And here we have the token incest series of the season. Though perhaps a bit classier than the other fanservicey stuff that tends to come out and the main character is a girl for a change, Brothers Conflict is still a show that, in the end, will involve Ema hooking up with one of her new brothers. Sure they aren’t related by blood, but they’re still siblings and that future hook up hangs over the show like a obnoxious cloud.
The thing with Brothers Conflict is that after watching this episode I want it be a heartwarming story about a lonely girl who learns what it means to be a part of a family through the bonds she creates with her newly found brothers. Unfortunately, that idea is pretty much booted out the window. The episode kicks off with what looks a lot like a confession scene and ends with one of the brothers hinting at unconfessed feelings for Ema. In between, we see several instances where Ema’s brothers playfully flirt with her, including an awkward cheek-kiss scene. The bummer about this episode is that it makes a point to show how alone Ema has been throughout her life and how she’s always wanted to have more of a family life. Now she’s finally smack dab in the middle of a noisy group of people who should be able to act like the family she’s never had but won’t because half of them will probably be romantic interests.
Another kicker when it comes to the episode is that most of the brothers we see are actually pretty likable. Sure there are the few who are a bit too touchy feely or flirtatious for comfort, but the majority of them welcome Ema into their home and treat her nicely enough. Chances are that there’s a brother for everyone with each one having his own distinct personality and appearance. The problem with having 13 of them, though, is that those personalities will probably hardly develop beyond what you initially see which is a shame. Ema, on the other hand, will most likely receive the most development as she acclimates to her new home and gradually overcomes her loneliness by opening up to her brothers. Though her personality is a bit bland, she seems like a sweet girl, and I’ll admit that her sob story background, as cliche as it was, won me over a bit. However, it’s hard to really like her for the same reason for the brothers: that dang romance. It bugs me to no end that she will end up being romantically involved with someone who is supposed to be considered her brother. This could have actually worked as a family bonding show. Why couldn’t I have gotten a show like that? As for her squirrel pet, it’s commentary wasn’t very funny and any charm it had wore off relatively quickly.
Brains Base, O Brains Base, it’s a crying shame you chose to get behind a show like this. It looks wonderful with it’s pretty character designs, bright colors, and smooth animation. It even has some nice voice actors in it. The show has potential to be a touching tale about family. Heck, I’ll probably stick around another episode or two just to see more of the family aspect. Unfortunately, it won’t take long for the show to go to into creepy, mildly incestuous territory. Though Brothers Conflict starts out better than Brains Base’s last foray into otome adaptations, it will probably end up just as disappointing and doomed to be forgotten in years to come .
