"Haruka Nogizaka's Secret" Talkback

See what happens when you actually try Studio Barcelona? You come up with an episode that actually was very nice and didn't completely suck.

Alice-chan was incredibly cute today. "Bruder..." Awww...

Well it definitely wasn't because of that.
 
I really want to use this shot:



Looks like a late Halloween present or something. In fact, the more I look at it, the more it actually scares me.

Anyways, just saw it, and what a delight, only 1 fanservice shot (on the cold opening, even, although there is a flasrabroadack to 2 episodes ago, it was just a minor issue), and it was actually funny (maybe it was because it seemed funny that Yuuto wouldn't usually dream of that stuff).

So Alice doesn't speak much because, not only is she super ultra shy, but she's not very fluent in Japanese, and from the look of the "Bruther" that she said, she's German. Not the first time this show has showed language from another country, in fact, in season one, it was revealed Haruka can actually speak perfect Russian.

I think I understand why Haruka isn't getting as much screentime this season, she already got enough development (if only Total Drama Action could learn that), but they really need to do something with her other than just fanservice, because this is the second episode in a row they've used her for fanservice...

...and both times actually worked mostly due to surprise.

The only thing I was disappointed about the episode is that Yuuto doesn't even seem to remeraber Shuuto. Then again, Yuuto wouldn't be the kind of person to hold a grudge, but even if he did remeraber him now, he should at least be a little unsure of him.

This is the part of the show that I wanted to see, and why I got interested in the first place, the heartwarming stuff.

Oh, and by the way, I always like the gag where someone mentions a person's name (Haruka, in this case here), and that person sneezes, especially if it's toward's the end. It's cute like that, as well.

Diomedea, please, please don't screw this up next episode. You're on a roll.
 
I think it's hilarious that one of the talkback threaRAB we have for this season started as a "this has the most over-the-top fanservice in any show this season except Queen's Blade" thread. But yeah, the new episode went in the complete opposite direction, and actually turned out pretty well. My favorite part of the series is still that Alice has Excalibolg.
 
Episode 6

Lol at "I want a new season of Mari-Mite and Index." Man I miss the anime references in this show.

Anyway, I'm glad they're finally cutting down on the fanservice but man so many teases for a kiss. And the moment was just right this time. No, more like 3 or 4 different times were perfect for a kiss but noooooo. I swear, I'm gonna be pissed if we end this season without one.

Also, lol Yandere Shiina "WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO OUT WITH HER ALREADY!"
 
Sorry it took me so long, looked like this had subbing issues. Episode 6 wasn't as better than last week, but still okay.

God, Gento just continues to beg to get hit by Akiko, I mean, how durab is he? When will he learn that if she keeps being away from Yuuto, it could hurt her emotions?

As much as I like episodes having Haruka and Yuuto together, it would be okay if other characters had some sort of side-plot. For example, Shiina only appeared for 2 minutes.

My only real gripe in this episode are Haruka's fans. Wow, are they annoying! Boys will mistake them for lesbians, in fact, if a joke like that is said in the show, I will laugh my butt off.

In fact, I just noticed something, why can't Gendo protect her from her fans? Imagine a daily life of female fans chasing after you, if you're a girl.

It was amusing to see the couple drinking sake, and either Haruka gets drunk easily or just an excuse for her "weird comment".

And in case you don't know that singer, that was Milan Himemiya, who has performed the openings for both first and the current season (the second OP, which absolutely rocks my socks!) of the anime. Then again, peole should know that by now.

And then there's the kiss...on the cheek, there might be some controversy for that but Haruka mostly did it for safety, since they kept being interrupted by random crap.

I really hate the fact that there's no previews, but really, at least, we have the whole "anime vocabulary" thing.
 
The episode was okay, but Ryouko, you need a boyfriend. Yeah, it looks like she'll be my next least favourite character, because of her pervyness. What's even worse, no one tried to even stop her. If I was Yuuto, I would just tell her to go away.

Ryouko raiding Shiina's underwear was actually pretty funny.

Also, here's a very odd scene, while Yuuto is feeding Shiina rice:

Yuuto: Eat it while it's hot. Here.
Shiina: Huh?
(a bliding light appears for a second)
Yuuto: What's wrong?

...Was there supposed to be a flasrabroadack or something? I mean, what the heck was that about? It happens again a few seconRAB immediately after that when there's suddenly a view from outside the appartment Shiina lives. Is it trying to be like Evangelion now with the sudden random shots.

