
*1,500k | 11 | *,136k | Ro-Kyu-Bu (Dengeki Bunko) [2012-10-08]
*1,500k | 14 | *,107k | Asura Cryin' (Dengeki Bunko) [2012-10-08]
-----------------------------------------------------------*1,500,000-----------------------------------------------------------
*1,400k | 15 | *,*93k | C³ (Dengeki Bunko) [2012-10-08]
*1,300k | 11 | *,118k | Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakama-tachi (Dengeki Bunko) [2012-10-08]
*1,250k | 06 | *,208k | Toshokan Sensou (Tankobon only) [2012-10-08]
*1,200k | 08 | *,150k | Kami-sama no Memochou (Dengeki Bunko) [2012-10-08]
*1,000k | 08 | *,125k | Kokoro Connect (Famitsu Bunko) [2012-08-30]
*1,000k | 08 | *,125k | Onii-chan Dakedo Ai Sae Areba Kankeinai yo ne! (MF Bunko J) [2012-12-25]
-----------------------------------------------------------*1,000,000-----------------------------------------------------------
**,820k | 07 | *,117k | Wagaya no Oinari-sama. (Dengeki Bunko) [2012-10-08]
**,700k | 05 | *,140k | Hentai Ouji to Warawani Neko (MF Bunko J) [2012-12-25]
**,700k | 05 | *,140k | Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru (GA Bunko) [2012-12-25]
**,600k | 05 | *,120k | Maoyuu Maou Yuusha (Famitsu Bunko) [2012-12-25]

As you can see everything on this list already had an anime except for 3, Maou, OreShure and Hentai Ouji. 2 of which are now airing and the last one to air this Spring. The sales/shipped figures already match a lot of titles which had anime to increase exposure.

It was also one of the best selling LNs for GA Bunko, have a look at the other two and notice when they got animated....

*1. Oda Nobuna no Yabou 7
*2. Oda Nobuna no Yabou 8
*3. Haiyore! Nyaruko-san
*4. Oda Nobuna no Yabou 9
*5. Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru 4

I hope I put your fears to rest...

[ookamigirl]

Masuzu & Eita + Chiwa as the third wheel.
Looks like she's the one opposed to that relationship.
Judging by her reaction to Eita's girlfriend, she also has feelings for him.
Masuzu sure knows how to spin others as she pleases.

[FUNiOP]

References! Just use a Stand's name to show how much you love Western music? Oh god that's great. And considering how offended she was by Chiwa not knowing about JoJo's, could Masuzu be a real otaku? That could be interesting in the future.

Anyway, Masuzu's trolling of Chiwa was fantastic. I'm ready for more of that.

[Fencedude]

Yukarin is still completely carrying the show, but I guess thats enough.

[HitokiriShadow]

Masuzu-sensei~ And oh god, Misuzu is just amazing in general. "If they ask you who your favourite artist is, just say a name of a Stand from Jojo part 4." What a girl.

She's pretty much carrying the show on her own right now thanks to a glorious combination of a wonderful personality and fantastic voice acting by Tamura Yukari.

Chiwa is doing better of holding up her side of things though. The guitar scene was hilarious but I started liking her more in general once she joined the club, particularly her behavior when talking about the basketball guy and after she came back from the classroom scene.

Also, yay for getting through the episode without anything about Eita's concerns about people thinking he's gay.

[tytan88]

i am excited to watch this anime. I have been following the manga from the beginning and I can say it starts of shallow, but has surpising depth after a while. Once the basic rivalries are established it will start to take some good turns.

[something]

Episode 1:

- OP is adorable. Also, Yukarin. And fuck yeah apparently this show has Akasaki Chinatsu, she caught my attention as Yasuna in Kill Me Baby and then got to be Shinka in Chuunibyou. More Kayano Ai and Kanemoto Hisako to round out the mains.
- Burning Fighting Fighter could never defeat Dark Flame Master.

- Interesting visual style. Very light colors for the characters.
- Yeah this is why I love Akasaki. Something about the way she delivers even mundane lines just feels so right.
- A male protagonist who has a significant educational goal in mind and is working hard to achieve it. Not really that common. Usually the protagonist is either dumb/apathetic, or just gets top grades because lolprotagonistpowers, not because he studies his ass off. Hopefully he doesn't turn out to be obnoxious in other ways and offset this positive first impression.
- All the guys love Masuzu, all the girls shun her. So she's drawn to Eita because... anime?

- Yukariiiiiiiiiiiin! ♥ She doesn't get enough major roles nowadays.
- Ahahahaha she's hilarious. Fantastic confession.
- The girls are delighted because Masuzu won't be competition if she gets a boyfriend, and even better if it's a boy none of them are interested in. The guys are less happy...
- And oh wow, Masuzu isn't actually interested in Eita at all (yet). She just found the perfect blackmail target.
- "I've already scanned all the pages." ...She's amazing.

Great ending to the episode too, with the ED playing over Chiwa running to verify what she heard. Also, more Yukariiiiiiiiiiin!

Really really good first episode. I have a feeling I'll like this a lot.

[Buckeye]

- Chiwa is in for a nasty surprise. Of course, it's Masuzu pulling the strings.
- Uh, isn't Chiwa supposed to not overexert herself with kendo? Guess it's alright as long as it's not a match.
- A new club is forming, one that is aimed at making girls more popular. Of course, Chihuahua had to join.
- References galore given by a meganeko Masuzu. There is Jojo's Bizarre adventure, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
- Can't play the guitar? Try swinging an empty case around, and that will get their attention.
- Way to taunt Chiwa with those pantsu moves. Eita is in quite a pinch.
- And Eita is to be Masuzu's only boyfriend. Fake one of course, but it doesn't seem that way.

This episode just shows how evil that Masuzu really is, the very definition of a yandere. And it also shows how great Chiwa is, being that she is someone who loves kendo, but suffered from an accident that made her too frail to compete. Great episode overall.

[ookamigirl]

Eita totally snapped.
Masuzu only thinking about popularity.
Chiwa going along with for Eita.
Seems like Masuzu wants Chiwa to have a boyfriend so she wouldn't be their 3rd wheel.
Chiwa doesn't get why Eita doesn't get her feelings... such a complicated relationship.

[FUNiOP]

Things got serious more quickly than I expected, and not necessarily in the direction I was expecting. The motivation for Eita to become a doctor was really well played, though. I find myself caring about Chiwa far more than I expected to at first.

[Draneor]

Fantastic episode. I love how the tragedy of being osananajimi played out here (Westermark effect, etc). Eita never saw her that way (indeed, he couldn't see anyone that way because of his parents) so she waited, until it was too late, and then tried to move on. But even then, she wasn't quite able to let go. Eita's actions were perfectly right--why wouldn't you want to celebrate if your friend accomplished a goal? In fact, it would have been wrong had he not done so! And yet he end up hurting Chiwa in spite of it.

There were a lot of subtle clues to the viewer that Chiwa wasn't really interested in Masuzu's plan--but the conversation after it worked made it especially clear that she knew who the author of the notebook was and loved him in spite of it.

I'm glad Eita realized that his chuunibyou was the least of his idiocy. The doctor conversation was practically a pledge (again, not that he was capable of seeing that--I completely understand how having shitty parents can turn you off of love/marriage forever). I think life is looking back on your past self and thinking "why was I such an idiot." What's most important, I think, is where it goes from here.

