Pani Poni Dash! 2

Becky learns why it's important to get the names of her students right. All the same, the nicknames are pretty good and really helped me to learn the characters' names. And it's a good sign that I can actually remember the main characters' names by the second episode - shows that I've been able to engage with the anime.

Minor empirical question: Sayaka Suzuki has ended up with two nicknames as her usual one is "Rokugo" meaning No.6 - there are various accounts as to why this is her nickname, ranging from being No.6 on the class attendance register to it being bestowed by Igarashi-sensei for being the sixth Sayaka Suzuki (is it a common name like John Smith?) that she's taught.

And Becky answers: "Plain."

Rei thinks that it is important for Becky to act in a more professional fashion and isn't about to let her get away with just doing as she pleases at the expense of the students' dignity. Meanwhile the very fragile Kurumu is repeatedly hit by Becky on her trauma spot. It's hilarous that Becky can't even bothered to come up with a funny or interesting nickname like the way she does for the others, simply calling her "the one with the barest feeling of existence" and "plain" - being called names often can hurt but I think it hurts most when the person at the receiving end also believes that the jibe has a strong ring of truth i.e. sometimes the truth can hurt more than lies.

???!? ?????!

Becky tries to pull rank on Rei but it's only raises Bully Girl's hackles even more. The Vampire Hunter D parody works a treat in this context.

Becky's "hau hau" mode where she hides behind a curtain and bawls is a highlight that I look forward to. It's kind of like the delight of having your expectations fulfilled when Kenny is killed in a South Park episode. One incentive for Becky to learn her students' name properly - otherwise Rei will be Angry. The other is her sense of guilt as to how badly she's traumatised Kurumi who retreats to the rabbit shed and whose existence starts to fade into nothingness. Kurumi's "rararu" mode is also hugely entertaining, not least because Kana Ueda conveys her misery and despondency so well.

We're introduced to the Drama Club's robot cosplaying Akane Serizawa who is quite an interesting supporting character. Another indication of how stupid Himeko is as she really believed that Robokko was a real NASA robot. Of course Rei shines again by leading the revenge on Akane for disrupting class.

After a disastrous failure, Becky finally manages to salvage Kurumi. Boy did she look gorgeous as she reappeared.

However, this being PPD!, Kurumi's recovery is quickly shattered when she walks in and overhears an unguarded comment by Igarashi-sensei who also can't remember her name and thinks that she is plain as well. Because Kurumi doesn't have a happy ending and that we can expect this is going to be a recurring chara-joke, it raised my opinion and expectations of the series since it isn't a simple feel good story with elements of feel good but more like a wacky story with some elements of feel good and much cruelty FTW.

Related posts:

1. Pani Poni Dash! 6
2. Pani Poni Dash! 14
3. Pani Poni Dash! 9