Another week and another episode with miscommunications and smiles. I genuinely can’t believe that this was the final episode of the season and I’m kind of bummed that I won’t be able to see these girls again next week. Overall, this episode allowed us to take a moment and wrap up all the drama and past secrets that came to light in the previous episode, but also tease a possibility for a new season. And as a fair warning, I don’t have a whole lot to say about this episode because it feels more like a transition rather than an ending… so season two when?
The first half of the episode took on a much darker tone as Momo leaves Shamiko behind after admitting that she was truly the greatest enemy because she feels a lot of regret for Shamiko’s father becoming an indestructible box. But Momo, the good soul that she is instead hunts her down because of course Momo is her mortal enemy! But she doesn’t want to lose the relationship they have and instead wants to make it stronger. I was honestly fooled a little bit when Shamiko was trying to convince Momo to become her vassal! One, she’s not the brightest person in the box so it make absolute perfect sense that she would have come up with the idea and was very genuine in asking her arch nemesis and two, she’s kind enough to make it clear that she wants to help her friend with her woes and even give her benefits! If you ask me, I’d become her vassal in heart beat. Who would pass that up?
Of course, we weren’t super successful and instead the tables are turned and Momo once again has the upper hand against Shamiko. Still, I appreciate that even though she’s clearly exploiting Shamiko’s airheadedness that she at least still tries to help. And the dynamic between the two really brings a smile to my face. But aside from these events, there wasn’t a whole lot else that happened in the episode. Sure, there was still a bit of humor sprinkled throughout, but most of it was more focused on Lilith, who, at this point just exists to be made fun of. I’m glad we were able to find her after she was launched by Momo in the previous episode (… only to be launched again in this one.). But! I will admit, that the way they shook up Momo’s crisis mode by throwing in Lilith’s transformation caught me off guard that I had to rewind to fully process what I just saw.
And lastly, we finally go to see what Shamiko’s father looked like and a quite surprising back story about how they got their family name. It wasn’t something I was expecting but it was certainly welcome information! But I think what made me smile the most in this episode was learning that the narrator was her father and that he would always say “Become the strongest and most loving girl in the world”. And honestly, that’s a really great way to describe Shamiko. Sure, she’s definitely not the smartest or the strongest, but that’s part of her charm! But most importantly, she’s a kind-hearted soul and even though she’s supposed to be “dangerous” and “evil” she seems to always put others ahead of herself and I think that’s what makes her such an enjoyable character.
Final Impressions
I really enjoyed watching this anime and I would recommend it most people who are just looking for a fun, lighthearted anime. Momo and Shamiko were really enjoyable characters and there wasn’t really a moment where I particularly disliked either of them. They both had different aspects of their characters that were charming and honestly they were more developed than I thought that they would be! Additionally, our side characters were also a joy to see every now and again. Everyone was so unique in their own way, but they all came together really well and that’s what made me excited for each new episode. No matter who the focus was, I just knew there was something for me to enjoy.
I know slice of life comedy isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, so those of you who aren’t into those types of anime probably won’t enjoy this anime as much as I did. There is an overarching plot, but ultimately it’s very simple and each episode is pretty self-contained. Yeah, they reference things that happen in previous episodes, but generally each episode focuses on someone or something new. Though, knowing that it’s an adaption from a four panel manga series, this isn’t much of a surprise. The humor is also pretty hit or miss, but I think that’s okay. There’s only a few gags that are long running, such as Shamiko’s helplessness, being absolutely terrible to Lilith, and Mikan’s curse, so typically if a joke doesn’t land for you, you usually don’t have to wait too long for another one to come a long that you might like better.
I, personally, don’t have a numerical rating to give this anime. Overall, I thought it was fun, cute, and something for me to look forward to each week. But it also didn’t do anything life changing for me either. I don’t really see myself talking about this anime a whole lot in the future and by that I mean it’s just not the most memorable anime for me. I will look back on it and smile because I had a good time, but it just won’t stand out as much as other anime this year, or heck! other anime this season. But that doesn’t necessarily make it bad, it’s just what I was looking for at this time. So did I enjoy watching this anime? Absolutely! Does it have re-watch value? Yeah, I would totally watch it again! Would I recommend people give it a chance? Yes! If this was something you were considering watching, I would say give it a go!