[HitokiriShadow]

Eita freaking out and making constant noise when Masuzu reads the book is getting really annoying. Dude, shut the fuck up, at least don't make constant noise. I think that went on for nearly an entire minute.

Chiwa and Eita's performance in the classroom was a lot of fun to watch. Chiwa's pretty good at this stuff. I liked the class's reaction, I thought it was appropriate. They (especially Chiwa) put so much enthusiasm into it, how could you NOT cheer for them? Alas, they took it as the comedy it was, rather than the drama Chiwa and Masuzu poured their heart and soul into.

Chiwa continues to grow on me in general. While Yukarin tends to be more overtly fun in her role (other than when Chiwa is doing her classroom performances), Akasaki is great as Chiwa in a more understated way (again, other than having a blast with the acting).

[HitokiriShadow]

I'm glad Eita realized that his chuunibyou was the least of his idiocy. The doctor conversation was practically a pledge (again, not that he was capable of seeing that--I completely understand how having shitty parents can turn you off of love/marriage forever).

Even if he could pull it off, it would be way too late to have any effect on her life. She's going to be able to walk and it would seemingly not have any significant effect on her day-to-day life, she just can't do kendo or other sports anymore. By the time he was even able to *be* a doctor, he would be in his late 20s and that would already be far too late for Chiwa to be able to do much with sports. I guess she could at least do it casually, but even that could be difficult. And more likely, Eita wouldn't be able to do anything until he was in his mid 30s and was a moderately experienced surgeon. He's not likely to shock the world with some discovery or surgical expertise the moment he becomes a doctor.

[Fencedude]

That was pretty good, Chiwa's situation is rather heartbreaking, but not unexpected.

Needed more Yukarin though.

[Draneor]

Even if he could pull it off, it would be way too late to have any effect on her life. [...]By the time he was even able to *be* a doctor, he would be in his late 20s and that would already be far too late for Chiwa to be able to do much with sports.

He'd be in his late 40s or early 50s (it takes a long time to become independent in medical research--and in the field I'm most familiar with 70s is not uncommon due to time spent doing clinical work), but it was more the sentiment. Teenagers, in general, are unrealistic regarding what they can accomplish. But they are great at dreaming. Will he able to cure Chiwa? Of course not. Odds are, he won't even become a doctor let alone a medical research or a principle investigator with the funding to research whatever he wants.

But one can dream. And I think that's a good thing. Adult thinking can come later from being weathered by cold reality like it does for all of us as we age (queue "it sucks to be me").

[stardf29]

Masuzu's latest plan backfires on her. But, it helps Chiwa secure her date with Sakagami-senpai... which of course was not what she was really going after.

Eita might have given up on his fantasies around the time Chiwa got into the accident, but his youthful fervor was still there, as he pledged to become a doctor to heal Chiwa. One could say that his chuunibyou simply took a different form... whatever the case, he now regrets those words. Meanwhile, poor Chiwa...

Man, I've generally been supportive of the osananajimi when they're a romantic interest in a show, even if I know that she's just going to lose in the end. But here... I'm not going to say that Chiwa absolutely has to end up with Eita at the end, but... I don't want Chiwa to lose. If that makes sense. If she does end up not with him, I don't want it to feel like she got shafted, but that she genuinely feels that she no longer needs to depend on Eita to have a meaningful life anymore. Though I figure this show will likely just be open-ended at the end.

At least it seems that Masuzu is starting to actually care about Chiwa, instead of just seeing her as someone fun to toy with.

Also, what's with the girls in Eita's class wearing letter hair clips? I couldn't help but think that one girl was from Team Rocket. >_>

[Buckeye]

- Masuzu is ordering Chiwa to fight. Of course, it's all acted out.
- Chiwa is fighting. Scripted, of course. Chiwa's power level: It's way over 9000!
- And it was all comedy according to the student.
- Gotta make a move now. Chiwa and Sakagami hook up at the rooftop.
- Back in the old days, Eita was an average student who didn't care about studying.
- And then the accident happens, pulling the plug on delusions and shunning love to become a doctor.

Nice episode here as the history behind Eita is really interesting and all it took was him being put in a tight spot in order to drop his delusional ways and to hit the books on the fast track to becoming a doctor to heal Chiwa. Things had been going well until Masuzu barged into his life. And that DBZ parody was funny. With Himeka making a brief appearance, it looks like in the next episode she will be introduced.

[Buckeye]

- Chiwa is on a date, and wearing Masuzu's old clothes. Yep, she is petite, alright.
- Sakagami is way late, and it turns out he's a jerk.
- Eita is back to Chuunibyou mode to save the Chihuahua. Now he's in hot water.
- And the Chihuahua has put her kendo skills to great use. Way to expose that jerk.
- Eita's first kiss, it's with Masuzu. So much for being a fake couple. All from Jojo.
- Chiwa and Masuzu invade Eita's house, and now they fight.
- Himeka delivers a love letter.

Chiwa was definitely awesome in that episode showing that Sakagami punk that he isn't the charming guy that others see him as, and he got what was coming to him. Eita is starting to lose it with all this stuff going on. Next, it looks like Himeka gets into the action after just being a spectator in all this. She delivers a love letter, and it looks like things are about to get really crazy.

[FUNiOP]

Well that wraps that up. Eita charging in to save the day was very nice to see, and I'm glad things were realistic enough that he actually failed for the most part, and Chiwa actually saved him in the end. Still, he did the best thing in that situation, and that's what Chiwa needed to stop being so mad at him, along with her potential relationship with Sakagami obviously no longer being an issue.

Looks like we're getting into the story of one of the other two main girls we've been seeing in the opening and ending every episode. I guess Eita will have a real harem before long.

The parts with Masuzu were possibly the best for me, actually. I'm very interested in how that relationship is moving along, and I look forward to seeing it progress more.

[ookamigirl]

Poor Chiwa got played and fooled on her first date.
Masuzu's little lesson for her was really cruel.
Eita got to play white knight, but turned out to be pathetic.
In the end, he was the one that got rescued by Chiwa.
Seems like Masuzu isn't actually half bad, just hard to understand.

[Fencedude]

Haha. Chiwa got the good fight animation.

Was not expecting a kiss this soon.

[Damius]

Well, I have a really good first impression of this show. Masuzu is amazing. The protagonist seems to be interesting. I'm looking forward to the next episodes. I hope I'll love the show, since this is promising.

[HitokiriShadow]

Eita vs. Douchebag was really dumb (especially when he attacked them after they decided to leave) and irritating to watch, though at least we got to see Chiwa be the one to really resolve things and be a badass too.

Then he suddenly contracted a severe case of Male Lead Stupiditis at the end, though it somehow didn't really bother me much after the first few seconds. And I was actually quite happy with how the "Walk In on Girl In Bathroom" scene played out. Awkward pause and the he ran the fuck out and they were both deeply embarrassed. No staring and stuttering like an absolute moron for several seconds so we could get a HILAAAAAAAAAAARIOUS first, object or slap to this face.

Masuzu continues to be the best part of the show, of course, though Chiwa continues to hold up her side of things much better than I'd initially expected.

And we got some glimpses of Third Girl/Dark Haired Girl. Looking forward to meeting her soon. Next time, presumably.

[Draneor]

A very good episode. It's utterly generic and cliche, but I like that. I love how OreShura makes you feel for both Masuzu and Chiwa (even if I prefer Chiwa). I don't hate either of them and that's the sign of a good love triangle for me.

