Special A Episode 3 – “It’s time for the bento (inclusive of an Impz rant)”

In the previous episode, Kei and Hikari fought against two professional fighters in a challenge by the student council president. They eventually won but not before some classic Kei punchline. However, in the previous episode, they also have a competition. Whoever uses more moves in the wrestling match will be the loser and will be ordered to do one task by the winner. As the perennial number 2, Hikari loses.

What will Kei ask as a task? Will it be demonic torture? Will it be something out of this world? For those people who fear episode summary spoilers, after the read more has an anchor tag to skip directly to thoughts. It’s a new feature for those who are too scared to see the summary and just wanting to hear thoughts and minor spoilers relating to thoughts.

[Skipping to the thoughts section]

Episode summary

Hikari pressed him for a task and Kei commanded Hikari to make him a bento. The next day, Kei is in high spirits as he left the house. Hikari tries to make bento at home, but her mother completely banned her from being in the kitchen. Her mother reminded her about the “accidents” when Hikari tries to cook. At school, Hikari asks Akira to use her kitchen, set up by the school on request of Akira. Akira is annoyed how Kei ordered her cute Hikari to do things, but asks to test the food first. Kei is clearly in a good mood due to Hikari’s bento. He even surprised Tadashi by smiling, something he does NOT do.

The student president comes to look for Hikari, but Kei told him that she quit school. After looking at Hikari’s monstrous effort (pun intended) to wash to a state of alienist proportions, Akira runs away in fear. Kakei spies on Hikari’s cooking as he starts daydreaming that Hikari is making it for him. While Kei waits, he sees two students complaining about their home-prepared food. That triggers a memory of his childhood. Hikari is finished with the cooking but the rice is extremely hard. As she brings it to Kei, it seems more like a shiny cannon. While walking to him, she falls as the rice “cannon” makes a dent on the ground. Kei says he will eat it but Hikari eats it and runs off to make another.

Akira mumbles that there are some things that cannot be done with sheer hard work. Kei goes to find Hikari at the kitchen. Kei apologizes for giving her a tough job and tries to encourage her. She says it is part of their challenge forfeit, as Kei smiles and calls her “number two” to perk her spirits up. Kei also remembers his past where he admires other children who has homemade food. Hikari realized all the rice turned to gruel from her washing, and finds the hardest rice in the world. Kei looks worried and restless, and the other SA class are worried. Kei is clearly getting hungry, but acting as though nothing has happened.

Akira goes over to check on Hikari. Akira says she can teach Hikari on how to make rice balls. However, Hikari refuses as getting help in a challenge is admitting a loss. Tadashi comes to check, and tells Hikari that anything will do for Kei. Tadashi tells Hikari that Kei has never tried a homemade bento made for him and it is not a challenge. Hikari decides to ask Akira for help as she wants to do it for Kei. Hikari finally finishes the edible rice ball. Kei is about to eat it but Kakei cuts in to take a bite before realizing it tastes horrible. Kakei runs off, but Kei eats it happily and says it’s delicious. After finishing the food, he adds that he will pay Kakei a visit to teach him a good lesson.

Thoughts

I am so happy. Considering that I am quite a fan of the manga, the first two episodes feel strangely subdued. I did not laugh at all about the antics of the SA class for the first two episodes. They feel empty. They feel forced. I felt annoyed. I felt anger. Lastly, I felt betrayed. Betrayed by Gonzo. Betrayed by every single person who made SA a below-par watch for me. My girlfriend, Thirteensugars, complained that my review for the second episode is terrible. I told her that it’s completely incoherent because I just did not have the mood to do it.

Was I suffering from burnout? No. I was suffering from righteous anger. I was angry how something that can hardly go wrong with the funny humor turns out to be only barely humorous in anime form. However, Episode 3 put it right. Sure, it might still be a tad annoying when the OP start running. It is also quite silly how they expand this whole bento thing into an entire episode. However, the magical spark that seems to be missing in the first two episodes mysteriously appeared. It is as though Gonzo suddenly decides that this anime should be awesome like the manga.

Firstly, it might be due to the lack of “number two”. I admit, it is funny for the first two or three times I see the stone graphics of “number two”. However, it got tiring, cumbersome and eventually annoying. The only appearance of it is more to cheer Hikari up, which makes some sense rather than senseless comedy taunting. I also like how Kei is completely in his own world while waiting for Hikari. It feels so amusing when he turns on his “bishie-like” sparkles in his responses. I guess I just like cheap thrills that makes you laugh a little in shoujo.

In addition, I feel that Hikari’s cooking skills or the apparent lack of it, makes for some good laughs. Even though it becomes particularly annoying when she says it’s a competition (think, woman, think), I feel that Tadashi’s welcome remainder that Kei is a rather lonely child when he is young makes up for it. It makes Special A much more interesting than all laughter and joy. It also fleshes out Kei’s personality and probably why he is interested in Hikari. It is perhaps the fact that Hikari is friendly not because he is rich and has a powerful family, but simply because he is Kei.

Of course, what is a review by Impz without a report on Akira-sama. Akira continues to be awesome and there is just one record of attack on the silly Tadashi. We need more attacks by Akira-sama to hit the quota of punishment for the episode. Nonetheless, it is approved. Lastly, I still think that Kakei’s character design makes him look like a trap. I will not be surprised to see him in meido form. My. Poor. Eyes.