Junichi clearly isn't into breaking the kinds of moral boundaries that would be broken with this sort of play.

The conclusion of the Rihoko arc brings an end to the long awaited question of whether she would ever manage to formalize relations with Junichi. In this episode, we had Rihoko successfully fend off a potential suitor, followed by 17 minutes of awkwardness before Junichi made his move. Altogether, this wasn’t a particularly great episode. However, for those who wanted closure, it successfully accomplished its mission.

Makabe, you gave up too easily, you had a chance if you argued Junichi's weak points

So first, the episode picks up with Makabe in the alley. After she confesses to him her feelings for Junichi he backs off. This is entirely necessary just for it to make sense in the Amagami world. While there are undoubtedly people out there who would want Rihoko to end up with any random guy off the street because Junichi (delete as desired) doesn’t deserve her/want to see Junichi humiliated, Makabe has to move on. His scattergun approach to dating just has to be rejected in favor of Junichi hooking up with the girl he’s been close to the whole time. The world just seems too cruel otherwise.

These two also made an appearance. Why?

The awkwardness that followed for most of the rest of the episode pretty much fits in as well. It is incredibly difficult to take a relationship that has been firmly in the childhood friend category. They each knew what their own feelings were for the other, though Junichi was safe in knowing that his feelings were reciprocated. However, Miya kept getting in the way at the worst possible time.

You know what this episode needed, a photo montage

Fortunately, her interference came through in the end. Her taste for combining every single shaved ice flavor into a single mountain of flavor meant that her sleeping pattern was disturbed to a heavy extent. So she tried to use the bathroom in Junichi’s room. In the process, it woke both Junichi and Rihoko up so they could have their all important conversation.

Oh to be that smiley face, thinks 90% of the viewers

It’s actually a pretty well done scene from the beginning. Sparklers mark both the start of their friendship and the start of their relationship. A whole 12 years of history between the two marked by something they did every summer as kids. Coming at the same time as they should be transitioning into something resembling adulthood, it is great symbolism. As Junichi stumbles and the last sparkler stops, it truly marks the end of their childhoods. The summer vacations of their past would be replaced by the feelings for each other that they could not put into words until now.

After 140 minutes of Rihoko arc, Junichi finally makes his move

Now onto the important question of why this arc had to take 6 episodes to get to confessions rather than 4 for all of the other characters. I think the plodding along as friends for over a decade tends to make it harder for them to make the leap to the next stage of their relationship. It had never been defined in romantic or sexual terms when they first became friends.

This is why Makabe’s approach is relevant. He effectively forced Rihoko into framing her relationship with Junichi in different terms than what she was used to. Her overheard confession had the same effect on Junichi. Before, he had just thought of her as a friend with assets that were nice to look at from time to time. Now, he had to ditch the friendship angle and think of her as a woman. That he did so in a single night should actually be commendable from a lead character like him rather than waffling for dozens of episodes doing nothing.

And just like that, Miya is back to cockblocking her brother.

So next week the show moves on to the Ai arc. The first time through had its share of haters, though having watched it recently I couldn’t fault much beyond the infamous talking ramen scene. However, apart from seeing her struggle at swimming again or a new rival arriving, I don’t see how they could manage to add much to the original arc. Then again, the same applied to Tsukasa.

I think he may want to get that treated

The third episode of Nisemonogatari sees the introduction of a new character, a return to the beginning location of the series and a plot that begins to move with Hanekawa looming large in the background. Koyomi finishes cleaning Kanbaru’s room before they talk some more over cards before he leaves. He immediately runs into a man named Kaiki who has a very ominous presence and much more. Finally, Koyomi runs into Hitagi before their usual conversational topics turn to Kaiki which ultimately led back to the scene at the beginning of the first episode.

This isn't in any way creepy is it?

The opening scenes involving Kanbaru really reflected two common ideas that have frequently. Those would be the ideas that Koyomi is far too kind to the women around him, but at the same time those same women have no one else to turn to when they are in trouble but Koyomi. Kanbaru makes the first point early on as she diagrams what she thinks would be his harem relationship future; married to Hanekawa, with Nadeko and herself as mistresses. He nervously insists that he will marry Hitagi, but there didn’t seem to be much sincerity in those words.