And lol at Eita rushing in to save the day and biting his leg. Not that he needed to, since Chiwa was quite awesomely able to take care of it with a little assistance from Masuzu.

[stardf29]

Well, I guess I'm starting to like Masuzu better as a character more. Chiwa's still my favorite, though, especially when she went to town on those delinquents Kendo-style.

And with Masuzu now having a better grasp on her own feelings, we get a title drop as the "battlefield" for Eita has started. And with another girl about to enter the fray, things should get interesting real soon... though as much as I enjoy multiple girls fight over a guy, I hope they still keep developing them as characters, too.

[tytan88]

This series of stories starts slow, but once these rivalries are set up, it should start to take some interesting twists and turns. There are more girls to come.....

[Buckeye]

- Somebody loved Eita in the past? It's not Chiwa.
- Time to get new members, or else the hall monitors will tear down the club.
- Eita is kissed again. This time by little sister Mana. Mana is checking on Masuzu.
- Masuzu is terrible at swimming. Only a kiss by Eita could save her.
- Chiwa is sick. The whole kissing act must have gotten her under the weather.
- Another letter has arrived, and Eita meets the writer, Himeka.
- So Himeka was his lover, in a previous life, that is.
- And Himeka goes all chuunibyou like in a VG. Hate to break it, but this ain't SAO.

And so, we are introduced to Mana and Himeka. If there is anybody who can expose Masuzu, it would be her younger sister. And now, Eita's harem gains another member now that Himeka is totally head over heels for him. Of course, as a chuunbiyou. It will be interesting to see where this goes now that Himeka's mind seems to be trapped like it's a VG or something.

[FUNiOP]

It actually took the whole episode to meet the next main character. And she's a chuunibyou.

In the meantime, we meet Masuzu's little sister(?), who also seems to want to join Eita's harem, but only to upset Masuzu. She seems like a little shit right now, but if we get to explore more about Masuzu as a result, I'm happy.

[ookamigirl]

Suzu was once again mean to Chiwa.
Sometimes I really think what is her problem?!
Maybe she has some stray feelings for Eita after all..
Those love letters in Eita's foot locker smelled like trouble.
The pool part was pretty much LOL and embarrassing.
Himeka's confession on the school roof was kinda nice.

[HitokiriShadow]

"Burning Pudding Princess" Ahahahaha

So we finally meet Himeka, and she's a chuunibyou nutter, seemingly fully believing all the past life nonsense she's spewing. And she found a pretty unique and original way to confess, that was cute. And Kanemoto does an absolutely adorable voice for her.

And we meet someone else, much less expected: Masuzu's sister. Who seems to actually be the kind of horrible person Masuzu tries to pass herself off as. We only get hints about what's going on between them, but its clear they don't get along well at all. I'm guessing they aren't full sisters. I also imagine that Mana's personality contributed to the creation of the persona Masuzu has been making use of.

Looking forward to more of Himeka and hopefully a decent amount of Mana. Anime needs more evil imoutos.

[Fencedude]

Was not expecting Masuzu to have a sister. Also she's a bitch, unsurprisingly.

Masuzu slamming Chiwa's face into her lunch was both incredibly mean and absolutely hilarious.

BURNING PUDDING PRINCESS
>my sides

[Draneor]

Wow so many great Chiwa moments. Adorable Chiwa scooting her chair closer to Eita, happy Chiwa singing a song that would make Yui proud, Sad Chiwa in the rain reading a cellphone, sick Chiwa in bed, questionable Chiwa washing event, hungry Chiwa being fed in a flashback, jealous Chiwa walking to school with Eita... Did I mention I am on team Chiwa?

Masuzu's imouto is... not a very nice person. It made me feel really sympathetic for Masuzu. I'm definitely interested in learning more about her family life. Hopefully, she'll be willing to talk about it later. I liked that Eita had his flash cards in the nurses office (subtle clue he's still pursing his goal).

Burning Pudding Princess is also a great addition to the cast. I loved that she confessed her love via Dragon Warrior. Hopefully she'll get more screen time next episode.

[something]

Five episodes out already. >_>

Episode 2:

- Chiwa has very strange ideas about what it takes to be popular. What do you think you are, an anime character?
- Uhh so Masuzu starts a club to help Chiwa get popular with guys. Which seems more like a club to find ways to embarrass Chiwa.
- Oh god this is awkward to watch. I'm not sure I like where this is going.

- You're horrible, Masuzu. She seems a bit put out that Chiwa wasn't crushed by it.
- Also sounds like Masuzu is going commando.
- And she's realizing there's more depth to Chiwa than she gave her credit for.

Hmm. The portrayal of Chiwa is somewhat interesting. I had hoped there would be more to her than just jealous doomed osananajimi and it looks like there might.

But I realllllllly hope the two other girls in the OP aren't romantic options too. Stick with a love triangle, no harem please.

[something]

Episode 3:

- Watch it Eita, your chuunibyou is leaking out.
- ...Oh god, their "skit". :sd:
- Hahah, Masuzu expected it to be taken seriously.
- Uhh. Well. The guy she asked out said yes (even thuogh she's not in love with him at all). At least he recognizes a cute girl when he sees one though.
- So hey, Masuzu is human after all, and capable of feeling at least slight pangs of regret for being terrible.

And then if I weren't already on Team Chiwa, the rest of the episode would easily have sealed the deal. Great flashback and just pretty great in general.

[something]

Episode 4:

- Boobs.
- Wow what the fuck. Is she getting stood up? I was hoping the guy would at least be a nice guy, even if there were no chance of it becoming a serious relationship.
- Ugh, yeah, he's a total creep. It did seem too easy that he'd fall for some younger girl he doesn't know, but did he have to be such a douchebag?
- Holy shit Masuzu knew he was like this but she said nothing to Chiwa? There was that short "I'm not sure I can recommend him..." but she follows it up by deciding that what she knows about him would be good, which turns out to mean good for her fucked up plan. Grr, I'm disliking Masuzu more and more. She was humorous in episode one, but since then she's primarily just been a real asshole, abusing Chiwa for no particular reason. I could write it off as awkward humor before, but no, this isn't funny. At all.
- "I don't want to be alone anymore." Screw you, you're a terrible person and deserve to be alone.

- Soooooo, Eita time. Uh, I commend his passion. And desire to protect Chiwa. I'm glad he can show her that someone cares. But that was the lamest rescue ever. :sd: Heh.
- But then FUCK YEAH CHIWA! The whole time Eita was getting beat up I was thinking "Damn it'd be awesome if the supposedly strong Chiwa could do something about this herself, but it probably won't happen." And then it did! Masuzu armed her, but that's only scratching the surface of the apology she now owes Chiwa.
- As for Chiwa apologizing - I guess that would annoy me more if Chiwa were actually interested in him. It must be a great blow to his pride to find out that not every girl thinks he's hot stuff. That's at least as good as getting his ass kicked by a little girl. Also it just shows that Chiwa is the emotionally mature one.

Chiwa is fucking amazing. I love her so much.

Masuzu is scum. I can't stand her right now.

Knowing that Masuzu is obviously going to be he "chosen" girl frankly makes me want to drop this show right now. But it's surprisingly well written, and handling Chiwa with a subtlety osananajimi often aren't afforded. I just hope that isn't all thrown out the window now that the opening arc, of sorts, is over and the "shuraba" bit is really beginning, not to mention more girls getting introduced soon. I don't think I can watch episode 5 right now though. Too pissed at Masuzu.

