Episode 11 of A Couple of Cuckoos looks at things a little more seriously, as Nagi and Sachi’s relationship is put under a prism.
Kodoani.com – In previous reviews, kodoani has determined that A Couple of Cuckoos likes to alternate between comedy and full drama every two or so. Since episodes 9 and 10 are quite fun, that means episode 11 will be more serious.
Suffice to say, the previous two episodes tried to bring a more balanced mix of comedy and drama to the story. There’s a bit of drama and story progression amid the thick fog of comedy. They still haven’t struck the right balance, but it’s certainly a respectable effort. So hopefully they did the same in this supposedly more serious episode.
Previous episodes of A Couple of Cuckoos
Episode 10 of A Couple of Cuckoos is about parents. Nagi and Sachi went shopping together to find the perfect gift for their mother. It turned out to be quite a difficult endeavor since they had never really hung out together before. Nagi often rejects Sachi because he wants to spend his time studying rather than hanging out and having fun with his sister. Not only that, they also couldn’t find a gift that matched their mother’s personality.
As for Erika, she spent some quality time with her mother at the public bath. But then her dad called and said he was coming to visit her. Erika is afraid that her father will ask her to move back in with her parents. So she asked Nagi to go wandering aimlessly with her. That way, she wouldn’t have to meet her father. Unbeknownst to them, Erika’s father was talking to Sachi instead. He takes her to a nice restaurant, and asks her about Nagi and Erika.
Can’t just pretend it didn’t happen
As expected, episode 11 tells a much more serious story than previous episodes. The story in this volume focuses on the relationship between Nagi and Sachi. It all started at night when the house was completely black due to a power outage due to a thunderstorm.
Nagi is trying to find a flashlight or anything that can help them see better in the dark when they come across Sachi who has just entered the house. Since they couldn’t see clearly, they ended up falling and accidentally kissing. Nagi simply brushed it off afterwards, but Sachi was clearly having trouble with it.
Sachi is annoyed not only by the unexpected kiss but also because Nagi still treats her like a little girl. He doesn’t consider her a woman at all. So Sachi locked himself in his room and refused to talk to Nagi. Sensing the tense and uncomfortable atmosphere that was pervading the house, Erika asked Nagi what was wrong. When he told her, she immediately understood the situation. When she explains it to the bewildered Nagi, she asks him to fix things with Sachi as soon as possible.
Developing a relationship with one of Harem’s candidates
As mentioned earlier, the target for character development and story progression in this volume is Sachi. Apparently she has had feelings for Nagi for quite some time now. Apparently the series cast her as one of Nagi’s Harem candidates.
With that said, Nagi herself never considered her more than her sister. Sure, the two aren’t really brothers right now, but he can’t see her as a woman. This episode changed that. Through this kissing accident, Erika forces Nagi to admit that Sachi is no longer a little girl. Now she has become a woman.
That’s not to say that Nagi knows or doesn’t realize Sachi’s feelings for him, but at least now, he finally sees Sachi as a mature woman, the way to the ultimate harem was opened to Sachi. In the game of chess, this episode represents a small move, but it is this move that will create the path for the future chess piece.
A much more focused story
In A Couple of CuckoosComedy-themed episodes often have several plots in one episode. For example, episode 9 has three different stories, while episode 10 has two separate stories. Drama focuses, on the other hand, often focus on a dramatic plot. That is exactly the case with this episode.
Story episodes have so far outperformed dramatic ones, but those segmented plotlines can get really boring quickly. The reason is that it feels like the story lacks focus and simply goes nowhere.
That’s why watching an episode that’s dedicated to tackling something from start to finish like this one is a great change of pace. Not to mention they also managed to tease out some of the funny moments in this episode to clear things up a bit. Although 80% of the stories are still about serious issues, 20% of the humor is enough to make things light and entertaining.
Dramatic romances are often the parts that A Couple of Cuckoos cannot be expressed. They always perform excellent comedic roles. However, this episode ultimately changed that trend. Episode 11 seems to find the perfect combination of delivering a serious drama with a dash of hilarious humor at the top. It is truly an entertaining episode worth watching. Hopefully the next part will be as interesting as this one.
Theo: Kodoani.com
