Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
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#HayamiLover
 Posts: 800 Location: Eastern Europe |
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I can't say about Gatari, because I am not familiar with this franchise, but this series is increasingly beginning to remind me of Oregairu x Clannad mix. If there were gay jokes and sex scenes with dubious consent in this series, I would be really believe that Jun Maeda was in author of the plot.
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Sakagami Tomoyo
 Posts: 943 Location: Melbourne, VIC, Australia |
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I continue to be impressed by this show. Definitely a cut above most harem/youth romance titles.
I'm guessing he decided it was too late to call or something like that. And of course it's going to bite him. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11586 |
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I have to agree. I've tried 3 times to watch Bakemonogatari, the last when Nick was dissecting it, but I just can't get past the first 3 episodes. I don't have time to spend an hour watching each episode with my fingers on the pause and rewind buttons, and telling me I don't have to read all the blink-and-you-miss-it text pages doesn't help me. I can't not. If they don't need me to read it, don't put it up there at all. Bunny Senpai is much more fun to watch. I think I do kind of identify with Sakuta to a large degree, because I never cared much about fitting in by the time I reached high school. Koga is more like 6th grade me. I still can't shake the feeling that Sakuta looking exactly like his friend is intentional and not just same-face/hair syndrome. |
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Dosmundos
Posts: 41 |
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Well, it may look like "Monogatari lite" because it concentrates on one tiny little part of what is covered in the Monogatari series and presents it in a much more palatable way.
It's kind of reading the Song of Ice and Fire thinking "Well, that goes down way better than that Shakespeare play I had to read for class!" 
On the other side, Bakemonogatari never made me shout C'MON, CALL HER BACK YOU IDIOT! to the screen. The last time I was that emotionally invested in a teen high school drama/romcom was Toradora! |
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Animegomaniac
Posts: 4157 |
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Episode 5 "The one in which nothing happens". So Futaba said LaPlace's demon wouldn't know they were such but would that also mean they wouldn't realize they're looping? Do I even care at this point? Is Sakuta the guy Futaba really likes? Even if it isn't now, isn't it only a matter of time? Sakuta's going to end up in a bad loop with Mai, an "infinite" loop, and it's going to be on 8/8 because of course it is.
This series has got me watching Haruhi Suzumiya again so that's one positive I can say about the show. |
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S0crates
 Posts: 227 Location: Banned - Noticed our poor ethics |
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This episode (5) spoiler[was a bit silly considering he would most definitely have gotten his ass kicked in that encounter, which in return would have changed the outcome.]
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Sakagami Tomoyo
Posts: 943 Location: Melbourne, VIC, Australia |
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Potentially. Did you ever watch Sagrada Reset? That featured a character who had the power to wind back time to a save point, but didn't retain memories of the first iteration.
A good question. Why continue to watch this if you have such disdain for it? |
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15573 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Thought that I might as well come here to put forward my observations or theories about what is happening. I do think that Tomoe's reliving events was connected to the boy who was trying to ask her out, the reason being that the reliving events were meant to be indicative of the Laplace Demon thing, where she already knew how things would end with the guy, so she kept having to literally keep reliving events she would know.
I also think that I have a good grasp of how Sakuta has been able to get involved. The answer is his Adolescence Syndrome, we were meant to assume that his already ended since he has not had any more injuries, but his syndrome was never something that specifically makes him get attacked by an invisible threat. It has actually become clear in this arc, where people have said he has no real reason to sacrifice himself, and that is his problem, his Adolescence syndrome is built around him going to far to help others, that he hurts himself. For other shows this is being compared to, it should look quite similar to two characters. The reason he got cut up, was because that was his sister's syndrome, he takes on aspects of other's Adolescent Syndromes, which is why he alone could see Mai, and why he also relived the time loops. (Monogatari) spoiler[While not obvious at first, this exact problem is something Koyomi had, he would keep putting himself in danger and sacrificing himself to help others, that he really starts to run into problems where he cannot solve something without someone getting hurt. He faces a situation where he can't just be the hero to save Hanekawa from her stress by returning her crush, or stringing her along because he already has someone he likes. Even later Koyomi had to face his own doubt over the need to see himself punished, for managing to solve things without consequence.] (SNAFU) spoiler[A more obvious example, the people that care about Hachiman have to really confront him that they are not happy that he sacrifices his own happiness and social standing, just to help others. Yet, I still saw people kind of praising Hachiman for his self sacrifice in helping others, or other misconceptions, that did not see the way he was acting was unhealthy, and he needed to fix it.] The similarities for the characters above, is that they generally appear as quite cynical, with few friends and poor social abilities, but closer inspection reveals that they are actually quite sensitive, and use a mask to cover that sensitivity as to not get hurt. As well as going way to far to help others, with a desire of friends that can accept them. Each case I also think the best ally is someone who can teach them some selfishness as to care about themselves a bit more. |
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j_plex
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The MC is more similar to Kyon than Araragi (as Sakuta has no powers, is far better off socially/mentally, has appropriate attractions instead of the stereotypical otaku ones and is a cynical snarker where Araragi is earnest to a fault) and it does not involve a harem.
