The 100 Girlfriends

EVERYTHING 100 Girlfriends Missed in Season 3

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , ,

All right, 100 Girlfriends! Since you guys decided to skip over a bunch of the story so that you could focus on the main beats in season 3, I’ve taken it upon myself to pick up the slack. So here’s everything that the anime either chose to ignore or didn’t get to cover! And for extra insurance, I’m adding links to scanlations.

100 Girlfriends Merch (Chapter 53)

This is exactly as it sounds. The manga got its first round of merch the week this chapter came out, so the Rentaro Family decided to promote the heck out of them to get more merch. The manga will end up doing this to promote stuff every now and then, including the anime.

Chiyo’s Kissing Ban and Return of Kissing Zombie (Chapter 54)

So remember that chapter in Chiyo’s intro that the anime skipped? After Chiyo finds the family kissing Rentaro like crazy, her OCD kicks in and she somehow bans them from doing it on school grounds. Because apparently, excessive PDA is cringe in Japan. And since Rentaro is so respectful, Kusuri takes matters into her own hands and ends up using that “kissing zombie drug” that girls aren’t supposed to take and Chiyo became a kiss zombie. So everyone had to distract her while Kusuri made the antidote.

Lap Pillow Battle Royale (Chapter 56)

That group lap pillow at the end of the anime was a nod to this chapter. When the girls see Rentaro is tuckered out from caring for them, they all decide to give him lap pillows. And so we get a delightful montage of each dream Rentaro has in their laps. Here are my thoughts!

If Mimimi doesn’t become a beauty queen in the future, Rentaro is going to riot.

Rentaro and Nano’s stargazing nap was adorably efficient.

Iku is just what I was expecting.

Mei is a puppy that can turn into a jet, and is adorable.

But the one with Karane was just so sweet!

I also had no idea that Shizuka could have such dirty thoughts. Then again, we saw how she reacted when she saw him in the bath.

The less said about Hahari’s, the better.

Less than a second with Hakari!

Kusuri’s just made me realize something: if Kusuri finishes that immortality drug and shares it with everyone, where are they gonna live when the sun goes nova?

Poor Kurumi. Rentaro will always be with you.

Chiyo’s was weird.

And Meme’s? Yeah, I wish we could have gotten that Evangelion joke.

Trapped in a Photo Booth (Chapter 59)

The family takes a group photo at the mall one day, but there are so many of them, they get trapped inside like sardines. Hilarity ensues as they try to find a way to get out (or at least get Kusuri out) or call for help, only to fail. It’s also discovered that Chiyo is particualrly fond of Kusuri’s adult form, as it reminds her of her late mother. In the end, the Gorilla Syndicate finds them and pulls them out.

Iku’s Girly Date With Rentaro (Chapter 60)

Iku and Rentaro go on a movie date, but because she’s feeling insecure about being a tomboy, she ditches her shorts for a skirt to impress Rentaro. After that, they try out a batting cage and try to win a bat signed by Iku’s favorite player (and I googled the name, and it’s a pretty nice joke), but end up competing with this other couple. It’s a very heartwarming date, and while they win the bat, they give it to the other couple because the girl’s sister is getting surgery.

Also, let me remind you guys that I believe in tomboy supremacy!

Shopping Day with the Lolis (Chapter 61)

Rentaro, Shizuka, Chiyo, and Kusuri all need stuff at the market, so they all go on a shopping date. This is yet another example of why the series works, showing how the girls interact with each other as friends and comrades, making their bizarre relationship work. Rentaro gets to bask in their combined cuteness. And when these two jerks start yelling at them, we get to see them have each other’s backs.

Sleepover Hot Pot turned Sumo Wrestling Match (CHAPTERS 66-68.5)

The anime hinted at it in the OP, but this little mini-arc was pretty fun. Hahari decides to invite the family over to the Hanazono’s mansion for a sleepover hot pot party where everyone has to bring a secret ingredient. It starts out innocent at first, as we get to see what each girlfriend added and how it reflects their personality and quirks (Naddy put in a Big Mac!) But then we learn what Hakari added: beef soaked in an aphrodisiac she had Kusuri make. You can guess what she’s up to.

