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EP. REVIEW: Interviews with Monster Girls


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AnimeLordLuis



Joined: 27 Jan 2015
Posts: 1626
Location: The Borderlands of Pandora
PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 5:06 pm Reply with quote
Interviews with Monster Girls is definitely shaping up to be one of the best Anime series of the season and who doesn't love monster girls. Very Happy
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Megiddo



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 8360
Location: IL
PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 5:22 pm Reply with quote
After episode 2 I knew that this series wasn't even going to bother to attempt to deal with the societal reaction to the demihumans. There you have out in broad daylight a mid 30s man walking around with the disembodied head of a young girl. And other than one slightly bewildered face among the many characters in the background, the show didn't even try to do anything. There are only 3 dullahan in the entire world and yet the teacher walking around and talking with a head had practically no reaction. Very disappointing.

Even more disappointing was that the teacher did nothing to dissuade his student after she kissed him on the cheek. As a teacher he needed to separate himself and at the very minimum tell her that her physical affection was not appreciated. Instead the dude smiled. What a bad teacher.

Anytime the girls get together to talk all they talk about is how the teacher is so awesome and amazing and how in love with him they are. They don't seem to actually have any interests at this point that don't involve the teacher. To me, that makes them awfully flat characters.
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John Thacker



Joined: 28 Oct 2013
Posts: 1006
PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 5:22 pm Reply with quote
In episode three, nice job by the Crunchyroll subs to translate most of the book titles. They were certainly chosen for a reason, like Confessions of a Mask. I relate enjoy the way that they naturally discuss various issues (like comparing her thoughts towards vampires who completely avoid blood to most people towards vegans "impressive, but I don't think I could manage it.") Issues of accommodation, differences, and fitting in are dealt with very well without heavy handedness. They aren't obvious allusions or allegories, which makes the implicit moral lessons about tolerance stronger, even while being hilarious.
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18137
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 6:07 pm Reply with quote
Yeah, I'm enjoying the laid-back approach in this case and being quite charmed by all the neat little touches, such as how the succubus doesn't dare fall asleep near others (and even has to live out in the boonies) or all of the little accommodations that Machi just undertakes naturally. Great cast of characters, too, especially Hikari, whom I can see being one of this season's popularity-poll stars. I also loved the way Tetsuo kept his composure around the succubus teacher until he got out of sight.

The points Megiddo raises are concerns, and I'd add to them that there is a definite harem undercurrent starting to show, but so far they are minor ones for me. This isn't going to be my favorite for the season but it makes for a great change-of-pace from my more boisterous and/or weighty other top picks.
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Valhern



Joined: 19 Jan 2015
Posts: 916
PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 6:20 pm Reply with quote
While I was really wary of the designs, I love how the adaptation is turning out, the direction is really strong (that morning and night of Satou was excellently framed and planned), and they nail the visual of everybody's personality really well. Also, there was one thing I really liked when they were talking about yuki onna, the Mean Girl #1 said "KUSAkabe", reinforcing the "kusa" part almost sounding like "kuzo" (crap).

Megiddo wrote:
Anytime the girls get together to talk all they talk about is how the teacher is so awesome and amazing and how in love with him they are. They don't seem to actually have any interests at this point that don't involve the teacher. To me, that makes them awfully flat characters.


Not really, when Hikari and Macchi start talking, they talk about how they live dealing with their own demi problems. True, in episode 2 when they get together they mostly talk about Takahashi, and in episode 3 Satou and Macchi are talking about him too, but they also talk about maturity and what a grown-up is like.

