life line by line

Probably one of my favorite ‘arcs’ in Futakoi, we get introduced to Sara and Souju Shirogane who are another set of twins that Nozomu eventually adds to his ‘list of conquests’.

With exams over, everyone is getting psyched for the annual Cultural Festival. Well everyone except Nozomu as he’s pondering over the Sakurazuki’s newfound love for him, his relationship with the Ichijou sisters, and the mystery of the Twins’ Mound legend. And just when Nozmou thought he couldn’t meet anymore girls, lo-and-behold he befriends Souju Shirogane while she was drawing the surroundings of the temple. The two become fast friends and seems like Souju might have a crush on Nozomu though he’s too thick-headed to even notice. Sukaruzuki sisters brownie points 1+ for accepting dolls. Souju Shirogane brownie points +1 for meeting her.

Back to the Sakurazuki sisters and the funs of school, where they offer Nozomu some good old apple pie.. even if it took 53 tries to make it correctly. Nozomu, being the playa is he, humbling thanks them and wonders if it’s really okay for them to be so nice to him. Sukurazuki sisters brownie points +1 for accepting apple pie.

Nozomu runs into Souju again at the temple and offers her his grand view of the whole city. Souju Shirogane brownie points +1 for making out spot. There we learn Souju might be hiding some secrets from Nozomu about knowing him and about herself, but are unfortunately left up in the air. They head back to the shrine, running into Rara and Ruru where Souju ends up drawing a picture of them plus Billy.

The following day has Nozomu, Keisuke, and the Ichijou sisters going shopping for supplies for their respective classes’ cafes for the Cultural Festival. Nozomu gets some quality time with the Ichijou sisters but feels someone is watching him the whole time. All we get to see are parts of the person’s hair and eye… which look suspicously like Souju!

Nozomu heads back home where he finds Ruru, Rara, and Billy posing for Souju’s art piece; thereby also dismissing that it could have been Souju spying on them. Some small talk where Nozomu praises Souju’s skill etc etc. Souju Shirogane brownie points +1 for complimenting her.

Next day, Nozomu pimps it out with the Sakurazuki sisters as they need his help with getting costume for their haunted tea cafe. Of course Nozomu goes along, getting to see Yura and Kira pick out some cute costumes and eventually helping them figure out what’s what. The Souju look-alike spy is back but Nozomu still can’t find out who she is. Sukurazuki sisters brownie points +1 for oogling them in costumes.

No matter though, as he realizes he’s late to meet up with Souju to do his part of the drawing and rushes back home. Back on the home front, Souju has finished the drawing of the two girls and goat impressing everyone around. She goes to find Nozomu but suddenly collaspes… luckily her twin sister Sara is there to catch here before she totally faints! Sara Shirogane brownie points -1 for letting Souju be out too long.

Sara and Souju have a nice long sisterly talk about Souju’s weak condition to their opinions on Nozomu. One can tell Sara cares deeply for Souju and would do anything for her, even if it goes against what she likes (i.e. Nozomu). What’s interesting is Souju’s interest in Nozomu as we never really know how or why she knows of him. Only guess can be that she saw him one day around the shrine and it was “love at first sight.” =/

The next day (damn, how many days have passed in this episode alone!?) Sara confronts Nozomu and bluntly tells him to drop the other sisters he’s pimping and date Souju alone! Episode ends with said cliffhanger. Sara Shirogane brownie points -100 for being a pimp and leading Souju on.

Yay! Souju and Sara! Actual twins with some personality! I cannot say how adorable Souju is and how much I love Sara’s aggressiveness (similar to Akane Suzumiya from Kimi ga Nozomu Eien). The truly sad thing about the Shirogane twins is the fact they’re only in TWO EPISODES! I don’t know why the producers/creators/writers didn’t include Sara and Souju in some future episodes! They’re 10x better than the Chigusa twins! Thankfully, as noted by Matthew there is going to be another version/season of Futakoi by a different group so there’s hope for some more Souju and Sara goodness.

