Classroom of the Elite – S3 09 – Triggering a Flag

Sakayanagi informs Ayanokouji what he likely deduced on his own: she had Class A use their positive votes on him to spare him expulsion, all so they could have a proper duel. She also chose Yamauchi to expel because he was a dick to her at the training camp. Their chat is interrupted by their soon-to-be new Chairman, Tsukishiro, who will take over in April.

He skips the foreplay and knocks Sakayanagi’s cane out from under her, then pins Ayanokouji to the wall. Little more than a thug, he relays a message from his father: voluntarily drop out now. By not blinking twice, or even once, Ayanokouji refuses. Once Tsukishiro departs with this answer, Ayanokouji proposes that he and Sakayanagi officially compete in the next special exam.

That exam, which will be the last of the school year, involves two Classes competing against one another. Each class choses ten subjects of competition, be it athletics, academics, or games, to create a pool of twenty. Of those, seven will be chosen at random by the school. Each class also picks a captain who can’t directly participate in any subjects, but can guide everyone else.

Sudou and Ike want to know why Ayanokouji won the most positive votes. Suzune defends him, inferring that Sakayanagi betrayed Yamauchi by sending her votes to Ayanokouji. That said, class trust in him has been shaken by the last exam, so he volunteers to be the captain, understanding that if Class C loses to their opponent, he’ll be expelled.

The class isn’t without its malcontents. Kouenji isn’t quite that, but he’s so damn stubborn and whimsical you never know if he’ll pull through or not. As for Yousuke, the last exam straight up broke the guy. Now he harbors no illusions about being nice to anyone, not even Mei, perhaps the sweetest girl in class who is only worried about him.

When Kei calls him out for being mean to Mei, Yousuke glares at her and tells her to stop calling him by his given name, then warns her to get off his case, lest he go nuclear and tell the class their relationship was a complete fabrication. He storms out, and Mei runs after him.

That night we get out Kei-Being-Cute Scene of the Week, as she arrives at Ayanokouji’s dorm with a “Heyo.” He invited her there to talk about various class dynamics as usual, but also to give her a birthday gift. She’s touched he learned it, and when she finds it to be a golden heart necklace, she’s … confused?

Turns out it was the top gift for a high school girl on a website Ayanokouji purused. While it’s the thought that counts, Kei would have preferred he actually pick something out based on what he knew of her. But while she’s critical, she’s not about to reject a birthday gift from the boy she likes, particularly a heart. The old Karuizawa confidence shines through when she admits that she’s so gorgeous, anything looks good on her, which is the truth.

Ayanokouji happens to encounter Manabe and Akane at a crosswalk, and reports that Suzune is giving the newest exam her all. Ayanokouji asks Manabe why he was so rough with Suzune back when they first met, and Manabe’s answer is enlightening. He didn’t want her to perfectly imitate him, because it meant she was dependent on him, rather than growing into her own.

Manabe freely admits (and betrays his high regard for his sister) that if Suzune were to stop “chasing his phantom” and face herself with “perfect honesty”, she’d surpass him, and become someone even Ayanokouji couldn’t ignore. Ayanokouji not only believes Suzune can change in that way, but wants to be the one to try changing her.

On that note, Ayanokouji asks if Manabe and Akane are dating. Akane’s reaction is priceless, as is Manabe’s immediate reply in the negative. Manabe poses the question to Ayanokouji, who admits he does not have a girlfriend at the moment. Manabe wouldn’t mind giving him and Suzune his blessing, but doesn’t see them as a couple. Akane again interjects, warning him not to “trigger a flag”.

The moments of levity in this episode are welcome after that particularly tough voting exam followed by Tsukishiro’s naked brutality towards both Ayanokouji and Sakayanagi. Honestly, the best partner for Ayanokouji may be and may have always been the Short Queen of Class A.

She clearly considers him someone worthy of her attention and her maximum effort, and with Class C going against Class A and one of A’s subjects being chess, it looks like she’s already determined what form their duel will take.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End – 12 – All Who Work Hard are Warriors

Frieren had already shown her trust in Fern and Stark even before their battles with Aura and her lieutenants, but she demonstrates it again as they continue their trudge through a harsh blizzard. Frieren suddenly falls asleep while walking. Without Fern and Stark, she would have frozen to death.

In her sleep she dreams of her party’s visit to the king, who only gave them a pittance in traveling money. Himmel is fine making money doing odd jobs for people on their way to the Demon King. Frieren learns his hero’s sword is a replica, and that Himmel became the man he is in order to prove Heiter wrong: even with a fake sword, he would become a real hero.