So to keep everything wholesome and wear them all out, Rentaro challenges them all to sumo wrestling: himself vs all the girlfriends. The winner can make the loser do whatever they say. What follows is a gauntlet of sumo wrestling as the girls keep trying to beat Rentaro, only to fail against his wholesomeness. Well, there are a few near wins. Especially with Karane. In the end, Rentaro just uses the whole thing as an excuse to kiss everyone like crazy.

Chiyo and Naddy’s Epic Team Up (Chapter 71)

Miss Naddy learns that Chiyo has a problem: these two delinquents in her class keep smoking in the park, and she feels compelled to try and get them to stop. But they keep refusing because they want to be rebels and pissing her off is the biggest way to rebel that they know. So Naddy takes it upon herself to try and scare them straight by lassoing them with her “justice rope.” So Chiyo has to stop her. Then they get into this heartfelt talk about how Chiyo being allowed to live for herself, because Naddy doesn’t want to see her end up having a miserable childhood like she did. Then the cops come and they have to bail.

Oh, and Rentaro was going to be a DJ to teach them not to smoke.

Rentaro Family Fairy Tail (Chapter 77.5)

This is one of those extra chapters that comes at the end of some of the manga volumes. In this one, the girls take on the roles of various heroines in fairy tales, complete with everything bad that could happen to them. And then Prince Rentaromeo sees that they’re in trouble, goes around the land like a runaway train and beats up everyone giving them problems.

Hakari Teaches Yamame about Feminine Charms (Chapter 78)

As thanks for all the help that Yamame gives them with her flowers and gardening, Hakari tries to teach her how to use her feminine charms to seduce Rentaro. Easier said than done, though, since Yamame is so pure and wholesome that it’s hard for her to be deliberately sexy. But when Hakari has a wardrobe malfunction, she actually manages to save the day. Also, we learn

Hiking Date (chapter 80)

The gang goes on a hiking trip to some hills and are trying to get to the top, but then the weather goes crazy and splits them all up into pairs. So now they have to work together to make it to safety. Once again, the entertainment from this chapter stems from the pairing off of the girlfriends and how their quirks play off each other. Well, at least the pairs that we see.

BABY EPISODE PART 2 (Chapter 84)

Hahari has made some more baby clothes, this time for all the Family Members that weren’t part of the incident last time. And thanks to Kishika, all of the girlfriends who have joined since the last baby chapter (plus Hakari) have been turned into babies. So the rest of the family has to look after them until then.

I know the baby chapter was super weird, but I couldn’t help but find it funny. And that extends to this chapter as we get to see the babified girlfriends show off their personalities even as toddlers. Hahari gets to enjoy her daughter being a baby all over again at an age where most people would expect her to be a mom (no judgement. She knew what she was getting into and could financially afford it.) Baby Mimimi runs to the most dazzling thing she can find in the form of Nano. Shizuka tries to protect Yamame from danger, only to get dragged along and having to be saved by Nano. Karane is overwhelmed by baby Hakari’s sheer cuteness. Everything’s going great until poor Chiyo sees her glasses and starts crying for her mom, and all the other babies start crying for mom. And then Rentaro gets upset because they’re upset and starts crying. And the babies just stop crying and take pity on him!

By the way, this is only the second part of the baby chapters. By the time this goes up, there are already two more chapters. And I’m betting that the mangaka and artist will be making more when there are more girlfriends added.

17 Girlfriends Down, 83 to Go

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , ,

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 3 Ep 12 Review

All right, 100 Girlfriends, you finished your third season, but it might be the most chaotic season to date, and you missed out on a lot of fun, one-off adventures. I plan to go over some of them later, but for now, it’s time to get serious. As you’ll recall, in the second half of the last episode, Shizuka’s mom took her phone away because she didn’t want her daughter to keep talking with it so she can be “normal.” Nano figured something was up and got Rentaro on the wire so that he can take care of business. And now, we get to see the thrilling conclusion.

LESSONS ON PARENTING

Look, I’m not going to beat around the bush when it comes to this since a.) I read the manga, and b.) we all know how this will end. Mrs. Yoshimoto tries the whole spiel about how Shizuka needs to act normal if she wants to fit in with society. That she will be seen as a freak if she can’t speak for herself. Honestly, though, I wasn’t even listening because I saw this for what it was: misguided parenting.

