My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU!

[Kraco]

I said before that this arc felt somewhat lighter than some of his earlier plots. What you said is true in that sense. But I think in the bigger picture this wasn't so different. From an objective pov he suddenly barged in and ruined the dude's long awaited confession scene. If the situation hadn't been so special, that would have been an unforgivable douche move. Even under these circumstances it was quite nasty because he did it without informing anybody else beforehand. Hard to see any other more shocking solutions to the problem. I reckon Yui and Yukino can't anymore judge his stunts case by case. They are growing tired of the fact all of his deeds are like this if not worse.

[Kraco]

Episode 3 - HS




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It looks like the gap between Yukino and Hachiman is growing ever wider. The conflict is very concrete already. Of course it means Yukino actually cares, which makes it all the better. I feel sorry for Yui who doesn't anymore know where she should place herself. It's naturally she sticks to the brighter side under such circumstances, but that doesn't make her feel any better. My previous estimation that Yukino's displeasure has been slowly building up and the otherwise somewhat mild false confession was merely the last straw looks more likely now. It was also nice to watch how the others can't really come up with solid solid solutions without Hachiman's dark ways. The teacher verified as much by telling Hachiman hold the lead.

The, probably, first and last love interest from the previous school made a timely appearance considering what's going on. Now we know the dude actually tried to live a more normal and spirited teenage life, but as expected he failed. Having at least a single experience under his belt also explains how he could suddenly pull off the stunt of the previous arc.

I'm looking forward to the conclusion of this arc, now that they are basically working separately and perhaps even against each other. I don't really know why Hachiman should really bother to make it happen with the group broken and everything. Why does he feel so responsible? There should be a limit to being a nice guy when he's so isolated.

[neflight86]

The scene in the pastry shop was gut wrenching for me to watch.

[shinta|hikari]

It was. I hate all the girls in that scene, including Haruno.

[Kraco]

I don't remember Haruno's scenes so well from the first season. Was she always a person who doesn't really give a shit about other people's situations that much and just does whatever she wants? Somehow I got such a feeling during that scene, but I might be remembering wrong as well. She seems to be pushing Yukino, at least, to some direction. It's actually not such a bad personality in some ways, because normally people look down on Hachiman, without an exception, even though it can be either contempt or pity, or a mix of them. Maybe Haruno just treats him like she would treat anybody, for her own amusement. After all, she first derived fun from Hachiman's failed confession and then she even had her fun by suddenly dragging in the popular dude Hayato. So, she treated those two with no difference.

[neflight86]

Hayato mentioned that she only gives this much attention to people she is interested in. Sadist?

[shinta|hikari]

She's obviously an S, and a manipulative bitch at that.

Hachiman is not an M. She should go find a partner for her cruel entertainment elsewhere.

[Kraco]

Episode 4 - HS





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Hayato really managed to go over the top by doing the unnecessary that can only backfire. He's not an evil guy, of course, but somehow he ended up sitting on a horse so high that he can't read the situation, especially Hachiman's, at all. So, he arranged the worst possible "date" for Hachiman, making the dude listen to ridicule for hours, and then ended it by a grand spectacle of inconveniencing and embarrassing everybody and insulting Hachiman, even if with good intentions. All in all you'd think that if he wanted to help or thank Hachiman, he could have come up with something more sensible. It's not like he couldn't have known how it would end up after experiencing the cafe scene of the previous ep. He's just as twisted as Hachiman, just in a different way.

Other than that, I feel like this arc is stretching believability a little bit. It feels too heavy for rather ordinary high school drama. But then again, I guess young people living it could be feeling it rather strongly. I can't say I wouldn't be enjoying the conflict within the club or in other words between Hachiman and Yui+Yukino. Although with every episode I'm hoping more and more that Hachiman would just accept Yui, and try to reform himself a little bit. The ending scene of this ep made it look like he might be falling for Yui a little, even if he previously was eyeing Yukino, I guess. Still, the novels are ongoing, so I doubt anything will change.

[shinta|hikari]

Haruno = Bitch.
Hayato = Jerk.

At least those two girls somewhat got what's coming to them. I'd like to add a detail lost in the adaptation process (yey anime with clone faces). Yukino and Yui are both really beautiful, several cuts above the two Hayato fans. Seeing Y&Y show up and not deny Hayato's claim about caring for our cute monster of logic put them in their place.

[neflight86]

Another Ackwonderful episode. I surely felt better when old crush and emerald echo were put on full blast. It was odd how earnestly they were trying to make fun of Hatchi, like they had nothing better to talk about to Hayato.

Speaking of, I've narrowed his possible motives down to the following:

Pity for an unsung hero

Guilt over getting even more popular at his expense (s1)

Wanting to give Hatchi a taste of his own medicine (well intentioned or not)

Showing off for one of the ladies present

Did I miss any?

