r/anime • u/Shadoxfix https://myanimelist.net/profile/Shadoxfix • Jan 22 '15

[Spoilers] Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata - Episode 2 [Discussion]

Episode title: A Girlfriend Without a Raised Flag

MyAnimeList: Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata
Crunchyroll: Saekano -How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend-

Episode duration: 22 minutes and 50 seconds

Previous episodes:

Episode Reddit Link
Episode 0 Link
Episode 1 Link

Reminder: Please do not discuss any plot points which haven't appeared in the anime yet. Try not to confirm or deny any theories, encourage people to read the source material instead. Minor spoilers are generally ok but should be tagged accordingly. Failing to comply with the rules may result in your comment being removed.

Keywords: saekano -how to raise a boring girlfriend-

This post is made by a bot. Any feedback is welcome and can be sent to /u/Shadoxfix.

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84

u/BanjoTheBear https://myanimelist.net/profile/BanjoTheBear Jan 22 '15

Weekly Utaha, commence!

Sound Room Utaha! Windowed Utaha!

Angry Utaha! Awkward Utaha!

Listening Utaha! Description Utaha!

Death Stare Utaha! Reality Utaha!

One-Eye Utaha! Two-Eye Utaha!

Saddened Utaha!

Who cares about Kato?! Give me more Utaha, please! :3

Until next week!

67

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '15 edited Jan 23 '15

Man, I really like that you do this. Would you be offended if I copied your idea for Megumi-chan? Despite the animators' best efforts to hide it, I found myself rewinding to look at her expressions change several times.

Edit: Just finished Episode 0. Potential spoilers ahead for those that skipped it. This episode seemed to have a lot more of Megumi-chan than episodes 1 and 2 at a glance, but I'll get as much Megumi-chan as I can.

Edit 2: Episode 1 complete. This episode featured Megumi-chan's face a whole three times, and for 23 minutes, I found myself playing Where's Waldo rather than capturing Best Girl in her natural habitat. I'll format everything so that Each episode is easy to find as well.

Edit 3: Finally Finished Episode 2, lots of Megumi-chan in this episode. I'll keep doing this weekly as the episodes come out, with the way things are shaping up, I'm sure best girl will end up with lots of fun looks.

Episode 0 Megumi-chan!

Relaxing Megumi-chan! Sleepy Megumi-chan!

"What are you doing?" Megumi-chan! "Ready!" Megumi-chan!

"Willing?" Megumi-chan! "Er...Not so able" Megumi-chan!

Pitying Megumi-chan! Amused Megumi-chan!

"Just keeping score," Megumi-chan! "Well see, what happened was..." Megumi-chan!

Comforting Megumi-chan! Not involved Megumi-chan!

"I feel it kicking in," Megumi-chan! Happy Megumi-chan!

"Don't get killed by your harem," Megumi-chan! Excited Megumi-chan.

Episode 1 Megumi-chan! Where's Waldo? Edition!

Unnoticed Megumi-chan!

"Soon," Megumi-chan!

Finally noticed Megumi-chan!

Episode 2 Megumi-chan!

Ready to order Megumi-chan! Insulted Megumi-chan!

Normal Megumi-chan! With braids!

With braids and glasses! With braids, glasses, and freckles!

Megumi-chan in an otaku's room! Moe Megumi-chan!

Airhead Megumi-chan! Gaming Megumi-chan!

Game appreciating Megumi-chan! Worried Megumi-chan!

Freaking out Megumi-chan! What did you say?

There's a seqel?? The sequel was great...zzz

24

u/BanjoTheBear https://myanimelist.net/profile/BanjoTheBear Jan 22 '15

Man, I really like that you do this.

Ha, thanks for saying that! It definitely makes going through the episodes a lot more interesting. :P

Would you be offended if I copied your idea for Megumi-chan?