First off, why does Shizuka need to talk to communicate? People who are mute or unable to communicate verbally have been able to speak up for themselves for decades thanks to computers. Secondly, even if we don’t know exactly it is, it’s rather obvious that Shizuka has special needs. Fans of the series have even debated about whether she’s neurodivergent or not. Speaking as someone who has ADHD and is on the Autism Spectrum and who spent a lot of time around other special needs people in school (a friend of mine even needed a TTS device), I can tell that she is and people need to be respectful of that. Lastly, did her mom ever ask her daughter what she wanted?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that there is no universal definition of what’s right or normal. One person’s normal is weird for others. Not only that, but no one in the Rentaro Family has a problem with Shizuka talking the way she does. Far from it, they find it only adding onto her natural cuteness. And as we have seen before, making her cry is a surefire way to make them declare war. As far as everyone else is concerned, Shizuka’s mom is the only one with the problem.

And so, thanks to the CHADness of Rentaro, Shizuka is finally able to get through to her mother. And all is right with the world, with their relationship repaired.

And then the manga jumps back fifty chapters to where it should be: a day in the life of Rentaro.

A Day in the Life of Rentaro

The second half of the episode is basically a montage showing just what Rentaro does every day with the Rentaro family. It’s honestly one of the sweeter moments in the series, because it shows just how much care he gives each of them. It also reminds us once again just how amazing a boyfriend he is with all of the over-the-top stuff he does. Whether it’s helping Iku with her training, giving Yaku and Kishika piggyback rides, giving sexy polaroids to the Hanazonos, or writing entire books for Shizuka, Nano, and Karane…yeah this kid has to be superhuman. He’s lucky he’s in a gag manga so this can make sense.

He also ends wind up back at the shrine of the Love God that started this whole mess, and he makes it clear in no uncertain terms that he hates him. He hates him for putting his girlfriend’s lives in danger, and, it’s implied that he hates him for making suffer fifteen years worth of rejection until he met Hakari and Karane. Both valid reasons to not like the unlikeable Love God, if you ask me.

Ultimately, the season ends with Rentaro waking up in the prescence of his girlfriends, who, after finding him passed out from exhaustion, all gave him a collective lap pillow. Which is another callback to a manga chapter that we skipped over! And as the credits roll with the S1 OP, we are left wondering whether or not we will be getting a season 4. We had better get one, because the next girlfriend to be introduced is one of the most popular ones in the series. Until then, though, I’m taking matters into my own hands.

That’s right. I’m going to be covering all of the one-off adventures that the anime decided to skip over, and I will not be stopped!

I Give “The 17 Girlfriends Who I Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love (83 to Go)” a 4/5

We’re really doing this, huh? We’re going into GILF Territory?

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The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 3 Ep 8 Review

If you guys thought that Hahari and Chiyo were going to be a problem, then you’re gonna hate this: Rentaro’s next soulmate is a grandma! KUSURI’S GRANDMA!!! THIS SERIES DOESN’T GIVE ANY F’s!

Yes, Yes

Everyone, meet Yaku Yakuzen, our 16th soulmate! Yep, this is Yaku Yakuzen.

She’s 89 years old, and like the rest of her family, she took Kusuri’s imperfect immortality drug. Unlike Kusuri or her parents, though, not even the reversing medicine will turn her back to normal. Which is good, because Kusuri only started working on the drug so she wouldn’t see her grammy die. Which is…absolutely sweet and something I totally understand. If I were her, I would give that drug to my parents in a heartbeat.

So, from the getgo, it’s made clear that Yaku is in an entirely different league than the formerly oldest girlfriend, Hahari. Hahari is still in the prime of her life with anywhere from 60-80 years of life ahead of her. But Yaku was old enough to have served in World War II! She’s already experienced love with Kusuri’s grandpa, who the anime depicts as being this Japanese Rambo! And whereas Hahari never got to enjoy a life with her first love, Yaku did. So the main problem that Rentaro faces is trying to get her to take him seriously.

Listen, I know how weird this sounds, even by harem anime standards. However, we have no right to judge it. We already lost the right to do that with Hahari and Chiyo. Plus, having Yaku in the group means we can make jokes about the elderly trying to understand current tech and the like. It works a lot more than you think in the manga!

But we all know that Rentaro was going to win over Yaku. He’s Rentaro! It’s physically impossible for him to not do so.