In any case, their interests have clearly been shown in solitary, Macchi is concerned about how childish she is and how her parents want her to grow, she also wants to fit in better with people and wants to know how to make jokes about herself; Hikari is probably closer (in these episodes) to the charming and energetic kind of girl, but she's also shown interest in being a teaser and trying to look mature. Satou hasn't shown much, but she is interested in how her being a succubus affects the way romance works for her (even without considering Takahashi), how she sees herself in terms of an adult.
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steelmirror



Joined: 22 Oct 2015
Posts: 342
PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 6:36 pm Reply with quote
Megiddo wrote:
Even more disappointing was that the teacher did nothing to dissuade his student after she kissed him on the cheek. As a teacher he needed to separate himself and at the very minimum tell her that her physical affection was not appreciated. Instead the dude smiled. What a bad teacher.
And then the succubus teacher, on hearing that one of her students has a crush on a much older teacher, doesn't comment at all about how maybe the student should move on, that the relationship can't go anywhere, or that someone closer to her own age might be a more fulfilling avenue for a first relationship. Instead she gives the student advice on how to make herself more appealing, while making comments on the side that show how she's jealous of her own student for having gone on a date with a fellow teacher.

Wait, what?

I really want to like this show. After that first episode, I thought I was going to love it, but this plot about a relationship with a teacher is skirting into really iffy territory for me. It's not irredeemable yet, but if they don't drop that stuff (and preferably have the sensei let the girls of gently but unequivocally, as he should have done already), I'll probably drop the show. Sad
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meiam



Joined: 23 Jun 2013
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 6:50 pm Reply with quote
Yeah I'm also pretty close to dropping it, episode 1 was pretty damn good, but then episode 2 went straight into harem territory and episode 3 double down on that. Seriously, your student just said she was in love with a teacher and you decide to agree with her and fangirl over him? Not even mentioning the fact that she fell in love with him strictly because he held her hand and didn't wet his pant, hell that was the same morning and she's already fantasizing about his arms!

I wish this was slice of life, I wish nothing was happening over this. It's so unnecessary and the laziest route they could have gone with. The romance isn't even good! The girl all fall in love with him for almost no reason and extremely quickly.

And the setting is so underutilized, they seem to be completely uninterested in actually looking into what role the demi could have in society, it's another one of those show where character have incredible power full of possibility and the show is only interested in the downside.
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Northlander



Joined: 10 Feb 2009
Posts: 900
PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 7:11 pm Reply with quote
Megiddo wrote:
Even more disappointing was that the teacher did nothing to dissuade his student after she kissed him on the cheek. As a teacher he needed to separate himself and at the very minimum tell her that her physical affection was not appreciated. Instead the dude smiled. What a bad teacher.

Probably because he knew she was just doing that to get a rise out of him, and if he had done what you said he should do, he'd be playing into that? I'm pretty sure he realizes that if he gets huffy every time she tries to tease him, she's just going to do more of that, probably also more frequently. Especially when it comes to someone as mischievous as Hikari.

steelmirror wrote:
I really want to like this show. After that first episode, I thought I was going to love it, but this plot about a relationship with a teacher is skirting into really iffy territory for me. It's not irredeemable yet, but if they don't drop that stuff (and preferably have the sensei let the girls of gently but unequivocally, as he should have done already), I'll probably drop the show. Sad

How can he let off someone he doesn't even know is in love with him?
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steelmirror



Joined: 22 Oct 2015
Posts: 342
PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 7:39 pm Reply with quote
Northlander wrote:
How can he let off someone he doesn't even know is in love with him?
Between allowing a student to kiss him on the cheek without any reaction, and going out on a date with a student, he's behaving irresponsibly. As someone who has worked with students myself at times, you make sure those lines stay firmly drawn. And his fellow teacher's reaction make the situation even worse, and make me less sanguine about the writers' intentions or ability to carry on with this storyline in any kind of way that I'll be comfortable with.

To be clear, I'm not knocking the show if you like it, or if anyone else likes it. I'm just talking about why I find it a bit uncomfortable, and why, despite the fact that I really enjoy parts of it, the parts I don't enjoy might end up overwhelming that if it keeps going like it's going. On the other hand, I might end up being completely wrong and I may enjoy it after all! I certainly hope so.

But teachers and their responsibilities for the students entrusted to them are serious business for me, so I'm probably more sensitive than most about seeing that abused.
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Morry



Joined: 26 Jun 2016
Posts: 756
PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 9:35 pm Reply with quote
steelmirror wrote:
Northlander wrote:
How can he let off someone he doesn't even know is in love with him?
Between allowing a student to kiss him on the cheek without any reaction, and going out on a date with a student, he's behaving irresponsibly. As someone who has worked with students myself at times, you make sure those lines stay firmly drawn.

