jay=out

Haha, why so serious?

No, of course, with any harem series, there’s always the obligatory pool/beach/water park episode involved, so with the series halfway over, to-LOVE-ru was also bound to have such a themed episode.  Now, considering the storyline of the manga, this is what I guess would be considered filler,  but seeing as how the anime doesn’t really follow the manga very closely anyways, the series overall is just “filler” for the manga, plus, unlike Rosario + Vampire, it’s actually good.  And though I usually hate the types of shows that make up their own endings because the manga isn’t complete (save for the X TV series), I somehow enjoy watching this series because it doesn’t follow the manga and provides new content for a cool series.  Or maybe it’s just because it’s one of the few series where I like everyone in the harem.  Either way, it’s good.

Run vi Brittania commands you…

Of course, with any type of “filler” episode, it would of course revolve around the character development of a minor character not seen too much.  Overall, I’d see this more of a character introduction seeing as how the introduction of Ren didn’t really apply to Run, as she was only briefly seen in the beginning and end of episode 7, then just made little appearances here and there.  And I’m really happy that throughout the whole episode, there wasn’t an instance in which she sneezed and switched back to Ren in order to seize a comedic effect that involves a gay moment between him and Rito.

While funny, Rito clearly chose the wrong choice when faced with a girl in the bathroom.

The episode itself revolves around Run trying to attract the attention of the undecisive Rito, but of course she doesn’t (one reason might be because, you know, the whole guy-to-girl, girl-to-guy thing.  Of course, instead of going for any sort of seduction technique, she goes for the direct approach and tries to glomp him until she decides it’s not working this way, so she instead goes for taking everyone’s swimsuits off to embarass themselves in front of him.  Of course, none of that works either and it ultimately just pisses Rito off.

 Yeah well…I guess I’d be pissed off too.

After running off, after a bunch of misunderstandings involving the teacher she doesn’t recognize from school, Run decides to try and become an idol.  Now, while to-LOVE-ru isn’t exactly like it’s manga counterpart, like a lot of anime adapted to manga before completion, it contains certain elements and storylines for material.  What I found unique here is that the storyline involving Run becoming an idol just happened pretty recently in the manga, and the end result of the ordeal here is a lot different than the manga too.  I’d be quick to snap at the animation studio to tell them “That’s all wrong!” but again to-LOVE-ru doesn’t try to be a direct adaptation of the manga as much as it can, then try to get away with an original ending.  It makes things less predictable methinks.

What’s covered here is a parody of the theme of the rise and fall of an aspiring artist only for them to crash and burn for less desirable consequences at the end.  It’s done in humor, but I do believe there is some truth in this in some cases, and it’s easy to understand why certain people might not find it as amusing. I did, however, so I’m wondering if I’m just open to things done for the sake of comedy or if there’s something seriously wrong with me.  The only part that real made me really sit down and think was when Run was slapped in the face, which being a moral fag, I find a bit much, but Rito and co.  come to save her from the ordeal, so I guess it’s okay.

 Did I mention Lala’s voice is teh smex?

One thing to note about Run’s character in this episode is that unlike in the manga, Run doesn’t hate Lala with as much passion as Saki does, and thus doesn’t reference her childhood past and traumas that occured between her and Lala.  While I admit this makes her more akin to Haruna and subjugates her into the role of having a crush on the main character, as deliciously evil as her manga counterpart is, I really don’t have any qualms on her being this way.

Obligatory Yui shot.  Big breasted tsundres FTW!