(CR) Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun (My Little Monster)

[Kaoru Chujo]

Tomatsu Haruka has two great roles this season: Shizuka here, and Morgiana in Magi. She's really doing something with both roles.

I am loving this show so far. But I agree with Kanon and Haak that they had better not keep finding ways for them not to get together. That is just about to get old. But I have hope, seeing Shizuka's uncertainty.

[bbee]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

I am loving this show so far. But I agree with Kanon and Haak that they had better not keep finding ways for them not to get together. That is just about to get old. But I have hope, seeing Shizuka's uncertainty.

This. I'm absolutely in love with the show, and I feel it's the best show I've seen this year, so far second only to Kids on the slope. But I lowered my vote by one point after ep 7 for this very reason.
I have nothing against the anchored ship trope, and it should be no surprise to yet again see it in a shoujo anime. But the show is otherwise wittier and snappier than that. It's somehow slightly disappointing to see it resort to such a common trope. I don't know, maybe there is some truth to what Sol Falling says about us flocking to whatever isn't otaku feed. It's certainly not the first time I've gotten my hopes up way too high for a show like this, and seen them lowered when the common tropes kick in.

Can't comment about the alleged adaptation decay as I haven't read the manga, but on the flip side, the book is usually better and it also wouldn't be the first time I end up reading it after having enjoyed the adaptation

Side note: Am I the only one that was surprised to see the credits roll when they did in ep6? It feels like the episode ended too soon, it generally seems to end on a dramatic high point, in ep6 it felt like it just.. ended.
Side note 2: Tanezaki Atsumi saying "Mitty" is in my top 10 of cutest things I've ever heard.. Kawaii

"I hope you find someone whose presence is enough to soothe your pain"
That line made my day. Positively melodic.. I hope we see more of those. A poetic romance, now that'd certainly be a break from tradition for a shoujo anime..

[~Yami~]

wow.... first Haru... then Mitty.... then Haru again... hahaha... both of them are confused with their own feelings but both are also very straightforward...

This episode is actually can get boring... but the way they put the comedy is flawless..

awesome!

[Hiroi Sekai]

Dammit, this series convinces me that I just watched best episode, and then it pulls out the big guns once again. I feel saddened that it's going to be so short, because this show is awesome.

[ookamigirl]

Zomie house of terror was a really something...
Shizuku still indecisive about Haru.
That punch in the face really froze their relationship for a moment there.
Poor Oshima just can't catch a break with Haru..
Haru seems to be very flammable when it comes to misunderstandings about Shizuku.
Lots of weird situations this time.
It sure was a fun cultural festival.
At least Shizuku was honest with him for a change.

[Kanon]

Shizuku's behavior during the first half of episode 8 irritated me quite a bit (she can be really cold sometimes). Thankfully, she made amends afterwards so everything turned out all right. I even feel like she took a big step forward, as both her relationship with Natsume and Haru progressed. She's slowly starting to understand her own feelings.

I wish Haru would receive that kind of development as well. Shizuku is slowly changing whereas he's still the same rough and impulsive person he was at the beginning of the series. His relationship with Shizuku is never going to work if he doesn't put in more effort. He could start with trying not to punch people everytime he gets pissed (you'd think inadvertently hitting Shizuku two times would make him reflect on his actions).

I'm not sure what to think of Yamaken yet. He came across as an asshole at first, but I liked the way he defended Shizuku even though he was obviously scared of Yuzan (now that one is definitely an asshole). There's some good in him. I could see him becoming Haru's #1 rival, although I currently can't imagine how he'd be able to win Shizuku's favor. She's hard to approach.

I still feel incredibly bad for Oshima. Her heart pretty much gets crushed every time she has a talk with Haru. Poor girl ;_;. It's a shame Yamaken interrupted their conversion after she finally mustered up the courage to confess to Haru. I would have liked how he would have handled this.

[LKK]

The number of people who are anti-Yuzan is growing. Micchan, the cousin, backing Haru tells me Haru might have a good reason for his dislike. But when blond guy, someone who doesn't even like Haru all that much, came out against Yuzan ... THAT surprised me. I'm really curious as to what happened between the brothers that set Haru and the other people against Yuzan.

[Snuffle]

Ep.8
There were signs of it in a previous episode but this episode seems to hint at it more, that there will be a Natsume x Misawa pairing rather than a Natsume x Sasahara one.

I really hope Natsume gets more screen time, she's my favorite character. I loved how she looked this episode, great color variation on the outfit and makeup, and a really nice hairstyle, it suits her. What was she dressed as? A joker from a deck of cards?

[RainbowMagnet]

Originally Posted by Snuffle

I really hope Natsume gets more screen time, she's my favorite character. I loved how she looked this episode, great color variation on the outfit and makeup, and a really nice hairstyle, it suits her. What was she dressed as? A joker from a deck of cards?

She's probably just randomly cosplaying. Don't think she's supposed to represent anything in particular

Also, Natsume has a great sense of fashion

Originally Posted by LKK

The number of people who are anti-Yuzan is growing. Micchan, the cousin, backing Haru tells me Haru might have a good reason for his dislike. But when blond guy, someone who doesn't even like Haru all that much, came out against Yuzan ... THAT surprised me. I'm really curious as to what happened between the brothers that set Haru and the other people against Yuzan.

