The episode image is of Konata holding her hands palms out at neck/lower face level. The tip of her tongue is sticking out of a small smile, and the tops of her eyes are rounded. It's a pleasant picture, I think.
mercy is...
Hey, they actually shaded this one for reasons other than trying to express the emotions of the characters.
Kagami comes in and tells Konata that there was a place in a game she borrowed that she didn't get to the other day. Konata reminds her that it's more fun if you solve it on your own. Kagami figures that's true, and since Konata understands that, she should do her own homework by herself.
detective
But then they went back to unshaded the very next strip.
Konata is reminded that detectives in games and manga (and TV, and regular books, and...) keep running into murders. Kagami points out that the plot doesn't progress if they don't. Konata is wondering if they don't do background checks or finding out if a client's spouse is having an affair, which is apparently most of what the real thing does, according to the websites Konata reads. Kagami asks if Konata would enjoy watching ("watching"? You play games and read manga. If you include the other media, then maybe "watch" is appropriate... then again, a lot of games have cutscenes...) Konata concedes that it wouldn't be fun, and would lack the thrill.
reality
Konata notes the lack of fiction's clever tricks in real cases. Kagami figures the really gruesome stuff gets censored. Konata gets the idea that such difficult cases end without the public knowing... or are never solved. Kagami considers that a risky line.
times have changed
Tsukasa asks Konata if she hates that there's so much rain lately. Konata notes that she used to like the rain. Tsukasa says how it gets you wet and keeps your (hung) laundry from getting dry (I guess clothes dryers aren't used that much in Japan...?), making your clothes smell funky, so she's not favorable toward it. She asks Konata why she liked it; Konata replies that rain would cause the sports broadcasts to be canceled, thus allowing her to watch anime like normal. Tsukasa notes how much it's like Konata to say that. (Definitely not with the facial expression Kagami would have.)
seasons that roll by
Konata is feeling extra-gloomy now. Tsukasa asks what's wrong. Konata says she hates sports broadcasts, and with the Olympics coming up, all sorts of sports are being broadcast...
various people
(The title of anime episode 3!)
Konata is thinking. The topic? She notes that in manga, extremes of academic aptitude are often represented within the same school. She finds this strange when you think about it, while recognizing that it adds flavor. Beat Panel while Kagami looks at her. Kagami totally agrees.
entrance exams
Kagami is surprised Konata got accepted. She wonders if Konata pulled an all-nighter for her entrance exam, given her skill with doing so for normal tests. Konata looks away, at first with a frown... then a smile, leading them to believe she actually did that.
controlling people's minds
Konata lets on that it did take more than one night. Kagami is surprised she was able to sustain it, based on her usual study habits. Turns out her father said he'd get her a game system, based on the rank of her school: if she got into a school ranked "D", she'd get a Dreamcast; if she got into a C-rank school, she'd get a PS 2. (This school netted her a PS 2 and a computer.) Kagami notes mentally that he knows how to control her. She also wonders why he has to do that just to get her to put some effort into it.
but more so
But all this talk gets Konata to thinking...
Beat Panel, with a question mark by Tsukasa's head.
Konata wonders how Tsukasa got into the same school as them. Kagami doesn't know, either. Tsukasa is shocked that it wasn't harder for her to say.
most proficient genre
Konata beats Kagami again. Kagami says she can't win against Konata if it's a fighting game. Konata tells her to pick anything else, even something that's not a fighting game. Kagami challenges her to a quiz game, confident of her own victory.
However, Kagami loses, which comes as a shock to her. She wonders if Konata memorized the questions and answers...
reason
Tsukasa, Kagami, and Konata are sitting around the table. There are sweets of some sort on a napkin (US definition) or something on the table. Konata notices that Kagami hasn't eaten any for a while, which is unusual. Kagami claims that there's no reason behind it. Konata guesses that she's dieting for the summer, which Kagami denies. Konata notes that Kagami doesn't have anyone to show her bathing suit to, prompting Kagami to tell her she doesn't need to go there.
a sudden conversation
In class, Konata is nodding off. Kuroi-sensei calls on her to answer a problem. Konata says she wasn't sleeping, leading Kuroi to believe otherwise.
a reliable girl
Tsukasa notices that she forgot her English textbook. Konata recommends that she borrow Kagami. Kagami calls her careless, and advises her to check her bag the night before. She hands it over anyway and is thanked. Konata remarks that Tsukasa forgets a lot of things. Kagami notices that Konata hardly forgets her textbooks. Konata claims to be reliable on that count. She leaves her textbooks there, and they're there when she returns. Kagami doesn't think that's being reliable.
is that so?
Kagami points out that leaving them there prevents her from rehashing the material, but Konata doesn't do that anyway. Kagami says not to tell her she leaves them there even when there's an exam coming. Konata realizes that that may be why she forgets to do her homework, but Kagami just thinks she has no will to.
image
Konata asks to see Kagami's homework for that afternoon's Japanese class. Kagami wonders why Konata doesn't go to Miyuki for that, since she's in their class. Konata feels that Miyuki seems to be too good a person to ask that of, but she isn't sure if Kagami understands the feeling. Kagami kinda gets it, but it's unsatisfactory.
it took a bit longer
Kuroi-sensei calls for Izumi, then asks if she's late. Konata opens the door, saying she's not late. She expains her tardiness as being the result of helping someone out, and listening to the one she helped afterwards, and it took longer than anticipated. Kuroi understands, and says it's a good thing, but asks what game she's talking about.
i got caught
Kuroi-sensei calls for Izumi, then asks if she's late. Konata opens the door, saying she's not late. She explains her tardiness as being the result of some guy deciding to hit on her, and that group of guys being persistent, and... Kuroi finds herself in a bind because the story is full of holes, and yet, she would feel bad nitpicking them, both as a teacher and as a human being.
thought of a mania
Konata sees that there's a quo-card giveaway for Comp-Fest. Kagami asks if she actually uses them. She doesn't. Kagami wonders why she bothers. Konata asks if Kagami doesn't want items with her favorite titles when they come out, just to collect them, and as a fan of the series. Kagami has to think about this. Konata decides that she doesn't, and therefore, Konata herself must be an otaku, and strange. Kagami says she vaguely understands, but tells her not to resolve herself in such a strange way.
(For the first time, but definitely not the last, the mangaka puts a second punchline in the otherwise empty space beside the strip, effectively making it a fifth panel.)
Kagami asks if Konata is just going to look them over later. Konata tells her that she gets happy just by having it in her hands.
Next time: episode 10!