Also, as already mentioned before, Yuuto is stealing so much screentime from Haruka, who's, you know, on the title of the freaking show, and I'm worried that the writers have literally nothing to do with her. That's pretty bad if you don't even know how to handle the title character.

Oh yeah, the group of Mika, Alice, Hadzuki and Nanami don't appear in this episode...this show was known for shoehorning characters in an episode, even from the first season, but this is an odd move, but it makes sense.

And while Yuuto is stealing so much spotlight, they actually are making him funnier each episode. At one point, he says "party" in such a funny way.

Oh yeah, other than Ryouko being a problem with the episode is that one massage scene, but not when Yuuto massages Shiina or Ryouko, it was the other girl (don't know her name), I mean he's only massaging your shoulders, don't moan, you're making yourself look like a freak.
 
I'll be honest with you, I just read the plot synopsis and I thought "I really don't give a crap this week" so I read the plot on Random Curiosity. Nice to see Shina screentime...but she stanRAB no chance, (sorry)
 
No, I went to Crunchyroll to watch, I looked at the synopsis and thought "I just don't care this week." The episode just didn't look that interesting to me.

They didn't even show the kiss on the cheek or lips or whatever so at this point, I don't think we're getting one.
 
You know what? This almost makes me wish the fanservice from those 3 episodes were back. Almost.

Why do the animators like Yuuto so much all of a sudden? He's hogging so much screentime out of Haruka. News flash, Diomedea:

The show isn't called "Yuuto Ayase's Secret".

In fact, why not call the second season that, and I'd totally understand. This just proves you have no writing skills because you guys can't even make up stories for Harua now, it's really lazy.

Here's the sad part; I'll still see this week's episode (Mika tells Yuuto to go visit the all-girls school that she's in because they want to see him because she talks about him all the time), because of obvious reasons.

(sigh) What's your problem with Haruka, anyways, Diomedea?
 
ONORE CENSORS!

Hmm, a catholic all-girls school with no yuri action? This is madness.

I'd like to add that Nelson-kun is awesome.

(I miss that darn plot this show used to have)
 
Okay, okay, I'll have to give Diomedea credit for no undertones. One thing this series is staying clear of are lesbian tones.



Actually, I miss Haruka being the actual star of the show.

But seriously, have you even read my posts how Yuuto's stealing the spotlight? I haven't seen your take on that. Be honest.
 
Didn't the teacher and Yuuto's sister pretty much violate Shiina in episode 2?

Yeah, it was this one.

Okay.

When I watched season 1, I was never confused as to who the main character was. That is to say, I knew it was Haruka. The reason I think that I wasn't put off and actually enjoyed the first season was because my fear was not realized. That is to say, It did not become a harem. So now that Diomedia seems to have completely dropped the ball on the plot and has shifted toward making Yuuto more central a character, I think that it seems to have bit them in the butt. See, I think I know what they were trying to do. They were trying to (develop?) the relationship by focusing on Yuuto more because, let's face it, even though he was the secondary main character, in the first season, he wasn't really his own person. But you know, that was okay because it was supposed to just be a cute show with anime references and romance. (Where are my anime references anyway? The closest thing we got to that was the lacrosse anime and that looks ten times more interesting than this season. )

Anyway, the problem is, Diomedia does not seem to understand how to make Yuuto his own character. No, I think they are trying to do something but there is only so much you can do with a male lead in a show with a bunch of girls in it that weren't prevalent (or even relevant) in the previous season so in order to make Yuuto have more of a focus and disguise that they aren't sure of how to make it come across well, the show has turned into a fanservice romp with romance teases. (Him and Haruka might as well be married at this point but I already know we're not getting a full kiss this season)

So I think that Diomedia should realize that the show is not called "Hasegawa Yuuto Love-Love Paradise" and focus more on the person who the show is actually named after.

(And no, not even my dear KugiRie can change that)
 
They were drunk, it's different.

Also, remind to erase that image again. I mean, it's not as bad as looking at Haruka's nips in episode 4, but it's still awful.



Odd, when I first saw it, I never would note that it would be a harem, just a stright up romance show, with a premise, for once.



I'd understand if Yuuto gets his own episode for development reasons, but 4 episodes so far? That makes this feel like a spin-off. The other half of the episodes so far are episodes involving the HarukaxYuuto romance.



