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EP. REVIEW: When Will Ayumu Make His Move?


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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 10946
PostPosted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 9:51 am Reply with quote
I feel like a better title would be "What Move Won't Ayumu Make?"

It's fun watching a male lead who is completely honest about his feelings aside from being unable to confess said feelings because of an arbitrary limit, and how Urushi is clearly also into him and the attention he gives her even if she won't admit it and gets so flustered.

It's a different dynamic than Takagi and Nishikata,

Takeru and Sakurako are cute as well.
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Minos_Kurumada



Joined: 04 Nov 2015
Posts: 981
PostPosted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 1:03 pm Reply with quote
Yeah, it's a very cute series and a lead so willing to admit what he feels about his non-girlfriend but without confessing it's kinda interesting.

But, it's not going to lit the charts, perfectly serviceable for what it is and strives to do but just that.
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Animegomaniac



Joined: 16 Feb 2012
Posts: 4070
PostPosted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 4:45 pm Reply with quote
"When will the pawn make his move?" The title is a triple pun; Inside the game, outside the game and then there's what interests me: If the whole thing is part of the meta game then why does the move of the weakest piece lead the strategy of both sides?

It's a matter of formalities. Ayumu has set up the game and his win conditions and he will not deviate from that. Urushi could defuse his entire game declaring for the two of them first or when she learns of the Ayumu's strategy from his "wingman" Takeru, by letting Ayumu win.... taking out the symbolism and dictate the rules of their relationship. Simple enough.

So what can possibly go wrong? What happens to Ayumu when... oh, I'm sorry, "if"... "if" novice Takeru turns out to be a natural at shogi and beats Urushi without trying that much?

See, here's the problem with Love is War... though I'm not sure why we have to talk about that show: The self imposed rules dictated by the leads can't draw in the rest of the cast into their own dynamic. In this show? It's inevitable the moment the ghost member showed up to play. And why did he do that? Formalities.

Teasing Master Takagi San is even worse than Love is War: At least the side characters used in Love is War to make the series longer are interesting or interact with the leads.
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tywhoppity



Joined: 09 Sep 2019
Posts: 193
PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 2022 11:34 am Reply with quote
I gave this show The Three and gave it up; the jokes quickly became repetitive and tiresome.
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 10946
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2022 11:54 am Reply with quote
Wow, this like a speedrunning romance anime. Christmas and New Years by the 4th episode!?

Not even that, Urushi is already calling Ayumu by his first name so naturally and Ayumu actually won! Sure, it was with Urushi using a handicap and he didn't seal the deal, but it shows some progress!
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njprogfan
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Joined: 08 Feb 2007
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Location: A River Named Toms
PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2022 12:33 pm Reply with quote
Am I the only one who actually looks forward to the scenes with Sakurako and Teruko then our main couple? I'd rather watch them for most of the 22 minutes.
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Korb



Joined: 08 Apr 2003
Posts: 19
PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 7:50 am Reply with quote
This week, episode 6, was truly an animation disaster. So many loops and still shots, not to mention how the characters just looked off spec, particularly during the first segment of the episode. Maybe they were off during the later one too, but I kept noticing the lack of motion more so than things like head shape or facial feature placement. A low effort production all around on this one.
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 10946
PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2022 10:28 am Reply with quote
And now Valentine's Day! I'm guessing we'll get the beach episode next week at this rate Anime hyper.

HanaKana...I mean, Mika really is the gift that keeps on giving!

Okay, yeah, Sakurako definitely seems like she knows exactly what she's doing with Takeru. She's like hypnotist Takagi.

I thought it was really cute how both couples kept flirting with each other in the library.

Poor Urushi can't play shogi with Ayumu...
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dm
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Joined: 24 Sep 2010
Posts: 1346
PostPosted: Sat Aug 27, 2022 1:25 pm Reply with quote
Yes, this episode was a real step up from previous ones.

But I was amused at the shoji game that was shown by looking out the clubroom window with the snap of pieces on the board as sound-effect.
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 27, 2022 11:13 pm Reply with quote
Wow, Ayumu and Takeru's Senpai status didn't last very long.

I was wondering how Rin felt about Ayumu...it turns out she was in the same position he was, only she was trying to beat him so she could confess to him. And now she's trying to help him beat Urushi so he can confess and so his feelings can actually go somewhere, unlike hers. Although compared to Ayumu and Rin, it seems like Ayumu and Urushi actually have mutual feelings for each other.
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Beltane70



Joined: 07 May 2007
Posts: 3868
PostPosted: Sat Aug 27, 2022 11:48 pm Reply with quote
I really enjoy this series quite a bit. I think one of my favorite aspects of it is the fact the Ayumu is actually the younger of the two. It’s pretty rare in anime that we get a male character that’s younger than his love interest.
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 28, 2022 9:15 am Reply with quote
Beltane70 wrote:
I really enjoy this series quite a bit. I think one of my favorite aspects of it is the fact the Ayumu is actually the younger of the two. It’s pretty rare in anime that we get a male character that’s younger than his love interest.

Probably the most recent I can think of is Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai with Mai and Sakuta, or SAO where Asuna was actually older than Kirito, or the current Engage Kiss where the MC's ex-girlfriend is a few years older than him.
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dm
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Joined: 24 Sep 2010
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 09, 2022 9:28 pm Reply with quote
Episode 10

Serious Gendo Ikari vibes from Urushi's father.

I haven't gotten that far in the manga (if, indeed, this isn't anime original). Did the character design come before casting the voice actor, or after?

Urushi clearly didn't inherit his genes for height. And Ayumu should be swimming in a shirt borrowed from him.

(Semi-serious Maki vibes from Urushi's mother, too.)
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MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 10946
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2022 9:12 am Reply with quote
I love how they had Fumihiko Tachiki and Sayaka Ohara as Urushi's parents. Like, legit seiyuu legends just popping up to voice the female leads' parents in a romcom and it made an already hilarious Meet the Parents episode more hilarious.

Also, have they not played a married couple before? I feel like they have.

I love how Urushi claimed that Ayumu was her boyfriend to throw her dad off. Like you hardly ever see someone use that excuse in front of their parents. And Ayumu has their approval now!

Urushi was not expecting to be shopping for racy underwear with her gal pals...

I'm curious if Ayumu and Rins' alone time while Urushi is on her trip will lead to a resolution regarding Rins' lingering feelings for Ayumu (if she has them). Urushi is already jealous of the time they spent together (she was willing to bring Ayumu into her room!).

I hope we get some Sakurako and Takeru screentime in the next episode considering Sakurako's finally realized her feelings for Takeru.
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dm
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Joined: 24 Sep 2010
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2022 12:38 pm Reply with quote
I disagree with James' comment about Sakurako and Takeru --- I find their romance more compelling than that between Urushi and Ayumu. In fact, in this series, almost all the side characters have outshone the main couple --- including Urushi's parents, now.
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