This is fun

The second half of the episode is then dedicated to the traditional rooftop introduction of the newest member to the others. And the show doesn’t not hesitate to milk the jokes about Yaku’s age. It’s all in good fun, though. She’s the sweet old grandma that everyone loves because she’s nice and gives us candy.

What’s even funnier, though, is seeing her mix up all the girlfriends and their personalities. I also found the way they used each girlfriend’s image song to be a nice touch. Oh, and, just so you know, the scene with Chiyo is actually the censored version. The manga one wasn’t going to make it past the censors, so it didn’t even bother. Go figure!

And with that, we welcome Yaku to the Rentaro family and officially update the ED to include the secret girlfriend.

We have about four episodes left in the season, and only one more girlfriend. So we’re either saving them for last or they’re gonna cram a bunch of the funnier misadventures in for those episodes. Either way, I’m happy.

I Give “Kusuri-senpai’s Grandmother” 3/5

Rentaro’s New Girlfriend is Mother Nature Incarnate!

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The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You S3 Ep 5 Review

ZING! KRRACK!! The newest episode of 100 Girlfriends only just started, and Rentaro has already met his fourteenth soulmate! And yes, it happens just as fast in the manga, something that gets lampshaded. Buh golly, meet our goddess of nature, our very own Nausicaa, Yamame Yasashiki!

Let’s back up a quick second. So, Rentaro decided that his girlfriends would look adorable if they were wearing crowns made out of flowers, and Iku suggested he go see the head of the school gardening club. And that’s where we start the episode.

Yamame Yasashiki, Mother Nature Herself

Meet Yamame Yasashiki, or as I like to call her, the living incarnation of Mother Nature. Standing at over 200 cm, she is taller than even Jotaro Kujo, and, according to the wiki, beats even Karane in strength. Not that she would ever use it to harm anyone. For Yamame is a gentle giant, who loves nature more than anything in the world, and has dedicated her life to helping nature grow and thrive. She’s so kindhearted that she even has a separate garden for weeds. She’s so kindhearted that when butterflies started hanging around the flowers in her hair, she let them stay. And over the years, she has used her size to help her protect any plants or animals that are in trouble. She loves nature, and nature loves her back.

So, she’s basically every nature goddess rolled into one. Or Nausicaa, if you’re an anime fan. By the way, if you didn’t know, there is a Nausicaa manga series that I recommend you check out!

Yamame is the incarnation of Mother Nature, no doubt about it. But she has a troubled past. When she was little, her size made her the target for a lot of bullying. It wasn’t until she realized she could use that to help the plants and animals that she started to love herself. Also, she wasn’t joking about walking with stilts around nature. In a bonus chapter of the manga from when she was little, she stepped on a bug by accident. She was so traumatized by it that she almost gave up on going outside. Her pa had to hypnotize her into thinking the bug was visiting her to tell her to forgive herself, and somehow that escalated into her using stilts. The point is, she’s pure enough to ride Goku’s Nimbus!

Oh, and she’s also deathly afraid of fire, as we see when the Vice Principal comes running after her hair catches fire.

It’s this moment that seals the deal for Yamame, as she becomes his fourteenth girlfriend.

GARDENING PARTY

And now, we get the traditional introduction to the Rentaro Family, brought to you by the Gardening Club!

In case you guys haven’t noticed at this point, this show is very open when it comes to referencing other anime. Especially if it’s an anime based on manga published by Shueshia, the company that owns Shonen Jump. In this episode alone, we get multiple references to Yu-Gi-Oh!, which I loved. What I loved almost as much though was seeing the Rentaro Family dressing like nature goddesses and tending to Yamame’s garden. Especially the way that Kurumi was shoveling down those strawberries like there was no tomorrow. I love strawberries, so I get why she’s so into them.

But what I loved even more was how Rentaro made Yamame feel less insecure about the height difference. I know that in real life, not a lot of guys would want to date a girl who’s taller than them. I think it’s because it makes us feel insecure about our manliness. But you have to remember this: in nature, there are plenty of examples where the female is bigger than the male. That, and Rentaro doesn’t discriminate. Kisses for all!

By the way, that ending gag is meant to be a parody of Attack on Titan. It’s way more obvious in the manga.

I Give “Yasashiki-San’s Gardening Club Tour” a 4/5

Until Next We Meet, 100 Girlfriends!

