- The power of a kind-of plot episode/filler episode is strong with this one. No honestly, I think we’re finally getting somewhere with the plot this week. We see a weaker and softer side to Nao, a more thoughtful and less selfish side to Yuu, Misa finally restraining herself as opposed to burning everything she sees, Yusa finally talk about her sister, and later we have poor imouto. This being a Studio Key show, we all know what may potentially happened in regards to her…
- The coughs and the cold are the tell-tale sign. Plus this sudden mysterious incident at the supermarket she told onii-chan about, not to mention the disappearance of their family pizza sauce recipe. None of us know what her power is; I’m sure she doesn’t herself. But of course as Yuu is rather protective of Ayumi, he’d feel just the same as Nao did to her brother: as his only family member (visible so far), knowing that someone could turn her into a guinea-pig would move you more into being a bodyguard. But hey…whatever imouto’s ability is, it’s certainly something very significant to this show, and to the ending I’m sure.
Priorities first.
- This episode has gone and went into a good direction; a direction I think it should have done from the start when they started this mutant-hunting. They’ve brought the 4/5 main characters into the spotlight (even with Joujirou becoming the hanger-on now). I was thinking Misa was rather selfish but now we learn she was especially protective of Yusa, as she was especially clingy to her onee-chan when she was alive. No doubt we’ll see Misa go into a moment of reflection/fit of rage on how she should have been there more instead of dying and having to possess Yusa. As for Joujirou, since he doesn’t really have a back story, I couldn’t care less. And as for Nao?
- We already knew that she gets particularly panicky/angry/etc. when it comes to those mysterious scientists that took her big brother away from her, but now that anitwitter has realised finally that a Nao x Yuu pairing exists (duh! It was obvious on episode 1!), I foresee something that’s not far from the little something that Yuri and Yuzuru had in Angel Beats!. And so whilst on a stake-out for a flying mutant kid, who turns out to be a cocky brat, the two have a reflecting moment, and thanks to the power of post-rock music, Yuu leaves not only with a warm and fuzzy feeling in its heart (both from what’s now become solid comradeship with Nao, but a sense of curiosity on this mysterious third person in the Otosaka household), but with a free MP3 player.
- So perhaps the mutant-hunting moments will ease off now that we might see a plot now? Not that said mutant-hunting moments were particularly exciting…they went on the sole equation:
Guy is seen using power –> Nao records them doing it –> Gang of four/five use their powers to corner person –> Nao tells them to stop or else –> Guy relents without any form of protest –> Gang of four/five go back to boring lives.
- Okay sure, standard fare for a filler, so I won’t moan too much. Do I think Charlotte should have just operated on one sole plot and left fillers out entirely? Yes, I still do think that. I just wasn’t won over by any of those fillers…says me, as we might see another one next week, or for the remaining episodes until something major happens (involving Ayumi no doubt). Well Tumblr has especially been unkind with Charlotte (and imouto especially)…but that’s hardly anything new with any soppy show…there’s always one who loves nothing better than to spoil fun:
- …and so I thought I was going to let Charlotte slide, but I think it’s finally won me over. It took a hell of a long time to do it, I can tell you that. Did it take me that long to warm to Angel Beats! though? Perhaps. I think here, one too many introductory fillers were given to us. But now we can get to pity Nao, and definitely get to feel sorry for poor imouto, we can certainly see that Charlotte is moving towards its inevitable tear-jerker finale.
