Amagami SS – Episode 14 – Ai’s Math Skills

Since we were buffered for a week for some strange reason, I decided to put an intermission up last week. Tokyo Broadcasting ruined that, but let’s move on. Ai was back this week in less than full spirits because of her last math test. It seems that if she failed on it again, she would need to take remedial classes and not be able to attend swim practice. We also have a tiny revelation about what she thinks about Junichi.

The biggest surprise was the new OP for this week. It no longer features each girl in order of arc appearance. I found it strange. It also seemed to focus on the class president more than any other girl but that simply may have my imagination.

The three everyone loves the most.

Summaries! Where art thou summaries?

At the time of writing, nobody else had posted even the slightest review of the second episode of Ai’s arc. That seems strange of course because it’s been out for at least three days now. School seriously gets the best of everyone, doesn’t it?

Fine. You have this one.

As Junichi, Umehara, and Kaoru went to check out the rumored cute new library assistant, they come across Ai borrowing a math book for her removal exams. Seeing this, Junichi offers to teach Ai math. During one of those tutorial sessions at the library, Ai mentions her brother, who hasn’t been paying attention to her lately. Ai wants some advice from Junichi, him being a guy and bit childish and perhaps understanding of her brother. After a bit of misunderstanding concerning her, Sae and Miya the next day, which made him apologize to her in a perverted manner infront of Ai’s teammates, he advises her to spoil her little brother a bit, since her little brother only wants her attention. To thank him, Ai then offers to Junichi the toy she was supposed to give her brother as a present, with Junichi showing her how to use it, awing a few kids at the park. That night, after checking on her brother Ikuo, Ai thinks of Junichi before going to bed, and, seemingly falling for him, wishes it is morning already.

From Wikipedia’s Article on Amagami SS Episodes.

Slugs posted a summary! Hooray!

aI think Junichi is a Kid!

Looking over that summary, a professional wrote it. Let’s begin this episode though. Umehara invites Junichi and Kaoru to join him in the pursuit of the cute girl in the library. When Kaoru suggests that Junichi use his anti-straight-forward role to make everyone move away from the checkout desk, he gets slightly agitated at that thought and causes a commotion. Ai happens to be nearby checking out a library book and then she pulls them all aside because they’re drawing attention. Ai needs help in math because she failed a test recently and if she doesn’t pass the next one, she’ll have to stop swimming for remedial classes.

Your strength in 'kinky' is going down.

Then Junichi, the super hero, jumps in and offers his only strength: math.

There is a brief departure from the library for just a moment where the arc air time stealing Haruka comes to visit Hibiki in the pool. She comments on not seeing Ai.

It's amazing she didn't head straight for the library.

Back in the library, Ai talks about her brother. She has those eyes that get me going. She says that her brother seems to ignore her but still wants her attention. At least this reveals a partial understanding of why she is so mysterious but there must be more. Oddly, she also explains to Junichi that he seems childish and like a kid. Which is why she thought he might be able to help her out.

So does Junichi.

The next day, Ai, Miya and Sae are having lunch. After Junichi asked Miya if she knew anything about Ai’s brother, she brought it up at the table. Sae comments on how she thinks they’re both lucky to have brothers because it would be fun. Recall the last arc where Junichi said to Sae, “You’re like a sister,” and Sae replies, “No, I don’t want that.” Her mentality about siblings has changed between the two arcs.

Miya's the only lucky one.

And then the comedy starts. Miya introduces Sae and of course shy, she pushes her self against the table during a sitting bow. This cuases Junichi to stare, causing Miya to launch into her meat-bun rant.

Junichi comes to understand that small is actually better than large!

It was priceless. If you didn’t see it, you missed out.

It's kind of creepy for his expression to be so mellow when she says that.

Ai wasn’t extremely pleased with his comments about her and Miya’s size, so she quickly left. More things happen but not much of serious interest that isn’t already mentioned in the summary.

Finally

Ai is interesting. She’s addicted to the swim club. She has trouble in math. She thinks Junichi is a kid. These things don’t explain she looks so mysterious. Something else must be lurking behind her demeanor and I must know. The way she teased Junichi in the first episode is odd too. Would you do that to someone you met only a few hours earlier? Maybe, if you’re daring. Maybe, if you’re mysterious. However, she feels like she’s falling for Junichi at the end of the episode. That’s surely a sign of things to come, isn’t it?

What tickles a little and feels pleasant?

Committed.

Amagami SS – Intermission

How about a big appluase for my new brainwashed zombie slave co-blogger, Needles! He was one of those surprises I mentioned last week.

Anyway, on with the news. Apparently Amagami SS is taking a break this week. According to the episode list, episode 13 was aired on September 24th and episode 14 will be aired on October 8th! That means they skipped October 1st.