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The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You S2 Ep 12 Review

Last time on 100 Girlfriends Z, Karane Inda willingly gave up her tsundere-ness due to her own insecurities. But everyone quickly agreed that they preferred Karane the way she was and tried to restore her former self. When Kusuri’s reversing drug failed to solve the problem, it was up to Rentaro to come up with a way to restore the Karane everyone knows and loves. Will his solution make any sense, or will it parody one of the greatest shonen anime of all time? What sort of crazy hijinks will ensue on the season finale? And will we get a third season? All of those questions, except for that last one, get answered now!

Operation: Get Our Tsun On

If the above introduction sounded like the intro to an episode of Dragon Ball Z, then that was the point. The 100 Girlfriends has already garnered attention by its parody of DBZ earlier in the season. However, it’s not done; instead, it double dips in the finale with the Rentaro Family’s attempts to return Karane to normal. Instead of trying to explain it myself, lets just have the anime sum things up:

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That’s right. They’re going to make a tsundere spirit bomb and throw it at Karane. And it is as hilarious as it sounds! But since 100 Girlfriends is a parody, they can do this sort of thing!

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In all seriousness, though, this episode does a good job of continuing the series’ deconstruction of the tsundere. While the last episode showed us how hard being a tsundere can be on one’s mental state, this episode shows us just how amazing Karane is. When Rentaro is holding the tsundere spirit bomb, he’s barely able to withstand the sheer power it radiates and starts saying the opposite of what he really means. The fact that Karane has to overcome this sort of thing every time she expresses her love for Rentaro is nothing short of superhuman. To put it simply, Karane isn’t just a tsundere; she’s the Queen of Tsunderes! And it is great to have her back halfway through the episode.

We Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love Rentaro

The remainder of the season finale can be best described as the anime just having fun with itself and breaking the fourth wall like never before. The fact that the show acknowledges its doing a chapter out of order so it can include Meme and Mimimi, who weren’t there in the manga, is hilarious. The series gives absolutely no f’s about what its doing; it just wants to have fun with its ridiculous premise.

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However, nothing can compare to the final moments of the episode as the anime recreates one of the greatest moments from the entire manga.

This is one of the greatest moments in the history of the harem and rom-com genres. If we had to make a comparison, this is harem equivalent to the legendary Seven-Page-Muda from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Some people openly criticized the anime for apparently skipping over this scene. However, having it wait to use until the finale was genius. And yes, this actually happened in the manga, cementing Rentaro as a CHAD among CHADS!! The ultimate boyfriend that every woman deserves!

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Here’s Hoping We Get a Season Three

Sadly, this is where we must part ways with the 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You. Unfortunately, there is no news as to whether or not the anime will be getting a third season. Which is sad, because that means we won’t get to see all the girlfriends that have yet to be revealed. Then again, if they tried to follow the series to the end, the anime industry might not have enough people to voice everyone.

If this is the end, though, I’d recommend going to read the manga. Because the girlfriends are going to get even crazier from here on out. Some of them you will absolutely adore, while others you will end up hating. However, that’s part of the fun for this series! And I, for one, Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You.

I Give “100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You (89 to go)” a 4/5

Karane Lost her Tsundere?!?

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The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2 Ep 11 Review

It’s sad to say it, but the second season of The 100 Girlfriends is almost at an end. We’ve met all the new girlfriends, ranging from the big eater to the super shy girl, as they’ve joined the Rentaro Family. However, the show would be remiss to end its sophomore outing without another big arc. Last season ended with the Family saving Hakari…and having her mother join the Family. However, this season is ending with a potentially greater crisis that could change Karane forever: she loses her tsundere-ness!

Karane’s Insecurities Boil Over

Karane Inda was one of the first two girlfriends and serves as the Rentaro Family’s resident tsundere. Whenever she gets flustered or embarrassed, she reacts in a defensive manner and goes, “It’s not like I *insert whatever she is being a tsundere about*!” In keeping with the series deconstructing waifu archetypes, she also serves as the Family’s straight man. She will not hesitate to call out everyone when their nonsense goes too far, and biting remarks are legendary. She is, frankly, the both the ultimate personification and antithesis of the tsundere, an archetype that I adore…but Karane herself hates.

