Kotoura-san Discussion Thread

[something]

Episode 2:

- Huh, Haruka sure turned around quickly. So much so that I expect they're setting up something bad to happen. But they could also be trying to depict the giddy afterglow she's still feeling at making a friend for the first time in many years.
- "You can read minds can't you?" "Of course I can't." Hahha OOPS. And yay Hanakana.
- Haruka just got omochikaeri'd.
- Yuriko accepted Manabe a lot quicker than I expected.
- That's an impressive setup for the middle of a school hallway.

- Yuriko is awesome. NO ESCAPE.
- I love when Haruka stifled a laugh at Manabe.
- I also love when she blushes when he thinks something nice.

- ...Uhhhhhhh. Holy shit. Yuriko has some fuckwd up backstory which I'm sure we'll get in all its detail soon enough.
- Okay this is going to be an ongoing problem with the show, I think. Yuriko is lying to Haruka. Which should be totally impossible. And which Haruka would pick up on in any other circumstance. But plot convenience requires that Yuriko get away with this, at least for a little while. I dunno maybe Yuriko has very good control over her thoughts, but it's still kinda BS. Hopefully we don't get a lot of this "Haruka can always read minds, even against her will, except when PLOT".

- Heh, she has to see to "aim" her ability.
- Aaaaaaaaand things go downhill fast. Moritani is pretty horrible.
- Escalates into full on bullying with all the usual attacks.
- Goood good, I was worried they'd make Yuriko way too single-minded about getting her revenge, but she seems to quite legitimately care about Haruka. This isn't what she wanted to happen.

- FUCK YEAH, I was going to complain a little bit about how they're starting to go overboard with Manabe's perversions for comedy's sake (it's fine sometimes, but it wasn't needed at least half the times it was used this episode). But then he totally chewed out Moritani and it was gloooooooooorious. Not just said "Gee you meanie, I'd prefer you didn't do that" but pretty much told her she was a terrible human being. No mercy! Respect +100.

First episode wasn't a fluke, this show is genuinely awesome. I just hope someone slaps Moritani around a bit more before she joins the club. I'm not ready to forgive her just yet.

It's also great to see this show getting a good reception in preorders too - it's shot up into the top 100. Nobody expected it to go anywhere in sales before the seasons started (2ch estimates like 1000 or 2000 or something) but it's clearly the major dark horse candidate of Winter now.

[FUNiOP]

How the hell did they tell this kind of story in 4-koma format?

I expected Moritani to redeem herself in this episode, but she just got worse, and Kotoura just proved to have the patience of a saint, more than Moritani deserves, and now the possibility of the five being a happy group looks like it's going to have to wait at least a few episodes. I really want it to be one week from now.

Also, the opening is amazing, especially the "koshi koshi koshi", "demo demo demo", "yoshi yoshi yoshi", and Kotoura singing along with the last part. So good.

[Ingraman]

Wow...

Originally Posted by FUNiOP

How the hell did they tell this kind of story in 4-koma format?

Unless I've forgotten some series, it's definitely different from all the 4-koma anime that I've seen so far.

I really want it to be one week from now.

Yeah, the OP shows that things will improve, but watching Kotoura break a little after healing so much was hard. ;_; I'm not surprised by her reaction, given her life so far, but ... <sniff> I'm more interested in Manabe's past now, with how much of a fight he was seemingly able to put up against presumed experts (or do they just not know how to fight outside a dojo?).

This series is definitely import-likely, but with the first BD not out until April, I've got two months to see how things progress before I need to decide.

[HitokiriShadow]

Yuriko is amazing, easily my favorite HanaKana character in a while. She's sooooooo much fun. Her "he's still eating convenience store bento WTF is wrong with you" stare was hilarious.

The karaoke scene was great. The "oh my god, she's an believably horrible singer" thing has been done many times before, but it was quite fun here, with Yuriko and Manabe's cheering turning to woe and Haruka's adorable reaction at the end.

And Haruka is just incredibly adorable in general. So many adorable blushes and stutters and "OMGWTF am I seeing in this guy's fantasy?!" faces. And occasionally a very nice deadpan and/or critical "you pervert"

Then there's Moritani. What a bitch. I'm not looking forward to the "we forgive you, now let's let bygones be bygones and all be friends" thing that's inevitably going to happen... oh, probably next time.

Though there's another, uh, minor little issue to deal with, since Kotoura is FUCKING GONE now. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh, this is usually an annoying situation whenever it comes up. I think I might be less bothered by this than in most cases because the she show's drama side has been on the iffy side the entire time. Hopefully and presumably it will be dealt with fairy quickly next time. By the end of the first half at most, maybe earlier.

[ookamigirl]

Manaba & Kotoura. Nice pair.
Going to the club room alone was maybe not the best idea.
Kotoura's mind reading ability is not always a good thing.
Still, those two really fit in the club ^^
Moritani's jealousy went too far this time...

[bear]

Originally Posted by FUNiOP

How the hell did they tell this kind of story in 4-koma format?

Good question. They've managed to squeeze so much angst and drama into three measly episodes too. I knew this one was coming but how Haruka reacted was a shock but is understandable in hindsight. I'd also forgotten that Manabe had trained at the dojo with Moritani hadn't he? Yuriko is still trying to be hardass but Muroto has her number. He did scare the hell out of me when he was teasing Haruka, but I really want to know more about him.

[Fencedude]

Christ what the fuck. Just what the fucking fuck.

I just...WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HARUKA?!

[Draneor]

Yuriko and Haruka's conversations were, by far, the best part of the episode.

Manabe tried to protect Haruka, and take all the pain on himself (see last episode too). It, of course, didn't work and he just ended up hurting her even more. I'll give him credit that he realized this (even if his hyper-sexuality annoys me). Question will be what he changes so it doesn't happen again. You can't have a relationship with someone and never hurt them (or ignore that they don't want you to be hurt either). Honestly, I wouldn't mind if the show ended here.

Mori, well, there are actions I don't believe you can be redeemed from. I'm sure the show will disagree. Also, call in sick if you have a known telepath in your class.

[Damius]

Well, this sure was definitely a really good episode. The drama in it sure was something else, especially the first 10 minutes. I'm looking forward for more of this and I really want to follow Haruka.

[something]

Episode 3:

- How dare they draw an aiaigasa... and forget the hearts!
- Oh haven't had enough, Hiyori? I'm totally up for Yoshihisa telling you what a horrible person you are again. I'll never get enough of that.
- Deredere Haruka is so damn cute. And Yuriko is making full use of the one way telepathy.
- ...Daichi is right, Yuriko could never cut it as a villain. She's too naturally nice.

- Oh, good. The generic setup would have been for Hiyori to send her goons after Haruka and create some really obnoxious rape or threat or rape scenario, which would have pissed me off because it's such a ridiculous leap to think that the guys at her dojo would do that just because she asked. Having them go after Yoshihisa instead, while still bad, is at least different. And a lot more plausible, since they'd want to protect Hiyori.
- But man, she is utter human trash. On every level. How the hell are they going to convince me to accept her as a member of the club later on, which no doubt she will be?
- Uhh, so Yoshihisa is really strong?

And then, uh, wow. That escalated in an instant. She jumps straight from "it's my fault" to packing up and moving the hell out, goddamn. I guess next episode will be about finding her and bringing her back.