So it's wrong for him to not give into a girl who's clearly trying to get a rise out of him and encourage more of that teasing behavior? She embarrassed herself trying to embarrass him while they discussed an embarrassing topic for his research. She's unlikely be so bold again. I don't see the problem with not lecturing a student who clearly learned their lesson the hard way.

He was clearly told beforehand about what the purpose and intentions of the "date" entailed, albeit he was mostly lied to. Considering the amount of involvement Japanese teachers have in their students' lives outside the classroom, I don't see what such an innocent outing with a student would cause a problem. If they were seen actually doing something in itself taboo, like heading to a love hotel, I could see the cause for concern, but this doesn't appear to be too out there.

I'm bugged by the harem-ish elements cropping up too, but sensei's behavior is hardly what bugs me about it.
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Animechic420



Joined: 25 Sep 2012
Posts: 1724
Location: A Cave Filled With Riches
PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 11:46 pm Reply with quote
For those going on about the harem undertones, don't worry. IwMG isn't nor will it become a harem.
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MiloTheFirst



Joined: 10 Dec 2014
Posts: 429
PostPosted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 12:01 am Reply with quote
Megiddo wrote:

Even more disappointing was that the teacher did nothing to dissuade his student after she kissed him on the cheek. As a teacher he needed to separate himself and at the very minimum tell her that her physical affection was not appreciated. Instead the dude smiled. What a bad teacher.


In my opinion his reaction was actually the most sensible and effective. A teacher is not supposed to scold a student for the sake of it, if you want to effectively teach something you have to consider the feelings of the person receiving the information for it affects how well they will interpret it. A straight "student's developing feelings for their teacher is wrong so you are putting me in a uncomfortable position, I would appreciate if you stopped the affection displays", would not really teach her anything just make her feel overly embarrassed and guilty, prompting her to stop interacting with him altogether or even be reluctant to share her feelings with adults in general. what he did was being subtle and let her realize the circumstances by herself, the smile he gave her was very light, it was the kind a parent give his toddler when shown a drawing they made. that smile implied "I see what you just did as a kid doing kid stuff", on the short term it tells her "your teasing is not going to work for me" and in he long term it allows her to burst her own romantic bubble without feeling inadequate.
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Northlander



Joined: 10 Feb 2009
Posts: 900
PostPosted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 12:46 am Reply with quote
steelmirror wrote:
Northlander wrote:
How can he let off someone he doesn't even know is in love with him?
Between allowing a student to kiss him on the cheek without any reaction, and going out on a date with a student, he's behaving irresponsibly. As someone who has worked with students myself at times, you make sure those lines stay firmly drawn. And his fellow teacher's reaction make the situation even worse, and make me less sanguine about the writers' intentions or ability to carry on with this storyline in any kind of way that I'll be comfortable with.

Well, I explained the whole thing about how I felt his reaction to the kiss was appropriate, coupled with how he reacted when she tried to make him believe she had bit him on the neck. I'm pretty sure he -- like me -- doubts Hikari is interested in him for romantic reasons.

As far as the "date" went; granted, I do feel that maybe he was being a bit naive about the whole thing, but given that he asked the girls for the chance to talk to them for the sake of his project, it's also the most likely he saw it as a chance to ask her about some more things he didn't think of at first, and since she asked hm to hug her "like a parent" (sort of) earlier, I'm guessing that's why his defenses were down about the date.

There's also the fact that we as viewers gets to see every exchange. If each episode were cut in a way that we only got to see the scenes with him in it, would we be as quick to pick up on everything going on between the girls privately as we expect the male lead to be?

Quote:
To be clear, I'm not knocking the show if you like it, or if anyone else likes it. I'm just talking about why I find it a bit uncomfortable, and why, despite the fact that I really enjoy parts of it, the parts I don't enjoy might end up overwhelming that if it keeps going like it's going. On the other hand, I might end up being completely wrong and I may enjoy it after all! I certainly hope so.

But teachers and their responsibilities for the students entrusted to them are serious business for me, so I'm probably more sensitive than most about seeing that abused.

