I feel like the things I like about Binan Koukou change each week. At least, the particulars do but, if I boil it all down to a core, each particular leads to the same place: a sincere, fun loving, focus on friendship between some really cool hetero guys stuck in what is definitely not a traditionally hetero scenario.
They’re cool, because they are amongst top scoring, wealthiest, most popular at their high school. They’re cool because they enjoy hanging out and BSing through the natural boredom of high school. They are cool because, even though it’s totally not how they want it, they enjoy each other’s company and they’ll fight to keep that company.
This week’s monster is a shut in and BK goes out of its way to say HAKIMURI: IT’S ALL YOUR OWN DAMN FAULT!
No, seriously. En-chan’s transformation into a friend-chasing-away jerk is all on him. He becomes erratic, unreasonable, and so touchy (due to the monster) that his best friend can’t even give him space without getting an ear full. It’s very ‘no matter what you do, this kind of person will always be upset.’
Fortunately, En-chan is also pissed off enough as a cool guy by this to turn his wrath onto the monster who caused the transformation in the first place. That, and Green is a cool guy who won’t backs down on love… erg, places a premium on their friendship.
Together, they beat the crap out of the monster and Yumoto even lets them do the two finishing moves. They even get to say ‘love is over’ to the confusion of the rest of the Battle Lovers.
Best moment? Probably when Yumoto transforms in front of the club room but realizes mid speech that he’s the only one doing it. Nice touch that he says ‘I feel like all my effort was for nothing’ by the end too, because he really wasn’t necessary for 90% of the conflict.
As silly as it was, I also enjoyed watching Blue and Green get to wield the Love Stick and beat the (nicely designed) monster to bits. The cup of noodle on top of the monster was also a nice touch.
So a super simple episode, lacking the complexity of last week’s but fun and well paced all the same. Really, the pacing had a lot to do with it, as it never felt like it was dragging on, nor did the ‘arguments’ have enough screen time to wear out their welcome.
As always, it’s light and fun. If you can live with that ‘lower art’ treatment than Yurikuma, or its less dramatic setting than Death Parade, and the lack of a richly detailed historic setting as seen in Junketsu No Maria, you may well find this to be the top show of the season.
I know I do, even if my ratings peg it a few notches lower.
RABUJOI - An Anime Blog 