Kobato 09-10-11: Not Dead Yet

A dreaded three headed cute monster has appeared!

Doing the dreaded triple review of episodes to catch up. I’ve been really tied up through the holidays and I know there’s even more episodes out and the new stuff is starting to pop up around the interwebs but you’ll have to take it at my pace. After two great episodes I wasn’t surprised by Episode 9′s absolute snore fest of mediocrity. If you waited, and had great determination to get past episode 9, at least episode 10 was enough reward to keep going as Fujimoto’s background story was cute and sad and happy. In Episode 11 it just occurs to Kobato to get a part-time job.  And my CLAMP radar only goes off about twice. Please join me for these three episodes (and maid outfits!) after the jump.

Episode 9

“What to make a totally boring episode Girl #1?” “Oh sure, Girl #2! Let’s pretend to hate it each other to waste everyone’s time!”

Okay, so I lied. I’m pretty much skipping this episode. This episode was the bane of my existence and the number one reason I really don’t like drama-girls-anime. This episode added absolutely nothing to the story and the whole time I just felt angry at it. Here the jist: Girl #1 and Girl #2 used to be BFFs. Girl #1 is a stuck up prissy bitch. Girl #2 is too nice and likes camera. When they grow up they start growing apart because they want different things and Girl #1 wants to sabotage Girl #2 because ??. Anyway in the end they are BFFs again and they can embrace each other differences. Then I throw up with sappy happiness. The redemption of this episode?

I should get a new kimono…Kobato’s is so cute!

Episode 10

Woah, it’s another episode with plot forwarding elements!

Sitting through episode 9 is not necessary when you can skip to the plot filled goodness of Episode 10 right away without missing anything! Episode 10 is what I’ve been holding out for this whole series and while it was a little disappointing in terms of simplicity, I wasn’t about to complain after the last episode.

“Yay I’m never getting my wish but hanging futons is so fun!”

One summery day instead of trying to mend hearts Kobato goes the nursery to help out Sayaka-sensei. Very noble but she needs to ramp up on those hearts so, also somewhat stupid of course.

This picture is somewhat off putting, I think Sayaka is thinking of throwing him down a well

Sayaka-sensei starts telling her about Fujimoto-san in the past complete with flashbacks galore.

Good to know that 10+ years didn’t change him

Meet tiny Fujimoto.  Sad. Super scowly. Sayaka’s family takes him in because his parents left him. Sayaka does the best she can but since he won’t play with anyone it’s pretty hard.

One day some boys come into the yard and step on the flowers all the kids had been nurturing. Sayaka busts out some anger on them but all the kids are depressed still.

You show ‘em girl!

Sayaka tries to put the flower back but it doesn’t really work. Then all the kids hear some organ music and run inside.

Now everyone loves him magically. Because of this? Really?

Seems that Fujimoto-san can bring happiness to people with his organ. Ugh. Even I cringed at that joke.

Sayaka-sensei is concerned about how Fujimoto’s grown up that he works too hard and shuts out people and that is life is probably a painful ball of nothingness. I too am worried about Fujimoto.

After this it’s time for Kobato to go home and do something embarrassing because it’s been nearly a whole episode without her falling over something.

Incoming in embarrassment in 3, 2, 1…

Blast off!

Fujimoto of course gets angry and accusing but in the cute way where he’s mildly indigent. Chitose, and the twins want to see picture too~!

Episode 11

Maybe she should let Kobato do some fund raising if she’s going to freak out about money all the time?

This episode starts with Kobato finishing her day of work (for free!). She asks Sayaka-sensei if there’s anything else she can do for her but she tells her to go home. Kobato sees this:

I kind of wish we had books like that…

It dawns on Kobato that she can get a part time job and help out with the creepy loan shark at the nursery. Since I’ve been thinking this for a while, I’m glad it’s actually happening. When she goes home to discuss it with Iroyogi-san he shoots down all of her ideas.

“You would just suck at this”

Looks like Iroyogi popped a leak so Kobato takes him to Chitose to get stitched up and asks her if she knows anyone who might need someone part time.

She gets her rent free I’m sure Chitose is confused but polite enough not to ask why.

Chitose does know someone – someone Kobato knows too! It’s umbrealla guy who apparently owns the bakery even though he was just standing outside holding the door for some reason last time. His staffer was hurt so he’d be happy to take her on part time.

And your help now, and your help when she probably drops a cake.

Yay maid uniforms!

Yumi (the staffer) tries to help Kobato figure out the ropes of the bakery business.

As much as I rag on her, this is probably exactly what my face would look like if I had this job.

Even some familiar faces come in to the bakery. Kobato is able to give Marina-chan her birthday cake!

Awww. That is all.

Or is she?

How uncanny, this cake also says “Happy Birthday Marina”

EPIC FAIL.

I feel that Kobato’s charm point (clumsiness) helped Yumi open up to her later on anyway so I guess it’s a good thing. When I watch her fall over though I want to shield my eyes and go “ahhh not again”.

Yumi opens up to Kobato about spending 4 hours with her, world record!

Yumi says that her manager has been really cold and distracted lately so Kobato wonders if it’s a money issue. The bakery is doing well enough though so Yumi doesn’t think so. Instead they go to the old stand by to figure it out: spying.

Truly, these are our greatest hiding places yet.

Sneaking in on the bakery guy doesn’t seem to help. He just sighs a lot and looks wistful. Great, he’s emo. Luckily a customer comes to break this James Bond moment up.

It’s Sayaka-sensei!

Somehow this sentiment seems really rude…

Sayaka has a husband?! Or maybe she just had one because of how sad she looks when Yumi says that. Maybe he’s blackmailing her for a sex scandal! I have to stop thinking of Sayaka-sensei that way. But you know what this calls for?

How did you spy on people so long without knowing what a detective was? What the hell were you doing?

We needed more spying!

This isn’t exactly what it looks like because it looks like a date. Yumi freaks out and Kobato starts yelling to try and keep her quiet. I don’t see why a grown man can’t have a date (even though it’s not a date). The baker runs down the street after Yumi trying to set the record straight.

Kobato is a third wheel…more often than I think

He was interviewing people because he thinks he is overworking Yumi. How…cute? I think this is probably very sweet but for me, I would have wanted a raise. And he could have told her he was hiring more help.

So here we are, having our cake and eating it too.

Yumi had hurt herself trying to bake cakes for the baker probably to woo him. Her cake looks pretty darn good so I consider him officially woo’d. Mission accomplished!

Sherlock Kobato and Wats-roygi.

Kobato does one last bit of detective and realizes that Iroyogi has been eating sweets from another bakery every time he gets information. This is reasonably awesome of her to deduce this which is also why Iroyogi gives her a 100 (and doesn’t take it away!)

Kobato did too many good things in this episode so here’s Fujimoto to bring you down.

Last Thoughts:

- I’ve already watched episode 12 so I feel like I will accidentally sneak something in here if I try too hard.

-I really enjoyed episode 10 even though it was very simple. I guess sometimes it’s best to stick with your guns and go with what you know.

-Episode 11 was great but isn’t Yumi the chick that whathisface from Chobits was in love with? She looks reasonably similar but he voice sounded different so I’m not sure it was suppose to be the same person

-Misaki (Angelic Layer) was selling beer alongside Fujimoto in Episode 10. I lol’d. (edited: fixed, thanks Son Gohan!)

-That’s all for now but I promise next one in a timely manner. I got steamrolled  by Xmas and trying to do things to speed along our move to the new site hence the delay.

Look forward to next time!