I didn't think you were. I merely brought up the things I did and threw out that question because I wanted to share my thoughts about Demi-chan. Personally, I doubt the show will go where you seem to fear it will. I don't know it for sure, of course, but the whole show kind of gives the vibe of being more responsible than that, however casual it might treat its cast or however silly it might get.
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steelmirror



Joined: 22 Oct 2015
Posts: 342
PostPosted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 1:12 am Reply with quote
Northlander wrote:
As far as the "date" went; granted, I do feel that maybe he was being a bit naive about the whole thing, but given that he asked the girls for the chance to talk to them for the sake of his project, it's also the most likely he saw it as a chance to ask her about some more things he didn't think of at first, and since she asked hm to hug her "like a parent" (sort of) earlier, I'm guessing that's why his defenses were down about the date.

There's also the fact that we as viewers gets to see every exchange. If each episode were cut in a way that we only got to see the scenes with him in it, would we be as quick to pick up on everything going on between the girls privately as we expect the male lead to be
Speaking for me personally, yes, I'd still be weirded out. As a teacher, you just don't go out on a date with a student. And what they did was objectively a date, not even counting the fact that he was literally carrying her everywhere. If he wanted to do what they did as part of his research, then they could have gone out as part of a larger group, with at least one other adult present to keep things completely and clearly platonic between them.

Some people have said that Japanese teacher-student culture is different, and I've heard that excuse given in other anime where I felt uncomfortable with student-teacher relationships. I don't know, I'm no expert in Japanese teacher norms, so maybe there is some truth to that. But then, that doesn't change the fact that I'm weirded out when anime tease teacher-student romance (and it happens often enough and blatantly enough across anime that I'm inclined to think it has less to do with Japanese culture and more to do with otaku interests and wish fulfillment).

I do hope that you guys are right, and the romantic aspects of the relationships between the lead and his students fade into the background, or get dealt with in a thoughtful way. If nothing else, I think the two teachers make a cute couple, so I want to see that actually develop!
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MiloTheFirst



Joined: 10 Dec 2014
Posts: 429
PostPosted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 1:31 am Reply with quote
steelmirror wrote:


And then the succubus teacher, on hearing that one of her students has a crush on a much older teacher, doesn't comment at all about how maybe the student should move on, that the relationship can't go anywhere, or that someone closer to her own age might be a more fulfilling avenue for a first relationship. Instead she gives the student advice on how to make herself more appealing, while making comments on the side that show how she's jealous of her own student for having gone on a date with a fellow teacher.


well, about dissuading the student on her crush, japanese teachers are not that hands-on, culturally they believe in the value of hitting the wall by oneself, in other words they think it is beneficial for the student to think by themselves whether it would be ok or not then get turned down when the time comes. but you know, succubus-san being immature was the whole theme of the episode.

This episode is of course not meant to be a power point presentation for a under-graduate students aspiring to be teachers, but it is still trying to teach a lesson nonetheless, just that a different one, namely "becoming an adult doesn't automatically makes you a wise and self-controlled"

The episode is titled "succubus-san is an adult" and in a sense she is a highly functional one, she has a career, gets up on time and pay her bills and yet she still gets flustered when interacting with others and is concerned about how kids see her, she still is eager to have girly talks and gets excited when thinking of a crush. I find this endearing and deservedly humanizing for teachers. Just because one accepts responsibilities over their actions doesn't mean they don't feel insecure about them or like their decisions on an emotional level.

This is brilliantly expressed on her conversation with machi, speaking of which, I don't really see what is there to complain about her actions in there, she followed protocol very well, when asked for advice, she asks "what do you want advice for" then "why did you think I would be appropriate for this", she listened at what macchi had to say and did not criticize her ideas, it just so happened that we the viewer had a glance to her feelings during all this. she explained to her that adults are not all that impressive, then she didn't really gave her advice for how to be more appealing instead she sort of played her by telling her to keep acting like a kid. Changing one's hairstyle is something teenage girls think will get them a guy's attention, not something adult women still think to be relevant for landing a serious relationship
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