Beside the introduction of the Shirogane twins, this episode of Futakoi was okay. I did find it odd how they introduced Sara and Souju so late in the game when they should have been focusing on the Ichijou and Sakurazuki sisters plots. It seems almost as an after thought that the staff of Futakoi decided to include one more set of twins for fun (though Sara and Souju rock anyways). By now, Nozomu should seriously be thinking about his future with the various twins and what he should do… not go out pimping and add more to his harem collection! Heh. Anyway, after the Shirogane ‘arc’ I hear things get serious and Nozomu’s “perfect” world comes crashing down as he’s forced to decide who he really loves before things get worse. Guess just got to wait and see what will happen at the end. (trying to avoid reading the blogs that already have Futakoi done like stripey’s so the ending won’t be ruined for me ^_^;)

After some Initial D type driving thanks to Miyabi, Nozomu and the gang arrive at the Sakurazuki villia (more like mansion + hotel) for some fun and possible love confessions!

Everyone pretty much chills at the Sakurazuki villia, having fun ranging from river fishing to outdoor barbecuing to hide-and-seeking to love confessing. Nozomu becomes the mack-dawg as he gets some quality time with Sumireko and Kaoruko reminiscing about various past stuff whle getting the Sakurazuki twins jealous.

Kira and Yura Sakurazuki fix the situation when playing their second round of hide-and-seek with everyone. Nozomu is looking for a hiding spot, and the twins allow him to hide in the room that was originally off limits in the beginning of the episode. Apparently only “special people” can enter the room, which at this point being Nozomu and their father. The room? Kira and Yura’s deceased mother’s room. There the two sisters confess their feelings for Nozomu, asking if they can fall in love with him. Nozomu has a chance to back out when they hear the Ichijou twins looking for them, but being the pimp daddy he is doesn’t do so. The three end up going up to the roof, gazing at the stars while Kira and Yura make themselves more comfortable by lying against Nozomu. Last shot goes to the Ichijou sisters looking up at the same stars, wondering what has been going on with Nozomu.

Good episode in the sense that the Sakurazuki sisters actually get some screen time and some personality grown. Bad episode in the sense that Nozomu sort of “rebounds” and goes with the Sakurazuki sisters instead of the Ichijous. I can understand the man’s needs to “soil his oats” as much as possible, but come on Nozomu! Decide on one set of twins and stick with it! If dating sims have taught me anything, nothing good can come out of juggling multiple girls. Nozomu is just going to get burned at the end if things keep up (though I would like to see the follow suffer and end up with no one but Billy). >=D

Nozomu “the Tool” gets all moody and jealous when Yuuya “the Rocket Boy” starts to move into his territory by making the moves on Kaoruko. The backdrop for such a tragic fate is the beach, where fun in the sun doesn’t mean fun in love for Nozomu.

The enjoyed this episode for two reasons:
1. The Ichijou and Sakurazuki twins in swimsuits.
2. Nozomu finally gets some competition in love but totally backs down while getting depressed and losing brownie points with the twins.

Nozomu deserved what he got. If he can’t handle some real competition for the Ichijou sister(s), then he has no one else to blame but himself. It is his fault for thinking his childhood friend past would always give him an definite advantage, that punk. He should be so lucky that the Sakurazuki twins have a thing for him and decide to invite everyone to their summer mansion in hopes of cheering Nozomu up.

I have to love how Nozomu thinks the world somehow revolves around him and when things don’t go his way, he acts childish by getting depressed and separating himself from everyone. Including those that could help him out. HA! If only Nozomu realized that most males have to actually try to get women to fall for them, that he should consider himself lucky. And if he just gave some effort into “claiming his territories,” he would have no problems at all.

One can guess I don’t like Nozomu at all. He ranks up there with Takayuki Narumi from Kimi ga Nozomu Eien on male indecisiveness and loserness. =P

All that kept going through my mind was if this episode was an hentai game, Nozomu would have had the chance to score at least four different times in the span of one and an half days. I will be marking where, if this was an game, Nozomu would have had the opportunity for some good old booty action.

Exams are coming and all Nozomu can think about besides those are his various relations to different twins. Divine judgement comes in way of an soccer ball which leads Nozomu to meet his next set of twins: Momoi-sensei’s sister Mai. Nothing really important here happens beside ususal male jealous of Nozomu hagging the twins to himself. Hentai Opportunity 1: Quickie with Mai Momoi. Hentai Opportunity 2: Threesome when Ai Momoi comes in.

