13 September 2008: Saikano v. Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu (Part Two) ~the problem with Saikano~
Shuji.
So what's the biggest problem with Saikano, anyway? Is it that its male lead is a douchebag? Or is it because Chise is so passive? (Then again, that's probably one of Chise's main draws as far as Saikano fans are concerned.) I don't much like the male lead in Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu, either, but at least Iriya gets pissed at him when he deserves it, and other people seem to enjoy punching him in the face. Even annoying characters are tolerable when they get aced square in the face often enough. (See also Renton Thurston.)
Look, this won't hurt a bit, Asaba. Take it like a man.
In order to give the Saishuu Heiki Kanojo v. Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu arguments a fair shake, I figure this is as good a time as any to re-watch both series and offer episode-by-episode comparisons. Saikano is 13 episodes plus an OAV, while UFO Boobs is only six episodes long, so I'll be running at a 2:1 ratio (omitting the Saikano OAV) this time around. As a rule, I don't do episode summaries (my spoiler-free Gunslinger Girl episode guide notwithstanding) so expect minimal descriptions of the plot and events; there will be impressions and critiques instead.
