Another overly intense episode. I’m starting to think this show can’t cool down. How Evil is Ryuuou No Oshigoto! episode 3?

Ryuuou No Oshigoto!
Studio: Project No.9
Genre: comedy, romance

With Ai’s future as a shogi player on the line, the intensity of this episode was amped up. Ai was clearly in it to win, but with the deck stacked against her by her own mother, could she pull a rabbit out of her hat. The simple answer is no. But I can’t just leave it like that because this is a recap.

Her first opponent is one of her friends from the “infamous” study group of the last episode. You know, the one that got Yaichi his new nickname. The match was over far quicker than any of the instructors imagined. So, the guy in charge of becomes Ai’s next opponent.

At first, he isn’t taking the match seriously, but Ai starts owning him and he quickly gets serious. Ai stays a few steps ahead of him through most of the match. It’s kind of an epic battle well, as epic as this show allows. Ai’s parents take notice that she is playing a pro and holding him off. Then the match ends.

The next match was an obvious choice. There is only one person that could be used to try and crush Ai’s dreams, one person who dislikes her that much. Yep, her last opponent was none other than Ginko. For the first part of the match, Ai was doing great. She could counter most of Ginko’s moves and keep her at bay.

The second part of the match, however, was a different story. Ginko got serious and started to mop the floor with poor little Ai. Ai started to hyperventilate and to play without thinking. Her dad started to cheer for her too. Somehow, someway, Ai found her resolve and got her game back into gear.

The final moments of the match were by far, the most intense moments in this show to date. Ai played with all of her heart and forced Ginko to do the same. It was amazing. I’m going to learn to play shogi too! At least that’s the reaction this show is trying to elicit. It does a fair job at it, but I’ll stick to chess. Ai still lost the match because she ran out of moves. Ai’s determination was commendable. She even got Ginko upset because she couldn’t charge headlong and finish the match quickly.

With the loss in clear view, Ai’s mother immediately put her plan into action.  Instead of comforting her nine-year-old daughter, she moved to take her away from the one thing she cares about. I don’t know how parents are in Japan but that’s kind of cold to me. Yaichi gets on his hands and knees and begs to teach Ai. This surprises Ai’s mother and Ai even follow suit.

The mother agrees to let Ai become Yaichi’s disciple but there is one heck of a condition to this. If Yaichi is unable to make Ai a pro player before she finishes middle school he will have to “join the family.” Yes, if he fails he has to marry Ai. Ai’s mother is very shrewd. There’s more too. Yaichi will have to learn how to work at the Inn they own. So, his way of life will end if he fails. Consider those stakes raised. And before someone says he’ll be marrying a loli, she’ll be around 15 or 16 if (CVoyage: When…) he fails, which is okay in Japan, if I’m remembering that right. But that’s according to the age he said he was when he graduated in the first episode.

I’ve mixed feelings about this anime so far. While I did enjoy this episode, there are a few things about Japan’s culture I just don’t know enough about. I won’t judge the things I don’t understand but my enjoyment can be judged. So, I would say this episode was about as evil as a Killer Robot Army (8). Ai’s mom does bug me, but she was the antagonist for this episode as well as the last one, it just makes sense she would bug me. I think the whole marriage thing is a ploy to make him do a good job with Ai. If it is, Ai’s mom is brilliant. If not, well, there are far worse parents in anime, speaking of bad parenting, check out my season recap for Made In Abyss. There’s a real winner for mother of the year in that one. Well, that’s all I have for you today. Thanks for letting me waste your time, people.

Keep It Classy,
Evil Bob