中二病でも恋がしたい！/ Chu-2 byo demo KOI ga shitai!
Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! – 01

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

TOGASHI Yuuta is a 1st-year high school student who’s looking to put his embarassing middle school years behind him, where he suffered from “chuunibyou,” deluding himself into thinking he was the Dark Flame Master, complete with a massive toy sword and everything. Packing all of the items he purchased for “Dark Flame Master” and placing them on the balcony to be tossed in the trash, a girl with an eye patch comes repelling down a rope from the apartment above. After helping her secure her footing on the rail, she continues to repel down once Yuuta is distracted by a gust of wind, carrying sakura petals.

The following morning, Yuuta is excited to attend his first day of high school, where he can reinvent himself as a normal person since his high school is very far from his middle school. At the train station, Yuuta runs into a pretty girl wearing a uniform from his new school. He also encounters the eye-patch girl, who pretends to use a power to open the train doors when the train arrives, stunning Yuuta so that he misses his train. Yuuta manages to get to class, where he meets the guy sitting behind him, Makoto. Yuuta then notices the pretty girl from the train station, whom Makoto identifies as the popular Nibutani. Unfortunately for Yuuta, the eye-patch girl is also in his class, and when she complains of eye pain, he’s tasked with escorting her to the nurse’s station.

With the nurse out, Yuuta attempts to treat the girl, whom he discovers suffers from chuunibyou, claiming to have the True Eye of the Evil King. She also knows that he used to call himself the Dark Flame Master. She decides to prove her powers by removing her eye patch, revealing a glowing eye. However, it is only a contact lens in her eye, so Yuuta puts drops in her eye after the contact comes out. After class, Makoto invites Yuuta to come grab lunch with him and some others, but their homeroom teacher asks Yuuta to escort the eye-patch girl, named Rikka, home since she lives right above him. She again tries to prove she has powers by choosing the proper soft drink from a vending machine at the train station, which then announces that purchaser has won a free drink.

Returning home, Yuuta discovers that the movers have dumped Rikka’s stuff in the flat Yuuta lives in with his mom and two younger sisters.  Yuuta reluctantly decides to help Rikka move the stuff to the upstairs apartment, which is where Rikka’s older sister lives. The move done, but Rikka’s sister not home, Rikka ends up eating with Yuuta’s family, where Yuuta’s youngest sister plays with his giant sword. Rikka thinks it would be cool if Yuuta wore it, leading his mom to reveal things that Yuuta used to do. After dinner, Rikka discovers the stuff Yuuta is going to toss.  Seeing her depressed look, Yuuta reluctantly decides he won’t throw his Dark Flame Master stuff away, using the excuse that he could always sell it. This cheers Rikka considerably.

Thoughts/Review:

Since this series isn’t too far along, I figured I’d go ahead and chapter blog it now, despite having three other shows from last season that I need to do. ^_^;

From what little I saw of this series prior to watching, I figured it must be a harem comedy title. Boy have I been wrong so far. It is possible that romance may enter the scene at some point, but that’s clearly not what’s the focus now.

I had a hard time relating to Yuuta’s and Rikka’s delusional state (chuunibyou), where they honestly believed they had supernatural powers (or in Rikka’s case, she still believes it). I discussed it a bit with some comrades, who reminded me that kids in America pretend to be Superman or some other super hero.  When I was seven, I wanted to join the rebellion with Luke Skywalker. However, by the time I was twelve, I never thought I had powers or the like, though I did want to write stories where I would be in the role of the hero, who COULD do supernatural or extraordinary things. I couldn’t imagine actually doing things like Yuuta or Rikka have done.

I do understand reinventing yourself for a new school though. In high school, I was friendly with both major cliques, but I didn’t belong to either.  So for college, I wanted to be in all the way, and I achieved that, both with the school’s administration, and with my fellow students, especially the female ones. Plus, I was on the staff that showed high school prospects around campus, where I got to meet even more girls. Good times for sure. ^_~

As to the episode itself, I had a hard time dealing with Yuuta’s berating and hand chopping Rikka. No doubt, it is the “don’t beat up on the girl” aspect, made worse by the fact that Rikka cowers when he does this, or otherwise looks depressed. Granted, she perks up quick, but still, I don’t much care for that aspect.

To be honest, I had hoped that Rikka might actually have some sort of supernatural power, just to blow Yuuta’s mind. That could have been an interesting tale as well, but the one being told is fine too.  I do wonder where all of this is leading though.

I’m going to try to rapid-watch the next few episodes, assuming my schedule allows.  See you then.