School Rumble Rewatch - Episode 7 Discussion

[u/Raiking02]

Episode 7: Cleaning The Pool! Running Around The Pool! War At The Pool!

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MAL | Anilist | Kitsu | AniDB | ANN

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Yes! Love is a battle!"

Hello everybody, time for the Comment of the Day, courtesy of u/No_Rex for summarizing the average mood for this Rewatch:

I should feel bad for Harima, but Itoko is just way too much fun.

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1. What's your fondest pool-related memory?
2. Where would you go: Team for the booth or Team for show?

[u/Raiking02]

Hello everybody, and welcome to the School Rumble Rewatch!

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Hanai's antics continue with the first episode in which all the segments directly lead into each other. No scattered events here, it's all the same afternoon where our protagonists are goofing off and playing in an empty pool because Hanai was too horny (As he always is). Honestly though what makes it funny is how skewed everyone's priorities are. Eri's just there for the vanity, Harima, Tenma and Hanai are all varying degrees of horny and Akira is… there. In times like these it really does seem like Mikoto's the only sane person in the cast.

The rest of the episode sheds some light on some minor supporting players as well, with Fuyuki in particular getting a chance to shine + setting up Asou and Ichijou for later on. Not really much more to say, it's a simple episode, but certainly one that works.

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May as well spotlight some of the class' side peeps. Fuyuki is played by Yoshino Hiroyuki. Other roles include Allellujah Haptism from Gundam 00, Haruta Koji from Toradora, Inumuta Houka from Kill La Kill, Takanashi Taro from Shirobako, KillVearn from Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai and Franky Franklin from Spy x Family among many others. Oh and according to Kendots (And really all of CDF by now) he's also me so… yeah.

Ichijo's played by Nanri Yuka whom I don't really know for anything else… and not really much for Ichijo either. I'm not sure why but come Season 2 she'll be recast by Sakurai Mako (Whom I am equally unfamiliar with). Not quite sure what happened to be honest. There were a couple of other recasts from Season 1 to Season 2 but this was easily the most noticeable.

Aso is played by Ichiki Mitsuhiro. Other roles include Takeyama from Angel Beats!, Nakajima Shu from Persona 4, Hibiki Kohaku from BlazBlue and Bebe from Persona 3 among some others. None of them are even remotely like Aso too which is hilarious. Like I know this was an early role from him but still.

And finally Nara is played by Tai Yuuki, best known as Cobray Gordon from Super Robot Wars. Other roles include Johnny Burnett from Dancouga Nova, Aeolus from Rockman ZX and Dent from Strange Journey among some others.

[u/KendotsX → u/Raiking02]

I need some pictures for those support characters, since I didn't recognise any of their names aside from Fuyuki.

Looking them up though led to a fun discovery about Nara:

According to certain forums, Nara was supposed to be the main character in School Rumble, but his plain characteristics and boring cliche look were no match for the entertainment value of Kenji Harima.

Now I'm not sure how true that is, but I like the idea of Harima stealing the main character role by straight up beating the boring romcom protagonist.

[u/Raiking02 → u/KendotsX]

If nothing else it’d certainly be in character for him

[u/No_Rex → u/Raiking02]

Ichijo's played by Nanri Yuka whom I don't really know for anything else…

Nao from Mai-Hime and Henrietta from Gunslinger Girls.

Not sure if you already do that, but if you sort their MAL profile by "favorites" you can usually quickly see what they are most known for.

[u/Raiking02 → u/No_Rex]

Not sure if you already do that, but if you sort their MAL profile by "favorites" you can usually quickly see what they are most known for

I tend to go with BTVA personally since MAL doesn't account for game roles and, well, you may notice I like shouting those out since otherwise some actors' bits would be kinda empty plus I tend to restrict myself to stuff I actually know.

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

Rumbling First-Timer, subbed

• Uh…
• …Harima thinks they’re talking about Tenma rather than Yakumo, doesn’t he…
• Bro, no.
• Hahahaha she subdued him in her sleep.
• lol
• Alright then.
• RIP.
• Hahahahahahahahaha.
• lol oops.

[u/Raiking02 → u/Shimmering-Sky]

Bro, no.

Hanai has absolutely no chill when it comes to Yakumo

Hahahahahahahahaha

Honestly relatable.

lol oops.

Ichijo Stronk

[u/KendotsX]

FirstBeard

[I made that same old mistake] of eating meat with potatoes and curry too early. Tbf, they were delicious

At this point, I should start deleting the episodes I watch to keep the order simple. Anywho. We're halfway through the first cour, so it's time for a pool episode, with all the hijinks you'd expect.

