Keijo Ep. 6 Thoughts

So after two episodes of butt-to-butt action, Keijo takes us on a downtime trip to Kyoto before our awesome foursome, and the rest of Setouchi Keijo Academy, begin their special training for the inevitable showdown against the Keijo players of East Japan.

The episode is divided into two plot points. The first is giving us a little more insight into Sayaka Miyata, as she unsuccessfully tries to socialize with her peers during their 3-hour downtime. We get to see a bit of her younger life where, due to her strict upbringing, she is unintentionally ended being alienated by everyone else.

Back at the present, when Nozomi and the others DO decide to hang out with Sayaka, she responds very negatively.

Watching the younger Sayaka wanting to be invited to her peers' activities only to be rejected due to her 'class', so to speak, reminds me of a conversation I had with my own peers who have lived in Japan and learned certain aspects of their culture. One being that the Japanese, having so much emphasis on politeness, tends to respond in a manner that is anything BUT straightforward.

For example, if I ask an office colleague for some rounds of League of Legends during after hours, the chap wants to (like he REALLY wants to), but makes up a bunch of excuses saying he can't when there is actually NOTHING that's holding him back other than being "polite". I find that aggravating and would prefer getting a straight answer and be done about it.

The second plot point shows Nozomi's training as an infighter where she meets her new instructor, an active Keijo Pro named Kyoko Shirayuki aka "Missile Lady". And by the end of their first sparring battle, the difference between Nozomi and a pro like Kyoko is very much clear and the former has a long way to go to make it to the big leagues. Kyoko's no-nonsense persona is balanced out with a tendency to keep things neat and orderly and would even groom her own students to meet that demand. It gives me the impression she has a mild case of OCPD (Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder). Strangely, it made get a liking to Kyoko, both design and persona-wise.

There isn't much fan service on this episode other than Mio Kusakai being her typical flirty self going after any girl she sees fancy. We are also briefly introduced to one of Kusakai's groupies, Usagi Tsukishita. And in just a minute or two, she becomes Nozomi's future rival, having been awfully jealous of Mio's flirtiness towards our heroine.

Hard to believe we are already halfway into the season with 6 episodes to go. I wonder if we will see Nozomi and the gang make it to the pro level by season's end, or we have to wait for a second one. Regardless, I am enjoying this series so far with no problems, whatsoever.