Nadeko's headband always seemed to fall in rather odd places

Kanbaru points out that his kindness can be exploited quite easily. The first case in point is simply the fact that the conversation continues. She brings out a card game that she doesn’t know the rules to just so she can talk to him a bit longer. He promptly trounces her despite not particularly caring before it moves on to the second case. He brings up learning about Twister from Nadeko, but passed it off as though there was nothing to it. Kanbaru knows that was actually mid-level seduction technique.

That's a rather desolate entranceway

Finally, Koyomi asks her a rather obvious question; had anyone asked her about the fact that her arm was wrapped up. She just simply explained it as an injury to those close to her, but her mother didn’t seem to care about it at all even though her grandparents were concerned about her. However, she doesn’t want them to ask. Kanbaru clearly has family issues where she’s built walls around herself until she no longer has to live with her family.

I wouldn't be so quick as to designate Kaiki as a villain, maybe misguided in thinking he's doing the right thing

After that came a conversation with Kaiki, a man who could symbolize dead trees as much as any character that could be created. There wasn’t much that I got out of this particular conversation. He already realized he was pretty much evil as hell by telling Koyomi that kindness would be wasted on him. Koyomi thought he had a similar vibe to Oshino, but that was about it.

The truth she says here is quite a paradox

Then Koyomi ran into Hitagi which began the start of the prolonged conversation they would have at the beginning of episode 1. The conversation on the bridge has to do once again with the attention Koyomi lavishes on other girls. At this point in their relationship it still looked like neither was quite sure what to do. She continued to maintain that she wanted him exclusively, he was noncommittal simply because he still didn’t understand what it meant to be in a relationship. They each say that they are working hard to maintain their relationship, but there doesn’t quite seem to be the gravitas to back that up.

So when Kaiki is brought up by Koyomi, that is when Hitagi made the decision to kidnap him, for his own protection. He had been the first person brought in to deal with her weight issue, which explained the similarity to Oshino. Their conversation didn’t really revolve around that point that much.

It's the return of Senjougahara Fascination

If the conversation in the first episode was devoted to Koyomi having to really accept how Hitagi felt about him, this conversation went the other way. In this scene, Hitagi went from viewing Koyomi as a possession that she absolutely had to protect from the danger of Kaiki. That changed immediately after receiving the text from Tsukihi pleading for help. He said he was going home, though she said she wasn’t afraid to fight him, which is why he loved her. He quickly turned it around and asked her if she would love him if he did nothing. Of course she loved him for the way he put himself in danger for others, but she just had to overcome the possible perception that she let him put himself in danger. It’s a surprisingly touching scene considering the circumstances.

Chiaki's got her eye on what's truly important

The 3rd episode of Pirates sees the attempted cyber attack on the Odette II come to a rather abrupt end before the ship eventually sets sail. In the middle of the episode a temporary halt to activities involving Marika from the groups chasing after her is declared just in time for exams at the school. The trip planned by the upperclassman goes ahead afterwards, but they run into issues immediately after leaving port. The younger students have to go outside the ship to make repairs where Marika once again proves herself.

Interesting can design, but sadly unopened.

One of the first things that struck my attention in this episode was a can of beer and what it meant for Kane’s dual roles. After Marika’s lame excuse for turning on the Odette II’s cyber warfare defenses, his conversation with Misa was entirely on the topic of piracy. Therefore, he thought it was perfectly fine to be drinking after classes. Later, as he’s adjusting to his role of teacher and having to grade the tests, he refrains from drinking the beer that Misa handed him. I’d suggest that means that he’s not the light-hearted character he seemed to be in the earlier episodes. He takes whatever role he is doing with all seriousness.

Marika is shocked that Chiaki knows her better than she knows herself

Secondly, the relationship between Chiaki and the rest of her new classmates seems to be changing. It all started with the rather innocuous -chan being added to her name by Marika on the Odette II which pretty much established that Marika saw her as a friend. That name quickly spread to Mami calling her that in the cafe as she grabbed another one of her parfaits.

It still looks like a one-sided friendship at this point though Chiaki isn’t very hostile at this point anymore. However, it’s already as though they know each other very well. Marika knows that doing things with a noble cause motivates Chiaki to help her. Chiaki, on the other hand, knows just by Marika’s actions that the decision to become a pirate has already been made even if Marika doesn’t know it yet. The relationship between the two continues to be one of the best aspects of the series to date.