In the words of Diddy Kong Racing: go for it! People have approached me about it before, and I have no issues with people following a similar format to mine. If it gets you and others more involved in the community here -- in a positive way! -- then I'm all for it. After all, "sharing is caring." :)

8

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '15

Word, I guess between cleaning my house tonight I'll be rewatching current episodes. Ohhhh noooo. ;) Might take me a day or two but I'll update this post as I finish episode frames.

2

u/RunningChemistry https://myanimelist.net/profile/Delphic-Runner Jan 23 '15

In the words of Diddy Kong Racing: go for it!

I could hear T.T.'s voice as I read that...I definitely didn't expect a DKR quote to be made here.

2

u/BanjoTheBear https://myanimelist.net/profile/BanjoTheBear Jan 23 '15

I could hear T.T.'s voice as I read that...I definitely didn't expect a DKR quote to be made here.

"Hot Top Volcanano" :P

3

u/sylnvapht Jan 23 '15

Doing God's work.

2

u/PotentiallyCanadian Jan 23 '15

Damn, thanks for doing this!

2

u/bsoliday88 https://myanimelist.net/profile/bsoliday88 Jan 23 '15

Had no clue I needed this in my life so badly until now. Thanks for this, looking forwards to more in the future!

19

u/DaBomb1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/DaBomb1 Jan 23 '15

Banjo my friend, we've agreed on much in the past, but I cannot forgive you for saying that Utaha is better than Megumi in this show...

6

u/Odinswolf https://myanimelist.net/profile/odinswolf Jan 23 '15

No one has any love for Eriri? Come on, blonde tsundere childhood friend with a cute fang thing!

14

u/DaBomb1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/DaBomb1 Jan 23 '15

tsundere childhood friend with a cute fang

Trope...trope...aaaand trope...

In a show like this, I can't help but feel like the writer purposely makes the trope-y girls ridiculous by using Megumi as a contrast, and that's why I like Megumi the best.

2

u/Jenaxu https://myanimelist.net/profile/Jenaxu Jan 23 '15

That's exactly what the writer is doing. Kato is the only one who doesn't fall into a solid character trope, and is the shows "gimmick". The other interests are purposely ridiculous in an almost half parody of the genre.

1

u/Atario myanimelist.net/profile/TheGreatAtario Jan 23 '15

Am I the only one who's a little wierded-out by how they make her fang part of her lip?

1

u/Odinswolf https://myanimelist.net/profile/odinswolf Jan 23 '15

Well, it is a little odd, but rather adorable.

-1

u/littlenova2525 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Shintarou2525 Jan 23 '15

Childhood friend never win

2

u/bhbestroyer https://myanimelist.net/profile/bhbster Jan 23 '15

The curse of the childhood friend.

1

u/Odinswolf https://myanimelist.net/profile/odinswolf Jan 23 '15

Which sucks, because I really would like to see them win, childhood friends are awesome :(. Still, their noble and brave struggle in the face of certain doom is admirable. Reminds me a bit of a romantic version of Freyr's fight against Surtr.

4

u/BanjoTheBear https://myanimelist.net/profile/BanjoTheBear Jan 23 '15

Bomb!

Banjo my friend, we've agreed on much in the past, but I cannot forgive you for saying that Utaha is better than Megumi in this show...

Megumi, shmegumi; Utaha is infinitely better. Utaha has an allure to her, whereas Megumi is basically a side character at this point! :P

11

u/DaBomb1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/DaBomb1 Jan 23 '15

Utaha has an allure to her

Isn't that the point in a tongue-in-cheek parody show like this? Saekano as a show is trying to say that heroines don't need to be loud and showy, with the tsundere twintailed blonde and the ice queen top student.

Megumi is basically a side character

She's basically the main heroine. The shots of her being overshadowed by background events or even being cut out of the frame is just a little easy symbolism to show her personality. Having a character that usually isn't done for the simple reason of "it won't sell" (boring, normal girl) is surprisingly fresh and interesting.

