The teacher has a toothbrush mustache! So much Nazi symbolism. But really though, considering how much of Zvezda Plot seems to allude to fascist politics and Nazi Germany, it actually does make me wonder if making the teacher look like Hitler was intentional.
This was another episode that was more typical compared to the first four episodes, this time even more so than episode 5. Particularly since it takes place at Asuta and Renge’s middle school as they investigate the mystery about the Secret Treasure Club, which is a bit disappointing.
Having an anime take place at school isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, and it does make sense why it’s such a common setting for anime. It’s the time in the average Japanese person’s life where they get to be relatively carefree before submitting to the soul-crushing work life of Japan, after all. And just because it’s a common and cliche setting doesn’t make this episode worse per se. The setting just starts to get annoying when it’s used in anime like Zvezda Plot which could easily be spending its time on something more original (or at least less cliche.)
So when a show like Zvezda Plot has such creative and wacky stories for it’s first few episodes, it almost feels like a waste for it to take place in a highschool since we’ve already seen that a hundred times (and will probably see it a hundred times more.) And using the setting to parody common anime tropes isn’t all that insightful either, since even that’s been done quite a few times. So not much was really notable about this episode aside from giving me a few laughs.
But I’m just nitpicking and expressing a minor annoyance here, really. The episode was still funny and full of the same charm that Zvezda Plot has displayed before, and just because it’s more typical with its setting doesn’t mean I automatically dislike the episode; I wouldn’t really even consider it much worse than the previous episodes. To be honest, I just don’t have much to talk about this week, so I’m just scrounging around for stuff to complain about.
This was mostly a set up for the next episode anyways, so it could be forgiven for not giving me any complicated or deep themes to contemplate and overthink. It seems like the next episode is going to be the “wham” moment which shifts the narration away from character-focused episodes into a more plot driven arc, so I’m looking forward to that.
(On an unrelated note, I should probably try to blog about more than just one show per season.)
Anime Is (Not) Dead 
Overall, I agree with you, but I think it’s important to note that this episode is pretty clearly PARODYING the anime trope of the transfer student. Perhaps not as keenly as it should, but it’s fairly plain that this is a parody (e.g., Plamya running to school with toast in her mouth).
I did acknowledged in the post that the anime tropes employed were clearly parodical in nature; my complaint was just that they weren’t all that insightful. Not that that’s really a bad thing though. I’m just nitpicking since it feels like Zvezda Plot could be doing something more with its time.
I fully agree with you. I adored the first four episodes (especially episodes 3 and 4), and feel the last two have been noticeably weaker. That said, this is still easily the best show of the season in my opinion, and it has the potential, if it can regain its footing, to be something really special – funny, whimsical, and even profound.
-Loli Hitler didn’t do any breakout things this week. She was being her usual awesome self.
-Timid Roboko creeps me out.
-I was expecting Mr Mafia’s disguise to be a teacher. Digusing one’s self as a statue was out there.
-Miss Perfect’s Treasure Club Leader disguise was as clever as Clark Kent’s. Well done rich girl.
-Hoping Asuta’s flashback is not him being a runaway rich boy.
Yup, I agree with those first four points. It didn’t occur to me how the flashback might imply that Asuta comes from a rich family though. I guess we’ll see what they do with that.
Well, the whole transfer student routine is schtick, but I was pleased that all they really did with it was do an introduction, and (as DP pointed out) the toast in the mouth, and then they shoved it all aside to get to the real story. Why do a school thing at all? No clue, but this show never quite does what I expect it to do, which is why I like it.
Yeah, this was certainly far from the worst example of a “highschool episode.” Sunday Without God and The Pilot’s Love Song spring to mind as shows where shoehorning a highschool setting was met with much worse results.
I am awfully intrigued about where the story is going to go next episode, too.