天下制覇

 

Ain’t gonna kiss ‘de girl.

Impressions:

This episode would have been a lot more entertaining if it had focused on any of the character pairings except stupid Kouichi and Yuumi. The two are just so painful to watch together that… like Mao… I want to smack them both with your choice of various blunt objects. I’m not certain I could stand another episode of the two stuttering and stammering over telling the other one that they like books, or that the sky is blue, or whatever silly thing is that they’ll bond over. Thankfully, Mao provides that perfect outlet for me, voicing exactly what I’m thinking and then violently beating some sense into the brats when they get especially bad. I swear, I don’t think I’ve seen a relationship that went like that since… what…. 6th grade? At least it’s out of the way, now let’s get back to the interesting stuff!

Yuumi rides a train through town as she reads. She marks her stop with a bookmark and accidently pushes the cover off a little bit as she walks on to class.

She keeps reading the book as she walks. She hears Kouichi’s voice and looks up to see him dragging Mao by the arm and recognizes it as the same girl he was with yesterday.

Nana and Kazuki are also walking to class. Nana’s a bit worried, but her frog buddy runs up and hugs her. She asks where Nana’s frog is… and both have them hidden away in their bags.

Kazuki sighs as the frogs begin their romantic embrace, ending with a kiss… which reminds Kazuki of his own. I wonder if he’s Juliet.

The girls notice Kazuki lost in thought and press him, but he just backs off. Mao saves his tail from further interrogation. All of them walk together to the lockers. Mao gets introduced to the frogs and then heads off to class. Kazuki asks Nana if she had something for Mao and gives a swat as she goes running after Mao.

Nana trots over to Mao and gives her an invitation to a karaoke party later. Nana thinks that she may not want to go, but Mao dispels her worries and says that she’d love to.

Kouichi and the rest come up, and Mao invites Nana’s friend too. Mao then tells Kouichi and Kazuki that they have to come with girls, and leans in close to let Kouichi know that it’s his chance with Yuumi, though Kazuki just looks stunned.

After class, Kouichi and Kazuki are hanging out at the window. Kouichi thinks about what he’s going to do. Yuumi leaves the classroom and Kouichi hurries after her. Kazuki sighs and leaves as well.

He heads to Fumi’s class, wondering why he’s there. She shocks him by walking out of the classroom, but she just walks on without him saying anything.

Yuumi is working in the library while stalker Kouichi tries to get up the nerve to talk to her. Mao watches in annoyance from a desk. He tries to shuffle over nonchalantly… to Mao’s annoyance, and reaches out to Yuumi scaring her witless. He then tries to talk to her about books and working in the library, but between all the stuttering, both Mao and I want to hit him. He tries to say something about the karaoke party… but turns “ka-ka-ka…” to “karate!”

He tries to leave, but Mao is in his face. Yuumi finally hears him call her  “nee-chan” as she chews him out for being a spineless douche. She grabs him by the ear and takes over the conversation, inviting Yuumi to go with Kouichi. Yuumi says that she’s not opposed and Mao forces Kouichi to finally ask for himself. Yuumi says that she’d be really glad to, and Mao slaps Kouichi on the back and onto the table.

That evening, Kazuki starts off the party with a toast to Mao. Hiiragi is also there to be friendly with Mao. Kouichi quickly notices that Yuumi is sitting by herself, but, clueless douche that he is, he just watches her stir her drink.

A little later, Mao finishes singing the OP and sees that Yuumi is missing. She razzes Kouichi about going together with her to a hotel, but heads out to the bathroom instead to find Yuumi and make friends with her.

She asks Yuumi if she wonders if the two of them are together, and smiles when Yuumi gives a little start. Yuumi tries to get up the courage to ask, but Mao cuts her off and says that they’re only friends. She’s more like an older sister to Kouichi and Yuumi shouldn’t worry. She tells her to wait a second and they’ll head back together.

The frog duet sings (badly) next. It’s something best not experienced, really. They score a whopping 91 on the karaoke-o-meter somehow. Kouichi and Kazuki lost their bet with Nana, so have to react the DVD bear vs gorilla scene for them. Mao and Yuumi walk back in while they’re in the middle of it and laughs are had all around.

The party ends and everybody is heading home. Mao leaves Yuumi in Kouichi’s care. She says that he doesn’t need to walk her home, and while they’re awkwardly flirting, Hiiragi inserts himself between them. They beat a hasty retreat, but she thanks them for the good time as they run off.

Mao walks home alone, thinking about how hopeless Kouichi is. Passing an alley, she hears the sound of grating metal and finds Kai pushing a sign on wheels. She excitedly runs up to him and starts grilling him on what he’s doing with his job. She says that he’s pretty amazing and then runs off when he gets distracted.

Kouichi and Yuumi have made it to the train station. He apologizes for the hassle he put her through. She thanks him for the fun time, including the ‘kindness beam.’ The last train is announced for the night. She thanks him again leaves. He tries to say something as she walks away, but stops himself.

He finally comes to a decision and chases after her as she goes through the turnstyle. He blurts out that he wants to talk with her more and be with her more. She smiles and nods as her train arrives. She thanks him for like… the seventh time, and then gets on the train, waving to him as the door closes. He’s so excited that he fist pumps in the air as passerbys laugh at him. On the train, Yuumi hugs her bag and smiles happily.