Spoiler for Not sure if this is considered a spoiler, because the anime skipped this. It might show up later, maybe..:

Yuuzan isn't that bad. So far only Haru and Yamaken hate him. Micchan dislike is more because Yuuzan's presence is bothering Haru

They skipped this bit in the anime, but the reason why Yamaken is afraid of Yuuzan is because he used to bully Haru , which caused Yuuzan to retaliate in "very" frightening ways. The brothers used to be really close, according to Yamaken. I'm not even sure why they skipped this bit to begin with, because it did seem kind of important in the manga.

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by Snuffle

Ep.8
There were signs of it in a previous episode but this episode seems to hint at it more, that there will be a Natsume x Misawa pairing rather than a Natsume x Sasahara one.

Not really; Misawa is more like an older brother giving her advice.

[Sackett]

Yeah, I'm getting bad vibes about Yuzan.

He's creepy, but just when you start thinking that maybe it's all Haru's... unique perspective someone else reacts in a way that signals he's an actual threat.

I mean, why did blonde boy feel the need to protect Mitty from Yuzan despite obviously being terrified of him?

[D-KLAC]

ep.8
so let see is school festival doing with shizuku as zombie nurse give blonde guy looking some hmm with her til haru come in & oops punch shizuku cue everyone left in snow.

blonde guy try fix things up yet while hidden haru got kana hana rep & then come haru's brother cue haru having kana hana shield til people seeing run away.

after some realize shizuku said sorry haru, asako, & everyone to back to school doing with after long day alone time for shizuku & haru.

[Kirarakim]

Not enough Sasayan!

Natsume is adorable though and is fast becoming my favorite.

Nice that there was some actual progression on Mitty's feelings for Haru.

It sucks that this is only one cour bc I know I am going to be left wanting more. The only thing that will make up for it is if they announce a 2nd season.

[Excorsism]

Hmm, enjoyable episode. Natsume really needs a hug, she looked so happy when she made up with Shizuku.

In any case, I'm questioning why they cut out the little segment after the end of the episode but I'll wait until next episode to see if they'll squeeze it in somehow.

[garbage]

good episode,developments happening with the main pairings, hmm but why does it seem Natsume made more impact, and is more memorable this episode.not enough Nasayan though.

[~Yami~]

hahaha... cute episode as usual...

too bad Sasayan didn't get enough airtime in here...

but I bet everything will get better in future episode because of what's happening in this episode... Natsume-Shizuku are in good term... Shizuku-Haru are also in good term again...

[Hiroi Sekai]

Hot damn, seriously. How does this show keep getting better each time? How does it do it.

This is my official favourite series of this season, even slightly passing Chuunibyou.

[mangamuscle]

Shizuku is not only emotionally strong, but sturdy as well, that punch would have made an average girl cry (and probably some boys to) but she neither shed a tear nor was in pain afterwards. She is by no means your average bookworm.

[Sackett]

Indeed, she's Dry Ice.

[Guardian Enzo]

It’s become clear that Shizuku very much likes to be in control, and everything about her relationship with Haru projects a lack of control. The surest way to be in control, of course, is to brook no outside influence from relationships at all – and that’s the method she practices through most of her childhood. Above and beyond that, though, Haru is a loose cannon to begin with – dangerous in both the literal and existential sense. He can’t control himself, so what chance does Shizuku have? Everything about him is a threat to the wall she’s built around herself (one suspects ever since her Mother effectively abandoned her, though that’s pure speculation).

They’re quite the pair, these two – far from perfect both of them, but fascinating characters just the same. Shizuku can’t quit Haru, in her own words, and I suspect for some of the same reasons he’s so interesting as a character. What can be said in Haru’s defense is that he doesn't bad things out of desire to hurt and out of cruelty – he simply can’t stop himself. And as he proved this week, he’s capable of realizing after the fact that he’s messed up, and apologizing – hey, it’s a start. In reality it was Yamaken who caused the first incident with Shizuku this week, and Yuzan the one with Ooshima. Why? because they could – and they knew it. They knew they could get into Haru’s head and make him crazy because they know how weak he is – but just because they can do something doesn't mean they should have. What Haru did wrong he did out of impulse, what Yamaken and Yuzam did they did out of cruelty (and I don’t think that’s too strong a word). It’s minor cruelty but cruel just the same to intentionally agitate someone just because you know you have his number.

Shizuku and Haru are so messed up, both individually and as a couple, that it’s hard to be too optimistic. Shizuku did at least make some major strides this week. First, she realized that she too was being cruel to Haru in her own way, because he simply doesn't possess the social awareness to understand her confusing signals to him. She also finally confronted the ugly truth head-on – she studies to avoid dealing with other people, and until she’s ready to give up that security blanket a little she’s not ready to be in a real relationship. So by admitting she’s not ready she gets closer to being ready, and finally puts Haru out of his misery with a straight answer. Can Haru now confront his own issues and get closer to being ready himself?