2.5 Dimensional Seduction

Episode 5

Episode 5 of 2.5 Dimensional Seduction provides a satisfactory conclusion to the first big event—with a few minor caveats.

I think it was a smart call to dedicate an entire episode to the ending of the convention. There's a good chunk taken up by the photo shoot, which I was a bit lukewarm on. It had to happen but I didn't think the comedy beats landed and the situation seemed a bit too zany and outlandish given how amateur Ririsa's skills are (supposedly).

However, the following scenes afterward were handled quite well. Ririsa got a chance to hear horror stories from other, more experienced cosplayers. These stories were either genuinely unique and funny in their own right (such as the wing in the bathtub bit) or were at least semi-relatable in some way (I've personally never worn fake fangs on the subway but I have forgotten I was wearing some odd or embarrassing item of clothing while out and about). The gag reactions of the other hangers-on were that little extra oomph on each comedy beat that helped put it over, well done all around.

I also enjoyed Ririsa's determination to keep going. This had the feeling of a sports manga when the players get their first real game and lose. Ririsa is fired up to keep pursuing her passion and do better at the next opportunity (in this case, Summer Comiket), despite not performing to the level that she had hoped. That gives us a clear target to shoot for and an objective beyond the kids just hanging out in the club room and geeking over obscure factoids for a non-existent intellectual property.

The half-confessions at the end are pretty typical stuff. We can't have our leads profess their love that quickly now can we? It's hardly halfway through the season! In any case, the “they're both idiots” card at the end earned a nice chuckle from me.

Rating:

Grant is the cohost on the Blade Licking Thieves podcast and Super Senpai Podcast.

2.5 Dimensional Seduction is currently streaming on HIDIVE.