Ririka doesn't get much screen time at all in this episode

Finally, Pirates continues with a realistic portrayal of space as the Odette II sets off. Last week, I compared it to Odin in pushing the boundaries of boredom in portraying maintenance routines. Fortunately, there was enough happening in this episode to make it feel fresh. Communication on the bridge seemed to be rather mundane as they exited the port up until the moment when the ship’s sail failed to deploy properly. At that point, it started to become a bit of an adventure.

Customized suits for their first trip in open space, talk about thinking ahead

Obviously, there were the customized space suits for all but Kane, Chiaki and Marika. I think coming after the banter between girls in the locker room this helped establish that this wasn’t going to be a normal repair job. The decompression in the airlock had a surprising amount of tension. Then came the amazement of the girls as they first looked out into the void of space and then at the wonderful background. Upon seeing the problem with the mast, Marika is put in charge because she knew what to do immediately. It’s another good moment for a future captain.

We are but tiny specks in the vastness of the universe.

There was still a concern I had with one particular aspect of this episode. I think the next twist in the story is being completely telegraphed. Chiaki told Marika there would be trouble on the cruise, which is easy enough to dismiss. Then when discussing which channels to use, Kane told Jenny to use discretion when changing communication channels particularly when there were people outside that no one should know were outside. I have a distinct feeling that scenario may come to pass.

Despite how it all turns out in the end, there are probably people out there who see this as OTP

After the conclusion of the events at Iserlohn, the Empire launches an offensive on the 30th anniversary of Friedrich’s coronation. Reinhard is pleased that he’s able to participate in an expedition, but at the same time he’s reach a new level of cynicism because of how they got there. On the Alliance side, Rear Admiral Holland sees himself as the new Ashbey and the higher-ups pretty much let him have their way. When the battle gets underway, he impresses everyone on the Imperial side, except Reinhard and Kircheis who are unimpressed by his abandonment of tactics.

The episode began with the announcement of the expedition, which was driven more by Friedrich’s terrible domestic record as a ruler than anything else as he reached the rare milestone of 30 years of rule. Muckenburger, for his part, was hesitant to push for the move into Alliance space, but he could do nothing other than look dignfied while powerless. This was something Reinhard picked up on as the fleets launched from Odin.

Reinhard was at his cynical best at the launch of the fleets

On the Alliance side, there was already anticipation of an invasion, so fleets had been moved in to intercept. However, they had not adequately supplied them, so private merchants were hired to do some of the work. Unfortunately, Lobos had told the escort ships not to take too many risks before the big battle, so they generally abandoned the merchants at the first sign of trouble.

This came to a head in one incident where a group of merchant ships were left with one cruiser to protect them against a pair of Imperial cruisers. The Grand Canal protected the civilian ships, but the crew lost their lives in a massacre. This was seen as a triumph by the Alliance military who held a ceremony to celebrate the sacrifice that was made.

Ashbey could be an arrogant asshole to the media, so why can't I?

The promising Rear Admiral Holland was on hand to tell the media how they would make amends for the lives lost by beating the Empire. He was also being compared to Ashbey before the coming battle, which he also welcomed. Yang was also there, and gave a quote about how they should have given the Grand Canal some help rather than posthumous medals. The press officers were quick to usher him away, though.

The preparations for the battle progressed. Holland had his obvious plan to choose Tiamat as the battlefield approved by saying he would replicate Ashbey’s total victory. On the Empire’s side, Reinhard was giddy with the disagreements taking place between Muckenburger’s subordinates, but he would have to attend a strategy meeting with him to his regret. At that meeting, Reinhard could only think about how both sides were incredibly stupid in how they fought battles, but when asked he intentionally gave no thoughts on strategy. He also thought it was rather silly that champagne was brought out to celebrate a victory in the battle that hadn’t even started yet. The commanders on each side were a perfect match tactically from Reinhard’s point of view, in a bad way.

Let's have a toast to the battle that we've only won on paper

Just as the battle was about to get underway, Holland sent communications to the other Alliance commanders asking for autonomy from the rest of the fleets. While Bucock argued with him over the idea, Holland’s insults of his age and more generally his charisma won him the argument.

The battle began with Reinhard’s fleet stationed safely in support, much like Grimmelshausen’s was at Van Fleet, but the potential to get involved and earn a promotion to Admiral was definitely there. Holland, meanwhile, went on the full offensive with his fleet executing brilliantly fluent movements through the Empire’s front line fleets which had them in a state of panic.