Not long after Frieren wakes up (but insisting upon Fern continuing to carry her) they arrive at the Village of the Sword, the custodians of the holy Sword in the Stone (i.e. Excalibur). It’s 49th chief is a little girl, who puts them up in cozy accommodations.

Frieren is fashionably late (by three decades) for her 50-year duty to the village: clearing out monsters. The chief also mentions that the “Lord of the Mountain” has been causing more trouble of late. Still chilled from the long road there, Frieren pushes those threats off until tomorrow.

That morning, the pack wolf-like monsters are no trouble at all for Stark, Fern, or Frieren, and when the so-called Lord of the Mountain shows up, Frieren is not impressed.

Even though it seemingly buries Stark in a shock wave of snow and ice, she doesn’t budge for the duration of their fight. She simply waits for Fern to put up a shield around them, then waits for Stark to lop off the Lord’s arm before she finishes it off with her Zoltraak.

All in all, her 50-year duty is easy-peasy lemon-squeezy. But Stark is confused. Within the cave is the Hero’s Sword, still embedded in the stone. Frieren tells him that Himmel failed to remove it, and went on to become a Real Hero without it. With Frieren, Eisen, and Heiter by his side, they defeated the Demon King.

She assumes the false word that he did pull the sword from the stone was spread by his fans. Someone as long-lived as Frieren has seen the stories of countless people embellished to the point their original identity vanishes. But in Himmel’s case she knows what he did, what he didn’t do, and what he used to do it. Carrying a fake sword didn’t stop him from saving the world.

Freiren, Fern and Stark’s northern travels take them to the first good-sized city in a while. While the youths are free to do what they want, Frieren is content to relax at the inn with a grimoire or two. She also offhandedly mentions that it’s Stark’s eighteenth birthday.

This catches Fern off guard, as now she must get him a gift despite not knowing what he wants. As for Frieren, she shows off her adorably mischievous side by showing Fern her gift for him: a potion that dissolves only clothing. Fern dumps it out on Frieren instead.

Fern searches for Stark, but everywhere she stops he has just left, having helped every single person whose paths he crossed. This gets Fern in a charitable mood, such that when she finally tracks him down, she lets out a rare smile. Unfortunately, her greeting is interrupted by Stark observing that a passing cloud looks like boobs and another like a turd … which is 100% in both cases!

Fern sighs away his childishness and offers to go on a walk with him, and that’s when she asks flat-out what he wants for his birthday. The question confuses him, as he’s never received a gift for his birthday. He then tells her about his village of warriors where weakness wasn’t tolerated, and his older brother Stoltz, the strongest warrior in the village.

His father praised him for defeating monsters without even staining his pure white cloak. But for all his strength and focus, Stoltz cares for his little brother and teaches him as much as he can, even when he gets  mud on that cloak.

His story ends with his village in flames, and him abandoning Stoltz and running away. But Fern tells him the past doesn’t matter, and the warrior Stark she’s known has never run, and she and Frieren will never let him. Changing the subject, she wants to give him a gift to show she cares. He initially asks for a gold bangle, but settles for a silver one.

When they return to the inn, Frieren is preparing gigantic Hamburg steaks, the recipe for which she found in her trunk. It was given to her by Eisen, who used to make the same steaks for the other party members on their birthdays, a custom from his village.

Eisen did it to honor warriors who have worked hard, and as far as he’s concerned, anyone who works hard is a warrior. Stark then remembers that Stoltz made him a Hamburg steak for his birthday once, but didn’t realize it was a gift. The taste nearly brings a tear to his eye, and that’s when Frieren knows she chose well. She also has a little bit of the nudity potion left if he wants it, but Fern again protests.

Rent-a-Girlfriend – 23 – Super Sakurasawa Practice Partner Part III

All Hail Sumi, High Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar Rental Girlfriends. She has Chizuru ask Kazuya if he’ll spend another day with her under the pretense of a “practice date”. In truth, we know Sumi has big birthday plans for Kazuya, and this is a part of that. Also, she’s clearly crushing on the guy. She even wears a school uniform because she thinks he’s into that!

At first the date has an almost breathless pace to it, such that Kazuya and Sumi both are short on breath, but perhaps that’s Sumi’s way of making sure she stays ahead of her jackhammering heart. Unfortunately, watching Kazuya totally geek out over marine life is all too endearing for her.

When she miscalculates the distance to sit for the dolphin show and they get soaked, she feels down for failing as the guide on their date, but Kazuya sweetly lifts that burden by telling her he’s having fun and getting wet is part of the fun of a dolphin show. He also offers her his shirt, as her blouse has gone see-through.

