I’m not sure how to feel about this week’s Sasami-san. On one hand, it looks like I was more correct than I thought I was last week about week one. On the other hand now that the ruse is up, what is next? For a largely “what is this I don’t even” sort of anime, I suppose that is the best way to go about anticipating, but the lack of choice in the matter might ruffle some feathers. Well, it’s an adaptation anyway, so I guess that is no big deal. It seems like we’re “done” for the pilot portion of the series.
But still, I can anticipate something: incest. This anime already has a lot of it, versus the average garden variety. Even with the classic Shinto creationist tale from the first weeks we can see it as a theme between not just Sasami and Onii-chan, but also the strange things that brought the two of them together, into existence, and the stuff around them.
The whole reveal with god-robo Kagami and baby god Tama doesn’t seem to fit in the overall narrative. All we know from Tsurugi is that Sasami is safeguarding the power that once belonged to her, and now Tsurugi is safeguarding Sasami for safeguarding Tsurugi’s power. Seems not only convoluted, but redundant. Okay, it’s a little cute in the emotional sense, that Sasami no longer needs to deny herself to safeguard the stuff, because Amaterasu will safeguard Sasami’s sense of self so Sasami can safeguard the stuff.
The more I try to write about it the more stupid I feel. I guess it could be worse: it could be a ring where someone wants to throw into a lava pit.
Okay, so back to the fanservice angle. The story is hopefully going to resolve around that romantic relationship and Sasami’s personality. I half-suspect we have the Yagami sisters just to spice up the thing; an anime can only “ganbaranai” for so much and for so long, and Onii-chan is no tsukkomi. The ending songs (and the proper ending sequence) are one way to make this up, I guess.
There’s another creation tale evoked in this week’s episode, that makes Sasami into a bunny. The myth goes as more or less as told by the anime, except in this case the shark got beaten up, which is a funky twist. More importantly, it kinda alludes to the Ninigi thing that Tsurugi and Sasami talked about. The god that saved the Inaba bunny ultimately is replaced by Ninigi-no-Mikoto, the grandson of Amaterasu, who’s given the Imperial Regalia. I guess Sasami recognizes him in some special way.
The fight scenes is pure fanservice, I think. I guess it’s something to break things up and set up the pacing for this episode (which is incredibly similar to the previous two). Tama and Kagami also appeal the best when they’re cutting things up or doing what (robo)gods do.
With the way the episode wrapped up, maybe the pilot part is over? You would think so. There still are two major wrinkles left, besides the main story: what’s up with Sasami’s 3rd arm? She sealed it with a talisman that she continues to wear; is it metaphoric about her alter ego? Does that ego ultimately controls the power of Amaterasu? Also, what’s up with the “evil god” that kept her indoors? I guess that one could be explained easier if it is a consequence of her innate wishes.
Even on rewatch I found the scene when Onii-chan checks for her arm a lot of fun. Maybe something’s wrong with me.
PS. I just want to take this time to both thank and reprimand TAN: thanks for streaming Sasami-san@ganbaranai legit! But if you do it a week and a day late, it really takes all the air out of it. Imagine all those people who saw episode 2 when they saw episode 1 and spoiled themselves silly. smh.
PPS. Really dig the end card.