Brilliant! My motivational powers and abandonment of tactics are working.

Reinhard, though, was rather unimpressed. He saw the other commander as someone who thought they were being brilliant by blowing up all tactical theory, when real creativity is coming up with a new theory. However, one of his subordinates was impressed by Holland and made it a point of highlighting that Reinhard was just observing at this point while the other guy was wreaking havoc. Reinhard needed every fiber of patience in his body to wave him away, and though he knew waiting for Holland’s fleet to use up all its energy before moving in. Reinhard wanted to be praised by Kircheis for what he was doing, but he knew that if it worked out Kircheis would ask for Reinhard to forgive them.

Thoughts: Whoever commented all those months ago about the next coming of Ashbey was definitely right. I do like how silly it is that someone could get to the point of commanding a fleet while having absolutely no clue about tactics. It does actually seem somewhat plausible, like a businessman who blows up companies but has a fantastic handshake. The conclusion to the battle will surely come as Holland’s resources run out and Reinhard moves in. That’s probably the command opening Yang needs.

The creation of perverted Junichi part 1

The 3rd episode sees the continuation of the Rihoko arc from the first season with mostly much of the same. There’s the usual combination of her constant worries about her weight, memories of their time as childhood friends and then conversations with her former seniors in the tea club. Finally, the next turn in their relationship is forced upon by one of their classmates.

The guy standing will be playing this arc's half-antagonist

As far as construction of this episode, there was one particularly good part which was well executed for an Amagami episode. One of the students in Junichi and Rihoko’s class was going to try to get two or three girlfriends over the entire summer break, and to be honest I never thought much of it. By the time the end of the episode rolled around it had come full circle. Rejected by all of the other girls he had targeted, he realized that Rihoko was quite attractive, which ultimately forced one of the two to finally make a move.

Her friends are even as tired of the stagnation as we are

As for the rest of the episode, there really wasn’t much to take away from what was one of the more frustrating arcs the first time around. It was essentially more of the same, that even the side characters were commenting on the lack of movement in Junichi and Rihoko’s relationship. Kanae asks Rihoko about it in the first five minutes of the episode and she conveniently runs into Manaka and Ruriko, the former tea club members, who ask the same near the end of the episode.

Fair game to this somehow being plot relevant

In between those questions, we get more of what happened the first time around. Rihoko is lazy about getting up in the morning, Junichi teases her about her weight relentlessly, Junichi does perverted things that she easily falls for, they then remember their childhood when Junichi was also doing perverted things that she easily fell for. The big break in this episode was supposed to be Rihoko going over to Junichi’s house to make dinner, which ultimately would have probably come to nothing since neither party would have the courage to tell the other how they felt.

No viewer, you are not allowed to see her undress.

But first, back to the measuring scenes. I really have a hard time believing that the two of them would sneak into a doctor’s office to measure themselves competitively. Junichi’s actions are more believable by messing around with the scale and ogling Rihoko whenever possible in the past and present. The fact that by presenting it as a contest makes her gullible is what I find beyond belief. If she’s so sensitive about her weight, why would she suddenly want to be involved in something where lower weight is worse? Writing for her as a character must be incredibly easy.

Rihoko's nervousness just had to be conveyed via this shot

After acquiring the food needed to give Junichi extra virility from Manaka and Ruriko, things take a sudden turn. Makabe isolates her in an alley almost demanding that she go out with him and giving her no room to escape. It’s all creates a rather disturbing, uncomfortable scene about whether she would just give in to someone who openly sees her as attractive. Would this turn into one of those NTR scenarios a defeat for Junichi because he wouldn’t make the first move? As this is the safe world of Amagami it would not be as she would confess that she already had someone she loved as Junichi looked on. Who that is was of course interrupted by one of those train horns which always seem to interrupt dialogue at just the right moment.

A passing train renders all dialogue spoken at that moment into a cliffhanger.

So as far as next week is concerned, it looks like there’s going to be yet more flashbacks. I just hope something, anything happens to make this relationship move. Actually, I wouldn’t put it past the creators to have Rihoko say she was kidding about the whole confession thing and Junichi to accept that explanation over the one that requires him to act. I really hope they don’t.

Shinbo channels American Beauty in the first minute, troubling but also adding to the image of the sisters as facades.