One of the recurring themes surrounding Karane is how deeply insecure she is about herself. Whenever she gets flustered, she says the opposite of what she really feels, and she fears that this might drive Rentaro and the others away for good. And the more she falls in love with Rentaro, the harder it gets for her to express herself, and the worse her insecurities get. So much so that when Kusuri leaves a drug meant to un-tsundereify a person, she takes it. The result? Karane becomes…super nice and normal?!?!

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We Want our Karane Back

After getting over their initial shock (and Hakari enjoying Karane’s newfound honesty), everyone quickly agrees they hate this new, timid Karane—so much so that they want to get started on making a reversing drug right away. However, they’re even more shocked when Karane adamantly refuses to consider taking such a drug. She thinks that she, and everyone else, would be better off if she wasn’t a tsundere, showing just how little self-esteem she really has.

While 100 Girlfriends is first and foremost a comedy/parody, what makes it stand out is its willingness to deconstruct the pitfalls of different waifu archetypes. In this case, Karane is a strong example of how being a tsundere can potentially negatively impact one’s self-esteem. They have to try even harder than most people to express themselves properly. Even then, many protagonists have often been unable to pick up on a tsundere’s true feelings, which only makes things worse.

Thankfully, Rentaro is built different from most harem protagonists. He’s genre-savvy enough to understand that when Karane says she hates something, she usually means the opposite. More importantly, he finds her mixture of pride and shyness to be incredibly endearing, which I wholeheartedly agree with. So, using his CHADtaro powers to remind her that he fell in love with her despite her flaws, Rentaro convinces Karane to restore her normal self.

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There’s one problem: the drug doesn’t work.

This is Going to be Tougher than we Thought

In an interesting twist, the reversing drug doesn’t work. In order for it to take affect, the others need to subject Karane to enough external stimuli to provoke the proper response from her brain. In other words, they have to get her so flustered that she starts tsund-ing again. Sadly, all their efforts while staying at the Hanazono home manage to do is prove two things:

  1. Hakari’s body is incredibly sensitive to touch.
  2. Hahari gets so many nosebleeds, her staff has blood transfusion equipment on standby.
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This is going to be harder than the Family thought, but with one episode left in the season, they’re bound to help Karane return to her usual, lovable self. Without her, the Family won’t have its straight man, which could be disastrous with how they are.

I Give “Tsundere Lost” a 4.5/5

Wait, Does Kissing Really Do That to People?

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The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2, Episode 8 Review

Last time on The 100 Girlfriends, the Rentaro Family was facing its biggest crisis since the incident with Hahari! Rentaro’s tenth soulmate, the beautiful Mimimi Utsukushisugi, refuses to be part of any group with Nano in it due to a past transgression. Thus, the newcomer challenges Nano to a contest where the loser must leave the Family! How will Rentaro use his CHADtaro powers to resolve this conflict? What sort of antics will Mimimi bring to the Rentaro Family? And how saucy can this anime make the simple act of kissing?

That last question will make sense soon enough.

Mimimi’s Problem with Nano

So, after Mimimi threw down the gauntlet last time, this episode reveals the exact circumstances that led to her grudge against Nano. After winning a beauty paegant they were both in, Mimimi tried to be a good sport and extend a hand to Nano. In response, Nano rejected her, saying friendship was a waste of time. What made things worse was that Mimimi secretly entered Nano in the pageant all so the two of them could become friends, only to get spat on.

The first half of this episode is as much about Nano’s character development as it is about Mimimi joining the Family. Before she met Rentaro, love and friendship were utterly foreign to her. Her willingness to accept Mimimi’s challenge speaks volumes to her character development. Something that becomes more obvious over the course of their “beauty search” contest.

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Instead of judging each other by what makes them beautiful, they point out everything they find beautiful in the rest of the family. This leads to some very fun moments where everything that makes the others attractive. However, it’s when they get to Rentaro himself that the real funny moment of the episode takes place.

CHADtaro humiliates himself for his Family

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Rentaro uses his CHADtaro powers to turn himself into the least attractive person they can possibly find. He shaves his eyebrows, hair, and puts on a humiliating costume all so they can’t get an edge, and call the entire contest a draw! That’s how far Rentaro is willing to go to keep his girlfriends happy!

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Mimimi almost takes this moment as another loss, but again, this episode demonstrates Nano’s character development. She may not be able to make up for her past slight, but she makes it clear that she finally understands the value of love and friendship. Which is one of the great things about this series. The girl’s problems aren’t fixed overnight, but thanks to the supportive environment Rentaro gives them, they’re able to work on them together! And it’s enough to convince Mimimi to drop her grudge and officially join the Family.

