Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte

Episode 8

I feel like I need to say up front here that I do think Endō. and Kobayashi Live is getting dangerously close to a "get on with it" point in its main narrative thrust. The characters have all been preparing, gearing up and getting together for the big confrontation with the Witch of Yore for what feels like weeks now. There's been little indication of when that big event will actually occur, and if the series really intends to drag this plot point out until the end of this season, I fear the pacing might actually become untenable. There are a few advancements made in this week's episode, including a moment where it appears the problem might basically have solved itself, so it's not like they've just forgotten to keep things advancing. But it still mostly comes off as bluster, stalling until we reach a predetermined point in the length of the whole narrative.

However, with that out of the way, I will also confess that I wasn't much bothered by that aspect in this week's episode. Since this one was full of adorable antics which aggressively appealed to what I like about this series, I'm happily giving it a pass in spite of that technically qualified wheel-spinning. Consider it akin to Kobayashi's generous character interpretations which paper over what was almost certainly some significantly thinner writing in the originally conceived Love Me Magically. What am I coming at a show like this for if not to cheer for layers of blushing dorks to kiss?

Okay, there is actually more to it than that. For one thing, Endō. and Kobayashi Live's understanding of its own format continues to manifest effectively. We get to watch Fiene's mom Elizabeth (who is excellent, by the way) recount her history with Professor Leon and try to recruit him to the Anti-Witch-of-Yore Squad, while we cut to Endō. and Kobayashi specifically lamenting that they don't have POV access to whatever's going on between them. I did say weeks ago that this is what this show should do in these kinds of situations. I won't entirely take credit for it; I'll simply, silently, revel in the fact that the series has now admitted I was right. But it proves so by showing how well it works, with we as viewers getting to enjoy some solidly constructed dramatic irony by witnessing things apart from the characters whose job is to witness everything else. As well, the cuts to our good gamer friends still serve narrative function by letting Kobayashi elucidate on things with her Gamer Knowledge, like the past relationship between Elizabeth and Leon.

Much of the connection in this scene hinging on character turns by Leon could come across as limited, given that we still have rather little context or attachment to him. Fortunately, Elizabeth nearly manages to bring the chemistry up all by herself. In just the little bit of time we've spent with this magical mommy, I've come to enjoy her antics. Like so many other pursuits in this witch-defeating plan, Elizabeth's attempted recruiting of Leon stops at a dead end, but like passing the time with a narrative video game, it doesn't feel like a waste because it was entertaining enough. As well, the latent spiciness between Elizabeth and Leon's interactions, as well as some moments between Liese and Sieg this episode, make me question how hot and heavy a dating sim the original Love Me Magically was. Is the release that Endō. and Kobayashi are playing here on PS4 a bowdlerized version of an adults-only PC release? This is the kind of deep lore I want fangirl Kobayashi to educate us on the next chance we get.

The other parts of this week's episode which really work do so by playing off of Lieselotte's stubborn struggles in not seeking help for her issues. Magical possession curses manifesting as these kinds of internal psychological strife isn't exactly new, and the presentation of Love Me Magically's story is nothing if not…let's say lovingly derivative. Yet I still came away impressed by just how hard Endō. and Kobayashi Live commits to portraying Liese's grappling in a more grounded, realistic way. She embodies the negative feedback loop of low-confidence intrusive thoughts, constantly spiraling over the idea that her loved ones, such as Sieg, only express said love out of obliging pity. Liese has to bring herself to question if she's a bad person for enjoying the affection of those who supposedly care about her, at which point a viewer like me goes "wow, this video game pastiche is getting a bit too real".

It's that willingness to entertain denser interpretations, the kinds of meta-analysis which Kobayashi probably spends time reading under the Love Me Magically fandom tag on Tumblr, which makes this episode work in spite of its fits and starts. Yes there is also the rather unexpected sequence of Lieselotte directly challenging the voice of the Witch's negativity, staving her off with no direct input from her allies nor Endō. and Kobayashi. It fits with the idea of maintaining faith in your friends and loved ones, even as your other interactions may stem from putting them a bit too high on a pedestal (as Liese and Sieg both come to realize about each other). Again, it might come off as surprisingly dense stuff for what's ostensibly an affectionate genre parody crossed with a sitcom, but that almost makes the fact that it works even more impressive.

It climaxes in the true novelty of getting to see a visual novel pair like Lieselotte and Siegwald actually sit down and talk through some of their problems, like a healthy couple should! And if it also results in Sieg hugging his fiance and going "Aishiteru" while she blushes radiantly, well, I can't deny I'm a sucker for that kind of fairy-tale shit too. Plus the episode even caps off with a little clumsy chemistry between Endō. and Kobayashi themselves. So this episode may technically be time-killing fluff, but it's all thematically relevant, earnestly relatable, adorably appealing fluff. And isn't that mostly what we come to video games, dating sims, and let's plays for in the first place?

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Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte is currently streaming on HIDIVE.

Chris is a freewheeling Fresno-based freelancer with a love for anime and a shelf full of too many Transformers. He can be found spending way too much time on his Twitter, and irregularly updating his blog.

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