Last week, I made a rather big deal of separating the message being conveyed in Nisemonogatari from the actual dialogue, and I shall continue to attempt to do the same this week. In this episode, we had Koyomi complete his journey to Nadeko’s house to take part in some games. Then, after agreeing to help Kanbaru help clean her gigantic pile of BL literature she ran into titular character Karen. Finally, he made it to Kanbaru’s where he was hoist by his own petard.

Nadeko goes all out in making sure no one will interrupt her time with Koyomi

As I was watching this episode, I really started to delve into the title of the series itself. Nisemonogatari implies at least a couple of deceptions taking place in the series. Koyomi gets to the root of it immediately by calling his sisters a pair of fakes, but this episode doesn’t exactly get to that point yet. That isn’t to say there’s no fronts being put up here, rather there are some in all three of the relevant scenes.

She puts so much effort into this, but it looks completely silly

Let’s begin with the opening act. Tsukihi’s point about relationships between men and women applies when Koyomi shows up at Nadeko’s house to play some games. False fronts are put up by both sides as they play games in her room alone. Nadeko presents ever more promiscuous versions of herself to Koyomi as the games allow. Koyomi has to remind himself that he is there to play games with her and that he cannot allow himself to be attracted to her at all. All the while, a joke is being played on the audience. Mainly that the whole situation is as meaningless as the play money being thrown around in their game of Life. Koyomi would never make a move as the situation is now. Nadeko doesn’t have the will to do anything beyond tempting him. Even as they play games together, their relationship is going nowhere as these two may never be able to settle for being friends.

The looking cool in a ridiculous pose is all a bit of a distraction

The second act of the story was on the way to Kanbaru’s when Koyomi ran into Karen doing handstands. Again, both characters are putting up fronts, though we don’t quite know the extent of Karen’s. Karen immediately pierces through Koyomi’s defenses when she says that he simply doesn’t want to talk about himself. Meanwhile, Karen says she’s performing some sort of community service. Being the skeptic of his sister’s actions, he questions her on it. Fortunately for her, she’s able to get away from questioning by distracting him using cool lines while in a ridiculous posture.

I can probably relate to some of the actions here. Koyomi’s already agreed to help a friend. Karen is strong enough to where she can probably handle most problems, and she doesn’t really want to deal with him until later. Such is the relationship between the two of them that he knows she’s lying, but he doesn’t really care as she is much lower on the priority chain behind his girlfriend, and her friend and so on.

Almost all of who she is exists in that room, so there's nothing worth covering up, much to Koyomi's dismay

Then on to the third act, which took place over the phone and at Kanbaru’s house. Here, I got a rather interesting take on Kanbaru as a character. Koyomi was coming over to take a look at all of the BL books that had piled up in her room to determine which could be thrown out. She ends up completely naked by the time he makes it over there, which I thought was more symbolic than anything. She was exposing her collection to someone she though of as a friend, and her body served as a symbol for that.

Koyomi entered the darkest part of her collection and she needs that for her BL fix.

It was only when he started evaluating her tastes that the clothing started to go back on her. As he responded ever more tentatively to her perversions that she started to cover herself both in mannerisms and in clothing. The naked basketball camp story was a good example in another way. She was revealing everything to them and it made them all ever more uncomfortable while she retreated to not even playing basketball for the school anymore. So as he gets to work, he quickly stumbles onto a book that fits into her preferred BL genre that must not be thrown out. That he hones in on her preference for handsome men is distressing to her. She’s never had anyone understand her so well and accept her in such a way.

The way she expresses that is first by threatening to strip more clothes, but he had already seen everything to begin with. Then, she forcibly stripped him down against his will. The lines she delivering were very much textbook erotic fiction. Perhaps that was the point she was making, that her preferences looked normal from the outside, but are much darker on the inside. Ultimately, Koyomi was being taught a lesson on how sexual harassment felt from the other side as he vowed never to do it again to Mayoi. Though he hedged that by saying he wouldn’t start the conversation by doing it.

A rather comedic reminder of Koyomi learning a bit of empathy

So in the ends, we end up with Nadeko’s aggressive push being too half-hearted and looking silly anyway, Karen being up to something but Koyomi is too indifferent to care and Kanbaru making an extreme point to prove her own level of perversion. Where else will this crazy summer day take Koyomi?