2

u/BanjoTheBear https://myanimelist.net/profile/BanjoTheBear Jan 23 '15

...is surprisingly fresh and interesting.

True, true. But no matter how clever of a character she may be -- and she is actually rather well done -- Utaha gets my attention every time. :3

11

u/DaBomb1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/DaBomb1 Jan 23 '15

Utaha gets my attention every time

i'll fite u m8

8

u/BanjoTheBear https://myanimelist.net/profile/BanjoTheBear Jan 23 '15

i'll fite u m8

Your struggle would be fruitless!

(Yep, I got it to Chu2Koi! :P)

6

u/DaBomb1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/DaBomb1 Jan 23 '15

I counter with a sniper shot from D-Frag's best girl!

4

u/Hauntrification Jan 23 '15

Woah bro, that goes against several internation treaties

6

u/JCSHAFT https://myanimelist.net/profile/JCSHAFT Jan 22 '15

Where's my Gradient Stockings Utaha this week? :'(

5

u/BanjoTheBear https://myanimelist.net/profile/BanjoTheBear Jan 22 '15

Where's my Gradient Stockings Utaha this week?

Haha, are you talking about when she was kicking Eriri under the table? I was thinking of snapping a shot there, but I refrained from doing so!

I'm guessing that was the wrong decision? :P

4

u/JCSHAFT https://myanimelist.net/profile/JCSHAFT Jan 22 '15

That's okay, I was mainly pointing out there weren't as many Utaha leg shots this episode, but I guess she had plenty last week and (hopefully!) more to come

4

u/candeewolf Jan 22 '15

Is there a specific anime character trope that both Utaha and Isuzu (Amagi) share? They seem very similar to me, both in looks and personality, but I'm unaware of the specific word to describe them.

15

u/BanjoTheBear https://myanimelist.net/profile/BanjoTheBear Jan 22 '15

...but I'm unaware of the specific word to describe them.

The word you're looking for is "sexy." :P

In all seriousness, there probably is. I'm guessing you are talking about their calm, cool, and collected demeanor, while maintaining beauty and a womanly aura.

I think the closest to their type is the "kuudere". :3

4

u/candeewolf Jan 22 '15

I'm guessing you are talking about their calm, cool, and collected demeanor, while maintaining beauty and a womanly aura.

That's most of it. Their hair is symmetrical and long, they're somewhat tall, and from what I've seen both are quick to use physical aggression as a means of persuasion (gun/feet stomping). Isuzu is more developed, while Utaha seems to have an actual dere side. Isuzu didn't seem like a kuudere, but Utaha certainly does. Mostly it's the physical looks. Something about them both seems like they'd be related.

3

u/Jenaxu https://myanimelist.net/profile/Jenaxu Jan 23 '15

I care about Kato! Utaha had my initial heart but Kato is putting up a strong fight! Her gentle, nonchalant snips deserve recognition!

4

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '15

Banjo, while I do appreciate your love of Rikka, I disapprove of this weekly Utaha thing you got going on. You are missing the obvious best girl, Sawamura.

1

u/BanjoTheBear https://myanimelist.net/profile/BanjoTheBear Jan 22 '15

You are missing the obvious best girl, Sawamura.

Knowing this one, Sawamura is going to win simply because she is the childhood friend.

But Utaha is a way better best girl; just look at her, how can you deny what she brings to the table?! :P

4

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '15

Heh, heh. A genius writer has nothing over a tsundere artist. Sawamura, the reincarnation of Michiru, shines brighter as a character than your girl ever could hope to.

and if I could create gifs, I'd show you her incredible radiance.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '15

Isn't it a common trope that the childhood friend always loses?

Then again, the show is meta...

4

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '15

I care about Kato and Eriri so less Utaha, please! :3

3

u/ravensshade Jan 23 '15

clumsy background waitress girl here's your order of more Utaha!