Kissing Galore

In what is now a tradition for the series, the second half of the episode is centered on Mimimi integrating into the Rentaro Family through an activity. In this case, it’s helping each of the girls reach their most beautiful selves by partaking in activities that will aid them. In this case, kissing. Lots and lots and lots of kissing.

This entire half of the episode is primarily an excuse for the anime to skirt the line between SFW and full-on ecchi. Using a new lip balm to stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain, the girls each take turns kissing Rentaro. The moments that come out of this are, suitably, hilarious. Like this!

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Or this!

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This one got crazy!

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And this one was a straight-up shoutout to Food Wars and its infamous Foodgasms.

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And look at how what happened afterwards!

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And with that, we now sit at ten girlfriends, with ninety more to go. And this season only has one girlfriend left to introduce, so there’s no telling what might happen! At least the girls will be able to remain beautiful, though!

I Give “The Beautiful and the Bold” a 4/5

Karaoke Cuteness Chaos

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Blogging, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2, Episode 7 Review

It feels like only yesterday that Rentaro met his first two girlfriends. Now, he’s sitting at nine, with ninety-one girlfriends left to meet and win over! And the more girlfriends join the Rentaro Family, the more chaotic and sillier things will get. Case in point, this next episode has the Family go on another group date. Then, Rentaro finally hits double digits as his tenth girlfriend appears! And she happens to already have history with another girlfriend!

Who Doesn’t Love Karaoke?

The episode starts off making us think Rentaro’s about to meet his soulmate #10, but it’s a fakeout. In truth, the Rentaro Family’s out on a group karaoke date!

The entire date is a demonstration of one advantage that the anime has over the manga it’s adapting. In the manga, readers have to imagine what everyone sounds like when they’re singing. Because it’s an anime, the show lets us hear each girl belt out songs in all their glory. Even better, you can actually hear the OP and ED amongst the songs being played for a few moments. Considering how good they were, it’s a welcomed callback.

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Shizuka’s Flooflness Made everyone Yamcha Pose

The real show, though, starts when Shizuka plucks up the courage to get up there and start singing. And thanks to another one of Kusuri’s drugs, her natural cuteness gets amplified to the point where it physically overwhelms the Family.

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I don’t know what’s funnier: how each of the girls tries to tank this onslaught of cuteness, or how each of them does the famous Yamcha pose when they can’t take it anymore.

That’s one of the great things about The 100 Girlfriends. It regularly includes parodies of pop culture to the point where you could spend each episode trying to figure out reference. Special mention goes to Rentaro and Shizuka’s duet (first CHADtaro moment of the episode) leading to a recreation of the “girl falling from the sky” scene from Castle in the Sky.

NEW GIRLFRIEND APPROACHES

The second half of the episode starts with Rentaro heading to a high-class mall to scout out date spots. That’s when he crosses paths with this girl who’s boasting about how beautiful she is and…ZING!

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Meet girlfriend #10, Mimimi Utsukushisugi, AKA the narcissistic beauty. She is an incredibly beautiful young woman capable of making heads turn as she walks by. Not only does she know this, but she revels in it. She considers herself the most beautiful woman in the world and will not accept anything less. And when she becomes smitten with Rentaro, she immediately gives him a makeover to conform to her beauty standards.

Normally, a character like Mimimi would be seen as toxic. Since this is The 100 Girlfriends, though, she deconstructs the narcissist. She actively puts in the work to being beautiful and maintaining it. She works hard to earn money, does daily maintenance on her face, and taught herself how to speak eloquently. She’s even capable of recognizing how one’s personality traits make them beautiful.

Case in point, when another couple jealously tries to ruin her outfit via spilled boba, Rentaro has his second CHADtaro moment of the episode. He willingly shields Mimimi with his body and ruining the new clothes he got.

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And then, when that guy almost slips on his own drink, he doesn’t hesitate to save him. Because, according to him, he was just trying to stand up for his own lady, something he can respect.

Thus, Rentaro gains his tenth girlfriend. His selflessness so moves Mimimi that she says he’s already beautiful as he is and begs him to go out with her. She even takes the news that she’s his tenth girlfriend as a compliment. So all seems right with the world…

…then Nano shows up, and Mimimi goes off.

