Shadows House 2nd Season – 07

Seems like in picking Shadows House back up after so long a hiatus, I jinxed it.  Not that this episode was awful (Shadows House is rarely that, thankfully) but it was a definite step-down from 06.  More annoying characters (Louise/Lou is among the worst of them), and lots of this show’s worst trait – exposition by explanation.  It’s always prone to it, and it always drags the final product down when it asserts itself like it did this week.

That said, I do like the idea that both the shadows and living dolls are becoming increasingly self-aware and, in doing so, curious about their reason for existing and purpose in life.  In that they’re not wholly unlike real kids this age, and to give Shadows House its due that may very much be the point.  The obvious take is that the humans have it worse, but in many ways the shadows have an even harsher lot in life.  I don’t know what the fate of shadows who become too old to be “children” and never receive an invitation from grandfather is, but I can hazard a guess.  Of course, it seems overwhelmingly likely that when they face that fate, their dolls face it right alongside them…

The most interesting headline here, I suppose – for a multitude of reasons – is that Patrick is in love with Emilico.  Obviously that places him in conflict with Shaun but in the big picture, a shadow and a living doll being lovers seems likely to be a huge taboo.  And maybe, you know, impossible?  Anatomically?  Well, who knows…

Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru – 07

This adaptation is moving at breakneck speed, I tell you what.  No idea if that’s the case with the manga, but the chapters I read seemed to be a lot more measured in their pacing.  I suspect this is likely to be a one and done adaptation, unlike Takagi-san – the fact that other than KanaHana it’s a cast of virtual unknowns (who are doing a very good job) supports that hypothesis.  If indeed that’s the case I suppose it’s trying to cram as many romcom staples into the stapler as it can.

A year has passed already, it’s the first day of school, and there is a breather moment as we look back on how Ayumu came to be in the shogi club in the first place.  As Takeru cautioned it was “like lightning” – and we very quickly see a pubescent boy’s order of priorities as Ayumu throws over kendo in a heartbeat to chase Urushi.  If he really was as great at kendo as Takeru says it’s kind of a shame he gave it up, but I suppose the heart wants what it wants.  In the present it’s all about recruiting new members, which as usual Ayumu is severely conflicted about.  But he and Takeru do seem to put in an honest effort (and an entirely too loud one in the latter’s case) albeit with no success.

The one new member, in fact, is the boys’ middle school kouhai Kagawa Rin.  She accidentally joins assuming this must be the kendo club if her sempai are in it, then challenges Ayumu to a duel to try and force him to go back to kendo.  This has Urushi worried of course, but Ayumu is apparently undefeated.  The upshot is that Rin ends up joining the shogi club after her loss (“is that how it works?”).  And while I’m no math major, the numbers seem odd to me – literally.  That’s three girls to two boys in the core group, which either means Rin is a rival for Urushi or Sakurako, or there’s another lad still to be introduced.  That’s if romcom custom is observed here, and let’s be honest – so far this series has respected every romcom custom to a near–religious extent.