 |
 |
 |
A little slow on the review with this one, but TBH I haven’t felt too motivated with Baka Test this season.
I’m really left to wonder at this point whether I was missing something during the first season. Were my standards too low? Have I changed that much in a year? Whatever the cause, I just don’t like this series very much right now. I certainly didn’t like it when it was viciously sadistic for most of the first six episodes, and I don’t like to much better now that it’s become oddly joyless and morose.
I suppose my enjoyment of this last run of episodes would have been much greater if I enjoyed Minami’s character more, but even last season I was indifferent to her, and that’s evolved into an active dislike. I certainly find the entire triangle involving the even more distasteful Miharu a chore to sit through, but it seems to have taken over the series, to the point where an episode about ESB battles is actually mostly concerned with Miharu and Minami. Where did the humor go? Where’s the series that made me laugh constantly and fired me up with outrage at social injustice? In short – what the hell happened?
Having no horse in the Minami-Himeji race and finding the romance angle one of the least interesting elements of this series, I don’t have much hope for the final two episodes. Since Aki’s primary role now is to be abused it’s really Voyeur and Hideyoshi that are keeping me watching, and they’re really providing the only comedic elements as well. There are only three eps left so there’s not much point in stopping now, but what a shame – either this series has left me behind of I’ve left it. Kind of feels like losing an old friend.
 |
 |
 |
Stöt
September 13, 2011 at 2:07 pmWell dude, I read some of your anime reviews (and reviews of others) and it's refreshing with some honesty, which is very rare if it is negative.
The first part of this season was awful to watch, with everybody reduced to… some hollow shadow of their least appealing sides. The people responsible for this will never be forgiven.
But. The difference between me and you is that I liked Minami from day one, which makes me feel that the series is getting better and better as we speak. (Minami flashback was on par with the first season! ) However, it's easy to get better if you started out as a pitiful pile of stinking shit. (e.g. Himeji at the moment is as unpredictable and interesting as a frozen piece of cardboard.)
deafvader
September 13, 2011 at 3:43 pmI feel your sadness and disappointment when I read through your post. Congratz! you are a good writer! Cause I can understand and feel you even though I am liking this show.
admin
September 13, 2011 at 4:50 pmI'm astonished at seeing how many positive reviews this season is getting on MAL and Animeplanet. Makes me really wonder if I'm the problem, not the show…
Fencedude
September 13, 2011 at 7:32 pmYou seem to have finally realized that BakaTest is a truly terrible show. It was in the first season, and I'm sure it is now. I can't speak for it, because after literally forcing myself to finish the first season, I wasn't about to come back and torture myself with more.
Everything you say here is what I thought about the first season, and I can't figure out what would cause you to just realize this now.
admin
September 13, 2011 at 7:49 pmWhat can I say – I really liked the first season and to me, this one feels totally different. But it could be me that's totally different.
We_Major
September 14, 2011 at 10:32 amI agree with you Enzo. The first season always had an end goal in sight – Beating Class A, and had various side stories to fill in.
The underlying focus was always on the ESB battles whereas this season I think has suffered from a lack of that end goal.
The last two episodes have been much better. I think the pacing being quicker has given a sense of urgency as Akihasa and co. rush to prevent the battle with Class B leading to various underhanded means of avoiding it which I feel drove a lot of the comedy in the first season.
deafvader
September 14, 2011 at 1:40 pmHmmm, now I am feeling weird. To admit I read 3 chapters of the manga long before the first season came up. Didn't like it and dropped it. Only tried the anime when a friend said it was good. I found the pacing and the peeps being animated a huge hook and got drawned in. This season, I agree that it has went down but I never saw the battles as the key moving factor of this series. I watch it for the comedy and char interactions. I personally found the battles a bit too weird. To me BakaTestShoujan is only about baka and more bakas.
Stöt
September 14, 2011 at 7:27 pm@Fencedude
The first season was awesome, nothing else.
Myssa Rei
September 16, 2011 at 3:44 amFencedude: The first season WAS much better, and fare more funnier, than this season's offering. It might be because of the fact that, yes, there was a sense of solidarity against unfair and unequal treatment, and also a definite end-goal in sight.
This time around, it's like the series is meandering aimlessly through the source material — which I found out later on that it WAS, since the chapters the episodes were based on were, essentially, shuffled around.