Still covering this, I guess. I mean, I don’t know. It’s Chuunibyou, you guys. I suppose as the person actually writing the piece, I shouldn’t be the one questioning the reason for its existence, but… yeah. It’s Chuunibyou. My analysis is it will probably be chuuni as fuck and also adorable. What added value can I actually provide?
Well, I am watching it while eating a delicious sandwich. I guess I could…
Alright, here’s Bobduh’s guide to making italian subs.
1 – First, you need bread. A whole goddamn lot of bread. A french baguette’s pretty much your only reasonable option – here, I’m using a whole wheat sourdough variety because the goddamn Whole Foods was out of the regular kind. No skimping on the bread – its flaky, crusty power is the cornerstone of texture and flavor.
3 – Next you need your ingredients, which you’ll find somewhere hidden in your housemates’ fucking warzone of refrigerator bullshit.
4 – What the fuck even is this? This shit has transitioned from food to science.
5 – Alright, ingredients acquired. Ham, provolone cheese, pepperoni, and lettuce. Some might say italian subs actually include a wide variety of other ingredients, but I’m going to call that “pretentious” and brook no argument on whatever that actually means.
6 – Ham first. If you’re borderline obsessive-compulsive like me, make sure to make exactly three layers of folded ham on every portion of the bread, with no dangling edges.
7 – See this dangling edge? Disaster. Gotta start all over.
8 – Okay, next you add the provolone. You’re a big kid, I won’t explain this one – although it is worth noting the obsessive-compulsive iceberg tapestry I’ve created with the extraneous pieces of provolone.
9 – Now pepperoni. I hope you are beginning to see a pattern. Fold each slice of pepperoni above the last in line and below the next. Any other pattern spells disaster.
10 – Finally the lettuce, at which point I realize I no longer have the energy to make this look nice. Good enough.
11 – Next is oil and vinegar, but first, return your ingredients to the fridge, unlike your goddamn housemates who just leave their shit everywhere.
12 – Olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano. Apply in that order. These are what make the sub work, so seriously, dump that shit on there.
13 – You’re done! Add some chips and a drink – personally, I go with strawberry-orange-banana juice, since it mixes well with rum, whiskey, and vodka, and can even hide the flavor of gin in a pinch. Congratulations!
Fuck, still here? Alright, let’s do this.
Episode 2
0:02 – Chuunibyou’s best character has returned. Good to have you back, hairclip
0:30 – She can’t help herself. Good to have the old Nibutani personality back, too
1:13 – Can’t handle all this lewd
2:47 – Man, this song really sucks, huh? You can barely say it has a melody
3:02 – Kumin’s binoculars so silly
3:55 – Even her hat is moping
4:13 – Goddamnit Rikka
4:35 – Adorable. Yeah, that’s what I’m here for. Nice to see Yuuta much more comfortable with himself, too
5:33 – Finally, an anime depicting a mature relationship
6:15 – Is Nibutani just the audience proxy now? GIVE US THE LOVEY-DOVEY STUFF
6:47 – This show is so stupid
7:22 – This episode doesn’t even have a plot. Goddamnit Chuunibyou
8:58 – I love that this is just the default cutaway – Rikka and Dekomori staring at a shiny rock. This show has very little respect for its characters
10:00 – Plz fix this Nibutani. You’re our only hope
10:55 – Everyone at school is also a fan of this show. I also like that everyone outside of their actual relationship can see they’re just in an anime relationship, not a real one
12:22 – KyoAni are so proud of their outfits
12:54 – Goddamnit this whole season’s just gonna be fanservice, isn’t it? The most adorable/ridiculous method of transportation
13:18 – Romance
13:45 – Yeah, we’re basically into Yuuta-Rikka slice of life territory here. Scenes like this exist for their own sake
15:00 – Yep
16:06 – Goddamnit Rikka
16:15 – Rikka plz
16:58 – Anime is a respectable storytelling medium
17:10 – Nice shot
18:22 – Really nice shot. And another scene of character for character’s sake in an episode pretty much dedicated to them
19:14 – Okay, here we go. This is the great “confession doesn’t end conflict” stuff I was talking about, and I suppose this is a pretty good way to articulate it for these characters. Nobody actually gives you a manual for this stuff – you’re just as confused post-confession, even if you’re both on the same page. And as this episode demonstrated, being honest about liking each other doesn’t immediately mean it’s easy to be honest about anything else
19:38 – This show is so in love with its own characters. Happiness straight to the vein
19:44 – Actually laughed out loud at this one. Rikka knows how these stories work!
20:42 – Still cracks me up to hear Lelouch saying this shit. This scene’s pretty solidly in KyoAni’s wheelhouse design-wise, too – this color palette of burnt oranges, pinks, and purples, sunset colors, is something they’ve leaned on in Chuunibyou S1, Kyoukai no Kanata, and Hyouka.
21:42 – Cute callback
And Done
And our new challenger approaches. Not particularly worried it’ll actually go in a “new threat driving them apart” direction, since the director specifically stated that wouldn’t be happening. Anyway, that was a very silly episode – it served its purpose of establishing Yuuta and Rikka don’t really know how to be in a relationship, but was mainly dedicated to cute chuunis doing cute things. And it was certainly pretty good at that.
Until next time, enjoy your sandwiches responsibly.
This blog is now officially an anime/culinary blog. I’m expecting a lesson on baking cakes during the next Kill la Kill write up!
But for real, the best word to describe this anime would be “adorable”. And the best word to describe me right now would be “hungry”.
What a graceful transition that would be. “Tonight, a discussion of the camera’s frame as comedic device. Also: cake.”
Is it bad that I was kinda more interested in that god damn delicious looking sub than this episode? Also, do you not toast your sub at all?
Nope, I don’t toast subs – for an italian sub, I want that fresh, crispy flavor, and the texture of the baguette already adds a lot of what toasting generally provides. For other sandwiches, toasting can be absolutely appropriate!
I suggest adding pesto to that beautiful sandwich.
Pesto is a very interesting thought. This calls for experiments.