Uh-oh.

As it turns out, despite calling herself the most beautiful, there was one black mark on her record. She and Nano competed in a beauty pageant in the past, and Nano won! Mimimi hasn’t forgotten this slight, and can’t tolerate joining any group with that has Nano! So she challenges her to a rematch, with the penalty being the loser will have to leave the Family. FOREVER!

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So, the episode ends on the biggest crisis the Rentaro Family has faced since the day they met Hahari! And Rentaro seems powerless to stop this coming duel! Remember, if any of his soulmates don’t date him, they’ll eventually die. This is serious business to him! How will he get out of this mess?

Find out in the next review, which will hopefully be up soon. Also, it should be noted that I had to look up the reference that Nano made at the end. A rare instance where I didn’t get the reference.

I Give “Karaoke Crisis” a 4.5/5

Behold, the Power of Anime Baseball!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Blogging, Crunchyroll, DBZ, Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , , ,

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You S2 Ep 6 Review

Next to its birthplace in the land of the Stars and Stripes, the country that loves baseball the most is Japan. Baseball is incredibly popular in Japan, and it has been for more than a century. Hence why Iku Sutou is obsessed with the sport and why she’s determined to keep the school’s baseball team running. Were this any other anime, it would treat the big practice game that Iku and the Rentaro Family has to win seriously. However, since 100 Girlfriends is a comedic parody that loves using meta-humor, this baseball episode winds up being equal parts silly and serious. But mostly silly.

PLAY BALL!

It’s the day of the big practice game to determine if the high school girls baseball team will survive. And, by the rule of funny, Rentaro’s stand-ins wind up sick, conveniently allowing Hahari, Kurumi, and Mei the chance to play. But this is not the first example of how silly the anime is treating this baseball game.

The second example stems from the fact that their opponents, the Jurassic High Team, are all based on dinosaurs. Right down to their names being puns on dinosaur names.

The episode makes it clear from the start that it’s not trying to treat this game seriously unless it has to. Thus, it has free reign to parody the over-the-top nature of sports anime. From the opposing team coming up with flashy names for moves to said moves breaking the girl’s bats, anime logic is in full effect here. Unfortunately, that also means that the relatively inexperienced Rentaro Family is unable to do much, especially after Iku injures her pitching hand. Before long, they’re at the bottom of the seventh inning and have yet to score a point.

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But then, the opposing team does the last thing they could hope to do. Their leader messes with Shizuka’s head, making her mess up so bad, the poor girl is reduced to tears.

To paraphrase Saruman from Lord of the Rings, “So you have chosen death.”

No one. Hurts. SHIZUKA

As saddening as it is to see Shizuka reduced to tears over the enemy’s dirty playing, the episode veers right back into the realm of hilarious with what happens next. Something that, with the Internet still recovering from the high of the end of Dragon Ball Daima, has to be seen to be believed.

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<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Dragon Ball Reference in a harem anime 😭 <a href=”https://t.co/K5vqe705Pt”>pic.twitter.com/K5vqe705Pt</a></p>&mdash; Prince Vegeta (@SSGPrinceVegeta) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SSGPrinceVegeta/status/1891286768822943764?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>February 17, 2025</a></blockquote> https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Say what you want about 100 Girlfriends, but if you’re a fan of Dragon Ball, you can at least appreciate the affectionate parody that this is. Right down to the iconic eye-catchers. The fact that they got this riled up because the enemy made their precious cinnamon bun Shizuka cry only makes this even funnier.

Anyone who purposefully makes Shizuka cry is deserving of death!

The Perfect Catch

By the time they end their rampage, the Rentaro Family is only four points away from winning the game. That’s when Iku gets up to bat, and when things turn serious once more. While the story has already shown Iku dealing with her masochism, the climax of this episode has her dealing with another fear. In this case, it’s her fear of hitting someone in the stands by accident.

Cue the episode’s CHADtaro moment!

And with that, Iku secured the future of the girls baseball team. The anime got to have fun with a sports episode. And the fans got to see Rentaro make out with a cool tomboy!

In a series that gives us plenty of funny moments and is all about enjoying its premise, this episode might be one of the best thus far. Top five episodes just for the Dragon Ball reference.

I Give “A Homerun Promise” a 4/5