Back on the home front, some foreshadowing with Miyabi talking about the legends of the Twins’ Mound blah blah blah. Nozomu goes to study… or tries too but Billy unfortunately eats his notes. Kill Billy Opportunity 1. Only good that comes from Nozomu’s lost notes is his excuse to visit the Ichijou sisters and copy theirs.

Nozomu arrives at the Ichijou residence greeted by Sumireko and her mother. Forced to come in, Sumireko and Nozomu start to reminisce about the past. Like how he got the two girls into astromony to keep them connected or how Sumireko always felt jealous of Kaoruko, and that’s why she rushed to be part of the marriage promise. We also learn about how Nozomu was the only one who could always tell the two apart blah blah blah and hints of a confession from Sumireko of liking Nozomu. Hentai Opportunity 3: Horizontal Dancing with Sumireko on the Roof. Unfortunately Hentai Opportunity 3 never comes to fruition, and Nozomu leaves to make copies of the borrowed notes.

Running into Kaoruko while making photo-copies, the two head off to the local park to chill and discuss past memories. And much like his conversation with Sumireko, Nozomu learns of Kaoruko being envious of Sumireko for being “there” and more mature; the promise being a way for Kaoruko to feel more “adult.” Before more heart-warming emotions could be found, the two re-live some good old childhood fun by sledding down one of the hills… upping their egos by beating little kids before Nozomu and Kaoruko crash into each other. Another touching moment or two, where Kaoruko remarks their time together have finally started to move again but where too no one knows. Hentai Opportunity 4: Public display on the ‘birds-and-the-bees’ with Kaoruko.

Nozomu and Kaoruko eventually head back to Kaoruko’s place, where Sumireko is waiting for them. Some random discussion blah blah blah… and possibility of some summer fun with just the three of them.

Ends with Nozomu thinking over that day’s events and what he has learned about the two Ichijou sisters. Reflective ending, if not for the fact that Billy eyes his notes again to be eat. Kill Billy Opportunity 2. Buy Rara and Ruru new male-friendly pet, like an dog like Potato from AIR.

Perverse comments aside, things are getting interesting in Futakoi starting now. Fortunately, this episode saved the crappiness of the previous one plus setting up the eventual Ichijou sister(s) confession(s). Too bad Nozomu fails to really push either Ichijou sister towards him more than they already are, since he has the “loser” male-protagonist-indecisiveness-factor(TM). Like most males with the MPI factor(TM), they rely on their childhood past actions for advantages with the girls while not doing anything in the now to help win them over. Also, as will be later noted in one of the episodes, when other “better” males threaten their harem MPI-factor males do NOTHING but get all depressed and hope for some solution to solve his problems itself. How MPI-factor males ever get the good females is beyond possible science, but hopefully one day there will be an anti-virus to make these males actually try to woe the girls they like. MPI-factor(TM) males cannot assume their future loves will be handed to them on a silver plate all throughout life…. you lucky bastards!

Younger “sisters” get jealous of Nozomu spending quality time with the Ichijou twins, Billy does something about it while taking one for the team eventually leading Nozomu to the vet and meeting the Chigusa sisters. Nozomu misses his “date” with the Ichijou sisters to have starwberry tarts but the Chigusa twins save his arse and explain the situtation to Kaoruko and Sumireko. Nozomu status is returned to the status quo and now has four sets of twins after his affections one way or another. The end.

Side story, surprisingly there is one, is of Yura and Kira going out in the rain as part of one of many tests their Father has set up. Incidentally, they find a hurt kitten which they bring to the vet, running into Nozomu in the process. blah blah blah…

Probably as you can tell, I didn’t care for this episode of Futakoi. Ui and Koi Chigusa are pretty weak characters in my opinon, following the typical shy-of-boys-glasses-wearing-girl archtype. And the whole “Nozomu has a kind heart since he’s good with animals?” C-O-R-N-Y. That was also as bad as when Nozomu initially met Kira and Yura. I guess after having the Ichigo sisters (who actually have character), navie Sakurazuki sisters (so not real), Hinagiku twins (adorable younger “siblings”), and the Shirogane sisters (oh sh*t! Sisters that are polar opposites but still love one another…. fine, I liked Sara a lot) Ui and Koi just doesn’t interest me much. Each to their own huh =/