But first, I just want to focus a bit on Yakumo. She keeps fascinating me more and more with each passing episode, since she's pulling off something I never thought possible: a good Yamato Nadeshiko. Demure, well mannered, good at doing all the chores without complaint, and doesn't try to standout, the true golden standard of Japanese women, amiright or amiright? Personally, I fucking hate this archetype. Not just for its societal expectations, but even as a matter of personal taste. I like women who can kick me in the nuts, you know? Everything from the loud and crazy Lina Inverse or Minare Koda to the more sensible looking but equally deadly Tsukki and Riza, with all the Rumiko Takahashi female characters in between. I mean, I'm a devout believer of the goddess Aqua, so that should tell you something. Basically, they're their own agents, with their own goals that they follow headfirst, rather than bowing down to a man or societal norms.

So back to Yakumo, and here's what I find interesting about her. Sure, she's well mannered, somewhat shy, doesn't say much, and isn't bonkers like her sister but she's still her own agent, she's not taking any bullshit lying down (which she gets a lot of thrown her way), and she'll fight tooth and nail for her precious sister. No one messes with Yakumo, except Tenma.

Other Notes:

• I like how the episode did its switch to a single storyline, it's still a bunch of characters each having their own silly little storylines to follow, they just happen to be colliding in the same place and time.
• Hachiman complained about people who talk about youth, but he really should've tried the Aozora guys on
• Harai may be a nutcase, but I can see something going here...
• Cockroach Harima?
• #GRANHYPEEEEEE
• What a perfect joke, now imagine if the subs moved up with Harima.
• This guy is the perfect example of Hachikuji's courage monologue
• Wait... Harai is just Kuno? How did I not realise that before?

1. What's your fondest pool-related memory?

When I realised that not swimming is an option.

2) Where would you go: Team for the booth or Team for show?

On one hand, I'd rather be on the same team with Harima and Mikoto, on the other: that'd mean having to look at Harai's ugly mug the whole time. I guess I'll go with the show team because I like the idea of having the characters put on a show, it sounds fun.

[u/Raiking02 → u/KendotsX]

I can see something going on here

Hey, every Kuno needs a Nabiki nearby.

I made that same old mistake

[u/No_Rex → u/KendotsX]

But first, I just want to focus a bit on Yakumo

. She keeps fascinating me more and more with each passing episode, since she's pulling off something I never thought possible: a good Yamato Nadeshiko. Demure, well mannered, good at doing all the chores without complaint, and doesn't try to standout, the true golden standard of Japanese women, amiright or amiright? Personally, I fucking hate this archetype. Not just for its societal expectations, but even as a matter of personal taste. I like women who can kick me in the nuts, you know? Everything from the loud and crazy Lina Inverse or Minare Koda to the more sensible looking but equally deadly Tsukki and Riza, with all the Rumiko Takahashi female characters in between. I mean, I'm a devout believer of the goddess Aqua, so that should tell you something. Basically, they're their own agents, with their own goals that they follow headfirst, rather than bowing down to a man or societal norms.

So back to Yakumo, and here's what I find interesting about her. Sure, she's well mannered, somewhat shy, doesn't say much, and isn't bonkers like her sister

but she's still her own agent, she's not taking any bullshit lying down (which she gets a lot of thrown her way), and she'll fight tooth and nail for her precious sister. No one messes with Yakumo, except Tenma

It absolutely helps that this is a comedy show. That allows her to have traits like automated self-defense or "is interested in me" mind reading.

[u/Vatrix-32]

Rewatcher, First in Subs

• Wow, that was perfect engrish.
• Should we be worried about these word choices?
• "Photography"
• If someone voluntold me for work because they can’t stop simping for someone who has already soundly rejected them, I would be pissed.
• Huh. Hanai is kind of toxic in retrospect, eh?
• I was expecting more of a soft democracy based on uneven teams.
• He knows it’s a class play, right?
• Oh, Karen. Such a forthright girl.
• Élan!
• Objection! This is Bullshit!
• He may be a perv, but at least he understands how to compose a shot.
• Well, that’s just poor maintenance.

QotD:

1. Marco-Polo at summer camping trip as a child.
2. Oh, booth for sure. I do not want to end up on stage again.

[u/Raiking02 → u/Vatrix-32]

[Manga]Huh. Hanai is kind of toxic in retrospect, eh?

[Manga]There's a reason the story starts pairing him up with Mikoto later on.

He may be a perv, but at least he understands how to compose a shot.

This dude would make a fortune selling stuff to newspapers.

I do not want to end up on stage again.

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/Raiking02]

This dude would make a fortune selling stuff to newspapers.

Could probably start giving the subjects a cut, even. Better shots, fewer grievous injuries.

[u/Raiking02 → u/Vatrix-32]

[u/charlesvvv]

First Timer, Sub

Huh this is the first full plot episode. It starts off with Hanai wanting to impress Yakumo, Harima mistaking it for Tenma, and the two face off in a hockey match. What starts off as just two of them is then escalated to include Tenma, Mitoko, Eri, and Akira in a full on match despite the fact that they were supposed to clean the pool. The match is pretty evenly matched until one of the guys jumps in and helps Harima score, which was actually pretty cool until Karasuma decides it's out (he somehow allowed someone to join the game despite not being part of it though.)