[Draneor]

- Soooooo, Eita time. Uh, I commend his passion. And desire to protect Chiwa. I'm glad he can show her that someone cares. But that was the lamest rescue ever. :sd: Heh.
I found his lame rescue attempt rather cute. Especially when combined with Chiwa's utter whirl of destruction (with an assist by Masuzu). It's a classic harem event, inverted a bit.

She was humorous in episode one, but since then she's primarily just been a real asshole, abusing Chiwa for no particular reason.
I believe Masuzu's goal was to proselytize her anti-love attitude to Chiwa (contrasted with Eita whose was content in being anti-love himself). I do think you're being a bid hard on Masuzu--I'm sure she has a reason for being the way she is (which I'm sure will be revealed later). I have no doubt though some of it is out of jealousy, but she might have a reason for that too.

Knowing that Masuzu is obviously going to be he "chosen" girl frankly makes me want to drop this show right now.
Well, the odds aren't good certainly. But I want to believe--no matter how many times my osananajimi ships implode, I'll keep charging over that hill. It could be different this time. That Chiwa was on the cover of the first novel gives me a little hope. And technically, both Chiwa and Masuzu are in the title. I do think Eita/Chiwa have the best chemistry (along with a fairly believable reason for why things hadn't progressed).

[something]

I believe Masuzu's goal was to proselytize her anti-love attitude to Chiwa (contrasted with Eita whose was content in being anti-love himself). I do think you're being a bid hard on Masuzu--I'm sure she has a reason for being the way she is (which I'm sure will be revealed later). I have no doubt though some of it is out of jealousy, but she might have a reason for that too.
Even if someone has a reason for being an asshole, they're still an asshole, except they might be forgiven eventually when the reasons get explained. Provided I still even care to find out the reason by the time it is given.

But everyone in anime has "a reason" for everything, unless they're the "despair for depair's sake!" final boss in a Precure series - so that alone only gets them so far. For me it's all about whether their actions fit the overall tone of the series (I love Yozora in Haganai, who is arguably an even worse human being than Masuzu, but it just works there - usually), and OreShura failed that test completely for me. If there was supposed to be a "Oh wait I guess I am being a horrendous shit, maybe I should show some remorse" scene from Masuzu in these episode, or some underlying desire to help (even if it manifests as an overly-tough love), it was inadequate, to be generous about it.

Instead she just jumped straight into standard romantic rivalry mode as if she had done nothing worth reflecting on whatsoever. And now I'm supposed to consider these two girls on equal terms going forward? Ugh. Give me something to work with here, OreShura. I even feel like I have an easier time dealing with Kotoura-san's resident "horrible human being" character, even though she did things far worse and I still can't bring myself to like her at all. There was at least some sense that the story understood she should be remorseful. That what happened was not typical laugh-it-off romcom hijinks.

[bear]

Episode 4:

Knowing that Masuzu is obviously going to be he "chosen" girl frankly makes me want to drop this show right now. .
Yeah, wouldn't that be a nice change of pace to have the "chosen" girl not wind up with the guy? To top it off, they made her so obvious why are they including two more girls? Oh, yeah, harem.

The thing that is turning me off is watching Chiwa suffer through the whole show for naught. If they had made it an equal battle then it might have been interesting, but it just gets painful after awhile.

[something]

Yeah, wouldn't that be a nice change of pace to have the "chosen" girl not wind up with the guy? To top it off, they made her so obvious why are they including two more girls? Oh, yeah, harem.

The thing that is turning me off is watching Chiwa suffer through the whole show for naught. If they had made it an equal battle then it might have been interesting, but it just gets painful after awhile.
Part of what bothers me is that in watching episode four, I got the impression the author and/or anime writers thought they'd done everything they needed to. That they'd appropriately set up the romance and placed all the characters on equal footing and now we're ready to transition right into the usual harem lulz.

Meanwhile I'm sitting here thinking "Hey, wait, stop, no, what, we're not ready for that at all. Go back and finish what you started first!" I'll keep watching because I think Chiwa could become a truly great character, and the only way to see if they've really grasped that or not is to go ahead and watch more episodes. Which I will do. But I have this horrible fear that the show has already decided to move into standard romcom mode and switch focus to the new girls. I'd like to be wrong about that of course.

[Draneor]

Even if someone has a reason for being an asshole, they're still an asshole, except they might be forgiven eventually when the reasons get explained. Provided I still even care to find out the reason by the time it is given. [...] If there was supposed to be a "Oh wait I guess I am being a horrendous shit, maybe I should show some remorse" scene from Masuzu in these episode, or some underlying desire to help (even if it manifests as an overly-tough love), it was inadequate, to be generous about it. [...]Instead she just jumped straight into standard romantic rivalry mode as if she had done nothing worth reflecting on whatsoever. And now I'm supposed to consider these two girls on equal terms going forward? Ugh. Give me something to work with here, OreShura.

Fair enough. I don't really consider anything Masuzu did to cross the line of no return (however cruel) unlike say Mori. I do think Masuzu 's jealously and hostility towards Chiwa is... unhealthy if she were in a real relationship (which she isn't). But opinions will differ. All I'm saying is we only covered Chiwa's back story so far (which I loved). I don't know when Masuzu story will come in, but I'm willing to give her the chance to understand where she is coming from. Regardless of where OreShura ends, I'm willing to go along for Chiwa moments. I'm not exactly expecting ToraDora here...

Yeah, wouldn't that be a nice change of pace to have the "chosen" girl not wind up with the guy? [...]The thing that is turning me off is watching Chiwa suffer through the whole show for naught. If they had made it an equal battle then it might have been interesting, but it just gets painful after awhile.

I really suck with light novel pairings. I was just thinking about this today, after reading about the ending of another. I can't think of one LN that has finished where the girl I liked best "won." But it's bound to happen sometime, right? Odds are it will be one of the rare times I do like the main girl the best. But they can't all end without a twist.

OTOH, I'm not convinced Masuzu is the main girl based on the evidence I provided in my prior post. We can't discount that Chiwa was on the cover of the first volume!

[something]

I don't really consider anything Masuzu did to cross the line of no return (however cruel) unlike say Mori.
I think my reply to bear better explained my hangups with this show than my initial reply. It's not that I think she passed a line of no return relative to other characters (though it did piss me off), but that the writers convey the sense that she didn't cross any line at all, and I shouldn't have been turned off by it at all. Me being angry at her rather than the writers is of course me anthropomorphizing (not the right word, I'm blanking) a fictional character to take the blame that is really intended for a human author or scriptwriter, but that's just how it manifests sometimes.

Anyway I feel like there's unfinished business which has made OreShura's job of getting me to buy into it a good deal harder than it needed to be. Particularly since I don't have any major issues with the male protagonist yet and was delightfully surprised to see such care given to an osananajimi (here I mention again how under-appreciated Akasaki Chinatsu is, but then when your first big role is in the ill-fated Kill Me Baby...), which should have made this a cakewalk.

Of course if we somehow get a Chiwa end, I'll forgive pretty much anything.

I'm not exactly expecting ToraDora here...
Wish I could, though. I'm still waiting for another romcom light novel adaptation to reach that level. As much as I loved Chuunibyou its story was too short and simple to give Toradora a serious challenge. I'm having trouble coming up with anything else comparable. OreImo scratched at the surface with momentary bursts of brilliance, but only that, while Haganai's strength is almost entirely in its com, not its (generally serviceable) rom. This genre seems to produce a number of enjoyable shows but next to none of my top tier favorites.

