Well, it’s the obligatory beach episode. Nothing can possibly go wrong with this episode, right?
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MM! – Episode 7 – Taro’s Painful Love Pentagon
romance
Amagami SS – Episode 18 – Junichi… Make Love with Rihoko!!
Rihoko is now committed to her diet. As part of her effort to lose weight, she is exercising on a skating rank to burn off some calories so she can lose weight and win over Junichi’s heart. I still have a gut feeling this is not going to work.
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Amagami SS – Nanasaki’s Arc Final Review
It has been awhile since I watched Amagami SS. The reason I fell behind because I was busy with the fall anime. This is why I did not focus on writing about Nanasaki Ai’s arc in great detail, as I originally wanted to. Since I have some free time today, I took the time to finish it. After I finished the remaining two episodes in her arc, I was very disappointed for reasons I am going to explain. 1
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- Original Image ↩
MM! – Episode 4 – The Date that went Terribly Wrong!
After all the drama regarding Yuuno’s dramatic past, it is time for more comedy. In this wacky episode, Mio decides to take Taro on a date to see if the myth of “love triumphs masochism” is true.
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Taste Test Part II – Yosuga no Sora
After Sora took off her dress from the cliffhanger, we expected that she is going to seduce Haruka. Unfortunately, she fakes us out and only wants Haruka to measure her for the school uniform. Cue uncontrollable rage…
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Taste Test Part II – MM!
After I watched this episode, I changed my mind about MM!. This episode like the last episode focused on the various problems the people in the club want to resolve. In this particular episode, it focused on Yunno’s androphobia that have been developed as a result of her trauma in the past.
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Amagami SS – Episode 13 (Ai’s Arc Part 1) – She’s a Psychic
With Junichi starting his quest for love all over again, we start with another girl and another freshman that seems to know what guys want… more perverted stuff like looking at panties and such under a girl’s skirt.
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Taste Test Part I – Yosuga no Sora
Well, this is probably one of the strangest visual novel adaptations I ever saw so far. Yosuga no Sora is simply crazy on what they throw at the viewers in the first episode… We have this pretty white hair guy, a sister of the same age, an already made harem and of course the risque scenes1 of some girl doing you know what and some twin incest. Because of the rather mature content, It makes me feel so guilty when I watch this show that it could even be considered a guilty pleasure 2, more so than Kampfer ever will be.
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Taste Test Part I – MM!
Perhaps bile fascination1 had driven me to watch anime that some people love to hate. If you read the show’s description, the show gives you a thought about something rather perverted. That thing is Sadomasochism, a fetish that is all about getting pleasure from giving/receiving pain. This is the central them of MM since the male lead is such a masochist.
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- What else would attract me to this show… Cute girls? ↩
Two Episode Taste Test – Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi
It is one of those shows I picked up late and probably the one that everyone is talking or complaining about. Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi is a slice of life, romantic comedy that parodies a good number of folklore out there. If you have seen in the picture above, Ookami is the wolk and Akai is Red Riding Hood. A better and comprehensive explanation written by Aorii from Major Arcana gives you a very good idea which folklore the characters are based from. If you know a lot of folklore, you probably recognize them pretty easily.
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Kaichou wa Maid-Sama – Episode 22 – Gone Camping?
It has been weeks since I covered Maid-sama, so I expect more Hinata development after he reunites with “Misaki-chan.”
The class has a field trip to the mountains where they first work their butts off and then have a camp out on the forth day. The only problem is that all the males get the intensive work while the females get the easy work! That did not work well in the end when the students arrive at the campsite. Because of the deprivation of pretty much everything else, the male students goes girl crazy at the end.
As you see in the picture above at night, Hinata and Misaki get locked into a storage shed. The whole event kind of reminded me when Kyou gets locked in with Tomoya in Clannad. The only down side is that they don’t really do anything funny. Nevertheless, it was a pretty hilarious moment and it requires the awesomeness from Usui to save them.
You might be wondering, when Misaki is going to reveal the person she truly likes? It seems that she doesn’t have the self-confidence to admit it since she is a Tsundere after all. In addition to her indecisiveness, the rivalry between Hinata versus Usui and they fight with each other. It’s not likely that this rivalry between them will be solved until the very end when Misaki finally reveals for whom she likes the most.