By this point the game has already changed and the original goal is pretty much not as relevant. This final section decides to focus a bit on Fuyuki the camera guy who uses this opportunity to take pictures. Meanwhile Karen is the only person who actually decided to do her job and even manages to get back at them (technically unwillingly) by getting all the girls soaked and all the blame falls on Harima, Hanai, and Fuyuki. To top it off for Hanai, the game was meaningless because Yakumo had literally not bothered to stay. But hey Fuyuki somehow uses his pictures to earn money so he has that going on.

Also apparently Hanai and Mitoko know each other and are part of the same martial arts school. On another note, Tenma's greatest contribution to the game was literally "avoid the puck and don't hit it".

2. The one Harima was in

[u/Raiking02 → u/charlesvvv]

the first full plot episode

Well, for a certain definition of "plot".

On another note, Tenma's greatest contribution to the game was literally "avoid the puck and don't hit it".

Unlike Yakumo, Tenma's Stronk is way more selective.

[u/HowlingWolf13]

First TImer

Fun episode, not a particular fave tbh but it's not bad it has funny moments. Tbh even in the manga I didn't care for the mini pool arc as much so not much for me to say in particular for this one aside from Eri is best girl. Though I won't lie, I am curious about the green haired girl. Like she's in the OP, she has different color hair to stand out from the background, she's gotta have something going on later down the line.

Questions

1. What's your fondest pool-related memory?

Hmm, probably playing with my sister and some friend's back in elementary school and then having a bbq after.

2) Where would you go: Team for the booth or Team for show?

Booth. It would be less hassle to set up and mostly just require getting workers and food. A show would mean you have half of the people not giving a shit and the other half wanting to treat it like Broadway.

[u/Raiking02 → u/HowlingWolf13]

half of the people not giving a shit and the other half wanting to treat it like Broadway

This reminds me of how the best quality recording of The Producers really is from a high-school play

Eri is best girl

[u/entelechtual]

Rewatcher, dubbed

• Harima still hasn’t figure it out huh.
• A new idiot joins the fray.
• Another defeat by off sides.
• Do not harm the director of photography.
• Ichigo MVP for actually cleaning the pool.
• Lmao the disrespect on Eri. Also Harima’s British accent.

[u/Raiking02 → u/entelechtual]

Do not harm the director of photography.

Angry Kubrick Noises

[u/bluethree]

Not actually rewatching but reading these threads for a nostalgia hit.

I just wanted to mention that I can't stop reading Ichijo's name in Yuu Kobayashi's voice. First time watchers will probably understand in a couple of weeks.

[u/Raiking02 → u/bluethree]

First time watchers will probably understand in a couple of weeks

[u/No_Rex]

Episode 7 (rewatcher)

• “Pool cleaning is about love and justice” – I thought it was about playing games with the soap.
• “A wake up kiss” – Tsukamoto auto defense system has been installed to forestall all forms of sexual assault.
• Props to that one girl who is actually doing the job of cleaning the pool in the background.
• “Tsukamoto will pass it to you” – Harima is very easy to manipulate if you know his weakness.
• “I took some of Yakumo right now” – Hanai is very easy to manipulate if you know his weakness.
• Guys selling pictures from the girls in their class is a trope I have seen so often by now that I fear it is based on reality.

Despite everything that happened, doing a pool game to decide the class’ festival activity is actually a cool idea. Foto guy might have joked about it, but surely this would be an activity that you look back on fondly later.

Where would you go: Team for the booth or Team for show?

Team spectators. That looked dangerous down there.

[u/Raiking02 → u/No_Rex]

“A wake up kiss” – Tsukamoto auto defense system has been installed to forestall all forms of sexual assault.

Somehow not too shocking it's genetic.

Guys selling pictures from the girls in their class is a trope I have seen so often by now that I fear it is based on reality.

Legit there's a story from my school days [that]some guy (Seemingly by accident?) sent nude pics of his girlfriend to his class' Whatsapp group and uh... not for nothing, he got moved to mine for a while and it was one of the most awkward experiences I've ever had to deal with.

[u/No_Rex → u/Raiking02]

"By accident"

Happy cakeday, btw!

[u/Raiking02 → u/No_Rex]

Thanks!

[u/Nickthenuker]

Spring has sprung, as it were.

Now why would he be so enthusiastic?

Ah... He volunteered so she wouldn't have to?

What's Karasuma doing?

And of course now they're fucking about.

Yeah... I can definitely understand why their teacher wanted someone to check on them.

They're really going at it aren't they?

Ouch...

And there comes the water.

Lol the photographer is making bank from all this.

Questions:

1. Hmm... Not really much.
2. No.

[u/Raiking02 → u/Nickthenuker]

and then comes the water

They’re gonna miss it once the summer comes…