(Before anyone asks the obvious question, I guess I just don't think of Haruhi as primarily a romcom, though it does tick most of the defining checkboxes.)

OTOH, I'm not convinced Masuzu is the main girl based on the evidence I provided in my prior post. We can't discount that Chiwa was on the cover of the first volume!
I do feel like she has a better chance than most, especially if she was on the first cover. Even if it's equivalent to increasing your magic find by 2% and expecting a legendary drop in a low level map...

[tytan88]

I think Chiwa has a legitimate shot in this one and it is by no means settled. But Masuzu is about to hit a bump....or should I say a brick wall. I'll be interested in the reactions to the next part of this story and whether or not it balances things out.
I am not sure what she would have to go through to make people feel for her. Taiga was up front with all of her weaknesses and she had an honesty that Masuzu does not have. So the remedy has to be something that makes her face her duplicitous behavior....otherwise they are sidestepping the issue.
That said, I like Chiwa better and as it stands now, she is a better match for our hero. This is the year of breaking stereotypes so I hope they break this one.

**maybe more of an ami-chan(from toradora) route?***

[Draneor]

but that the writers convey the sense that she didn't cross any line at all, and I shouldn't have been turned off by it at all. Me being angry at her rather than the writers is of course me anthropomorphizing (not the right word, I'm blanking) a fictional character to take the blame that is really intended for a human author or scriptwriter, but that's just how it manifests sometimes.
That's a good point and one I had not considered. OreShura doesn't intend for the viewer to think that Masuzu did anything wrong unlike Kotoura-san does. It's not unlike Haganai in that respect (although Haganai recognizes that Yozora is not a nice person from the start even if it has many sympathetic moments).

Wish I could, though. I'm still waiting for another romcom light novel adaptation to reach that level. As much as I loved Chuunibyou its story was too short and simple to give Toradora a serious challenge. I'm having trouble coming up with anything else comparable. OreImo scratched at the surface with momentary bursts of brilliance, but only that, while Haganai's strength is almost entirely in its com, not its (generally serviceable) rom. This genre seems to produce a number of enjoyable shows but next to none of my top tier favorites.
Closest I can think of is S&W (which sadly has dim prospects of getting another anime). I enjoy trashy harems like NakaImo and comedies like OreImo and Haganai quite a bit, but it would be nice to get another serious teen romance.

(Before anyone asks the obvious question, I guess I just don't think of Haruhi as primarily a romcom, though it does tick most of the defining checkboxes.)
I'd agree as the best parts of Haruhi are not in its romance (or lack thereof). Mystery might be a better genre along with Hyouka.

[tytan88]

Ryuuji is such critical component of the equation for the development of Toradora. His maturity at times really makes that stand out. Part of the girls development is a reaction to the quality of his character. hmmm....I'll have to think about that more.

[something]

Closest I can think of is S&W (which sadly has dim prospects of getting another anime). I enjoy trashy harems like NakaImo and comedies like OreImo and Haganai quite a bit, but it would be nice to get another serious teen romance.
Ah, I'd classify Spice & Wolf differently, but certainly I consider it top tier (though well below Toradora). As for serious teen romance, two of my favorites in recent years have been, interestingly, original anime: AnoNatsu and AnoHana. I wish visual novel adaptations could fill in the gap but it's been hard to find really tip-top level titles, post-Clannad.

[bear]

Ryuuji is such critical component of the equation for the development of Toradora. His maturity at times really makes that stand out. Part of the girls development is a reaction to the quality of his character. hmmm....I'll have to think about that more.

That is so true. He's rather noble and not the normal wimpy lead. One of the things about TD is that any of the girls are reasonable companions for Ryuuji (even if Taiga is ordained). Ami became very aware of Ryuuji's qualities which I felt was an important turning point in her character.

At this point in OreShura, Masuza becoming an Ami-like character would be a possible route to redeem her. Possibly even support Chiwa, however reluctantly. Chiwa somehow helping resolve Masuza's family issues could even be a catalyst. Of course we still have the unknowns of the other two girls impact on the story, but I classify them as romantic redshirts.

[tytan88]

I was thinking about if I replaced Eita with Ryuuji how would it be different and how would I see the girls differently. Sometimes I think the male leads are a little too contrived and lack the simplicity and straightforwardness of a Ryuuji character.

The other girls will need work, that's for sure, if they have the time for it.

[Draneor]

I was thinking about if I replaced Eita with Ryuuji how would it be different and how would I see the girls differently.

I don't think Ryuuji would work well in this show... They do have some commonalities. Both know how to cook and do so for a girl they care about, have significant family issues, and goals in life that they use their education to pursue (contrasted with the average lead who just floats through school or only cares about hooking up with girls). On the other hand, Eita doesn't have Ryuuji's issues of being stereotyped to be something he's not. While Ryuuji does not have Eita's issues of running away from youthful idiocy. He's, of course, more like Yuuta in that respect (who I think was more interesting in that role, if a bit of a jerk at times).

I like Eita for what he and the show is.

[tytan88]

You are right, of course. I guess its just a hope that they do something different with him. They are in some respects, but I hope they can take it further with this anime. It will be interesting to see how this develops!

[FUNiOP]

SO MANY REFERENCES

And so Hime joins the club/harem, Mana comes back to be a royal bitch, and Eita shouts out the value of being a chuunibyou to put her in her place and return everything to happiness. I wonder just how threatening Masuzu's father will end up being, though.

And now to win over the hall monitor. Doesn't look like that will take too long.

[ookamigirl]

And here comes Hime, the ex girlfriend.
Those two girls were surprised, to put it mildly.
Eita's past life just keeps emerging.
Masuzu was not happy about Hime, neither was Chiwa.
It was another surprise that Masuzu gave up so easily when it came to dropping everything and going back home.
Eita's diary sure got a lot of unwanted attention this time.
And so Himeka joined their little club/harem.

[HitokiriShadow]

Eita, why wouldn't you just tell them Himeka's version of what was going on from the get go? That was annoying. Himeka ended up telling Masuzu almost immediately anyway, which at least kept that "misunderstanding" from lasting very long at all.

I also didn't care much for Eita's speech to Mana. Also, fuck Mana.

The first three angels were blatant references to Evangelion, Sailor Moon and Card Captor Sakura (even before the images popped up), but I didn't recognize the 4th and 5th angels.

And we met the 4th girl.... after the ED. And we technically saw her for half a second earlier on.

[Buckeye]

- In comes the Burning Pudding Princess Himeka, Eita's ex-girlfriend.
- More from the notebook is out. Four angels with references to Evangelion, Sailor Moon, CCS, and others.
- Got busted by the hall monitors, and now it's pool cleanup duty as punishment.
- Mana is going to take away Masuzu back to Sweden. She's definitely evil.
- And Himeka comes to the scene, while Mana gets some divine retribution by Eita. Masuzu is not going anywhere.
- Himeka is now a member of the club, and the next step is summer camp...
- The last member of the harem arrives, and she is a hall monitor ready to do battle with Masuzu.