In the end, it was a decent episode and it was pretty fun. The relaxation in the mountains was good on restoring the spirituality of the male students. Then again, they went girl crazy at the end, so they should really consider not giving such a heavy load of work compared to the females. Lastly, Misaki, just decide what guy you like already! It’s really not that hard to decide which boy you like considering you nursed Usui back to health and you are completely annoyed at Hinata. Then again, love is always difficult when it comes to tsundere girls and that is a fact.
Next Episode: Hinata finds out Misaki’s secret.
Verdict
8.5/10
Amagami SS – Sae Nakata’s Arc – Final Impressions
Well, this was perhaps the most enjoyable arc out of the series that tried to differentiate itself from the earlier arcs. It was filled with so much cuteness, moe and perverseness that it could not compare.
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5 Centimeters Per Second – Final Review
If you wondering about the title… That is how fast a cherry blossom petal falls.
Several people in the blogosphere, namely Flak and Kimaguresan have suggested me to watch this slice of life/romance/drama movie called 5 Centimeters Per Second. Considering that I have not watched a movie from Makoto Shinkai, which is a well-known director who directed movies that are bittersweet and appealing to the eye, I had high expectations. After watching the whole movie, I was pretty impressed even though the story did not a happy ending.
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Amagami SS – Episode 11 (Sae’s Arc, Part 3) – Meido Sae-chan and the Date
After Junchi have been instructing Sae-chan to help her get a job, she finally made it… but something still bothers him afterwards. I wonder what that problem may be.
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Amagami SS – Episode 10 (Sae’s Arc Part 2) – Junchi Becomes a Player
Do you sense that Junchi is being more perverted than the previous arcs? The other episodes simply cannot compare to the perverseness of this episode. What perverted things Junchi does to Sae? You will see for yourself.
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Amagami SS – Episode 9 (Sae’s Arc Part 1) – The Timid Freshman
It’s a new arc and a new girl. That means that Junchi is companionless, for now…until he ran into Nakata Sae during the summer of course! She just transferred from another school and is in Miya’s freshman class. She is really cute, except that she is super timid as you see later.
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Amagami SS – Kaoru Tanamachi’s Arc Final Impressions
Almost a month later, another arc is finished with some triumph. Kaoru’s arc compared to Haruka’s arc felt more realistic and natural. However, it still suffers the same issues of pacing. The question remains, how well Kaoru’s arc held up in Anime form?
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Amagami SS – Episode 7 (Karou’s Arc Part 3) – Kaoru’s Dilemma
While Junchi had a good time kissing Kaoru in the belly button, Miya was spying on him as always… Since Miya is pissed off, Kaoru became a bit upset when she sees her mother going out with another person.
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Amagami SS – Episode 6 (Kaoru’s Arc Part 2) – Kaoru and More Unusual Kisses
Like in Haruka’s arc, girls seems to hate kissing on the lips for some reason and want to be kissed in unusual places instead. Last time this happened, our hero kissedHaruka puppy style, but what he came up this time with Kaoru?
And while you at it, we might see a more pissed off Miya?
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Part 3 of the Taste Test: Amagami SS Episode 3 and the Love/Hate Fest
Something tells me that Amagami SS looks like a generic harem with ideal archetypes. On the other hand, after I watched this episode, I enjoyed it. Is this the “guilty pleasure” anime I was watching? It sure is since Amagami doesn’t have the greatest character development. It has the over the top situations where the male lead and/or the girl do silly things that make the show sound so funny and enjoyable. Even some people can’t admit that they enjoy the absurdity of the actions in Amagami. However, that is okay since it’s a guilty pleasure after all? Right?
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Kaichou wa Maid-sama – Episode 2 Thoughts and Impressions
Overall, this episode was alot better than the last and it had very funny moments including some boy scaring off girls with a face painted on his body, that caused him to be locked up in a room by Misaki. However, Class 22-2 proposals were too outrageous. Usui tries to convince her to do their last proposal, but the next day it gets shot down and they do a cafe. Usui comes to the cafe while Misaki was working and he seems to like the cat ears on her, but as usual, Misaki is annoyed. Also, about the guys who found out that Misaki is a maid.. well, they are her fans and she brings out this “moe moe rice omelet” and wrote annoyed on it. I was laughing by the way… While the preparations for the festival, Misaki was being too harsh to the boys and later when she was taking the trash out while she was working, Usui warned her that if she be too tough on the boys, they won’t listen and also another instance where the girls say Misaki should enjoy what she is doing in her job… This becomes a reality where she lashes out on the Class 22-2 boys which caused them to walk away and yes, Usui participated. She helps the girls who were struggling and suddenly after they see what she was doing decided to help in a appropriate manner. At the end of the festival, Usui finds Misaki and seems to have a interest in her… because, well you know…
Anyways, the whole premise of the whole episode was funny… Yes, there was somewhat less yelling, especially towards the end… but as it seems.. even though Misaki find Usui annoying sometimes, Usui seems to like her that much that he is a regular customer at this maid cafe… no matter what… and yes, she was cute with the cat ears and the maid outfit… lol… and how she lashes out was also funny, but then again… Is the second part of the episode evident that she is becoming less harsh to the boys… I don’t think it will stay once things go back to normal… Anyways… can’t wait what will be in the next episode since this is a pretty interesting story… and also funny as well.
