Star Crossed Anime

This was the first episode of Kaguya-sama that did anything less than thrill me, probably because it retread so much ground that previous episodes had already covered. The laugh-out-loud moments and generally heartwarming atmosphere were still present, but they weren’t as fresh as in previous outings. We went back to the ‘three chapters’ format this week, but after spending the last couple episodes branching out from Shuchiin Academy, all three of these new stories took place on campus. They all closely echoed previous chapters, as well, especially Kaguya’s love advice segment (which is a direct follow-up to Shirogane’s bluff-fest from several weeks ago). I’ve written before that Kaguya-sama’s power lies in its reliability, but after watching the series’ formula undergo these slight tweaks, it’s a small disappointment to receive an installment that doesn’t mix things up in the least. The show is still my biggest hope for the winter 2019 season, however – its positivity and sense of fun are undeniable.

Though the episode felt too familiar, it did surprise me in one way, and that was in its choice of the next student to seek romantic advice. Episode 2 pointed us in the direction of Kashiwagi’s friend, whose obvious consternation pointed to her crush on the (still nameless) male inquirer. Instead, it was Kashiwagi herself who came to Kaguya with feelings of ambivalence, which the inexperienced Kaguya is ill-equipped to handle. She does a better job of it than Shirogane, but it’s actually Fujiwara who saves the day, deerstalker cap and pipe in hand. After expressing a desire to be involved in love talk during last week’s banned word game, she simply barges into the room upon hearing what the other girls are talking about, and inadvertently causes Kaguya to realize her feelings for the president a little more clearly. Though she often foils Kaguya’s romantic schemes by accident (as seen during the umbrella segment in this episode), here she helps her friend to equate jealousy with attraction. Coupled with her bizarre “resist society” advice to Kashiwagi, her previous lack of involvement in others’ love lives was probably a blessing, but things seem to work out for everyone in this segment. Well, everyone except Kashiwagi’s friend, who is still lurking tearfully in the background at the very end. Hopefully her distress doesn’t become a running gag.

Fujiwara’s curiosity about others’ romantic situations extends briefly into the volleyball chapter, when she suspects that Shirogane’s athletic training is to impress a girl. This was probably my least favorite of the three stories this week, because it didn’t take us anywhere new. We already knew that the president is a hard worker and a bit of a klutz (though perhaps not on this level), so devising a plot where he works hard to compensate for his lack of hand-eye coordination feels too safe. Fujiwara’s ponytail look and bandaged bow near the end were cute, but her trainee’s eventual success wasn’t much of a payoff for me. Better was the traditional game of wits surrounding the umbrellas, where Kaguya proved once again that her preparation is second to none. Even putting aside her aborted victory over Shirogane, she claimed a win against every girl in school who had designs for summer vacation involving the president. Though Kaguya inwardly claims not to care about sharing an umbrella with Shirogane so much as everyone witnessing them sharing an umbrella, she does get swept up in their resulting closeness when all is said and done. I say it every week, but that contrast between her rational and emotional minds is my favorite thing about both her character and the show. Even when it falls back on familiar material, Kaguya-sama has a weapon that can always put a smile on my face.

Kaguya-sama isn’t the sort of show that would suddenly depart from a tried and true formula, especially not after attracting so many eyes in just one month thanks to whip-smart direction and a memetic ED. Nevertheless, this was a week of firsts for the anime. We got four short stories in this episode instead of the usual three, stepped outside the student council room for the largest portion of an episode yet, met some French transfer students, and received some wonderful eye-catches to bridge the gaps between each chapter. I remember seeing those little transitions last week, as well, but these were on another level, featuring a couple of dynamic poses from Fujiwara (her demonic cat impression made the biggest splash for me), who I assume is the fan favorite at this point

The first two segments this week were classic “mental gymnastics in the student council room” routines, revolving around cat ears and the banned word game, respectively. The performance that most impressed me here was that of Makoto Furukawa, Shirogane’s seiyuu, who really let loose this week in order to flesh out the president’s attraction to (and slight feelings of inferiority toward) Kaguya. We’ve gotten hints of the latter in the past, especially where her finances are concerned, but her cute cosplay and flawless French stunned him this week, and Furukawa’s yelps and prolonged cries gave us a good look past the veneer his character usually keeps up. This dorkier version of the president is one we’ve known about since he bluffed his way through a romantic advice session (despite having no experience of his own), so it feels natural to see him act a little nuttier here. On the other hand, the wordiness of his resolution to throw the banned word game to Fujiwara was a bit thick – but of course, that’s the scriptwriter’s decision, not Furukawa’s. And hey, it was still a nice gesture for him to make, even if it failed spectacularly. I do appreciate that the show’s three main players have genuine affection for one another, rather than mean-spiritedness (as would be in the case in a lot of other comedies).

Kaguya’s obsession with her cell phone was undoubtedly my favorite chapter this week, though I do have one knock against it, and that’s the reuse of 3D council room assets in the creation of Kaguya’s room. Her desk and bookshelves looked eerily similar to the ones we already see every week, and provided a sizable distraction to an otherwise charming story. That aside, though, seeing the calculating vice president dissolve into a bundle of nerves over a simple phone conversation was precious. I’m glad Kaguya has a “girl talk” sort of friend in Hayasaka (the pressure of being an heir to such a large legacy might otherwise be crushing), but I’m equally glad that Hayasaka likes to push her buttons, since that teasing exposes a side of Kaguya that she ordinarily keeps locked up. The thought of a president/secretary relationship is enough to briefly fluster her charge, but Hayasaka’s flawless poker face makes her such a wild card that I wouldn’t be surprised if she went after Shirogane herself (if only to spur Kaguya into action). Whatever the series’ romantic blueprints may be, I’m hoping she’s involved somehow – her character is too fun and too valuable not to be included.