Kudo in episode two was just too cute! If I were Ando, I’d never break up with her! Those who already watched episode two may have realized it, but this series has one very distinct characteristic. By acquiring supernatural abilities, the protagonist realizes that his life can no longer be categorized as “ordinary.” However, he continues to spend his days as a normal student. Our protagonist Ando seems to have a rather keen sense of objectivity to his current situation. Not only does this apply to Ando, but it is a common characteristic that applies to the entire series. A setting with cute girls and a protagonist who possesses supernatural abilities is very clichéd, but I believe it was intentionally used as a cynical take on our industry. Instead of having a desolate tone to the setting our protagonists are placed in, the story has a more embracing/welcoming feeling to it. I feel that this is due to Otsuka Masahiko’s warm personality that is greatly reflected in the scripting process. The perfect balance between objectivity and subjectivity is what makes this series unique, and may also be a challenge for Ando.

The 2nd episode of INOU-Battle has aired this week! Starting with Jurai’s lecture on the importance of having an “alias” to his fellow club members, the episode was filled with slapstick style comedy such as the Kudo’s love letter commotion. The scene where Chifuyu glances upwards to the camera was so adorable!! She’s literally a piece of heaven on earth.

So I’d like to talk a little bit more about the opening of our new series. I feel that the sequence is executed really well and it brings out the characters’ charm. I also want to point out that a “certain” character makes a subtle appearance in the opening sequence. I won’t be throwing out any names, but our seasoned TRIGGER fans may have noticed already!

While Chifuyu definitely has my vote for cutest girl, I believe our student council president Kudo stole the spotlight in the 2nd episode! When she calls Ando “darling” and approaches him affectionally, all the while keeping her cool against the other girls, it put a smirk on my face. To dump such a sweet and sincere girl, Ando has a lot to learn! I must admit though, her affection was a little bit on the heavier side… Anyway, please stay tuned for the upcoming 3rd episode of INOU-BATTLE!