Bakuman 9

For punching Ishizawa, Akito is suspended for a week, which is fine with him, as it means a week to make names. Moritaka is stuck in a loop of self-loathing, convinced he’s holding Akito back with his substandard art. Still, Miho, impressed with how far he’s come, prods Moritaka to go check on him. When he does, he discovers there’s no reason for excess dread; Akito is fine. Well, fine on the manga front, anyway. It turns out Moritaka isn’t the first or even the second person to have come to check on Akito.

Kaya and Aiko are there as well, and both believe Akito is their boyfriend. Moritaka can only fade into the background as the battle unfolds: both girls make valid points, but Akito insists that both misunderstood his gestures; he never agreed to date anyone. Then it comes down to who he likes more; he doesn’t dislike either. The difference between the two girls finally comes out: Kaya says she’ll support him with his dream, while Aiko insists he quit playing around with manga and shape up. Akito has long since resolved to follow through with this dream, so he cannot be with Aiko. Kaya is victorious.

So the air is once again clear, Mashiro and Akito have their maidens-in-waiting and their priorities in order, and they have no choice but to keep “fighting the fight”. Hattori is ready and willing to meet with them more to critique their next work. Meanwhile, Nizuma has arrived in Tokyo, and he ain’t there to sight-see. The heat will be on. This was a terrific characterization episode for all involved that still kept the story moving and my interest high. Rating: 4

Star Driver 9

New character time: Head goes ‘on vacation’, leaving Marino You, or “Manticore” in charge of the Vanishing Star faction of Glittering Crux (I know, it’s a lot to follow). She has just been made into a Star Driver, but her cybody needs restoring. The other members of Vanishing Star aren’t impressed and will only go along with her as long as it serves their interests. Hers is the only cybody that can scan for the Western Maiden, whom Crux will need to increase their power.

Here’s the twist: Marino’s spunky, eccentric younger twin (by minutes?) sister Mizuno is the Western Maiden! Has Marino joined Crux to protect her sister? I’m not sure how Crux doesn’t suspect Mizuno already; she’s known as the “school freak” and a witch who can talk to animals. She rides on the roof of a bus to school and runs into the boy’s bathroom to save a baby crow she somehow knew was about to fall. It’s here where she meets…Takuto, of course! She promptly falls for him, and is already at the “filling-sketchbooks-full-of-surprisingly-accurate-drawings-of-him” stage when her sister finds out.

Manticore clears one of her subordinates to attack Tauburn before her, in order to gauge his stength. Her man doesn’t last any longer than previous cybodys, because they’re all a stage behind Tauburn, but with each battle Crux learns more. There’s a lot to contemplate now: is Manticore truly looking out Mizuno, or will she expose her out to Crux when the time is right? When will Takuto learn that Mizuno is a maiden, and her sister is a member of Crux (either or both will be interesting)? And will Crux ever gain the third stage that will allow them to face Tauburn on equal ground? Time, as always, will tell. Rating: 3.5

An aside: This seems to be the headquarters of the great Vanishing Star. It’s…just some bar with a dartboard and jukebox. I expected something grander and more sinister, but it’s actually quite hilarious that it’s this normal (and that these high-school age members drink ginger ale). They also have a painting from the same artist as all the paintings in Sugata’s house. In-ter-est-ing…

MM! 9

This festival episode essentially turns into another date for Mio and Taro. As they enjoy various activities, Yuuno is tirelessly searching for Taro, but always seems to have bad timing. All the while, some kind of cloaked strangers seem to be tailing Mio and Taro…they turn out to be her fan club. They kidnap Taro in Mio’s name, but Mio arrives to save him and talk them down. When Mio and Taro hold hands one more time that night, things have the potential to get serious when Yuuno finally catches up with them.

She’s spent her whole day looking for him, while Mio was with him all along? She can’t let that stand…so she grabs Taro’s hand with both of hers, and predictably, can’t handle it, and sends him flying. This triggers his masochism, but also defuses the love triangle crisis for the time being. Not a bad episode, as it featured a little more dere-dere in Mio, which is periodically necessary to balance her more common tsun-tsun side. Rating: 3

Koe de Oshigoto! 1 OVA

This half-hour comedy OVA revolves around Kanna, a student urged by her enterprising older sister Yayoi to become an eroge seiyu for her game company. Such a profession is hard, extremely embarrassing work, as Kanna quickly learns when she has to start comfortably blurting out words and phrases she’s probably never even said before.

The lead actress tells her to become one with the characters, and Kanna’s vivid imagination allows her to literally visualize the scenes she’s recording. She turns in an surprisingly solid debut, justifying the faith Yayoi had in her. The reason she’s able to go so far and say sooo many indecent things into a microphone is this: when their dad died, Yayoi pledged to make enough money in his stead to pay for Kanna’s college. That there’s a nice big sister, somebody Kanna owes big, and thus agrees to take on this unorthodox job of…dubious legality.

Many of this OVA’s sights and sounds are not for the fainthearted, but it all serves to highlight the sheer absurdity of a girl having to do such a job. Eroge exist; and seiyus for eroge exist, and make good money doing it, and are somehow able to keep their work and their lives separate. It’s a challenging, daring theme, but not without a basis in reality.

So the comedy worked well, the voicework was (obviously) top-notch, and the soundtrack ranks among the best I’ve heard this fall. Add to that crisp yet smooth animation and a good pace, and you’ve got yourself an enjoyable, hilarious (if a bit wrong) half-hour. Numerous series this fall have already explored societal taboos (e.g., MM!, Oreimo, and Yosuga no Sora). Count Koe de Oshigoto among the most audacious. Rating: 3.5