Anime Review: Amagami SS+ - 8
Not too shabby. Though really Kaoru, you don’t have to settle for Junichi. There are plenty of other fish in the sea…
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This episode was really sluggish. I don’t know how else to describe it; it felt like it ran a lot longer than it absolutely needed to in a variety of ways. I don’t know if this added to the slowness, but it jumped around a lot as well. It seemed like just as soon as Kaoru and Junichi were situated in one area, they immediately moved to the next. None of it was especially enjoyable either, with the exception of the phone call to Miya. This series is constantly in a state of “ni-shi-shi” deprivation. Other than that though, a lot of the scene changes and corresponding gags weren’t all that funny or interesting. It was mediocre all around, and by second episode standards, a pretty weak ending to boot. The last scene salvaged it a bit, but Kaoru’s last episode was definitely disappointing.
As for the couple themselves, it was pretty hard not to be annoyed with them as the episode wore on. Of course their constant fighting is one of the things that defines their relationship, but it got pretty aggravating after a while. Kaoru by herself was fine, or at least better. As I’ve said before, she’s a character that was made specifically to be attractive, so it’s hard to outright hate her. Specifically, she’s supposed to be the protagonist’s best friend and girlfriend all in one. It’s pretty darn difficult to see her in a negative light, in my opinion. But what Kaoru has in appeal, Junichi negates and subtracts from the whole thing. He’s not made to be inherently likable, because in the actual game, you play from his perspective. He’s definitely one of the less developed characters and seemed especially flat in this episode.
Sae Nakata is Mambo #5 and is up next. I don’t know why Kaoru and Sae were switched, but I guess it doesn’t make a huge difference anyway. Knowing Junichi’s track record so far this season, I expect him to come out in top form for the next couple weeks. I only hope they don’t bring back that annoying narrator.
GO Rating: 2/5
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