This ep didn't have the same magic as the first episode did, especially given I watched it right after Twintails ep 2, which was full of happy silliness.

But I guess that's inevitable. The story is about being terrible and then rising to become great, and once it becomes great the story is over. We're only a quarter way into the story, so we're still in the "terrible" part.

Our Hero closed the park for a day for cleaning and painting, and now he's trying to get more customers into the place. One way is cheesecake, even though this is primarily a children's attraction. Another way is Moffle, which was interesting.

This wasn't enough to make me lose interest in the show, but I wouldn't be surprised if it has that effect on some other people.

UPDATE: Comparing Twintails in my mind to Amagi, I think the problem is that Amagi feels forced. Twintails is flowing smoothly and everything that happens, including the silliness, feels believable. Amagi feels like there's sand in the gears. There's a story but it isn't really being told well; it isn't unfolding organically.

Part of the reason is that Twintails has embraced the Rule of Funny: Anything is permitted as long as it makes you laugh. Ultimately Amagi isn't really a comedy, so they can't do that. (I would say it will turn out to be a coming-of-age story.) So Twintails can get away with an Alien fondling a statuette of Tail Red in a nurse uniform.

It makes no sense, but it gets a giggle, and that's enough. Amagi has to put its story together in a way that really does make sense, and so far they're only succeeding about 75%.

UPDATE: Another difference: I like all the main characters in Twintails. But there isn't really any sympathetic character in Amagi. In particular, I like the lead in Twintails. Yeah, he has a strange (but ultimately harmless) fetish but he's actually a pretty nice guy. The lead in Amagi is an arrogant bastard and I keep hoping he'll get taken down a notch. Isuzu is cold, Moffle is ugly and violent, and there isn't really anyone there that I like.

UPDATE: When I see a girl in a bikini, I don't want her to look terrified or uncomfortable. That's how you get cheesecake wrong.

This is the only one they got right. The other five all look like they think they're about to be raped.

Posted by: Steven Den Beste in General Anime at 01:48 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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