Summer 2014: Second Episodes Following Up (Part 1)

Here comes my mini-reviews for the second episodes of this Summer season! Below are my thoughts on each anime I’m interested in listed in my Summer 2014 Agenda. Tokyo Ghoul, Barakamon, Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, and Tokyo ESP have been excluded from the mini-reviews, though, since I’ve chosen to cover them with full episode-by-episode reviews. Although I’ve made my pick of anime to review this summer season, I will continue to do these mini-reviews for the other shows and then give my verdicts after the third episode about whether or not I find them interesting enough to watch. Again, these “Second Episode Following Up” reviews are divided into two parts. This one includes Free! -Eternal Summer-, Glasslip, Shirogane no Ishi: Argevollen, RAIL WARS!, Shounen Hollywood -HOLLY STAGE FOR 49-, and Sword Art Online II. Additionally, Sailor Moon: Crystal is not included since it airs every two weeks and there wasn’t an episode this time.

Free! -Eternal Summer-; Airs Wednesdays

Following the equilibrium of the resolved friendships from the first season shown last time, this episode we’re introduced to two new characters who will mix things up and bring conflict into the story. Sousuke and Momotarou join the cast to complete the Samezuka relay team which will be directly competing with the Iwatobi High swimming team as butterfly and backstroke specialists, respectively. Sousuke, we find out, isn’t from Rin’s angsty past in Australia but from his Sano Elementary School days. The two are close bros, so close that Sousuke scarily tells Haru to back off. Sousuke’s also ranked among the top ten in the country for butterfly and has already been scouted; this may be why he wants distractions away from Rin, whom he knows is also aiming to swim professionally. Momo is unmistakably Mikoshiba’s younger brother, takes after his in his taste for girls, and is known as “The Sea of Japan’s Sea Otter.” He originally didn’t want to join the Samezuka swim team, but after losing to the Iwatobi team in the relay during Splash Fes, he joins because he doesn’t want to lose “next time.”

Notes:

The Armored Sidestroke!
Gotta be careful what you suggest to Ama-chan!
Good job, Gou! You go judge those muscles!
Special props to Makoto for winning the muscles contest even though Gou didn’t give him the most points, lol.

Glasslip; Airs Thursdays

Although we just met everyone in the previous episode, we dive straight into the main conflict and drama in this second episode. We learn that both David (that’s his name now, I don’t care) and Touko can see the future, with Touko’s trigger being something shiny, especially glass. Testing it out, Touko hears her own voice say “I want to see the future too.” Because of Sachi’s defensiveness and being protective of Touko, she tells David that their group isn’t open to dating. After Yanagi tells Touko that she might confess to Yukinari, this prompts Touko to announce that they are open to dating. This leads to Yukinari confessing to an unsuspecting Touko, with Yanagi witnessing it from afar. The episode ends with at least one heart broken, and Touko fulfilling her vision when she calls David and tells him “I want to see the future.”

Notes:

It’s confirmed that Hiro likes Sachi, although that was incredibly obvious already.
I guess they really should’ve had a rule about no dating. It’s going to be an awkward hiking trip tomorrow…
Do we get to learn something new about Touko’s parents every episode? Their story is adorable too.

Shirogane no Ishi: Argevollen; Airs Thursdays

I feel like this second episode was a bit better than the first. Of course, my fears that Tokimune would be stuck piloting Argevollen were confirmed when every other pilot is unable to start the mech up, and Jamie yells at everyone that Argevollen adjusts to it’s first pilot. At least it gave a less fantastical depiction of a rookie soldier getting stuck with a huge responsibility when Tokimune is forced into being rearguard since he sucks are controlling Argevollen. Although the other Trail Krieger pilots get a bit of action, and Jamie remains relevant as Argevollen’s engineer, the enemy forces now know about the shiny new mech. Dangerous situations are soon to come.

Notes:

Even though barely anything happened this episode, at least I got the war elements which I really liked: soldiers agreeing to do dangerous things because it’s their “job” to follow orders, and superiors having to make the hard call to protect the unit as a whole. So far, these points are the most compelling parts of the anime for me.
Hopefully episode 3 gives me something amazing that’ll hook me, though, because otherwise this anime is really easy to let go.

RAIL WARS!; Airs Thursdays

Takayama officially joins his former classmates and inseparable groupmates (by perpetual coincidence) as part of the Tokyo Central Railroad Public Safety Force. He’s a bit worried that his dream of having a simple, safe, and stable job driving trains has slipped away. Although Sakurai complains that they’re basically mall cops and their leader Iida Nana later takes away her gun, they all experience a lot of action this episode when a bomber threatens the station and their squad ends up the ones to find it. The forreal people having gone elsewhere follow a false lead, Sakurai attempted to disarm the bomb. A chance mistake leads to Takayama holding the bomb alone as Iwaizumi and Koumi are clearing out the area and Sakurai rushes off to get something to try and stop the bomb. She returns in the nick of time with liquid nitrogen to freeze the bomb’s components and all is well. In the end, the bomber is arrested and Takayama is chosen to be deputy squad leader for his dedication to customer safety. But surely, now his peaceful days are an impossible dream now…

Notes:

Gotta give major props to Takayama for seriously putting customer safety first. Even in the face of possible death by explosion, he told Koumi that “customers come first” when she wanted to do something for him before his possible death.
I did worry for his hands when Sakurai used the liquid nitrogen. That’s really really cold stuff!
The romance aspect was no surprise. I was more surprised it happened so soon, though. The gentle moment seemed a bit out of character to me, but I guess it’s understandable even for Sakurai since they went through a crazy ordeal.

Shounen Hollywood -HOLLY STAGE FOR 49-; Airs Saturdays

Instead of a proper mini-review, I will be using this spot to announce that I’m definitely dropping Shounen Hollywood. I know I said I’d give it a chance until the third episode, but I’ve really lost hope and interest in this anime. I’m not quite getting the appeal of what’s happening in this show and apparently the biggest part of this second episode has to do with acting as flight attendants and buying color-coded shoes, and none of it is making sense. The style was still bothering me a bit, but worse of all, the guys hadn’t sang anything yet (the openings and ending don’t count, and even if they did, I’m not particularly fond of either anyways) and none of their characters are interesting at all. So, goodbye to Shounen Hollywood! May a better male idol anime interest me one day!

Sword Art Online II; Airs Saturdays

This second episode, we take a step back from focusing on Kirito and instead get a lesson in baddassery from Sinon, our leading lady this season. In Gun Gale Online, she’s an amazing sniper and part of a player-hunting team. When her team members are outmatched because their target hired a powerful bodyguard, Sinon rushes to the rescue despite being a long-range shooter. From this, it’s obvious that Sinon really wants to go against strong opponents. After delivering a concise motivational speech (to her inadequate leader), she leads her team to eventually defeating the bodyguard. She gets her leg blown off in the process, but it was damn worth it.

Notes:

I’m so sorry, ladies. It’s really unfortunate, but your relevance to the current storyline of this season is nonexistent.
I thought it was incredibly obvious that the guy wearing a cloak would have something dangerous hidden. That’s why you wear a cloak in the first place!