中二病でも恋がしたい！戀/ Chu-2 byo demo KOI ga shitai! Ren
Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! Ren 03 anime review

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Yuuta has an erotic dream about Rikka before waking up to find Rikka up on his ceiling. Rikka laments being punished by not being allowed to wear her roller skate shoes. On the way to school, she tells Yuuta that her new mission is to awaken the Dark Flame Dragon within Yuuta, which she says it the source of his Dark Flame Master powers. She says a new enemy is coming, so later in the club room, she wants Yuuta to wear a t-shirt she’s modified. Yuuta doesn’t want to wear it, but says he’ll do if IF Rikka scores higher on him on their next school test. To his chagrin, Rikka does just that, which she and Sanae celebrate. However, instead of wearing the t-shirt, they have a mahou shoujo dress for him to wear. He doesn’t want to, but after getting no support from Kumin, he relents. After he changes in the club room, Nibutani shows up and is stunned by what she sees. However, before she can take a picture, he throws her phone out the window. Makoto arrives with an SLR, but his swatted unconscious by an angry Nibutani, who storms out to retrieve her phone.

An announcement on the P.A. for an angel causes Rikka to realize it is a summons for her. She and Sanae leave and split to find the summoner. Rikka finds a girl who introduces herself as Sophia Ring S. P. Saturn VII, a mahou maou (magical devil). The two have a chuunibyou battle before Yuuta interrupts it. He’s surprised to see “Sophia-chan,” whom he knows as SHICHIMIYA Satone, the girl who got him into chuunibyou in middle school. Yuuta informs Rikka that he’s been ordered to escort Satone home, which Rikka isn’t happy about. Yuuta is stunned to learn that Satone lives in Rikka’s old apartment. Since her parent’s aren’t home, he invites her to dinner. Meanwhile in the clubroom, Rikka is practicing “spells” with Kumin when Nibutani shows up. Nibutani’s words on magic have Rikka, Sanae, and Kumin taking furious notes.  On the way home on the train, Sanae and Rikka have chuunibyou plans while Kumin briefs Nibutani on Satone and her relationship with Yuuta. Nibutani is excited by this, figuring there will be a love triangle and a rivalry battle as a result. Kumin doesn’t think that’ll happen.

When Rikka comes home, she has a nasty shock at seeing her enemy and rival at her base of operations. Before they can battle again, Yuuta thwacks Rikka on the head, causing her to protest because she was the only one punished.  Satone’s continued challenge of Rikka provokes Yuuta to do the same punishment to her, but Rikka is not appeased. At dinner, Rikka plays it cool as Kuzuha explains Rikka’s living situation. Hearing that Rikka has no base of her own, Satone thinks Rikka’s wandering the world is awesome. Rikka still plays it cool and speaks of her new mission to Satone. Hearing it, Satone agrees to help Rikka in her quest, so Rikka reluctantly shakes hands with Satone. Satone touches noes with Yuuta, then leaves. Yuuta realizes how this must be for Rikka, so he attempts to explain. When Rikka is still not appeased, Yuuta forms a new contract with her, vowing to never get close to another girl but Rikka. Rikka is pleased with this and they seal the deal by touching noses.

Thoughts/Review:

Ah, Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! Ren warms the cockles. ^_^

As expected, a girl from Yuuta’s past is the new girl in the series and as expected, she and Rikka have a chuunibyou battle. Satone initially comes off as the rival for Rikka and the third leg of a love triangle with Yuuta, but at the end of the episode, I began to wonder if this is how things will actually go.

I loved Nibutani’s reaction to Satone and the idea of a violent, bloody, love triangle. However, I agree with Kumin in that I don’t think this will be how things will go. For now, I can’t say how Satone will advance Yuuta’s and Rikka’s relationship, which is the only plot we have so far.

Makoto has been relegated to showing up, then getting knocked out by an irritated Nibutani, who finds him in the way. This is the second episode in a row where it has happened, and it has been amusing, but it is a joke that could get old quick.

Speaking of Nibutani, I laughed at how she so easily started talking about magic from her Mori Summer’s perspective. It was even funnier when Kumin, Sanae, and Rikka all felt compelled to take notes at what Nibutani said.

Kumin is getting more and more into this chuunibyou world, as evidenced when she was practicing “spells” with Rikka in the clubroom, then asking questions about the process. She even decided to wear a mahou shoujo outfit, which made me smile. I like it that she’s getting more involved, even if chuunibyou is rather childish. ^_^;

While we are on the subject of magic girls, I laughed out loud at Satone’s new type of magic girl — the magical devil.

Even funnier was how Yuuta got roped into wearing a magic girl dress.

I have no idea where things will go from here, but I am looking forward to more. ^_^