Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi 2 Episode 1

[insaneneko]

I'd been avoiding thinking about the upcoming new season these past couple of weeks because I can get anticipated out. It was hard suppressing my excitement, and when I got home on Friday I immediately downloaded the episode and watched it. Holy crap, this episode made me squirm with empathetic embarrassment and sympathy for Ritsu. I felt so sorry for him trying to work so hard and getting no traction with his co-workers. I personally dislike the "make 'em flail" philosophy of job training, so I wished people had just given him advice before the deadline actually passed.



I really really loved Hatori getting that fax from Chiaki which asked him not to contact him, and Hatori jumping up and saying Chiaki had asked him to come over ASAP.




Takano making his (somewhat nuts yet somehow so correct) pronouncements is always LOVE.




The best screenshots in this episode were definitely the funny *sweatdrop* inducing ones, like this one.




The title of the book Ritsu is reading is "How much does it cost to actually keep a panda." LOL




Yes, Ritsu, use the power of your mind to get those girls to buy the manga!

I didn't screencap him, but I wanted to spork Yokozawa after this. He is just so ridiculously overdone. I just learned that Yokozawa is going to be coupled with Ijuuin's editor from Junjou Romantica. I...couldn't care less. I'm sure Yokozawa is a nice guy, but he was waaay too one-note for too long for me to care much. Luckily he's going to be in a novel? Please don't waste your time drawing manga about him, Nakamura-sensei!




I'm sure everyone has screen capped this shot because it is PURE AWESOME. I love how Ritsu's attempts to weasel away almost never works.




I was struck by how Ritsu is sitting in the oddest position, parallel to the table between him and Takano.




Drunk Ritsu was so hilarious! Especially laughed at Takano saying that people must hate drinking with Ritsu because he's a horrible drunk.




Ritsu looks so young! So cute!




Takano looking good as always. (Though I do love him with his glasses.)




Nothing really needs to be said about this shot.




Cool two-shot. Ritsu looks a bit eager, Takano looks cool.




Yet again, nothing needs to be said. Ritsu's overreactions are wonderful to see animated.

I don't know what to think about the complete cutting out of the sex in this episode. I thought it was pretty well done for what it was. In fact, the "sempai" "Ritsu" exchange came out super sweet, even sweeter than the manga in a way because they weren't caught up in the physical act. But then...It just felt odd to just cut straight from hugging fully clothed to the morning after. I miss the frantic need that comes out during the sex scenes, and I think the passion in this couple is lost a bit when they cut it out so thoroughly. Because of that I almost felt more for Ritsu's work troubles than his romantic troubles.

Seriously, his co-workers and boss should give him a bit more of a break. He's such a hard worker and so wants to do the right thing, but he's not some genius who can figure things out on his own, you know? Or is it some kind of (awful) tradition in the department to be mean to the newbies? I can't help but put myself in Ritsu's position and feel bad for him.