Pretty nice episode here and I love those references that were made to Evangelion, Sailor Moon, Card Captor Sakura, and two more shows I am not familiar with. Himeka has been acting pretty cute seeing that she is living off her chuunibyouness. Unlike the other girls, she doesn't exactly mind everybody else. Mana is up to her nasty ways again, and Eita could have very well say good riddance to Masuzu here, but I figured that it was more important that Mana get taught a lesson. Now that the last girl has appeared, things are about to get really interesting seeing how Masuzu got everything going with this whole fake couple act.

[Fencedude]

They'd better not expect us to like Mana later on. Because goddamn she's a bitch.

Blah blah Hime's remarkably ok, if only for seeing her tell Mana off.

And then pink arrives, finally.

[Damius]

- So Chiwa is running with bread in her mouth and she is saying “meow” as well… Hmm…
- A club for Chiwa to be popular with men… I wonder where this will go...
- So Chiwa will pretend that she can play the guitar… This can only go wrong…
- And yeah… here we go… this is going wrong already… Poor Chiwa.
- And that makes Masuzu laugh… I don’t like this.
- So Masuzu learns some of Chiwa’s past from Eita.

Well, Masuzu sure was evil in this episode… After two episodes I can say that Chiwa is my favorite.

[stardf29]

Masuzu's starting to actually be a likable character now. Granted, that may be because she's an absolute saint compared to her sister...

Chiwa is still by far my favorite, though. I'm glad she was the one to run after Masuzu and convince her to stay.

As for Hime, she's basically Rikka from the other Chuunibyou show, minus the eyepatch. She gets major points for telling off Mana.

[tytan88]

Himeka is adorable and so far my favorite character. Of course that could be the impact of Rika on that character type. But she'll be good at drawing out the true intentions of the girls.

As far as Mana goes: She's being very duplicitous. I am wondering how much of what she is saying is what her father is actually saying at home. Or is she just being manipulative of her sister.

In this sens Masuzu is a sort of ironic(?) personality. She is bold and controlling in one sense and meek and submitting in another. Its nice to see some layers to this personality beyond just being mean. let's hope they continue on this path.

[ookamigirl]

Hime is a weird one.
Didn't think she would be so bold when it comes to Eita.
On the other hand, he will suffer for it.
Supplemental summer classes turned out to be interesting.
Looks like he got yet another girl for his harem.
I don't get it. Why are all the girls so hung up on him? He's nothing special.

[Buckeye]

- Eita wakes up with a naked Himeka. The other girls are up in arms about it while it's curtains for him.
- The club is no more. Ai has shut down this scam of a club.
- Eita is off to summer school. So is Ai. And her childhood friend Kaoru.
- Didn't Ai say she had a boyfriend already named Michel? It seems to be fake.
- The club may be gone, but Masuzu still has the notebook. Gotta prove that Michel is fake.
- It's off to a restaurant, and Ai outs everything about Michel.
- And Chiwa was listening in. So too is Himeka. Things are about to get complicated.

That was a good episode about Ai and it looks like she is another tsundere character like Chiwa is. While she may be great at everything, she is weak when it comes to love, and it was funny to see how she reacted to all that boyfriend talk.

[HitokiriShadow]

The show is getting dumber, with this episode starting off with a moderately long scene of a dumb harem "misunderstanding" and haremettes yelling at each other. But in some ways, maybe that's for the best, as the show was never going to be a particularly good semi-serious romance or drama, so dropping the pretense and going for dumb harem antics might be for the best.

Ai has an incredibly severe brain-to-mouth filter problem. And self-control issues in general, at least when it comes to romantic conflicts. This resulted in some rather amusing and/or cute scenes, such as her screaming "Ai-chan wiiiiiins!" in the cafeteria (this kind of thing would often annoy me, but here it was cute). And that was one glorious hole she dug for herself at the end.

Ai and Hime made a nice combination at the end as well, with Himeka eating up "Master's" words. She reminds me of Yukimura from Haganai in that way. Himeka also stole the opening scene, and I was amused at her rolling around on the bed most of the time while Chiwa, Masuzu and Ai were talking.

[FUNiOP]

Harem complete.

And that was exactly everything I was expecting. Which is kinda too bad, but these things happen. It's still pretty fun regardless.

[something]

Episode 5:

Meh. This episode just seems to confirm all the misgivings I had after the first four episodes. Straight into the RABUKOME HIJINKS, Masuzu still being a bad person, CPR scene was hilariously terrible, new girl immediately wants in Eita's pants, blah blah.

On the upside, Chiwa scenes (when Masuzu isn't around) are still very nice, seeing Masuzu in emotional pain made me happy, and chuunibyou girl is at least somewhat amusing, even if she's just going to take the show on a detour from the positive things it's done.

But overall, blah. There's a potentially interesting core to the story that's being brought down by all the trappings of a sloppy romcom. If I'm not impressed by episode six, I'm bailing out.

[something]

Episode 6:

So the good parts: Chiwa is still Chiwa, and Burning Pudding Princess had a very nice showing.

But.... congratulations Mana you manage to be far worse than your sister even. When the way to make me feel some pangs of sympathy for Masuzu is to introduce someone who is just pure human garbage, and acts that way for absolutely no justifiable reason, I am apt to just say "to hell with them all" and stop caring across the board. Plus Mana reading the poem just pissed me off, and not in a "the show is evoking an appropriate emotional reaction in me" way, but in a "watching this makes me legitimately angry and I want to turn it off right now" way. Maybe this show is gradually building up to something really nice, and there are slight signs of the girls in the club warming to each other rather than just acting as stupid love rivals. But it's doing everything it can to make the road unbearable for me - I can think of no possible way that adding yet another girl will do anything to improve the situation - and I think it would be a bad idea for me to watch more (since I'd probably just have complaints for the remaining episodes and posting complaints isn't fun for me), so I won't.

[Fencedude]

I find I like Ai quite a bit...I just wish she wasn't in this show.

Oh well.

[tytan88]

that's how I felt a couple of episodes back. It had potential, but was wasted with cliched interactions. The manga showed a lot of potential, but the translation to anime just didn't work.

[Damius]

- Eita… can you make more noises while she is reading the book. (Obviously I’m sarcastic here)
- All the class thought it was a skit!
- Chiwa will try asking him out… Oh well.
- And he accepts…
- Well, at least Masuzu regrets being terrible.
- So Chiwa will have to quit kendo and Eita parents’ ran away… Ok…

Chiwa in this episode. She was fantastic! She gave me even more reasons for her to be my favorite character!!

[Damius]

Why are they making Chiwa so awesome when Masuzu will probably be the chosen one… Well, I’ll keep watching this, but my hopes sure dropped quite a lot… Poor Chiwa… ;_;

[Damius]

Well, I definitely keep watching the show for Chiwa... the sad thing is that at the end of the day she is the one who will be alone.

I only hope Mana won't be TOO horrible... because now she is already horrible.

[FUNiOP]

SHUT THE FUCK UP I'M TRYING TO WATCH A MOVIE!

Maybe everyone in the movie theater just somehow knows that the movie is in fact based on these characters' lives.

And holy shit everyone is dense as hell. At least Eita kinda has to learn about his past with Ai in another episode.

[ookamigirl]

Eita investigating Ai. Looks like he'll anything for the club.
It's always LOL to see Eita freak when Masuzu reads from his Notebook.
Ine the cinema part was pretty awkward. Those girls behaved like they've never been to a cinema before.
That was just beyond weird.