Sumi simply brings out the best in everyone she’s around, Kazuya included. It’s easy to label her a cutie pie, but that label belies an iron strength of will that allows her to cut through her shyness and taciturnity and present her crush with a birthday gift: a hand-knit hat. That same willpower has her grasping Kazuya’s hand when she knows something’s troubling him and tells him he can tell her.

He does, and unloads about Chizuru (without using her name) and how he’s distraught that he can’t do anything about the pain she’s clearly in. It turns out to be a major cathartic moment for Kazuya, as both he and Sumi simply hold hands and cry it out at a spot in Odaiba with a view of Rainbow Bridge.

That extended cry is something he’s never shared with the other girls, and leads to him having a eureka moment at episode’s end about what to do for Chizuru. Naturally, I feel awful that Sumi’s feelings will ultimately be unrequited, and AS next week’s episode is the last, we might not see her at all. But like all good things, it’s best to just enjoy a Sumi date while it lasts. And hopefully it’s spurred Kazuya to finally take some decisive action.

Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie – 08 – Stroke of Noon

Izumi learns a lot of new things about his library buddy Kamiya during their quiet library rest area shifts…except what she’s thinking the whole time. That she’s an idiot for “waiting around” and not taking the initiative when he was still single; that she’s a bad person for having such feelings for someone whose heart belongs to another.

When Nekozaki asks if they can trade numbers, Kamiya does so with her usual quiet smile, but holds on just a little bit before letting it go: a wonderfully animated moment. Shikimori notices that hesitation, and also a measure of the pain hiding behind Kaimya’s smile. Kamiya’s face does a lot of heavy lifting this week.

Kamiya puts her hair up returns to her fawning fans, but soon the din of praise and speculation about her grows deafening, and she just can’t be there anymore. The cool beauty is overheating in that gaggle, and especially doesn’t want to hear people praise her when she feels like the biggest, worst loser ever.

Kamiya is soon joined on the roof, under a cloudy sky that matches her mood, by Shikimori, who offers back the number along with an apology. Now that she knows how Kamiya feels, trading with her feels cruel, and she doesn’t want to be cruel to anyone who likes Izumi, because no one who likes who she likes could ever be bad.

We’ve seen jealous Shikimori before, but Empathetic Shikimori is a far superior mode. While admitting she might seem “high and mighty”, she owns that 100% and assures Kamiya that nothing of what she’s feeling is wrong, and she shouldn’t feel compelled to bottle it up or throw it away for her sake.

Suddenly faced with the second person not to put her on a pedestal but simply let her be her (after Izumi, a large part of his appeal for her), Kamiya is overcome and lets those feelings flow out, sobbing uncontrollably. Shikimori does what you’d expect her to: draw the taller Kamiya into a warm, supportive hug.

Kamiya walks away from the experience glad that Izumi is with someone like Shikimori, and ready to move forward not in denial but in full acknowledgement of her feelings for him. But later that night, after the after-party when Izumi gives Shikimori a birthday/anniversary present, Shikimori feels weary.

She’s not weary specifically of Kamiya, but she’s a symptom of a larger problem on the horizon that she fears: that so many people will see what she’s seen in him all along, he’ll drift further and further away from her. She doesn’t want him to change, but she’s worrying too much.

Izumi credits much of his change for the better to Shikimori, and he’s not done changing and getting stronger she she can smile and relax and not worry about a grand piano falling out of the sky and onto her boyfriend. Hearing that he wants the exact same she does makes her start bawling like a baby.

One might think this means Izumi is singularly capable of tearing down Shikimori’s badass poise, but they’d be wrong. Shikimori is cool precisely because she’s not afraid to cry big sloppy tears over her love of Izumi. It’s a new high point for this pair of splendidly sweet, honest lovebirds.

Assault Lily: Bouquet – 05 – Any Gift Will Do

This week’s AL:B takes on a distinct slice-of-life flavor, no better illustrated than Yoshimura Thi Mai napping in the shade of a tree so peacefully, a cat Andou Tasuza was chasing curls up on her belly. The episode tries to draw out the uncertainty of Thi Mai and Tasuza being the two final pieces of Riri’s nine-Lily Legion, but the OP already erased any doubt.

Rather than focus on Riri, Kaede, and Fumi’s attempts to woo Thi and Taz, the episode pivots to Yuyu. She learns by chance when Fumi fires up a vintage tablet that Riri’s birthday is tomorrow. Between the spinning 3D model of Riri and the continued use of name tags for characters, it’s clear AL:B wants to sell some figures, but it was still fun to watch Riri try to run from her AR stats.

