Kaguya-Sama Love is War Episode 11 Review
What is worse than two supposedly smart characters facing off on childish mind-games that seldom amount to anything?
Apparently episode 11 where the two don’t meet and we get a skit of Shinomiya moping about the house and learning to use Twitter, another one of those random stories where someone turns ramen eating into some kind of high art form which just goes on far too long, and then another story where both Shirogane and Shinomiya are moping and end up at the school but not at the same time.
Sigh.
If it wasn’t for the post credit sequence where Shinomiya was summoned by her father and clearly they are setting something up there I’d say this was an entirely skippable episode. Unless of course you really have some desire to watch Fujiwara eat ramen while some random side character narrates the ‘correct’ way to do so. Is it just me or are there too many of these ramen perfectionists scattered throughout anime? And do such people really exist that they feel there’s only one correct way to enjoy a bowl of soup and noodles?
Ramen philosophy aside, there’s little entertainment in watching Shinomiya mope and her attempts at using twitter are just this side of pathetic. I honestly wanted Hayasaka to just put her earphones in and enjoy her bath because watching a character sleep in the bathtub was honestly more entertaining (words I never thought I would type).
Summer holiday sequences are a staple of high school based anime, and while many fall back on the standard tropes of bikini clad girls playing beach volleyball before splitting a watermelon, at least there’s a little amusement to be found in that. I’m just not sure what, if anything, we were supposed to get out of this mope fest other than annoyed at both the main characters for continuing to be idiotically stubborn.
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Though, at least visually it didn’t drop the ball toward the end of the season as a lot of other anime have. The visuals and animation (what little animation there was), were as on point as always.
Anyway, one episode of this to go.
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Karandi James
- Episode 1: A Comedy About A Broken Philosophy on Love and Romance
- Episode 2: The Tools of War – Phones, Vacations and Love Advice
- Episode 3: Solid Visuals, Great Music, Average Most Everything Else
- Episode 4: All’s Fair In Love, War, And Welcoming Parties
- Episode 5: The Battleground of Love Advice, Volleyball and Umbrellas
- Episode 6: It Isn’t Paranoia When She’s Really Threatening To Kill You
- Episode 7 and 8: The Love War Flat-Lined
- Episode 9: Is It Terrible If I Call This Episode ‘The Cold War’?
- Episode 10: Passing the Olive Branch
- Episode 11: No Love, No War, No Real Interest
- Episode 12: Heartfelt Moment Undermined by ‘Humorous’ Conclusion
- Series Review
- Images from: Kaguya Sama: Love Is War. Dir. S Omata. A-1 Pictures. 2019.
I’m back, and…….
Yeah, I agree, even in the manga, I just skipped it. I’m never a fan of these tropes in anything, including things I like.
As I mentioned to Scott, it was easy for me to identify with Hayasaka in this episode, because the way she has to walk Kaguya step-by-step through those simple computer tasks is basically me at work whenever I have to assist our less internet-savvy customers. Seriously, if you ever want to appreciate your own computer skills, try spending an hour helping a former truck driver who just got laid off after 30 years fill out online job applications when he can’t even hold a mouse properly. I’ve been there, done that so many times I could have written that segment myself. Only difference really is that my customers can’t follow me home and interrupt my bath once I’m off the clock.
The ramen segment seems to be one of the most polarizing of the series. Half the comments I’ve read loved it, and half thought it was the worst segment of the entire show. Even a lot of manga readers have said they thought it was a weak chapter, although apparently there was also a final punchline to Chika’s outing (involving Ishigami) that the anime just completely cut.
Also, I have to quote a commenter named Mentar over on Randomc.net, because as a filthy gaijin who isn’t always familiar with Japanese cultural contexts, I found it illuminating:
“It should be noted that the term Hayasaka used (kusojiji – shitty old man) is literally unthinkable for valets like Hayasaka. It shows a degree of loathing and disrespect which is unbelievable. Which only cements her as _my_ best girl of the show, especially when she covered Kaguya’s hand.”
Would that we were all blessed with friends as good as Hayasaka.