Love Lab – 03

Now that she knows Sayo is after her, Maki is working herself to the bone, worrying Riko. Eno, desperate to get Maki to acknowledge her, yells insults from the roof. Eno and Sayo sneak into the council office and Sayo finds a binder containing Maki and Riko’s love research, which she plans to use as leverage. When Maki collapses from exhaustion, Riko asks Sayo to return as treasurer. Sayo tells her about her and Eno’s scheme, and Eno shows up as Sayo is praising her. Eno defends her actions to Riko as wanting to get acknowledge.

She demands Riko quit as Maki’s assistant. Riko refuses, and talks break down. When copies Eno makes get mixed up, the incriminating love research is distributed to the student council during their meeting, upsetting them. Riko pins the blame on “President” Eno, but Sayo comes up with the story the research was not personal, but being done in response to a request from the suggestion box. All four girls escape the meeting unharmed, and Eno decides to return, this time as vice-president, and Sayo as Treasurer.

Love Lab was very clever in this very involved third week. Last week it undersold the characters of Eno and Sayo as fairly standard school rivals bent on making life difficult for our heroines, Maki and Riko, so they can return to their old posts. This week they get a lot more fleshed out, all the more surprising considering our initially low expectations. This week Maki and Riko’s situation is weighed against Eno and Sayo’s and in the end we sympathize with both, especially when all four end up on the hot seat with the council regarding the love research (the distribution of which was very blatantly telegraphed). Also, in the end, it behooves all parties involved to make peace and re/join forces.

It’s good that that’s the case, and that they all arrive at that conclusion without too much dilly-dallying. Everyone stands to gain something: With more help, Maki won’t get overworked and die, and Riko can focus on more love research, leaving all other council matters to the others. Sayo will get to handle the money again, and her friend will be back in a position of power (vice is better than nothing). Eno shows maturity by accepting the vice presidency. Her ability to and ease with trusting and relying on others will gradually rub off on Maki, while Maki’s efficient work ethic will rub off on Eno. All’s well that ends well, but with these four (plus Suzune, so five), things are just beginning.

Rating: 8 (Great)