Since I don’t have anything new to add, I thought I’d introduce you to my new favorite ED, Koi wa Mizu-iro by Yukana.

Due to some silly idealistic copyright system some country has, apparently constructive critiques and criticisms aren’t allowed. Stay classy, Tokyo Broadcasting. Stay classy.

The ending of Ai’s arc is fantastic. Those questions, what are you doing? and what are you looking at? are made up of win-sauce. The reference to poker face is interesting. I’ve commented heavily that I think Ai is mysterious. Right after saying poker face, they cut to Ai with her mouth periced and then she has the grin of mystery. After that, there is a cut to Ai in a field surrounded by trees in the wind on a partly cloudy day. Certainly her entire atmosphere is cloudy. The way she is colored in this scene though is mysterious. Her hair covers her eyes, and it’s darker than normal too. Her body is partly covered in shadows as well. Finally, she has her hands behind her back. Next Junichi is walking away on the city side walk while Ai stares after him, which seems normal until we see her shocked face. The rest isn’t as novel, a scene of her swimsuit and her in outer-space walking around. The ED ends with the final smile of Ai as she turns around.

Hopefully that can abate the Amagami addiction for four days. Good luck!

Mysteriously Committed.

Amagami SS – Episode 13 – Ai’s Beginning

Ai Nanasaki. She’s mysterious to me. She looks cold and broken. Her eyes in the OP aren’t dead, but they aren’t full of energy. They’re full of mystery. Or at least, that’s how I’m seeing Ai so far. The first scene though does something strange with Ai’s character that has been subtly built up so far (the mystery character), it displays her in snow as a bright and cute girl.

Young Ai. Lively and happy.

No Summary

On my no summary scheme, here are some excellent summaries from elsewhere. THAT’s summary isn’t much of a summary. Random Curiosity’s summary is detailed though. Update: About ten minutes after I wrote this, Slugs published their summary. Lovely.

Bonus Summary: Junichi meets Ai one day in the park when he wants to use the bathroom. The he meets her the next day while in the lunch line unable to choose his dish. Ai’s about to take a practice swim when she hears the alleged black cat nyaaing outside. She finds Junichi snooping around the bottom of the steps – she accuses him of planning of being perverted again like at the park. She proceeds to tease him by asking if he wants to see under her skirt. She lifts it up revealing nothing more than her swimsuit – although Junichi nearly has a heart attack. The next day, Ai laughs at Junichi when she sees Miya’s red pen on his forehead. Since she’s short handed at the moment, she brings him to the grocery store to carry her household goods. She gives him some tickets and they win 500 yen. They spend it on some pancakes. They talk about some stuff and then the episode concludes with Ai smiling on the beach.

aI Don’t Know

Let’s get this out of the way. Miya’s up to her clever remarks. The allusion to a black cat of course brings back major memories from not too long ago.

Does that remind you of anyone?

I’m sure Miya is silky smooth. Absolutely sure. Now, on with the show.

Essentially, I’m cutting out a bunch of relatively boring stuff. The first arc brought us the fetish late, and the second was almost instant. The third toned it down by delivering the fetish through third party fish. In the first half of the first episode of Ai’s arc, we find the initial hints of a fetish: swimsuits under school uniforms.

Oh But - I am looking!

Junichi thinks it’s bad to look – that’s Junichi4 for you. Ai is really direct with perversion though. Haruka and Kaoru took their innuedno to new heights in the end game. Ai’s starting early.

If Hibiki saw her doing this - it would be the end...

Ai comments that it’s too bad it was just a swimsuit. And then she goes on to say, while Junichi is trying to hide his shame in thinking it was too bad that she won’t allow any groping. That’s almost admitting it’s okay to look!

Right.

Haruka of course, being close to Hibiki, shows up. I don’t really like Harkua anymore. Maybe I’ve been away too long?

What was that walked by? An american? No! It was Haruka!

The beach scene was nice. Here’s what we learned: Ai is in the swim club, enter a tournament soon, does after school community work, does all the house work for her working parents and is probably decent in school. Did I mention she was in the same class as Miya, again?

Cute.

Finally

Ai is mysterious. Her eyes are alluring but all scary at the same time. I don’t know what spin Junichi will be putting in on this arc, where the first was roleplaying, the second was being there and the there was oh-sensi-you’re-the-best.

Slender, perfect for a swimmer.

The ED of this arc is excellent too. It’s very fitting. It showcases her swimming club obsession first and shows off her mysterious grin, her eyes darkened by her hair and a shocked scene and and odd space scene. Her mystery is timeless?

I look forward to more. (I’ve said she’s a mystery too many times now.)

Committed.