Monogatari was concerned with the occult (with the compelling twist that human actions/emotions make the occult "real"), Haruhi was cosmic sci-fi. This series takes scientific thieories like Schrodinger's cat and Laplace's demon, but applies the "your mind makes it real" to them so I guess you can say it splits the difference. You can argue that Rio is similar to Monogatari's Deishuu in being a character that doesn't really believe in what is going on but is still able to describe and help the MC and other characters deal with yet. (Yes, I suspect that similar to Monogatari, the skeptic will wind up in her own supernatural crisis.) Another big difference: Monogatari was an uber-harem (with every female cast member under 40 a harem-ette) but while Haruhi adhered to a lot of harem tropes and constructs it wasn't (even if only because of the fear that Haruhi would destroy the world in a jealous rage). Rascal by contrast is not a harem: Rio has no interest in Sakuta, Sakuta is oblivious to/does not reciprocate in any way Kaede's emotions for him (which may be more clinginess than romantic feelings or attraction anyway), and spoiler[the Tomoe situation will be resolved by the end of her arc]. Granted if this series runs long enough spoiler[Sakuta will discover that Shoko Makinohara is indeed a real person as well as meet Mai's half-sister but those will be more along the lines of "successive love triangles that threaten the main relationship"] than a harem, particularly in comparison with Aragari's which is one of the most absurd proportions in all anime. Another key difference: male characters other than the MC - while still side characters - play a far more prominent role in "Rascal" than in Monogatari (which again took it to absurd levels as Aragari was literally the only non-adult male shown onscreen other than guys shown fleetingly in crowd shots), Haruhi or pretty much any anime with a harem setup. I guess in that way it is more similar to Sagrada Reset spoiler[which also was a love triangle as opposed to a harem]. And despite the "bunny girl" hook, Rascal has far less fanservice than either (although the little that occurs is usually ridiculously out of place and not supported/justified by the plot or narrative). So I guess "Rascal" maybe borrows from Monogatari, Haruhi and to a degree even Sagrada Reset - also more sci fi than supernatural, though lacking Haruhi's cosmic elements - while trying to be its own thing. |
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ThatGuyWhoLikesThings
Posts: 1031 |
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Really wish this review was able to get into the various nuances in this story's conclusion that really made it memorable, like the themes involving interpersonal relationships and the lies we tell in order to manage them. Tomoe created a lie about her self-image in order to fit in with others, lied to the entire school, lied to Sakuta, and even lied to herself, all because she was afraid of ruining the relationships she had made and would instead become a social reject. And in the end, all of the events we've seen over these past 2 and a half episodes were also nothing more than a lie, simulating her interactions with other people just because she was that afraid of screwing things up. And, while the episode didn't pay special attention to it, I adore how she's become part of a new circle of friends that she doesn't feel the need to desperately conform to for fear of isolation and rejection. Really excellent development that they're able to fit into a conversation about quantum entanglement via literal butt-kicking.
She's decisively turned down and she still comes out of the experience happier and for the better. They could've easily had her get depressed or miserable or not hang out with Sakuta anymore, but she and him still remain good friends, their interactions not changing in the least. I really wish most stories of this kind had endings this respectfully crafted. |
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Morry
Posts: 756 |
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I never thought I'd hear literal ***kicking be an example for quantum mechanics. But that nicely ties in the importance of meeting Koga early.
Also, Mai's surprise kiss was 10/10. I'm surprised I fell for it. I wonder if he explained what happened to her or she's just going to suddenly see him hanging out with a younger girl? |
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Joshua Zarate
Posts: 2062 |
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Futaba asking to see Sakuta’s butt was pretty funny and something I didn’t expect. Also, seeing Mai surprise Sakuta by kissing him had me feeling quite happy (internally and outwardly) to see their relationship continue to grow as I haven’t felt this so into a couple in anime that I’ve seen in a while. This series has been a blast so far and I’m looking forward to the next episode as it will be intriguing to see what will occur in it.
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michizure
Posts: 177 |
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One of the aesthetic differences from the Monogatari series is that this one is has a clearly defined setting.
Most of the action seems to take place along the Enoshima Electric Railway, which runs along the coast south of Yokohama. The opening has scenes from Fujisawa station (EN01). The high school seems to be (modeled after? I'm not quick enough to read the sign) Kanagawa Kenritsu Kamakura High School near Shichirigahama station (EN09). Some of the dates involve Enoshima station (EN06) and island, or Higashihama beach. There were also scenes (shopping and sitting at cafe tables) in the Minato Mirai 21 section of Yokohama proper. |
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Animegomaniac
Posts: 4157 |
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I'm not sure I saw what I just saw; Why of all times did Sakuta talk to Kunimi about Futaba in the last loop? "What if he already knows?" I don't know? Did it change anything? Did it change everything? And it wasn't 8/8 but 7/18 or 7 + 1/ 8, ha ha, because if you're going to steal, make sure to file off the serial numbers.
The show's trying to smart and coy at the same time and it's annoying me because it's neither. Quantum entanglements because they kicked each other butts. Or: It could have been an event based on an observer based universe and all involved parties recognized the others as sharing shared states. Bur, no, let's go with the butt kicking one. I'm out. |
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ThatGuyWhoLikesThings
Posts: 1031 |
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He was pretty obviously talking about his own current situation, realizing that Tomoe had developed feelings for him. It's called asking for advice. The fact that Kunimi felt the need to ask who he was talking about implies he knows about Futaba. Maybe Sakuta also knows that he knows, which might be why he's asking his advice to begin with. The situation with Futaba is mostly irrelevant right now anyway, so it ultimately doesn't matter.
What does this even mean?
This series has consistently been about surprisingly easy answers and resolutions to otherwise complex problems and situations. This is no different, and in fact making it needlessly convoluted would just bog it down.
You've done nothing but complain nonsensically for weeks, so bye felicia. |
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