In all of the shows coming out for this anime season, Citrus is the only one that I have actually seen the original material. The manga was popular for a time in the school where I was studying and people were lending their copies of the manga. Out of curiosity, I followed suit and it was quite an entertaining read. Just like the manga, the anime delivers the same amount of fun.
EPISODE REACTION – This animation series is the gift that keeps on giving as we get a twenty or more minutes run time for this episode. As each episode is released, more questions remained unanswered and new ones are gradually raised. It is at this point that I am starting to find the plot for RWBY treading a very “safe” path, as it were.
Other than that, we will be tackling the second episode of the series’ fifth volume. Spoilers, as usual, are still abound and thus avert your eyes if you do not take kindly to these things.
EPISODE REACTION – In the span of four volumes, Rooster Teeth has turned RWBY from a upstart dream project to a full-fledged animated series that can properly compete with present titles in the animation industry. The promotional advertising for this volume has been vastly different and larger in coverage compared to the other seasons. Rooster Teeth has definitely done a good job making RWBY famous, for old and new viewers alike.
In light of the new episodes that have been released for the fifth volume, I will discuss key events which were interesting to me as I watched the first episode. If you do not take kindly to spoilers, avert your eyes!
REACTION – We continue where we left off in the previous episode as the Colossal Titan dives headlong into the pinned down Eren from the tops of the wall. The resulting impact blew and burnt most of the Scouts such as Mikasa and Hanji.
REACTION – In this episode, we continue where we left off after Boruto’s teacher snaps and tries to attack him and his friends. Boruto and the others are under the impression that their teacher is furious of their recent behavior and asks for forgiveness – but that doesn’t really convince their teacher.
REACTION – The episode focuses on three things: Akane’s track meet, Kotaro’s publishing offer, and Chinatsu’s feelings for Kotaro.
For Kotaro’s case, he was contacted by the publishing company who received his novel manuscript. Despite strong objections from her mother in pursuing writing as a career, he goes to meet with the publisher anyways.
However, Kotaro was met with disappointment as the publisher states that he is not fit for serious literature and should try doing light novels instead. For me, it felt kind of an insult for Kotaro since I, as a writer and a person, know the feeling of expecting you are great at what you do but get shut down by other people – telling you that you’re not fit for such career, hobby or job.
As for Akane’s track meet, she lost in the race and had the worst possible time which earned her some disappointed remarks from Takumi, the president of the track and field club. Although it is clearly quite evident that Takumi wants to comfort Akane, but nuh-uh, mate, she taken.
What’s surprising though is Chinatsu’s request to confess to Kotaro after Akane just said that they were in a relationship. I understand that you need some sort of closure but isn’t the fact that your desired person is already taken enough to discourage you from going further?
Quite concerned on Chinatsu’s request since it could affect their friendship a bit if she tries anything fishy and Kotaro gets baited real good. But I’m also complacent that no such thing will happen.
Every time a similar situation happens like this, I always think about the concepts of netorare, cheating – it could be possible.
I’d also like to take note how wonderful it was to incorporate a good song in a montage of Akane’s track race and Kotaro riding a train to the publishing company. It gives off an air of uncertainty and calmness as the two embark on their separate journeys to accomplish their dreams.
Currently what I can say about the Kotaro and Akane pairing is that they are still at the stage where they prioritize their own dreams. However, I am certain that as time goes on in their relationship, it could make them open up more and realize each other’s importance to each other.
The whole relationship, at the moment, can be characterized by awkward stares, conversations which is pretty much expected from characters like Kotaro and Akane.
I hope the anime series continues on this wonderful path where they incorporate realism when writing their characters and the story as a whole.
REACTION – We return to the story as the reinforcing 104th Survey Corps clean out the titans attacking the group of Christa, Ymir, Reinhart and Berholdt. It is very evident now to everyone that Ymir was a titan and Christa is the disowned daughter of a noble family.
