For all the strange things that happened in this episode, the one my mind zoned in on were the references to Big O of all things. I happen to be watching it at the moment, so seeing both the Big O Robot and a Dorothy figurine rather threw me for a loop. I’m not even sure what their significance is. I don’t think the two shows share any staff. There doesn’t seem to be any thematic similarities between the two. Maybe this director just really likes Big O or something. Well, he’s confirmed for good taste at the very least.
I’ve read a bit of the manga, so I thought I was prepared for drool sucking, but watching it in animated format was an entirely different experience, and one that turned my gut in a unpleasent way. It’s quite gross, but also well-explained and realised in animated format. They don’t shy away from how icky it is. In fact, the animators seem to be revelling in making that saliva as goopy and horrible as possible, but it’s important to come off as such for the story its trying to tell. It’s a commentary on how formulaic relationships are, particularly in the embarrassing, uncertain world of teenagers. Grabbing a girl by the shoulders and going in for the kiss? Pah, boring old stodge. Do something less typical, like plunge your finger into her mouth and take a good long hard suck oh dear my mind is in the gutter.
There’s a lack of cynicism that makes the show endearing. A big part of that is the old-school character designs, looking like they came out of the early 90’s. The directing is also top-notch in realising this charm the show has. It’s the same director Space Bros has, the guy who only previously worked on Doraemon. I guess working on Doraemon really is the anime director’s equivalent of training in the mountains. Both shows are fantastically directed. What makes Mysterious Girlfriend X stand out is it’s a stereotypical set up presented through an atypical filter. The dream sequences in particularly are fascinating.
I suppose if I was in a bad mood, I’d start whining about various other aspects of this anime. The main character is some blank slate of nothing. The question arises again of why the only girls in anime who make any sort of early romantic development are the weird ones, ala Yuno from Future Diary. Mind you, this is less Mysterious Girlfriend X’s fault and more the fault of every single other anime. There’s also a question of how far can they make this premise last, but at 13 episodes it shouldn’t run stale. Maybe I’m just in a good mood this season, but Mysterious Girlfriend X has the allure to it that puts me in a good mood anyway.
The Cart Driver 
Yet another show I was expecting to be complete garbage turns out to be watchable. This season is full of surprises.
I was a little surprised when I found out it has the same director as Space Bros. Seems like the shows are at the opposite ends of every spectrum imaginable.
Anyway, it’s good to see that you genuinely seem to be having fun this season. At lot of the time it seems like you really despise watching most anime and it’s a chore, but this season you seem to have enjoyed most of what you’ve seen so far.
I think I’m just mellowing out in my old age
Let’s not forget the author’s thesis for the series as a whole while we’re at it — that adolescent, romantic relationships can thrilling/exciting without jumping straight to sex.
A translation of said essay by the author (which was an extra for chapter 12 of the manga), circa 2007:
http://mangafox.me/manga/mysterious_girlfriend_x/v02/c012.5/8.html
For context on the essay.:
http://mangafox.me/manga/mysterious_girlfriend_x/v02/c012.5/11.html
Wow, this is a very enlightening read. Thanks for sharing this.
Huh, slightly different from my interpretation of the story, but I wasn’t completely off course either
I don’t know if it was in the original manga, but the silly dancing dream sequence really reminded me of a similar scene from another anime.
It’s in the manga, but it kind of falls by the wayside once Urabe herself starts to accept that the fantasies aren’t JUST on Tsubaki’s side. It’s nice to see the dream sequences animated though.
This just pushed Big O on top of my PtW queue. By Tuesday I’ll have watched it all, and then I’ll watch this.
You’ll probably have finished it before I do
“watching it in animated format was an entirely different experience, and one that turned my gut in a unpleasent way. ”
Very much so. In the manga it was just weird, in the anime its disgusting.
In my opinion, this anime is a rather realistic depiction of many high school relationships.
Boy meets girl.
Girl goes to boy’s house.
Girl demands that boy lick and suck various portions of girl’s anatomy.
Granted, most people don’t lick the drool off a desk, but swapping spit is a big part of high school romance.
I’ve been saying forever that this show was going to kick ass.
That second screencap had me gagging, shit.
I believe that was the intention
Hmm, honestly I didn’t think anything of the drool.
Maybe that is a problem.
In that case you should avoid the “happy” scene. I actually jumped back in my chair when it came up.
Naw, it was more about just how it was drawn fhfsd
It’s a good watch, albeit a very weird one. Spitting out that much saliva in one go is an inhuman feat.
This show is like the saliva that she produces, in that it’s sweet in its own disgusting way.
Mono Mono everywhere.
Your way of describing this episode really piqued my interest in it. Might have to see it after all, considering I deftly crossed it off my list because of the weird… fetish.
This is gross and I like it that way. I went and check the manga too but definitely that saliva stuff is a nightmare fuel yet makes me want more, it’s really hard to explain. No wonder this got an anime
I don’t think I can stomach another episode of drool sucking, yet at the same time I want to know what’s going on. Maybe I’ll just wait for reviews. lol
So generally, Kill Your Boyfriend without any Sex.
Oh great everyone is making me feel weird. I guess I am the only one who got slightly aroused from the drool part.
Anyway I was about the just quit after the first 5 minutes, but I stayed and it overall seems interesting. Though I am shocked to know Space Bros and this are by the same director.
Best explanation for the flu. I guess he was never taught not to lick random drool from a freaky chick. the way she talked about her drool just makes you wonder, has this happend b4? & if it has what made her want to fuck this kid? Why do I even care? & why cant I stop watching this gross shit? Guess ill just have to see how episode 2 turns out. lol.
A few people I talked to about the series agreed that the drool was disgusting, either by the fact it was drool or by the fact that the drool looked less like water than they wanted it to be. However, I take it as just an exchange of saliva without the lips touching.
Of course, my disclaimer is that I’ve read the manga, but I liked the first episode. Could do without the ED, though.
Yeah the ED was exactly the kind of thing this show probably shouldn’t do for the story it’s trying to achieve
I THINK I FIGURED OUT THE BIG O REFERENCES
Big “O”
Mysterious Girlfriend “X”
OXOX
probably not.
whocares~
At first I thought of just passing up this series, but the whole weirdness of it all, going by reviews, kind of piqued my interest