A Literal Akiba’s Trip – Anime Gataris 3-Episode Test

Quite comically, this show is doing a good job of teasing you constantly and being absolutely meta. I talked on episode 1 and how it was a cute show that suddenly implied a number of crazy things including the potential APOCALYPSE being a factor in this show. The art and music are just as cheery throughout episode 2 and 3 and I have to admit this show has just immense amounts of potential. With this, lets take a look at the rest of this show for my 3-Episode test.

Remember where we left the first episode with a talking cat and the threat of an impending doom? Yea we start off not with that but with a revised version of Minoa with Arisu thrown in, and Arisu doing the cliched Ouji-Sama laugh. After that we have the show carry on, simply ignoring talking cats and business as usual. We further confirm that Arisu is essentially Karen Tendou from Gamers, but with her shit together. Mind you this is a tad less realistic due to Sebas, being a hyper fast and unrealistically resourceful butler, but she is still the rich and beautiful Otaku to Karen’s Gamer. Albeit in a bunny outfit at one point. Akin to Gintama, I’m pretty sure there are many puns in this I will not get at all. Some fun references I had caught as the new members of the club such as “Gaka Stray Dogs,” “Ru:Zero,” and best of all questioning if someone was “Team Am” or “Team Emily.” The show wraps with the last member of the club being the supposedly normal pretty boy, Kouki Nakano, wearing a rather detailed anime shirt under his top in addition to his buttons. As soon as the club was ready to be formed we see them hit with the ban hammer from the student council.

 

Episode 3 is where we get pretty damn meta about the show. Our start is quite slow going, but after the intro and the initial ban alert from the student council, our group make a trip to the Otaku Gamer Mecca of Akihabara, or Akiba. As they arrived and comically enough, we have the Akiba’s Trip OP playing as they enter. Our anime club members then further explore and share opinions while chatting and hanging out most as we do with our anime otaku friends. We have a glorious moment shared in the train and Minoa finds herself calmed yet saddened that she did not get to hear the opinions of Kai Musashisakai Kai Kai, our special battle anime fan. Minoa does however get baited hard into giving the speech in front of the student body to convince them to allow the anime club to exist. The end of this is Kai Kai coming to Minoa’s rescue to defend and successfully save the Anime Research Club.

My personal favorite aspect of this show so far is the use and reference of the 3-episode test. Just as Eromanga Sensei is self aware about Doujin, this show is self aware about 3-episode tests. Comically enough its still quite beautiful in how it interacts and they highly indicate that there is more to this show than meets the eye. I’m left wondering if the talking cat is all in Minoa’s mind and she’s really insane. Even more they reference how if a show doesn’t “jump the shark” by episode 3 it indicates it will not have an insane twist and that is what the season will continue to be until the end. They not too subtly indicate this is not the case and that you should give this show more than a simple 3-episode test. Personally I’m willing to put my hope and trust in this show to deliver a great show I will truly enjoy. What about you? Does this show make you sleepy? Or are you giving it a shot and sticking it out? Let me know in a comment and leave a like and subscribe if you enjoyed it all!