The entire group convenes on top of the walls and takes the now in coma, Ymir, back to Trost. Shortly, a patrol led by Hannes shows up and informs Hanji that there are no visible breaches within the walls, leaving everyone in confusion. Seeing no use of staying, the group decides to head off back to Trost.
Now this is where the most stupidest yet the most thrilling scene comes up.
Reiner and Berholdt converse with Eren as the others leave. Reiner just casually reveals that he is the Armored Titan and that Berholdt is the Colossal Titan, and tells Eren that their mission to eliminate Humanity would be avoided if he would just go with them back to their “hometown.”
When then go to a flashback where Sasha hands the scroll to Hanji containing the background information of Annie Leonhardt, the Female Titan, and points out that Annie, Reiner and Berholdt come from the same area and all of their background info were in fragments after those attacks on the walls.
Hanji asks everyone if Annie has conversed with Reiner and Berholdt at all during their training for the Survey Corps and they say that they never talk. However, they all note that at one time during a formation, the Female Titan who attacked them somehow got info on Eren’s position. Armin deduces that Reiner might have carved the position into Annie’s hand after releasing him from the Female Titan’s grip.
Hanji then tells everyone to not act suspicious when around Reiner and Berholdt.
The flashback ends and we return to the Eren dismissing that Reiner might just be tired. Reiner and Berholdt decide that they’ve been compromised and need to finish their mission now. Mikasa swoops in an attempt to kill them but the two still manage to transform into their titan forms and captures Eren.
In a feeling of betrayal, Eren shifts into a Titan as well and fights the two.
The whole Reiner and Berholdt thing was pretty much anticipated for me since I was semi-spoiled by people who read the original manga. However, even if without such spoilers, it was pretty obvious to discern the true identities of these two characters after that flashback about their background information.
However, we can safely assume that Ymir had no knowledge of the two and Annie, Reiner and Berholdt are accomplices bent on destroying humanity. It is still confusing on how they aim to achieve “destroying humanity” and how does that mission turns obsolete if they capture Eren.
Again, more and more questions pile up but it’s safe to say that this season is turning out better than its first. We’re getting more into details rather than fist-fighting, which is something I prefer much more.
On to the next episode!
REACTION – This anime series has probably taken a blunt move and that is acknowledging Sagiri’s romantic love for her older brother, Masamune. After reading the “300-page love letter” of a manuscript, Izumi and Sagiri somewhat confess their feelings for each other? But not at the same wavelengths.
Masamune says that he loves her sister, but only as an older brother. Whilst Sagiri hints that she likes someone which is the anime way of saying “I like you but I don’t want to admit liking you so you’ll have to live in agony not knowing what I truly feel” kind of statement.
This is very evident when the episode starts off with Izumi making breakfast and wants to go inside Sagiri’s room to talk about “something important.” As per her response, Sagiri quickly changes to somewhat more revealing clothes from her usual pajamas. Hinting that she may want her older brother to make advances with her.
I applaud this anime series for getting right down on the imminent incest premise to be shown in the story. In fact, it fills the anime series with some sort of tension, disbelief and entertainment for most viewers.
But then again, Masamune is the usual dense main male character who can’t take a single hint from any woman making romantic advances towards him.
Another great part of this episode is the meeting between Sagiri, as Eromanga-sensei, and Elf Yamada. I like how Sagiri just acts as if she’s this leech of an old man behavior towards Yamada, just to get her somewhat disgusted and disinterested, therefore making her leave their household.
What happens is that Elf Yamada doesn’t take the bait and proceeds to interact with Eromanga-sensei, to the point of actually showing her panties to Eromanga-sensei just because she wanted an illustration. Of course, Masamune saw that and was left confused.
It was kind of annoying but relieving that Masamune is just that good of an older brother character and tries to do whatever is good for her little sister. He sees the meeting of Sagiri and Elf Yamada as a sort of new friendship. Much to Megumi’s displeasure, since she wanted to be Sagiri’s first friend.
Later near the end of the episode, Masamune is told by Sagiri that she’s stuck to drawing loli-characters and needs more “inspiration” – meaning Masamune must invite more girls to the household (wait this is all too familiar).
