Aug 9, 2021
I cannot talk about this series without mentioning the original Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei because there is no connective plot to events that happen. This is basically a behind the scenes look at a few side characters. It doesn't explain what is going on, or why and jumps between scenes like you should know what is already happening while adding a bit of an alternate perspective and leaving out the main plot.
That is one of it's biggest flaws in that by showing other characters doing things outside of Tatsuya's umbrella, the story is changed. You can't watch this spin off if you haven't seen
...
the original, and yet watching it is unsatisfying because they altered the story you've come to know in whatever way lets the character you are following do something. Characters just know things that had to be discovered before and instead of explaining that knowledge, throw it out as one liners.
They also change the way characters behave while changing the plot. Tatsuya is barely present, so when seeing him through the lens this show provides, it makes him much less likeable. Miyuki on the other hand does something other than get jealous and cling to her brother and becomes a better character with agency. Their dynamic feels very different though. Before he felt almost like a parent in charge who she needed to ask permission from to do anything (needless to say I didn't like her before). Now she feels more like an equal but fails in the bodyguarding, protective relationship with Tatsuya. This makes her a more realistic person and yet he feels superfluous. She seems perfectly capable of dealing with her own problems, and spends very little time with her brother in this version. And yet for some reason she is still obsessed with him and wants to be subservient to him... I think this is a cultural thing because I don't get it.
Honoka, Shizuku and Eimi (who didn't exist before the nine schools competition or after it) turn into more central characters. They become what is supposed to be friends/admirers of Miyuki and through her Tatsuya. Though narratively the distance from Tatsuya makes every female's obsession with him just weird and not understandable. So they've talked once and now feel the need to bring about justice for him by stalking bad guys? I'm sorry what? The group of course 2 students don't exist and aren't friends with any of them. When Tatsuya was the focus it felt like both groups blended into one large friend group instead of him being the only link between the two. like they don't know the others exist.
They have also added some completely new characters that didn't exist before to Third High at the Nine Schools competition. It gives the girls some rivalry as well so Tatsuya and Ichijou aren't the only ones with competition. Though they feel like generic, I'm better than you snobs because my family name is _____.
Overall I would say I'm happy they realized they gave the female characters nothing in the original and want to change that, but I wish they had realized it sooner and strung it into the main series or told a full story with this one. At least the pacing is fast (because they cut out the main plot). It is disappointing to watch how disjointed this feels as a complete show. I'll probably keep watching to see if anything worthwhile is added to the story, but from what I've seen so far, this wasn't needed. Even if you liked Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, you don't need to bother, you aren't missing anything.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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