Yuyu thinks Riri has given her so much, it’s time to give back, especially on her birthday, but is concerned about giving too random or modest a gift. She talks with everyone but Riri, who has since gotten to know her better, and two facts become clear: that she’ll be happy with any gift Yuyu gives her, and that Riri loves Ramune. Only problem is, the store only sells Ramune candy; Yuyu would prefer to get some of the genuine article.

This leads to Yuyu taking a solitary odyssey to Riri’s hometown the next day. The dialogue-free traveling sequence is gorgeous to behold, and captures both the beauty of the world and, finally, the general peril of ordinary citizens, as Riri’s town is in a constant state of evacuation. Still, there are cold Ramunes for sale at the konbini, and when Yuyu samples one, it’s like learning a little more about her Schild.

Yuyu buys two more and keeps them chilled in a mini-cooler, but when she encounters two thirsty little kids at a station, she gives them both away like the kind and generous Lily she is. Upon returning to the station nearest the academy, she runs into Thi and Tax chasing cats, but can’t very well go lecturing them considering her trip.

Then they notice something glintnig behind some ivy, and discover a hidden Ramune vending machine that was in power-save mode. Now Yuyu can give Riri some Ramune. She might think her whole day-long trip was for nothing, but she ends up clinching Thi and Taz’s decision to join the Legion.

The nine Lilies assemble to celebrate Riri’s birthday, and as expected, she’s elated by Riri’s gift, but amusingly assumes she just went down by the station to buy it, rather than all the way to her hometown. The only other thing Riri wants is, well, Yuyu, and Yuyu offers herself up for a hug, before Yuyu shows how inexperienced she is at hugging back.

With nine members to the Legion and Riri happy on her birthday, Yuyu is flying high that night…until her roommate brings up the fact that the academy is investigating whether Riri’s Rare Skill is “Charisma”, an ability that draws everyone towards her and makes her a natural leader.

This doesn’t sit well with Yuyu, who contemplates whether what she feels for Riri is simply a matter of eating out of Riri’s hand as a result of some power, and not her genuine feelings. With a huge Huge battle coming up, her lingering conflict is sure to be as much a factor as the cohesion of the new Legion.

BokuBen 2 – 05 – Magic Fingers

Recycling will help save the Earth…but does that also apply to stories? BokuBen 2 tests the validity of that claim by essentially rehashing not one but two of its first season segments. The result, while familiar, is effective, if a bit…foregone.

The first story repeats the “wrong bag” scenario of Episode 2, only instead of Uruka accidentally giftng Nariyuki her wet swimsuit, Nariyuki gives Fumino his little sister’s bra instead of a left-handed pen. Fumino goes with it, even wearing it the next day.

The misunderstanding continues as the two walk to school, with Nariyuki asking if the gift is “comfortable”; in reality, Fumino has to use a lot of padding to fill the bra out (that it’s meant for his little sister adds insult to injury), but she isn’t about to share that info with him.

When Rizu and Uruka ask what Nariyuki got, he starts to sa “a b-” but is cut off by quick strikes from Fumino. They eventually have a timeout in the hall and get on the same page, and Nariyuki gives her the proper gift later, after which he’s forced to come up with the right response to “all guys love big boobs,” and frankly makes the best choice he can (saying “it depends”…which it does!)

The second half of the episode revisits the first season’s ninth episode, in which various circumstances conspire to put Nariyuki in the position of helping the women in his life pick out lingerie. The same owner of that store opened a massage parlor, and when Nariyuki’s mom can’t fill in, he steps in, thinking he’ll just be handing out pamphlets.

Not soon after taking the job, he’s pressed into service (no pun intended) as a masseur, and his first client is Miss Kirisu, who is very particular about how her lower back is worked on. Turns out Nariyuki is a massage virtuoso, having practiced on his parents for years. Even in the mascot gloves, his magical hands make Kirisu scream in ecstasy.

Nariyuki also works on Rizu’s shoulders (stiff from carrying her large bust), Fumino’s shoulders (because she felt the need to compete with Rizu), and Asumi’s feet (she covers her mouth as he works on them, making him think he’s not rubbing hard enough). Uruka and her swim friends also show up because why not? and pull back the curtain to find him being seemingly sadistic to Asumi, when he was really just getting a bit carried away; he didn’t even realize she’d removed his head!

Uruka is none to happy Nariyuki has had his hands all over the others, and so gets some personal treatment from him at the end. By the time night rolls around and Nariyuki is home, he relies on his sister to massage his back…something she’s all to happy to do for her big brother. I guess massage skills run in the family!