Verdict
8.4/10
Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Second Season – Final Impressions
It’s pointless now to write about Episode 12, so let’s go to the final review…
Content
The major problem beside the less focus on Haruka (more of a source material issue than the anime itself) is the fanservice… Fanservice everywhere, but not on the level of more fanservice oriented shows like Kampfer. Its plot and fanservice was alot worse than this. Gives Purezza a new meaning.
Some complaints on the Anime focusing on other character’s plots and not on Haruka… These plots were alright and not outright bad… Actually, they are good except that they are not about Haruka like in the first season. The good thing is that the plot wasn’t lame at all compared to Kampfer, which is a piece of s*** (no offense) and had a stupid plot filled with fanservice, but yeah.
Give some credit when it’s due… this is a extremely sweet series mainly because of those Haruka and Yuuto moments. That alone is the major cause TV diabetes 1 in 4 males… The almost kiss is the biggest and cruel running gag of the season… but I approve Haruka fanservice… It’s a good mindless romance comedy, but you cannot expect much from it beyond it… thats all and certainly does not compare with Seitokai, which is a better comedy show material wise… IMO or even the plot-heavy romance titles.
With the Idol arc, Yuuto finally mans up… and now evidently in Episode 12, he actually said “take your clothes off?” Wow… and of course, Yayoi and Nozomi gets their butts kicked in the end.. It’s great justice, don’t you think?
Now moving on to the lack of Haruka. This is a big deal and a reason why this season is weak. Take this for example. Say you have a movie named Batman, but the movie have no Batman at all, but just Robbin filled with Fangirl stuff. Do you expect the movie to be good at all? The answer is no. This season suffers from this because of the reason mentioned.
Animation
Like always, Diomedea did a pretty good job with animating Nogizaka Haruka, so there isn’t really much to comment here, EXCEPT…. the excessive steam… Perhaps the DVD and the other broadcast will not have this?
Characters
Nothing have changed, except we are introduced to some new maids… including Alice-chan. Most importantly, Yayoi and Nozomi, jerkass managers who tried to take Haruka away, Touka, the most generic tsundere I have seen ever (with her plot having a uncanny resemblance of Hayate the Combat Butler!) and Himemiya Miran, the idol singer.
But then again, where did Haruka go in 6 of the episodes in the whole season?
Music
While the content isn’t the strongest point of this season, the music still sounded pretty good… that no wonder it reached my top 6 on my Last.fm profile (no joking). The OP sounds more powerful and awesome than the last one, although the last one was catchy. The ED however, have them do some kind of new dance and also in super deformed mode… Well, yeah…
Also, the opening theme for the show within a show anime, Nocturne Girl Lacrosse Club also sounded good
Conclusion
For what I have seen, I only can give it a 81%, a B- (in actuality, a 78%, C+ if you really want to be a harsh critic) and I was slightly disappointed by the amount of fanservice, cocktease with the kissing and the lack of Haruka… The show had some strong points like music and most part animation, but content is lacking a bit underneath the fanservice and the lack of Haruka. The series IMO would have done better if they took out all the unnecessary and pointless fanservice… otherwise, it would have been better. Would I watch a third season? Maybe, but from watching this, I would have low expectations… which could mean that they would do better next time? Who knows…
Never trust the name Purity in a title ever… you know what that means now… More Fanservice and perhaps stop with the pointless arc sand focus what the show is actually about. ABOUT HARUKA AND HER SECRET GOD DAMMIT! Until next time….
and yes, I do approve of Haruka Fanservice… :p
Verdict
8.1/10, B-
Actual: 7.8/10, C+