I went back and dug out Steven’s scoring system for corny comedies, and applied it to GSNK:
(2) – 2 or more people seriously contending for the affections of one (1 point for each serious contender)
(1) – …who trickle in (1)
(1) – …who aren’t human (1 for each)
(1)* – …who have special powers (1 for each)
(1) – Dorky hero (1) (Yes, he’s a dork, if he’s not all over Mayu, fatal or not!)
(0) – …who has a unique power (1) (Pending.)
(1) – Klutzy heroine (1)
(1) – …who has a unique power (1) (She’s a succubus.)
(0) – Love expressed as violence (1) (Pending. Probably yes for Reika.)
(1) – Obvious choice (1) (Yes, both of them! Really, Mayu, but I suspect both.)
(1) – Women with exaggerated figures (1)
(1) – Jiggle (1)
(0) – Panty flashes (1) (Surprisingly, not a one.)
(1) – Ecchi (1)
(1) – Joshikousei (1) (Of course.)
(1) – Meido-san (1)
(1) – Accidental exposure (1) (And some on purpose too–by the schoolgirls.)
(1) – Accidental groping (1) (Ditto the above.)
(0) – Swimsuits at the beach (1) (Pool. Good enough.)
(0) – Bathing and yukatas in a bathhouse (1) (Not yet.)
(0) – Kimonos at a summer festival or cultural festival (1) (Not yet.)
(0) – Girl’s locker room (1) (Not yet.)
(1) – Cosplay (1) (Yowza.)
(0) – Romances among secondary characters (1) (Not yet.)
(1) – Meganekko (1) (Based on the OP, yes.)
(1) – Annoying relatives (1) (Big sis, big time.)
(1) – Meddlers (friends or family) (1) (Two of them.)
(0) – No romantic resolution at the end (1) (Pending, but I bet not.)
*Should “Filthy Rich” be treated as a special power? I’m inclined to think so. One additional point if you agree.
Score: 20. And that’s in just the first two episodes….
I just had an odd thought. I’ve mentioned that we see Shungo and Mayu kiss in the OP. What if that’s actually child Reika? The flashbacks are definitely Mayu, but is the locket in one scene a hint?
Could the writers be doing a bit of misdirection? Or am I making a serious mistake, trying to apply brainpower to this show?
This show really has seized your imagination, hasn’t it? (Or maybe seized something a bit lower down…)
Oh, like you haven’t done three long posts in a row over a panty fighter show! With cheesecake, and multiple updates, I might add. 😀
Real, er, second, reason: They’re quick and easy posts to write. I’ve got about four articles started, but they require more serious thought, and Clannad is going to force a rewrite on the one about Kanon. I’m jumping around on those as whim and inspiration takes me. Next one to finish is probably the early season winners/losers. I may need to take screencaps though, so it might not be up until Wed.
I’ve got more than one episode to watch and obsess about.
Hey! I’ve got two now!
Of course, you didn’t temporarily rename your blog…
Edit: (man, this comment got away from me…)
Sadly, the refrigerator is starting to kick in. Not so much about the logic (or lack thereof) behind the series, but the problem the writers have with Mayu. For the moment, they’re keeping her inconsistant, but she’s starting to respond to being around Shungo — at this point, when she vamps him, it’s in an accidental or brain-dead manner. Her powers kick in when she’s uncomfortable or in fear, and since she’s afraid of men, just being in the classroom can provoke an incident. But she’s starting to get attached to Shungo, which means her powers don’t trigger against him (never mind his apparent immunity.) This means Reika’s introduction isn’t a plot twist, it’s a plot necessity. She’s got to be there to perform her stated task of “keeping anything immoral from happening.”
If Reika weren’t there, the story might have about four episodes to it. One of two things would happen:
Both scenarios ignore the “childhood friends” question, because that could potentially be a byplay or a complete second story arc, as could the “what are Shungo and Ryoko?” question.
I believe the entrance of Reika indicates that there is no intention to take any of these questions seriously. Reika exists to keep the primaries apart, because a jealous competitor is so much better as a chaperone than a sister with a camera. Reika will be the agitator that actively keeps anything from being resolved. I expect 1-2 more episodes introducing people we see in the OP (Ep. 3 looks like the other girls in the school), and then it’s going to settle into a rut. (Argh!) Just another fanservice-fest (sans panties) with absurd sexual situations. Attractive as Mayu may be, I don’t find that overly interesting.
Is there any possibility of this show pulling out a HMT:LV ending? I would be pleasantly surprised, if so.
Edit: argh, this comment didn’t come out right, but lunch was over. I’ll develop it into a brief post and fix the problems.
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