That was certainly a step up from last week, but then, anything else would have been nearly impossible.  Back onto the bubble, which is a step up – but if that’s a step up you know things are pretty grim to begin with.

I have three fundamental problems with Komi-san Can’t Communicate, which may not sound like much.  Except they’re all really, really integral to the entire series.

• The entire premise is built around Komi-san being extremely popular for absolutely no reason except that she’s beautiful.  The fact that there doesn’t appear to be a trace of irony in this is alarming.  And there’s also the absurdity of the fact that no one seems to notice her condition except Tadano.
• I have a visceral dislike for two significant characters.  And with one of them it’s so intense that every time she appears it’s like a deal-breaker.
• How is it that this poor girl has never gotten professional help?  Why is she relying on self-help books she has to hide under the bed?

Unfortunately none of those are minor issues – they cut to the very heart of what this show is.  But there are pluses – I mean, I have no problem with Komi and Tadano (though they’re hardly charismatic) and I actually like Osananajimi.  There’s Watanabe’s direction, which is flat-out great – even when he’s slumming like this, he still commands attention.  And I think the series sort of works when it focuses on cultural miscellany – – like the Saitou-san game two eps back, and the “Darou” ramen bit today.

Darou is of course Jiro Ramen, and I’ve talked about it on here several times already.  It’s an experience to say the least – the lines, the rules. the belligerent staff (usually, not always).  And then of course the experience of eating in itself, which is unique in my not inconsiderable culinary journeys.  This portrayal was spot-on, because a bowl of Jiro is a sensory overload on every level – there’s something raw and visceral about it, so I know how Komi-san felt.  I also know how Osana and Tadano felt, because I usually feel sick afterwards (though I’ve learned a few tricks over the years to try and game my system to survive the experience).

As for the new character (Nakanaka – seriously, the clever-clever naming thing is getting on my nerves), well…  The best I can say is I didn’t immediately loathe her like Yamai, but she feels like part of a larger attempt to shoehorn every animanga school trope into this series.  I did like the revelation that Hitohito is a former chuunibyou himself, and that his current anonymous persona is a response to that getting him rejected by his crush.  And of course casting Kikuko Inoue as the mother who describes herself as “ever 17” (she does it in the manga, I checked) is on-point (one might speculate that the character is based on her).

Is this enough to keep me going?  For another week I suppose, but this ice still feels very thin.  I have a suspicion my feelings for Komi-san wa Komyushou desu are never going to be better than a mixed bag, but in a season like this maybe that’s enough.  And Watanabe’s presence does carry serious weight.