Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches

Episode 7

Trying to change the future can be a frantic and stressful activity. It typically seems to involve running around like a lunatic, desperately trying to keep other people from arriving at the wrong place at the wrong time. There's often a ticking clock for added stress, and Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches doubles down on those deadlines this week. The characters need to stop a disaster before it happens, and the show needs to take a new storyline from beginning to end in just one episode. No matter how you look at it, there's a lot of work to be done here.

The series introduces another new witch this week, this time with the power to see the future. Sarushima's ability may be great for predicting pop quizzes, but a vision of the old school building burning down isn't quite what she bargained for. She starts skipping school in an attempt to change the future, but Yamada vows to find a better option. As it turns out, all he needs to do is stop a guy named Tsubaki from trying to fry up some tempura in the home economics room. It sounds simple enough, but it takes the combined efforts of the entire supernatural studies club to save the day.

Sarushima makes for an interesting new character, if only because she's such a far cry from the other witches. Most of the characters in this series have at least some trouble fitting in at school, but Sarushima is sociable and easygoing to a fault. This lets her keep Yamada and company a little off-balance, and the results are often entertaining. A flustered Yamada is a funny Yamada. By comparison, Tsubaki feels too generic. Apart from his habit of cooking when he's depressed, the guy just doesn't stand out much. He's almost more of a plot device than a character. With the show's cast growing every week, it's getting tougher for new faces to make an impression.

Part of the problem is that new characters simply don't have enough time to establish themselves. In fact, time is this episode's biggest issue. This story would've fit comfortably into two episodes, but cramming it into one just doesn't work. Each scene is a mad scramble to reach the next plot point, and the audience has no choice but to keep up. I remember this plot arc from the original manga, and even I had a rough time following everything. Sarushima's predictions change so frequently that it's not entirely clear how each action affects the outcome. The premise may be decent, but much of its appeal gets lost in the hasty execution.

The desperate pacing also dilutes the show's normally strong sense of humor. There are some funny moments here and there, but many of the jokes are tired old standards that can be rattled off in a hurry. Yamada gets slapped for seeing a girl's underwear. Tsubaki seems like a delinquent, but he's really a nice guy. Yamada gets slapped for seeing a girl's underwear a second time. For a series that usually delivers fresh laughter in bulk, that's pretty weak tea.

Even the chemistry between Yamada and Shiraishi takes a hit this week. They're too busy solving the problem of the minute to sneak in any of their usual banter, and this episode's big romantic moment ends up falling flat. Shiraishi trades bodies with Yamada out of the blue, and it's not until later that we find out she was trying to take the blame for the fire in his place. Thanks to haphazard storytelling, the scene is over before the emotional significance can set in. We're too busy trying to figure out what's happening to appreciate what it all means.

What frustrates me about this episode is that it could have worked. The prediction gimmick is interesting, the story has some good twists and turns, and it all ends up bringing the main characters a little closer together. The final product should be fun and compelling, but cramming it all into twenty minutes sucks the life right out of it. Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches has had trouble with over-eager pacing in the past, but this is the first time it's taken an episode so far off the rails.

Rating: C+

Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Paul Jensen is a freelance writer and editor. You can follow more of his anime-related ramblings on Twitter.