Anime/Love Lab

I could almost taste the tears of the yuri fans

I can't deny that I really enjoyed the interaction between the girls and the boys.

Maki's Kyaa~s bumped her up to best girl this episode.

That's a lot of plot threads. Boys, love advice, the newspaper club...

Most interested in the possible romance with the boys, obviously. XD Time to put that research to good use.

Episode 6. In which Riko stops digging. Somewhat.

I'm not sure why Riko took Maki's explanation of what happened at face value. She should know how odd she thinks and reacts to things.

The addition of guys make it better. Less following the same line as before, and more variation. Also less just talking about stuff and more doing stuff and see how well it actually works in practice. They seem like good foils for the girls, too. Which has potential. More importantly, this makes me wonder a bit about those yuri goggles. The show has pretty explicitly been about dating boys, or at least the attempt and training to, so any expectation the conclusion being yuri seems a bit forced to me. Doesn't mean it can't evolve in that direction, but that's not what the aim seems to be. Now, expecting hints of that on the way is another thing, though.

I wonder what will happen with the two meddling girls...

The first episode had a lot of trimmings and effects you'd expect in a yuri series that, after a brief browse through the equivalent chapter of the manga, didn't happen in the manga. This means it's a directorial decision, and a bit of a bait and switch in a way.

Also come volume 5, apparently the series drops all the other girls entirely and focuses on Riko and Maki's relationships with their respective boyfriends. Talked to a few readers on Twitter about this, and they found the transition particularly jarring. It's still a comedy, but it's not the same type of comedy the manga started out with.

edited 11th Aug '13 4:37:58 PM by MyssaRei

A bait for the goggled, I suppose.

edited 11th Aug '13 5:04:35 PM by AnotherDuck

What, the other girls are dropped? Volume 5 better be a temporary focus arc or something.

Here's a hint, it's past Volume 6 now.

No wonder its pissed off some people. Yikes.

Episode 7. In which there are harsh insults. Harsh, I tell you.

"Is this the wrong way to go about it?" Yeah, she deserved that fan to the head. And that smile she had made me think she was trolling... Makes me wonder about how much of a ditz she really is sometimes.

I like Ren's reaction to the eyebrows. And his reasoning behind.

They kinda treat him somewhat unfairly, though. You know, in the regular harem-protagonist-unfair kind of way. Though he did get his revenge.

Which conveniently lets Riko and Sacchan meet up.

Tempting fate there, Rentarou.

Episode 8. In which Riko is feminine.

And it's a complete knock-out. For everyone. But especially Sayo. Which is funny.

How can there be favouritism if the letters are anonymous?

"I'm embarrassed to have a friend like this!" That's rather satirical of her.

Ah, the race of a lifetime. Sort of like doing a sack race after spinning in circles with your head on a baseball bat ten times fast.

"Riko would love this picture." She did.

"Break this delusion at once!"
"What? But it's so cute."

And then Riko countered with her own... Yeah, don't count on her being the straight man if she finds it funnier not to.

That ending was... less amusing.

The favoritism likely refers to not answering the requests in the Broadcasting Club's suggesiton box.

Episode 8:

• Dear god why didn't anyone paper fan Girly Riko
• Riko's copycat schtick was funny, in part thanks to the lively animation.
• Suzu snapped! Wahaha. Typical anime girl complex.
• "I'm embarrassed to have a friend like this!" Kitakubu girl, take note. That's how you make retorts.
• Delusion Breaker!
• "The time you get to spend with me is. My. Gift. To. You." Really sappy. XD Mizushima really does seem to be on an unlucky streak; she's practically the butt monkey of the week.
• Looking forward to who is most probably Suzu's Nii-chan taking care of things next week!

edited 25th Aug '13 7:01:49 AM by fillerdude

Just a heads up, apparently Crunchyroll's picked this up.

Episode 9. In which there's acting.

Let's start with a bomb casually dropped.

Isn't it hilarious when someone realises she's being a hypocrite and no one wants to hear what she was about to say coming from her?

I think threatening to get people emotionally invested in her was one of the smartest plans she's had. Whether or not she actually intended to go that far.

"Save the Crybaby Competition for some other time!" You know, I was just about to write something like that, and then she went ahead and said it.

Wow, Riko and Maki are on the same page. Has that ever happened? They're also using the same kind of passive-aggressive insulting compassion Sayo usually uses.

Someone's not happy with the shut-up-and-deal plan... Hilariously so. But she's got a lovely laugh.

edited 30th Aug '13 7:14:26 PM by AnotherDuck

That really was a lovely laugh. Who knows, that might have been just the thing that netted Sayo a boyfriend.