[Buckeye]

- Eita says that Michel is real. Well, Masuzu saw through that.
- He wants to study so no festival.
- It's a day off and to the movies.
- Operation Find Ai's Weakness has commenced, and Himeka is sitting this one out.
- Chiwa sure gets her kendo moves on.
- It's China and Ami fighting for Eiji. And Chiwa and Ai are shouting like it's a sporting event.

That was a nice episode there seeing Ai develop as a character here. Certainly Ai is a lot of fun to be around seeing how she is supposed to be an enforcer, but her romantic life is just holding her back, something Masuzu is trying to expose in order to get the club back.

[Fencedude]

This episode was completely pointless.

Even by this show's standards. Nothing changed. What the hell.

[stardf29]

I must say, the "random movie/book/TV show/video game that just happens to mirror what's going on in the lives of the main characters" is one of the most annoyingly contrived tropes to ever exist. Doubly so when it was as blatant as it was in this episode.

That said, I am interested in what happened with Ai and Eita back in kindergarten. She clearly holds some resentment towards Chiwa for being the childhood friend she could never be...

[Damius]

Well, Chiwa is definitely still my favorite, Hime is a nice addition to the show. But, Mana... she is WAY WORSE than I thought and this is really really bad.

[Buckeye]

- Someone left their notebook in the classroom. Time to give it back to its owner.
- Wait, Ai ran off with the wrong one, and Eita has it.
- So Ai is also a chuunibyou. And her delusions are full of "shit" in it.
- Ai and Eita go way back. The town has changed a lot since then.
- Time for the fireworks show. And Ai brings out the makeshift marriage paperwork from years ago.
- Eita is running away, and bumps into Chiwa and Himeka. So much for saying no to Chiwa.
- Masuzu saw everything. He just needs to spend three minutes with her to make everything right.
- The club lives on, and Ai is now a member.

That episode was pretty funny, and it shows that Eita and Ai are childhood friends. It's no wonder she had her eyes on him considering that they go way back, something Eita has seemingly forgotten. Next episode is the swimsuit episode that comes with just about every harem show.

[FUNiOP]

Apparently "SHIT" is the word of choice for a girl's delusional love poems. Huh.

And again, that all goes as expected. Which is fine. And now we've got the club finalized with all its members, leaving just enough time for one more arc. Or... a few inconsequential episodes. They'll probably find some way to wrap up a decent story in the end.

[HitokiriShadow]

Ai's fondness for the word "SHIT" amused me. Also, spinning Himecchi.

Other than that... meh. The show picked a typical contrived way to have Eita get the obvious through his thick skull and him and Ai finally talk to each other. Most of the episode was that talk and it was mostly pretty dull.

[ookamigirl]

The hell?!
The whole notebook thing was kinda weird and LOL at the same time.
At least Ai was as delusional as him.
Eita and Ai, yukata and the summer festival fireworks.
She's actually really nice.
Wow, she pretty much confessed to Eita. Not much of a surprise.
This whole situation with fake girlfriends and harem is getting complicated.
Looks like Masuzu's plan to keep the club worked, but they got Ai as a new member.

[Damius]

Well, yeah… this is getting dumber. They are introducing Ai to us in this episode… I like her, but we already have too many girls in this show… Well, the episode had some nice moments.

[Damius]

Well, that was pointless and useless... The movie theater scene... annoying...

[Damius]

- She sure likes to use the word shit…
- Time for some yukata.
- And he remembers she was a childhood friends.
- Michel was obviously a lie… why are you SO surprised Eita?
- Chiwa and Hime in a yukata.
- And here is Masuzu.

[Fencedude]

THERE WAS NO MASUZU FOR NINETEEN MINUTES.

THIS IS NOT WHAT WE AGREED TO, ORESHURA.

Eita's so horrible a lead.

[ookamigirl]

Playing with Eita's mind seems to be Masuzu's fav sport.
Ai was totally delusional about Eita. That girl is blinded by love.
Summer training camp preparations were fun.
Seems like all the girls keep taking turns to cling to Eita.
He has a harem and doesn't even know it.

[FUNiOP]

Oh wow... I never even realized that the girls were all named after the seasons.

So blah whatever date with the entire harem to pick out swimsuits for the upcoming beach trip over summer vacation (okay, it's not especially bad, but there's nothing out of the ordinary that I really care about either), but the post-ED scene was a lot more interesting to me.

Eita's aunt shows up and can immediately tell that Eita and Masuzu are in a fake relationship, and asks Eita which girl he really likes. I guess that means that the beach trip (and possibly anything else that they fit into these last few episodes) will be even more focused on the girls demanding that he choose one of them than ever. I imagine it will end without that actually happening in hopes of a second season and to not contradict the eventual ending of the light novels, but I hope they can manage some sense of closure.

[HitokiriShadow]

"Love Cloth!" "Thousand Japan" Chiwa's "Japaaaaan!?"

Then 10 minutes late when I Chiwa and Masuzu did it, I finally realized what they were doing: pronouncing their name kanji in English. I really should have figured that out the first time.

"Ai-chan wins the lawsuit!" was pretty funny. The episode was dumb, but decently amusing, which is a lot more than I can say for the past 2 episodes.

And then we meet Eita's aunt, Saeko, who is pretty awesome.

[Fencedude]

Saeko here to cut through the bullshit.

Where has she been the last ten episodes?

[Buckeye]

- The club is back, and they need to have a training camp. It's off to the beach.
- It's a date between Eita and Chiwa. Wait, who said that Masuzu could tag along?
- Chiwa and Masuzu have enhanced the game of rock, paper, scissors.
- Himeka is also tagging along. She pulls Eita in.
- Ai is also trying out something. A wedding dress, that is.
- Now how to pay for the trip. Uh, oh! Club funds do not arrive until the next term.
- Eita's aunt has appeared. She knows that Eita and Masuzu are a fake couple.

This episode was fairly bland, but the epilogue was very nice with Eita's aunt Saeko coming to the scene to expose Masuzu. It looks like the beach episode won't happen (which I find are throwaway episodes, anyway), and instead we will get a new character who looks to be an awesome addition.

[Buckeye]

- Saeko sees that the relationship is fake, on an empty stomach.
- Now about the money, Saeko comes through with the game OreDere.
- So the tsundere is the one Eita is in love with. Masuzu is just too perfect that it's fake.
- It's a battle to become Eita's lover in some Miss conest.
- Masuzu is just having juice for a meal. Not exactly the most healthy way to get by.
- There's a nice plan for Ai to make Himeka a normal girl. She won't love Eita in normal mode.
- Himeka is showing her love through cell phone videos.
- Time for the trip, and Masuzu takes Eita for herself.

Nice episode here as Saeko definitely a nice addition here. So it turns out that Saeko is working on dating sim games for some company and her experience with making these games is the reason why she thinks that Eita's relationship with Masuzu is fake. And of course, it was funny to see how Saeko can tell just how strong the relationships are just by the way they are talking. Anyway, it's the beach episode coming up next.

[FUNiOP]

Saeko is the best thing ever. Why did it take this long to get to her? And with the kids going off to the beach now, we probably won't even get to see any more of her, much less the hilarious plans she has set up for them.

Obviously her classification of each character's archetype is hilarious, but I especially love when she asks Ai's tsun and dere sides separately, and gets appropriate responses from both. So I guess when she adds her own route in, that's a six-girl harem for Eita. And maybe one boy? Honestly I can't even tell what Kaoru's gender is at this point.

