Forum - View topicMedaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms (TV).
|
|
| Author | Message | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Edjwald
 Posts: 1837 |
|
||
Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms (TV) Source: Manga (ongoing @ 17 volumes by Ran Kuze) Demographic: Shounen Animation Studio: SynergySP Genres: comedy, romance Themes: school Plot Summary: Mona is the cutest girl in school, and she knows it. In fact, she's worked hard to make her high school debut successful. But no matter what she does, she can't seem to catch the eye of stone-cold stoic Medaka Kuroiwa—but she's not about to give up that easy. Medaka, on the other hand, has been raised at a temple and was told to never become close to women. Air Date & Platform: January 06, 2025 (Monday) Available on: Crunchyroll Episode Count / Runtime: Pending [EDIT: Fancy opener stuff added. -TK] |
|||
|
|||
|
smurky turkey
Posts: 2918 |
|
||
|
A lot of what I said about the first episode of a crush at work can be applied to the first episode of this one too. The premise is fun enough and sometimes charming, yet there need to be enough elements in the mix to keep things from becoming repetitive/stale long term. The first episode basically repeated the same scenario/joke six or so times. It will probably be up to the other characters to keep things interesting and given that one other girl seems interested in Medaka the answer might be good old harem gags.
Also, I find it hard to dislike Mona. I find her sad since she is so used to all the boys (and girls) being into her due to her body that she can not handle a boy not feeling that way to the point of showing of her underwear. |
|||
|
|||
|
Edjwald
Posts: 1837 |
|
||
|
Pretty much agree on all counts. This anime should be able to coast easily breezily on the premise for one, not more than two more episodes, and then its success will hinge on how well it moves beyond the premise.
One other girl seems to like Medaka, and then another seems to like Mona unless I was misinterpreting. I think the anime missed an opportunity when it had the jealous guys become reasonable confidants so quickly. I forget the name, but Baka test had a secret organization of jealous, anti-love types wearing black hoods who were always over-reacting and punishing people who had any romantic luck. and they were hilarious....probably why they've been imitated or referred to a couple of times in other anime. Anyhow, I thought episode 1 was fun. Not a whole lot of depth, and some people will probably hate on Mona for being such an adoration whore(<--attention whore with garnish) but her exalted status is so over the top that her shock and need for validation corresponds for comedic purposes. And she is in the process of painful growth. Comedies don't have perfect people. They have people with exaggerated flaws. Medaka is a fairly likable protagonist - he's got integrity at least. And the animation is pretty good. So, yeah, I'll see how it goes. |
|||
|
|||
Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 24456 |
|
||
|
Episode 1
Confession time: I have a strange fondness for female characters who think they are all that and a bag of chips. I know what you are thinking: "Blood-, how could somebody with your staggering intellect, peerless wisdom, rugged good looks, enchanting charisma and winsome modesty possibly like a character like that?" To which I say, 1) you know me well and 2) I have no idea, but it just is. All of which to say that I kinda dug this even though, yes, good Lord yes, the set-up is repetitive. As my astute colleague smurky turkey has already pointed out, if the show doesn't find another note to chime this is gonna real tiresome, real fast. So we'll see. |
|||
|
|||
|
smurky turkey
Posts: 2918 |
|
||
|
I suppose the second episode kind of succeeded in expanding the formula? The first half was more of the same but the second half had Mona having a short moment of clarity in regards to her feelings. There was also the befriending of Tsubomi who is now an ally to conquer Medaka. I am glad it turned out that way since I was afraid that Mona might start bullying Tsubomi due to feeling jealous/insecure, that would have ruined the character for me.
Otherwise Mona can still be very aggressive in her approaches. |
|||
|
|||
|
Edjwald
Posts: 1837 |
|
||
So that's why you were watching Snack Basue...it was Akemi! @Smurky I said this show had 3 weeks at most to move beyond the one joke premise, and like you, I think it took some beginning steps in that direction. If I'm reading the OP and CP right, the show is going to be introducing new cute females at a rate of about once per week for the next few shows to introduce some more plot. Oh, and some developments and complications in the story too... If there were a lot of other competition for this show on Mondays it might be in trouble, but I think it kind of works as a lower rent, more one-sided Love is War. You know, where week after week there are permutations of someone trying to get someone else to love them without committing. And when I say low rent, I mean less cerebral. I think the animation is used much less creatively than Love is War but very well drawn. |
|||
|
|||
|
Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24456 |
|
||
|
Dropped. Just not funny enough for me.
|
|||
|
|||
|
Edjwald
Posts: 1837 |
|
||
I alluded to this over on I'm a Noble on the Brink et al, but geez, pardner, you should ease into it and lead up to this first. Y'know, like Smurky...Edjwald...your anime is on the roof... (Although to be fair, I don't know that either Smurky or I have adopted it yet) |
|||
|
|||
|
Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24456 |
|
||
|
Edjwald, you don't spend much time kicking people in the nuts, do you? I can tell.
|
|||
|
|||
|
Edjwald
Posts: 1837 |
|
||
If you spend much time, people are just going to block it because men have an ingrained reflex to protect themselves in that area. That's this, and this is that 
|
|||
|
|||
|
smurky turkey
Posts: 2918 |
|
||
|
Episode 3 is a mixed bag for me. I liked Medaka just having a fun time at the school festival and in particular him geeking out in the haunted house (a well made one). I also liked Tsubomi helping Mona out and I am curious when Asahi will finally be introduced since she keeps appearing here and there.
My main and only issue is that Mona and her antics are starting to feel real repetitive. Despite the above mentioned 75% of the episode consisted of the same old Mona acting/seducing upon the mc with the latter blushing and chanting his mantras. Please get more characters involved. |
|||
|
|||
|
Edjwald
Posts: 1837 |
|
||
|
This might sound crazy, but this show kind of reminds me Mieruko-Chan, the anime about that schoolgirl who could see ghosts that no one else could see. Not in tone or genre or character or anything, but because both shows are pretty gorgeously drawn, both shows have a healthy dose of fan service thrown in, and both shows have a pretty good premise whose main danger is becoming formulaic, I don't know if most people feel that Mieruko-Chan made it out of that trap or not - I have my own opinion, but that wasn't really my point.
I said from the start that I thought this show could coast on its premise for 2, maybe 3 episodes, and then we'd see. Well, next episode is #4, so I guess I'll see. The MC's growing feelings for Medaka that might take her beyond a narcissist is one potential area to develop. The MC becoming a legit friend with the "Good girl" class rep is another. The student they just introduced who seems to have a crush on Medaka is another factor. The way she was nudged into the limelght today seems to suggest she'll get some more significant screen time next episode. And there's still the brown haired, busty student from the OP whose motivation is a mystery. I've seen her scowling a lot. And fleshing out Medaka's past like they started to do a bit of in this episode is also a viable route. We'll see. |
|||
|
|||
|
smurky turkey
Posts: 2918 |
|
||
|
Well, as of episode 4 the answer to your question is a tiny bit of progress in regards to your first two points Edjwald. That said, while there was some development near the end of the episode 90% of it was more of the usual and thus I do not have a lot to mention this week.
|
|||
|
|||
|
Edjwald
Posts: 1837 |
|
||
|
Imma give it a week extension, partly because I'm not watching anything else on Monday but mostly because I'm still kind of liking it even if the shtik is getting diminishing returns..
I do wonder if anyone really knows the true Mona-chan, including Mona-chan herself. |
|||
|
|||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group