Guess they're they think it's too easy now, oh, and you forgot the sixth episode, with the Mari-Mite and Index refences.



Actually, the last we've seen of such overdone fanservice was episode 4 (the beginning of episode 5 should't exactly count, as it was done for humerous reasons that actually worked), so it's not that much of a romp.

Diomedea wouldn't be this mean, I mean, if they allowed a 3rd grade student kiss a teacher in Kodomo no Jikan (Diomedea also made this, when they were known as Studio Barcelona, of course) twice, then them not sharing a kiss would be the biggest disgrace in anything romance related in media--wait, actually, they did kiss in the season 1 finale, but we just didn't see it, but I've heard it's debatable...



Nice, although his last name is actually Ayase.

I still think episode 3 sucked. Blame the panty shots, every time the word "pervert" is said, and I really hate her "Urusai" thing, because it's so redeundant and annoying.

The only good thing to come out of Kugimiya is Alice (cheap, I know) and her role as Mika in Kanamemo (apperantly, acting a tsundere to another girl works).
 
4 episodes too many. It should be just one and everything else with the romance.
Heh heh. Yeah, that was funny. Why can't we have more subtle stuff like that.
Yes, the last we've seen of overdone fanservice was episode 4 because 1 and 3 were them. You might as well count today's episode as one too because no matter how you slice it, today's episode was appealing to at least one demographic.
URUSAI!

(Episode 3 was awful but that was pretty much a Kugimiya joke episode anyway)
NO NO NO! Her Taiga, Shana, Nagi, Kagura, Alphonse Elric, Ikuto from Digimon Savers and her Nemu from Bleach and her Rin from Mnemosyne and her Shannon from Umineko and even though I hate the character, her Nena from Gundam 00 were great! There's plenty to [strike]worship[/strike] like about her!
 
From now on, I'll do it in this style, like how all talkbacks do, especially helpful since Crunchyroll also has descriptions:


Episode 9: "It's My First Time"
My Ep Title: "Know Thy Manager"​

This already sounRAB better than last week, good ol' fashioned dating episode, also, playing with continuity is a good thing. Also, the first image I've seen of the episode is Haruka doing a CSI: Miami impersonation (obviously, I'm joking ).
Oh yeah, I didn't give out my episode titles for episodes 5, 6, 7 and 8 (remeraber, I'm not a fan of the actual episode titles, as I said before, heck, just see this week's episode title and you'll immediately understand), so here they are:
Episode 5: MaiRAB, MaiRAB & Rich Automobiles
Episode 6: Yearly Progress
Episode 7: Head Over Heel Injury
Episode 8: The School Of Easy Knocks
 
Garfield, don't be that rude, I mean, the "near-kiss" thing somehow (surprisingly) doesn't annoy me, it souldn't be too much of a problem, but hey, if fans get so annoyed, that they'd send angry emails to Diomedea, I'd pretty much enjoy every last second of it.

Moving on, this was a good episode, almost on par with episode 6. If you're a fan of continuity, look no further than this episode.

I have to admit, I kinda thought it would be funnier if Mika says that all she'll be doing today is "looking hot", it'll have a very good laugh.

Oh yeah, the manager is voiced by the same voice actress as Mio from K-On, who already had a smal role in episode 5...and every episode she's appeared are good episodes...there must be something to this.

Oh, note to producers, give Alice a proper swimsuit. I'm not a fan of school swimsuits, because it's really fetish inducing to you guys, also, it also proves that even though they're a rich family, they can't even bother making wear a proper swimsuit. Can't believe I'm ranting about that.

I also forgot to mention Haruka suddenly was really humerous in the first couple of minutes in this episode, imitating Mika (without even being shy about it) and her dad (also wasn't shy). I dig that, but can you? Although I'm also surprisd she just suddenly belived Mika about the dating book Mika gave her, especially her expression:



...This kinda makes me think Haruka's getting dim-witted, but whatever. Oh, one more thing:

So, Haruka, how sweet was the episode?


"I'd say it was a piece...of cake."


"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
 
The Crunchyroll Talkback image isn't working, so this will have to do.

Episode 9: "Now That It's Gotten Like This..."
My Ep Title: "The Pretend Plan"​


Yayoi may get some character derailment for this...but who cares? Haruka's in a main role for once, HELL YES!
The sideplot sounRAB...Simpsons-esque...
 
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