I'm not sure why Sayo quitting the council is that big a cause for drama, but fortunately the episode quickly becomes more lighthearted and... awesome.

"[Self-sacrifice] is... not a good thing, you know?" XD

Enomoto actually had a... maybe not good, but it was certainly an interesting plan.

Sometimes I think Maki enjoys getting paper-fanned... Ah, the curse of journalists: finding things man was not meant to know.

The Save-Mizushima plan was brilliant. Mixing in facts, making use of "stocks" and even guilt-tripping the teacher... I'm so proud of them. I was wrong about Suzu's Onii-chan, but looks like we will be seeing him and some other older brothers next episode!

Episode 10. In which there are siblings.

Does it count as spoilers if it's a one-off gag? I don't count it.

Sayo's outnumbered. I can't really say she doesn't deserve what's coming, though...

Why would she trip over her feet after skillfully avoiding people and chairs just because she doesn't have her glasses?

The length of her hair isn't consistent either. Sometime to her shoulders, sometimes a bit past. It probably should be about at its longest. Which is cuter than her usual, though the usual is cuter than the shortest it's drawn on occasion.

You know, when she was in front of the door to the storage, there's another door to the right. Once inside, that door would be blocked by one of the book cases.

"What's your favourite era?"
It's okay to be confused at that point.

"You better not have used the school budget for this."
Good reaction from Prez, there.

"I'd cry if someone saw me like this."
*click*
You know, don't stand in front of the open window if you don't want to be seen.

That big brother is a weirdo. He's not wrong about ponytails, though.

Big Bro uses Bro Bus. It's super effective.

Prez uses Dazzling Smile. It's super dazzling.

Riko's friend is cute.

Episode 11. In which Maki is cute.

Riko still has the skill to cut through delusions. With a paper fan.

How to turn something much more obscene: Abuse mosaic.

I must say, I found it funny when he flicked Riko's forehead when she said he was cute.

You know, it's really mean to curl her hair just after she told her silky, long, black, and most importantly straight hair is popular... So why am I laughing?

So, to become popular, either use a large fan, or wait for a typhoon. Well, at least she's as grounded in reality as usual. And I'm not sure they'd look at her hair in that typhoon, if she was wearing those clothes...

Dance in front of the school. Sure. Play in a bad. Umm... Fish. Maybe she'll pull up a boot that can be used to kick some sense into her?

I find it rather unusual for people to confuse first and last names like that. Not unheard of, but unusual.

That pink white-striped bow on the top of Riko's head is unexpectedly cute.

But overall, Maki is looks cute when she's reacting to a lot of things, whether her head is bowed down while meeting a boy at cram school, getting a blue face from one of many situations, trying not to laugh at the paper, or flinching when Riko's slapping her with a fan. Repeatedly.

I'd buy that paper. Priceless.

Episode 12. In which Riko decides to spill the beans.

But she's decided that many times now.

Maki gets lonely easily.

Riko uses Puppy-Dog Eyes. It's relatively effective.

"She's weird, but don't you call her that." Well, those things really are better if they come from friends...

"She's absolutely terrified of me, but she thinks of me as a boy. Success!"

Maki's smirk at being ahead was somewhat unusual for her, but funny.

I spot a Huggy in the crowd surrounding Riko in Maki's fantasy.

Maki's rather good at reading people. Too bad her conclusions aren't as good.

"I'm glad she didn't hear." Yeah, me too. Would've turned nasty otherwise.

That very last scene was just downright amazing, directing-wise.

Finally caught up! Thank you Crunchyroll!

It's a hilarious series. I like watching it a lot.

Also, I can't believe I'm saying this, but Sayo is best girl. Her boyfriend is a lucky guy.

Episode 13. In which there are tears.

Good disguise.

"Let's practice!" I'm kind of surprised no one overheard...

Yeah. Maki and Riko not being Boke and Tsukkomi is what's wrong. Let's go with that.

Nagi's being a good guy. Yan less so.

Rather heartwarming the way she couldn't actually say she'd quit.

Riko really loved Eno's reaction. More "normal", and more punishing. Helps with Riko's guilt.

edited 27th Sep '13 1:37:05 PM by AnotherDuck

Episode 13: I am so glad things got cleared up already. Riko and Maki making up (if it can be called that) actually touched me. T'was nice.

This was definitely one of the better shows this season, and I'd be glad if it gets an S2~

I liked how this show balanced it's comedic elements with an actual plot. They pretty much ended it at a perfect point.

Just checked out the first episode.

Not too bad. I love the silliness.