Makeine: Too Many Lost Heroines! – Episode 5

Episode 5 is a whirlwind of events that somehow feels like not enough is happening but too much is happening at once.

There’s really no other way to put it. There’s a lot going on in this week’s episode—even if they’re vaguely connected—and some of it is dramatic and emotional. Yanami’s family is going through a crisis where her father is being paid entirely in ramen for an entire month’s paycheck. This creates some interesting tidbits about Yanami eating so much that she gets sick of it and therefore has to cut back as much as possible. This is effective enough to be a point of conflict and get Yanami and Nukumizu to interact outside of school.

Chihaya also has her worries about Ayano and Lemon. She's concerned that Lemon is pursuing Ayano-being with him and refuses to really remove herself from Ayano's presence even though Chihaya is the one dating him. This makes for a lot of pranks that could be fun but I mostly found it a bit ridiculous. That said, it all seems like pretty fair game as far as romantic comedy shenanigans go. So maybe my tolerance for such tropes might be lower.

I have to applaud the A-1 Pictures team for their work on these episodes. The character acting is truly superb, with some interesting character expressions, costume changes, and great interaction with the environment. Even mundane actions like Chihaya's nervous legs moving as she talks are done with great care. Even if I'm not satisfied with the over-the-top events or character interactions, I can't deny that there's always something to appreciate in every scene. It's a true testament to the beauty in our mundane lives.

Rating:

Grant is the co-host of the Blade Thief Podcast and the Super Senpai Podcast.

Makeine: Too Many Missing Heroines! is now streaming on Crunchyroll.