Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Purezza - 05 November 2
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「…いい…」 (…Ii…)
“…Good…”
Forget Shiina, Haruka better watch out for her maids — they’re going to steal Yuuto if she’s not careful. He’s just too smooth with the ladies. As such, this week gave me flashbacks of season one when Yuuto could do or say no wrong.
This means that we have our sappy love story series back if you’ve been waiting for it. Oddly enough, I don’t mean that in a bad way, given the overly fan-service direction this season had taken. This week was pretty shocking actually; there were no pantsu in sight! The fact that I’m thrilled about that has to say something about (how messed up) my expectations are here. However, there is a huge upside to their approach here. While Yuuto may be seen by some as “lame”, he can really teach kids some life lessons with the way he handles situations. To put things in a real world perspective, I have teacher friends who tell me dreadful stories of how uneducated teenagers are nowadays. By that, I don’t mean they’re plain stupid, but that they lack proper family/friendship values and common sense (which could be interpreted as dumb). While the shift towards reality TV shows and localized shounen anime are probably to blame, we could definitely use more “value-teaching” shows like Nogizaka Haruka to balance things out.
So for our life lesson this week, we have douchebag Shuuto Sutherland making a reappearance to the series (why god, why?). As you probably recall, he’s the one that stirred the shit pot at the end of the first season. This time, things are all about the 95th annual maid and butler year-end party, which Yuuto gets invited to because of his previous job with Touka. In the process, we’re introduced to the other top ten Nogizaka maids for the very first time. There’s an air of mystery around the missing rank #2 maid, but the rest are: #4 Kusamoto Minamo (Mizuhara Kaoru, Yomi in GA-REI -zero-), #6 Nagikawa Koayu (Igarashi Hiromi), #7 Rokujou sisters Ayame (Moriya Satomi), Sara (Ishikawa Momoko), Juri (Yahagi Sayuri), #9 Munakata Rio (Iguchi Yuka, Index in To Aru Majutsu), Hinasaki Iwai (Hikasa Youko, Mio in K-ON!). Hazuki, Nanami, Maria, and Alice round out the group as #1, 3, 5, 8 respectively. The appearance of the other maids was undoubtedly a big part of the episode, but they were overshadowed by Yuuto protecting Alice from Shuuto’s asshole behaviour.
As punishment for what he did at Haruka’s birthday, Shuuto’s been forced to understand people better by working as a butler. During the party, Alice accidentally bumps into him with a drink in hand, causing him to lash out at the poor girl. He goes as far as shoving Alice over, trampling on the frog toy Yuuto won for her in bingo earlier, and even spitting on her. Instead of knocking Shuuto out right there and then, Yuuto actually gets on his hands and knees to apologize on behalf of Alice. However, he makes sure to let everyone know that maids are much more than just servants to him and questions how Shuuto can consider himself a master with the way he treats them. Unsurprisingly, Shuuto resorts to violence in response, but the Nogizaka maids step in to put an end to his crap. Minamo gets Shuuto’s father on the phone, who apologizes to everyone and tells them to punish his stupid son however they see fit. Afterwards, Alice says a few words of Japanese, thanking Yuuto for the frog and protecting her. She even goes on to call him “bruder” (”onii-chan” in German).
As the maid who specializes in security, Alice could’ve killed Shuuto and his escorts, but probably felt guilty about bumping into him. I mean, she’s able to take out Gentou singlehandedly, so those scrubs woud’ve been nothing to her. However, it was nice to see Yuuto’s mature way of handling things, where he’ll protect others even at the cost of his own pride. It was also nice to see him pick the frog bingo prize over the rice cooker for Alice, even though he obviously wanted the latter. See where I’m going here? Take it from Yuuto on how to be a better person!
Preview
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ciq666 at 1:08 am on November 3rd, 2009
agreed, very educational; perhaps we al need to be more like Yuuto so the world can be a better place
I can’t believe Haruka actually wore a naked apron o_O anything for Yuuto
garfield15 at 1:10 am on November 3rd, 2009
“The fact that I’m thrilled about that has to say something about (how messed up) my expectations are here”
No way. That just made the episode better. In fact, the fact that we are happy about episodes like this just prove how much the studio has turned.
Maximatum99 at 1:37 am on November 3rd, 2009
This was not as bad as the previous episode but the directing was terrible. Not that the generic prince returned but that Yuuto did NOTHING while Alice was bullied. Seriously? You can’t learn anything from Yuuto because any intelligent person would react faster. He did not protect his and everyone’s honor until the last moment which was obvious to stall the episode. Realistically, if he did give his crappy speech before, everyone would back him up anyway.
Ironically, I hate him and everyone else for not protecting their honor as maids and butlers because that’s part of their being! It’s common sense. You don’t need to watch Hayate the Combat Butler to know this. Alice is the only good character in this episode.
muchan at 1:43 am on November 3rd, 2009
Wow…Shuuto really is an idiot…I mean, what person in the right mind would insult maids and butlers (who, according to anime law, are some of the most skilled and deadly individuals ever!)
Ex14 at 1:53 am on November 3rd, 2009
yay back to the Haruka series i know and love
divine at 2:06 am on November 3rd, 2009
ciq666:
That was just Yuuto’s dream though. :\
garfield15:
Yeah, I guess I shouldn’t have added the “how messed up” part. I was just trying to get at how less fan-service is better for this series, which I believe you’re saying as well.
Phosphatide at 2:19 am on November 3rd, 2009
“… there were no pantsu in sight!”
Oh, you.
Also hurrah, we’re finally back from a strange turn into fanservice world. I wonder if we’ll return to the plot about, you know, Haruka’s secret.
