Controversial Fortunes, Candid Fan Photos, And Helping Bakers

Conception Episodes 5 + 6 Review

Episode 5 gave us a beach episode. You won’t believe how much dread I felt when I realised this already incredibly borderline show that seems to relish in oozing sleaze, was about to take us to the location where even tame series decide to max out the fan service and innuendo. So imagine my surprise when other than Mana’s treatment of a glorified male extra and the couple of still shots of girls’ in bikinis this episode utterly failed to do anything remotely fan servicey with its cast.

If it sounds like I’m disappointed, I’m not, it is more a genuine wonder who they think is watching this show and for what. Given we’ve pretty much established that the whole labyrinth / defeating the impurities thing is more or less a side note to Mana finding ways to crudely suggest that Itsuki should hook up with the next maiden, usually before Itsuki either hits him or finds someway to make him go away and then proceeds to hit on maiden in his own way, a beach scene kind of seems like the perfect setting for Conception to really capitalise on the one thing it kind of has going for it which is a large female cast of a fair range of types who all ultimately have to get together with the protagonist.

However, after some fortune telling and some personality switching shenanigans, Itsuki gets with another Star Maiden. We then see Aries stalking Itsuki and the extra from the beach and that leads to a fairly weird sequence involving a church, an armoury, and a way too eager male photographer before yet another session with a Star Maiden. And thus, episode 5 ends.

Episode 6 deals with Itsuki helping one of the maidens at a bakery that is being threatened by a large chain that happens to be owned by the family of another Star Maiden. Throw in some accidental knocking the girl unconscious, abduction, and an attempt by Mana to set up a situation where Stockholm syndrome will come into play and you really do have what makes for a story line every bit as morally dubious as it sounds. Still, Itsuki gets with the maiden and I guess maybe that’s what is important.

Though, perhaps it is more noteworthy that Mana hasn’t met an unfortunate end with a paper shredder, wood chipper, lawn mower or any other somehow permanently destructive fate. Itsuki, when you throw Mana out a window, next time make sure the window is closed.

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