[shinta|hikari]

Him being an ass?

[Kraco]

Episode 5 - HS




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I always feel it's a bit unrealistic when a brother and sister get along too well or go too far to support each other actively in relationship issues especially, but fortunately there were no incestous vibes here, at the very least.

I did appreciate Hachiman reevaluating his stance and goals here, even though his methods funnily enough can't change, just like Yui noted. I wonder if Yukino actually wanted the three to transfer from the club to the student council. She certainly seemed dissatisfied, and it wasn't only because Hachiman alone (from the club), once again, solved the problem. She's kind of grouchy all the time, so maybe it doesn't really matter. Yui patting Hachiman's head and moving her chair next to his was a jolly scene to end the ep. The core element of the show is Hachiman sticking to being alone and pushing everybody away, but in the end I guess it would be unrealistic if he continued like that forever, despite numerous chances to break the curse.

[neflight86]

A shrewed move yet again. Turning the problem into the solution was a stroke of genious.

[shinta|hikari]

He had help.

Komachi <3

[Kraco]

Episode 06 - HS




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I had no idea where this ep was going when Hachiman decided to remove the new request from the club roster and handle it himself. I failed to see the motive and reason behind that action. However, that was promptly forgotten once the absurd meetings began. I couldn't help but think this was personal venting by the author and a not so subtle jab at all the useless meetings lots of people have to go through in their work. It was so funnily bizarre and exaggerated that even Hachiman was almost left speechless. The chaiman's strange gestures made it all the better as you can totally see some young businessmen, consults, politicians, and so forth using such tricks to somehow try to enhance their personality. Hachiman's counter arguments were golden.

It wasn't so long ago I read from the newspaper or some other somewhat reliable source of a study where a good number of workers in the West had been asked about various official meetings at work. I don't remember the exact numbers, but I seem to recall employees answered over 50% of all meetings were totally useless waste of time that only lowered their work efficiency. It must be the same in Japan based on this ep.

I wonder why this new girl is getting so much plot time, though. Did the author run out of ideas of how to involve Yui and Yukino?

[neflight86]

Seems like the last solution prompted some follow up since he was instrumental in instating an incompetent student council president. That's probably why he is taking this one solo.

I look forward to seeing how he systematically cleans up the throughput (people) problems hampering this project or doesn't and jumps on a grenade again to fix this.

If he winds up with an un-requited harem, I would say he at least has done more to earn it than most protagonists in anime!

[Kraco]

Seems like the last solution prompted some follow up since he was instrumental in instating an incompetent student council president. That's probably why he is taking this one solo.

That's indeed logically sort of true, but the fact is Yui and Yukino were ready accept the request. The assistance club is somewhat internally strained at the moment, so a new task should have allowed them to concentrate on something external and let things proceed more smoothly again by occypying their minds with meaningful stuff instead of old regrets and problems. The only reason I can see is that Hachiman wanted to keep those two away from the student council since he basically removed them from the competition.

[Kraco]

Episode 8 - HS





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Yeah, I don't understand either. Usually I'm pretty good at analysing characters, though not nearly always correctly, but this was a bit too dense. Or rather, there was too little substance and too much teen romantic comedy. Hachiman and Yukino are so super walled and antisocial that I feel bad for the airhead Yui, who's sandwiched between those two. She could really live a smooth, light life without thinking too much if she didn't have nutcases like those two to hang around with. Still, I guess it's pretty embarrassing for a dude with Hachiman's history to confess he wants to belong to a club and experience normal social interactions.

He did manage to make two girls cry, at the very least. That's something already. I hope he has a decent follow-up in mind.

[MasterOfMoogles]

At this point, I don't think the author even understands what the characters are talking about, much less the characters or the viewers.

I know I certainly don't.

[shinta|hikari]

I'll try explaining later when i get proper net.

EDIT: I'll try to keep it concise.

Hachiman and Yukino both hate superficial and fake interactions. That's why Hachiman sort of looks down on Hayato's gang (because it is utterly fake). However, the club and its members became important enough for them to actually resort to doing the same thing, like how Hachiman attends for a bit before leaving to help Iroha, and how Yukino humors Yui's attempts to smooth things over.

Their relationship became strained because of Hachiman's stunts. He realized he was wrong because he was hurting the other two. That's why he decided to tell them what he wants. He wants something real. Not a fake relationship maintained just for the sake of it, but real friendships.

Take note that the 3 club members are all socially inept, including Yui. All of them don't know what a real friendship is because they've never had it (or so they think). That's what they meant when they were all saying "I don't get this shit."

Does that clarify it enough?

I really loved this part of the light novel. I think I actually cried when Hachiman said he wanted something real. I was drunk but I think I cried again when I watched this episode.

Yeah, I'm a crybaby for 2D.