Megas at 2:20 am on November 3rd, 2009
Not that I really care or anything, but I have no idea what they’re trying to do in this series. Maybe they’re just trying to put together a bunch of one-offs. Oh well, it was a nice little episode & they just had to put that Haruka naked apron dream in there or otherwise it would have been just way off the other episodes with no fan-service at all.
But this episode did serve a purpose. That Shuuto kid is a dumbfuck, plain & simple. If it was me, I would have beat the living shit out of him the second he walked in, but the maids & butlers had to wait for his father’s permission to laid the beat down. Yeah, Yuuto is a much better person than me. He doesn’t need pride to be a man (not that he had any from the get-go). But Shuuto is so much of an ass that he couldn’t take away anyone pride even if he tried (oh yeah, he did try didn’t he - & failed miserably)
Splash at 2:36 am on November 3rd, 2009
Was a very satisfying episode. I really enjoyed it. I hope the missing maid #2 mystery has a place in the story and future episodes deal with what happened. In the Bleach/Naruto world of anime of course Yuuto would have powered up and punched a hole in his chest with a Rasengen and let the wind out of him. But this is the world of professional maids and butlers and you don’t one shot masters. It was only AFTER he put his hand on Nanami that they used violence to resolve the situation. I think the way Yuuto handled it was fine. He showed that Oaf what class and dignity of a professional maid or butler really is.
Splash at 2:37 am on November 3rd, 2009
Oh and Alice is WAY TOO CUTE. A good addition to the cast.
Silver at 3:01 am on November 3rd, 2009
@ Maximatum99
I don’t totally agree with you. The way Yuuto wants to deal with Shuuto was by first apologizing to Shuuto then “attacks” him. There are many ways to deal with these types of bull but the way Yuuto chose was actually still very mature. I think many people would just right there insult Shuuto which actually in a way, is not very “classy” and more cheat just like how Shuuto behaved.
@ Megas
You could think of it this way. Yuuto have enough pride and knows his pride that he is willing to do what he did in this episode because he is someone who is prideful. It’s hard to explain it. The fact that he apologizes and then stood up, reprimand Shuuto shows that he has a backbone and pride.
Mesousa at 5:17 am on November 3rd, 2009
YES! YES! YES! FINALLY!
This has the markings of awesomeness!
Barely any Haruka, again, but a character development episode for the maids, and Alice actually says stuff?! I’m pretty excited for this one…!
Vandsy at 5:45 am on November 3rd, 2009
…Did Purezza suddenly finish with the fan-service and get back on track? I’m impressed with how he handled everything. Going to watch the anime again. I actually stopped but kept reading your blogging (saves time). If it’s as good as I hope, I’ll resume the series =D.
Neo_NMO at 7:15 am on November 3rd, 2009
This was a really cute episode… but why is that the lead male in most of these series either has to be really fucking dense, or excessively too smooth for their own good? where’s the normalish person?!
Megas at 7:34 am on November 3rd, 2009
@Silver:
I know what you’re saying. BTW, I’m never savvy when it comes to anime, I’m mostly sarcastic. Whenever I think of Yuuto’s pride, I’m reminded of http://randomc.maximum7.net/image/Nogizaka%20Haruka%20no%20Himitsu/Nogizaka%20Haruka%20no%20Himitsu%20Purezza%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2002.jpg
But to get on the political correct side for once, what Yuuto did meant that he pretty much knows his place. In order to take up for Alice, he had to comply with whatever whatever “Shiito” wanted. It wasn’t as much of a matter of swallowing his pride as much it was a position of purpose that he had to portray: protecting people of importance to me in all forms is what is most important to me. Yeah it sounded corny but its very Yuuto-ish. He also had to reprimand “Shiito” in order for to finish the job, sorta speak. Turning his back on “Shiito” & walking away would have had the opposite effect.
Bayonette at 9:31 am on November 3rd, 2009
I guess we’ll never forget that Shute Sutherland is the real douchebag in this anime…
SeedStriker at 10:14 am on November 3rd, 2009
Alice didn’t lash out Shute because she’s a maid, and as such, she never reacts agressively towards a “master”, unless told. That’s also the reason why Yuuto didn’t deck him inmediately (lessons leaned by serving Touka)
In a season with under-the-norm male leads (certain Natsuru Sendou comes to my mind), Yuuto is making a BIG difference in all aspects. Is good to have a real man in the house.
SeedStriker at 1:44 pm on November 3rd, 2009
Another bonus point for Yuuto: the man is making his own harem without much difficulties and he doesn’t know! And by his own standards, he can pretty much sail free of accidents and please all the girls. Eat your shorts, Ken Suginami (for the 2nd time)!
Mesousa at 1:48 pm on November 3rd, 2009
SeedStriker, it’s Sugiseki. And I doubt the maids will want him, I’m guessing it’s just a one-time joke, with Hadzuki saying “Sorry, Haruka.”
So yeah, just a joke.
Kinny Riddle at 2:03 pm on November 3rd, 2009
In 7:03 - Hazuki is heard announcing over the mic: “Now begins the 59th Maid and Butler Party” (she said “gojuu-kyuu kai”, but the Arabic numerals on the large banner clearly revealed this to be the 95th party (kyuujuu-go kai).
I think either Shimizu Kaori, Hazuki’s seiyuu, made a mistake during recording, or the writers didn’t double check when they handed the script over to her.
This probably counts as the series SECOND Kugimiya special, no?
@SeedStriker, if female Natsuru is counted, then she isn’t too bad.
LOL at the post-credits section, with Haruka and Yuuto introducing Mikos. Haruka first asks Yuuto what he thinks of mikos, and then proceeds to ask “Hatano-san” (Yuuto’s seiyuu).