Masamune is called by Megumi and they meet up in the local bookstore where Masamune first meets Tomoe. He, then, opens up with a proposition to be some sort of “reference model” for Eromanga-sensei by “showing your panties to Eromanga-sensei.”
Comedic and flustered grill ensues.
Megumi comes out and devises a plan to befriend Sagiri – to buy “creepy otaku books” and share with Sagiri.
Oh, dear lord, where will this take us?
The episode, overall, was a mixture of tension, humor and disbelief. Mainly because the two main characters, Sagiri and Masamune, are operating at different wavelengths when it comes to each other’s perception of love for the other.
It was humorous because of the meeting between Eromanga-sensei and Elf Yamada. Tension was felt because of Megumi’s plan.
I love where the anime series is taking its story but at the same time, I worry for the character and relationship development of Sagiri and Masamune. Is it going to end up like Oreimo where they end up getting married and act as if nothing happened a few days after? Will it become a harem? Probably. Will I get triggered later down the road if Masamune gets a girlfriend but dumps her for his sister? Yes, I might.
In short: help me, I’m weaboo trash.
REACTION – The third episode shows Yoshino as she struggles to learn the charms of Manoyama and thinking about its future. She realizes the need for this after not performing as well as she hoped in an interview with the local TV station.
The “Kingdom of Chupakabra” has been invited to a regional mascot exhibit where each of the region’s towns show off their tourism mascots. It all goes into chaos as the mascot head is missing. The solution: either wear the old Tourism board’s mascot “Kabura Kid” costume or wear the head part which was found in a garbage facility.
Yoshino braves in and decides to use Kabura Kid’s head and the Chupakabura’s body – much to the surprise of the audience. She then opens up about the history of Manoyama, how the people are not really intent on changing the town, and her job as Queen.
It showed a little bit of change in Yoshino as she was initially hesitant on the whole “Queen” job. She’s grown affection for the town and is willing to help the Tourism board to make it lively again, along with the help of Ririko, Shiori, Maki, and Sanae.
This episode was more of a peek into Manoyama’s people – how it was before and how it get to where it is now.
I could not stop cringing during the interviews and the regional mascot exhibit scenes. There’s a part of me that doesn’t feel comfortable with characters, or people in real life, being vocal in their feelings and thoughts.
Enjoyable episode and can’t wait for the next one.
REACTION – Nothing particularly big happening in this episode. As the sports festival begins, the school is riled up with all the common sports events being organized.
The episode shows off what this series does best and that is the portrayal of adolescence in middle school. Kotarou somewhat displeased about having to participate in sports event considering his lack of athleticism. He does whatever odd jobs he can to steer clear of any athletic duties – move equipment, clean, and all that.
His lack of athleticism is clearly evident when he was assigned to a relay event and toppled over whilst running.
The scene where he went to the school clinic and got his wounds tended by one of Akane’s friends – being called “Curly-kun” and the sloppy first aid treatment.
Akane, on the other hand, is very athletic as we’ve known from the first episode that she is in the track and field team. She does pretty well in these types of events. The adorable part is that she gets nervous without her plushie – which she ends up losing. Because of that, she lost an event and eventually their whole team finished third place.
The major event in this episode was Kotarou’s effort in the sidelines whilst Akane was occupied with sports events. After noticing that Akane was getting nervous and there was no plushie with her in sight, Kotarou goes around the school to find it. If you look closely at scenes where Kotarou appears in the background, you can see what I mean.
When Kotarou returned Akane’s plushie, it was just the most cutest thing ever to behold this series. As the day ends, Akane and Kotarou converse on the mobile app LINE and I think that just completes the entire adolescent portrayal.
This episode was much more livelier and had more stuff going on compared to the first one. Tsuki ga Kirei is doing a great job in portraying a simple life in middle school – the friendships, the romantic moments, the embarrassment and all that good sauce.
I hope it continues at this pace.
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