My Sister Resisted: NakaImo 8

Kunitachi might be Shogo’s sister but he can’t get close to her. Ikusu suggest that Shogo and Kunitachi spend time outside the school to have her drop her guard. (Source: Crunchyroll)

Content notice: The last picture in this post may be considered NSFW. It has to do with the last Shougo/Rinka scene, if that helps.

Well, that was certainly an episode. And what did we learn today, children? Adults are jerks, Shougo is one lucky bastard, and there is apparently no such thing as too much info dumping in the world of NakaImo. Why have informative action scenes when you can have long-winded moments of dialogue instead?

Also, Shougo is a panty man hardcore. No matter how he denies it, one cannot deny his wandering eye when it comes to pantsu. I wonder if he's into shimapan/shima-pantsu? Knowing him, he wouldn't know what to do with a pair of shimapan even if he got his hands on them.

The episode opens with the obligatory rivalry over Shougo's affection, this time centered around the length of Miyabi and Konoe's skirts. I did not realize the sound of girls hiking up their skirts sounded like Velcro, but okay. It's like the show needs to constantly remind us that Miyabi and Konoe are in the running for Shougo since the focus of the series isn't so much on his harem as much as trying to keep Imouto out of it. Although, as we see, his little group of ladies keeps on a-growing.

So in the latest scheme to find Imouto, Shougo and Rinka end up going on a date in which they get into skimpy swimsuits and get covered in questionable slime all in the name of . . . something. And then Shougo accidentally grabs Rinka's impressive tracks of land, because it's not like that's a painfully overused trope or anything. Oh wait, it is.

At least Rinka gets a good slap in before they all go back to frolicking with Ikusu and Mihoshi President Mana around the amusement park, where Ikusu continues to be awesome and Mana continues to be an adorably scared baby. I call bull on Rinka never seeing a roller-coaster, though. Rich folks ride rides, too! Or at the very least, watch television programs featuring roller-coasters.

Really, the first half of this episode was pretty forgettable, especially since Shougo did not even do what he meant to do: 'interrogate' Rinka about her possible being Imouto. He was more concerned with skirt sizes and shooting zombies in the chest while in his swim trunks. Luckily, the second half does plot things, albeit with a whole lot of deposition and odd plot twists that should actually surprise no one.

I find the twist of Rinka engaged to someone else in the name of family-based business and profit terribly contrived, but unfortunately fits in with how business works in NakaImo: without mercy and usually pretty mean. Like, what grown-ass man makes his future daughter-in-law do his dirty work for him, work that could potentially ruin her relationship with Shougo forever? Oh yeah, a jerk. If only Ikusu had opportunity to sock the guy in the face, I'd be happy.

And then there's the whole "I pretended to be Imouto so I could be someone without so many obligations" which . . . okay? I guess that works if you're Rinka, and eventually Shougo went along with it. Too bad it took a big chunk of dialogue and flashbacks to get there. NakaImo is really bad at integrating important information into action sequences, and this episode really shows off that particular weakness.

Shougo so happily goes along with the scheme to be Rinka's pretend lover, it's sad. This is the potential killing part of his character. He's so eager to make sure the people he's around are happy, he doesn't realize his actions will eventually hurt people in the process. If he had chosen Rinka for real, that's both Miyabi and Konoe who are feeling left out. If he had said no to Rinka's feelings, then that's both Rinka and Rinka's best friend/student president Mana who are reeling from his actions. No one is going to win in this scenario unless Shougo realizes his actions, even if positive in their intentions, will leave some of his precious people in pain.

Let us not discuss too closely Rinka's attempted seduction of Shougo. What a moment of contrived fanservice. However, Mana's horrified face as she accidentally walked into a risque moment made that scene. One can only imagine the kind of conversation Mana and Rinka had at the latest chance they had to be alone together. Yuri fans, you let your imaginations take you where they will with that scenario; I shall not stop you.

So the episode ends with Shougo now the target of Rinka, Konoe, and Miyabi, all vying to be the wife of the Mikadono Group heir. And he's not all that closer to finding the identity of Imouto - especially since every bloody girl in school is pretending to be her. I'm this close to declaring Imouto someone that does not even exist, but I don't think NakaImo would go there - or would they? Good lord, this is gonna get messy.

But seriously, if the next possible Imouto ends as another red herring, I shall scream. I can't take much more of this ol' bait and switch. Ikusu-san, save me!

You can watch streaming subbed episodes of NakaImo over at Crunchyroll.