Another two weeks have passed, and Summer Season is coming in sight. It’s the time where most shows get busy as they reach their final arc. Mob Psycho 100 ventures into its shounen roots, Run with the Wind does extremely well in its last leg, literally, and Kemurikusa girls part way emotionally. Let’s see how these 4 shows below perform in this last 2 weeks.
Gotoubun no Hanayome (ep09-10)
While this class trip provides many more opportunities for Futaro encounters (and improves) his relationship to the sisters, in a bigger scheme I’d prefer if there’s no overarching arc at all for Gotoubon. The fun here for me is how he tries to get closer and helps them in some ways, not about how he has to choose “the one”. I still enjoy it though how he find himself in the damnedest situation: either dance with Ichiba (and the whole Miku’s mess) or pretends to be a delinquent boy to dance with best girl Nino. The whole Nino and blonde dude situation is admittedly silly, but one that I don’t mind. This show has never shy away from rom-com tropes, and fan-service on top of it, but it’s the case where the creator knows exactly where it’s going. As a result, it’s mostly well-executed and the situations are snappy enough to land before another jokes come in. While I still regard the first half of Gotoubon is better (learning about the girls are so much fun), let’s hope this dance – which by itself will be a focal point of this cour – ends on a high note.
Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (ep09-10)
The new Wave is coming near, and it’s time for our Shield Hero and the gang to level up… except they can’t. Shield Hero pretty much keeps its mean-spirited tone, and it goes both ways. I can see the mean-spiritedness from the kingdom who gives Naofumi hard times (don’t allow his team to level up) for the sake of giving him hard times, I can also see the bitterness from Naofumi towards the other heroes as he says he cleaning up their mess (which is true, but boy he’s bragging here). Here’s what Shield Hero makes a wrong step: instead of putting the characters into morally grey area, it keeps split them into clear black and white teams. The Spear Hero suffers from that the most that he becomes so stupidly hateable he’s deserved a kick in the crotch. The revelation of Melty is an amusing one, as she can see the true nature of Naofumi, and his consumed by darkness still lingers over now. The next Wave will prove to be a difficult one, and let’s see what wait for him over the battlefield.
Doukyonin wa Hiza, Tokidoki, Atama no Ue. (ep09-10)
Another two episodes where Subaru and Haru trying to reach each other, and care about the other in their own way. It’s the first time that Subaru makes a public appearance for his professional job, and predictably after some awkward moments he finds out that the experience wasn’t so bad. And while episode 9 taking us outside of the house (with Haru getting crazy inside the house), episode 10 reverses back to that cozy home where Subaru tries to make his first meal for Haru, and likewise Haru would wait for him to eat first. There’s a mutual understanding here, both about trying to take care at the other with all the best they can, and dammit eating together with your family is the warmest thing on Earth.
Endro! (ep09-10)
Endro pulls off episode 9 with a fantastic take on the Magic Card system where the gang takes a trip to the Cartado village for their annual festival. I swear, this show had me at “the cards are products of nature grown by the land itself, THAT’S WHAT MAKES CARTADO SO DEEP”. Damnit Endro. I tip my hat off for whoever put that line on the paper. Even episode 10 does a decent job to twitch its genre conventional about each character’s dreams. While Endro is far from deep (haha), it fully uses its “never-take-itself-seriously” to its strengths. The festival is a whole lots fun, and seeing those girls get into their perfect dream is just as charming. Endro is doing really well so far.
I think it’s a bit contrived not letting Melty speak before denying her. But I suppose it’s in character. Despite his effort the kingdom makes his journey more difficult. The other heroes see him as suspicious or as the enemy (despite none of them actually playing as a team).
With that said, I suppose the weakest aspect of the show is the victimization angle. Since while Naofumi like the other heroes tries to do good, it seems very convenient his actions haven’t made misery in some way (maybe you could argue perpetuating the slavery may be as bad though the show doesn’t treat it that way).
I can’t fault it since like most Isekai it’s a one man’s show and like games the world rotates around the main character and each decision is to make him more powerful.
However, it seems a bit wasteful the other characters aren’t developing as well. Raphtalia has a backstory I’m surprised it hasn’t been told yet. And while the heroes don’t have to like Naofumi, they could at least speak more, since it feels like the story demands them to collaborate in these waves or they will inevitably fail.
All in all, I’m still enjoying the show.
“Victimization angle” is the term I’ve been thinking, thanks. So far, there’s no complex to Heroes and the Kingdom, mostly because the show projects Naofumi’s hatred of them to us. Well, I’m still enjoying this show as well. It still manages to rile me up from time to time.
These recaps make me regret not picking up Endro at the start of the season. I’ll have to finish it before the end of the year so I have a decent number of winter representatives (Neverland certainly isn’t pulling its weight =/).
The series plays out in a easygoing manner of the first episode, so if you liked the forst episode (which you did), you’d like the rest of it.
qyft Delta
I have to start watching Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari soon 🙂