A weaker episode of Kiznaiver this week, as it leaned on lousy comedy and archetypal beats and basically the kind of stuff you’d expect from a mediocre character-focused show. There was still good material too, though – the relationship between Yuta and Hanako is great, for example, and the show’s visual design is still top notch. There are still plenty of question marks hanging around this one, since it’s aiming for emotional profundity that it hasn’t yet earned, but the occasional sharp conversation does give me some hope it’ll at least approach a solid ending. Kiznaiver is a creaky show, but I have a lot of difficulty blaming shows for ambition.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below!
“You’ll be able to get it back. You’ll get back your pain.” “I don’t want to do it alone.”
So it looks like MC and blue-haired girl were Kiznaiver buddies as children. Which may explain why emotions are so foreign to her
“It has to be with everyone.” “Where does ‘everyone’ begin and end?”
Masochist guy explains his deal. It is so very unlikely this will be used well
“Does this dude like guys, too?” Jeez
“Who are you calling friends? Your standards of friendship are too low.”
Nico does seem pretty insecure
“There’s no harm in calling her a friend. It doesn’t cost anything.” “There’s nothing more expensive than something free.” She doesn’t want these emotional connections, these obligations. She wants to keep things extremely clear
“Those who have a complex about their appearance mistakenly think that everyone’s value is measured solely on their looks.” Jeez, what a burn
Honoka attempting to push him back by being as mean as possible
“What do you want?” “Stimulation.” “If I change that to ‘the feeling of being alive,’ is that fine?”
Chidori feels threatened by Katsuhira expressing interest in others before her
And her feelings are clear to the new guy
Yuta feels threatened by Hisomu appearing at school
Nico thinks she tricked them into becoming her friends by exchanging email addresses
New mission: eat some fried rice together to become friends
Honoka is tired of the games
They apparently have a summer training camp
“Please use the power of your bond to try to finish eating it”
“Sonozaki, why don’t you come with us to the training camp?”
“Let’s exchange email addresses.”
The school counselor advises the bullies on… how to kill Tenga?
This scene is absurd
The show still has plenty of beautiful shots
Sonozaki keeps screwing up the shiritori
Getting some exposition on the Kizuna Committee
A lot of people have been leaving Sugomori
“I was taught to gracefully accept the kindness of others.”
Chidori’s jealousy isn’t that compelling
Tenga and Chidori seem to be the actual future couple, though
She actually accepts Tenga’s help getting Katsuhira back
And now the two bullies are Kiznaivers