[ookamigirl]

Wow, this is officially a harem now.
He managed to collect five girls so far.
Every single one of them has some kind of feelings for him as well.
That little quiz was kinda fun, but put Masuzu in an awkward position.
Eita - Masuzu relationship was weird from the start.
Wonder if those two have any true feelings for each other or it's still just an act.
Guess we'll see next time on their trip.

[Fencedude]

Saeko is the best.

Tsunko and Dereko are the second best.

[Damius]

Swimsuits episode... with a wedding dress as an extra. After that, we meet Saeko she sure is awesome.

[Damius]

And once again, Saeko was really awesome. She is the best.

[Buckeye]

- Act like a couple on the train. They are bad at faking it.
- Time for some super-popular contests. Yes, Himeka has gone to the Grand Line and back.
- Watermelon whacking without a stick? Just follow the "girlfriend" and he'll find the melon, and some boobs.
- Gotta make the others believe they are a real couple, with a Wind Slash, err, kiss. But it's Eita's call here.
- Z charms for everybody, the sign of an official club. Wait, that's actually kanji for maiden.
- Masuzu is all holed up in her room. Her feelings are all over the place.
- Mana is back and greeting Eita with a blindside bike attack. But for once, she's being helpful.
- Time for the OreDere contest.

That's a surprisingly good beach episode there as the focus was on the relationship, and that Eita has some choices to make now that he is being released from his fake couple obligation. While Mana has been such a jerk, at least she shows her good side for a change this time. One more episode to go.

[FUNiOP]

I didn't find too much to care about for the first half of the episode and was a bit annoyed with some of it (unintentional boob-groping is so hilarious, right?!), but the second half really steps things up. Now I'm really interested to see how the final episode deals with things. Suddenly I really have a reason to want one of the relationships to work out, as Masuzu is getting the great development she's been needing.

[ookamigirl]

Those two were totally overdoing with the "fake" in their fake relationship.
Well, at least this trip-to-the-beach episode was fun.
These kinds of episodes always make me smile.
Probably because they're so typical, but in a good & fun way.
There sure were a lot of emotions in this episode..

[Buckeye]

- Time for the OreDere contest. First up is Chiwa, and her beefy hobbies. Eita is like a bro.
- Up next is Himeka. Wait, where is she? It must be stage fright, but she will always love Eita no matter what.
- Now it's Masuzu's turn. She's is pulling out for breaking up the fake relationship. Eita may love her, but Masuzu doesn't.
- And Masuzu gets all emotional. Eita and Masuzu kiss and there goes the fake couple label.
- Masuzu is being sure being humble in bed. According to Saeko, Eita has chosen the battlefield and must break up with the rest.
- Eita and Himeka: He's not Burning Fighting Fighter. But Himeka hasn't changed. Failed.
- Eita and Ai: Rip the makeshift marriage contract. But he signs it with his blood instead. Failed.
- Eita and Chiwa: Chiwa will get bigger someday, and delivers a kiss of her own.
- Too bad, Masuzu. Try again in nine years. Chiwa has him now.

And so it ends with Eita loving Masuzu, but Masuzu not returning the favor, while Chiwa loves Eita, but the converse, not so much. And thus, the girlfriend and childhood friend are fighting once more as the title implies. Certainly it's an interesting way to end the series.

Overall, this show was nice to watch and it's a harem that at least brings some new ideas to the table with the fake couple, delusions, and parodies that were inserted all throughout this show, and fanservice isn't the overriding theme. There were a few things this show does badly, but overall this show is enjoyable in the end.

[Damius]

- Beach episode!
- Grand Line conquered. Welp.
- Yeah… Eita… that sure is a watermelon… Oh well…
- Good timing, Chiwa, with the keychain.
- Well… ok… the keychain sure had an effect on Masuzu…
- Ok… Mana sure changed a lot… That’s like day and night between the two appearances…
- We learn more about Masuzu and Eita runs...

[ookamigirl]

So the final episode is here.
That swimsuit contest sure served a higher purpose.
Flashbacks were really nice as well.
The girls were especially all over Eita this time.
Masuzu was such a stubborn girl with lots of walls around her.
Looks like Eita finally broke through her defenses and insecurities.
Nice final episode.

[HitokiriShadow]

The contest was painful to watch. Not in an emotionally gripping way, but in a "this is really dumb and a severe violation of my suspension of disbelief, even for this show" way.

The only part of the episode I particularly liked was "Ai-chan wins!" and her bouncing around the room after Eita accidentally "signed" the "marriage papers". Oh, and Hime going starry eyed over Eita's backstory change was cute too.

The rest? Meh. I won't miss this show.

[bear]

Well, two of the girls are batshit crazy, one is borderline, and one is friend zoned. The last couple of episodes have identified why Mazusa is the way she is and I feel much more sympathy for her than before. Chiwa is more in love with Eita as an onii-chan than as a boyfriend it seems. The irritating thing for me was the lack of visible evidence that Eita was anti-love as opposed to just dedicated to studying.

[FUNiOP]

With the way Masuzu acts, I honestly can't say for sure what the outcome was. Is she now acting this way because she really is accepting her love for Eita, or did he just manage to shake her back into her act from before her breakdown? Probably some mix of the two at this point, but what ultimately matters is that the battlefield is still open for another season. I would've liked some more closure, but I wasn't really expecting too much different from this.

Most of my thoughts are in my review...

[Damius]

Well, I would have hope for at least a good contest... but that sure was not the case... The second half, I don't even know what to think of it... Anyway, this is pretty much a forgetful show, which was never able to grab me.

[stardf29]

Ugh. I don't like the idea of "I think of myself as a horrible person, so I'm going to love another horrible person". I suppose it is marginally better than "I'm going to love this horrible person so that I can fix him/her", but it's still just not good. It's just going to keep Eita and Masuzu stuck in their problems. Also, it's not like the other girls are "too good" as Eita claims them to be; they all have their own flaws, some rather severe.

Ah well. At least Chiwa managed to get a kiss in at the end, so I'll consider that a victory for her.

Also, amusing end sequence where past scenes from the show have their characters swapped around. Himeka with the wand (instead of Chiwa with the chopsticks) was particularly amusing.

Final Thoughts

I don't really think I can properly call this show a disappointment, considering that I was going into it with a lot of reservations from the start. I suppose it was disappointing in that, whereas maybe in the beginning it was a fair amount better than I had feared it would be, in the end, it went in the wrong directions and just ended up being what I feared it would be. There were parts where it couldn't decide whether to be a serious show or just a harem romp, and when it did get serious, it went in directions I didn't like.

That's not to say this show was all bad. Chiwa is a great character, and IMO the highlight of the show, even if there were times the story had her go through the more cliched motions of being the hopeless childhood friend. The show also has some merit... in being a good place to look at what not to do in regards to relationship.

A major problem was that, in the end, I couldn't really come to like Masuzu, at least not as a character. Sure, she's funny when the show wants to be comedic, and she's definitely not one-dimensional, but she never really became a "likably flawed" character and instead was just someone I could never see being a real love interest.

At the very least, the show avoided any definite ending and left things open. Theoretically, this means a second season somewhere down the road, though if one does come out, I'm going to sit it out. I'm afraid if I watch any more of this story, it'll just drag down my opinion of this series even further.

Final Score: 6.9/11.0 - Decent, but it had some crippling flaws that really kept me from enjoying this show properly.