Finally all caught up for this season's reviews. Note that I may be changing post styles (i.e. the short review and detailed summary) but more on that as the Winter 2012 season approaches. Anyhow, Ben-To has been surprisingly entertaining. There were times when I had my doubts but overall, I am satisfied with what it has brought to the table. Looking forward to the final two episodes.
And now, back to studying for finals...
Episode 3 - Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4/5)
A small gag at the beginning with Yō running around wearing boxers only, on top of the main part of him finding out what it means to truly be a Wolf, can easily sum up this episode. Adding to the plot was the introduction of a new group called Dando and the Gang of Hounds, lead by some wimpy-looking kid named Yamahara. They're tactics in getting bento are arguably repulsive as they abuse the rules and barely use any effort to get what they want. It's a good thing that Yō doesn't agree with their ideals or we'd have a very boring and lame protagonist to deal with for the rest of the season. Interestingly, the preview introduces a blond girl who looks extremely similar to Hoshii Miki in THE iDOLM@STER. But judging from the way she talks, she won't end up being a character I will fanboy over. Anyways, Ben-To has been decent so far but I still wonder if the story is going to be able to keep viewers entertained throughout the season.
Episode 4 - Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4/5)
My body was not ready for the borderline yuri and blatant fanservice. I even had to double-check that I was watching the correct anime at one point. Despite this, I really enjoyed the episode, especially the Sen vs. Ayame and Yō vs. random guy fights. I think from here on out, I'll be watching Ben-To just for the fights seeing as how they are really epic. Going back to the other parts of the episode, I'm now officially scared of Ume. It was bad enough when I thought she was just overprotective of Hana but after seeing her attempting to seduce Ayame, I think it's safe to say that she's an aggressive lesbian. Lastly, the Ayame-themed OP was a nice addition but I personally prefer the regular OP.
Episode 5 - Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4/5)
We get some rather interesting plot development with the introduction of the Monarch and Gabriel Ratchet. It seems like each new Wolf is much stronger than the one before, which isn't a good thing for the Half-Pricers Association - particularly for Yō. The preview is seemingly foreshadowing a big clash between the Monarch and Sen in the near future. On a more comedic note, Yō's crossdressing was extremely amusing, especially when he tried to explain it to Sen, Hana and the random guy from Gabriel Ratchet. As for the new girl, Asebi, I really hope she shows up more since she's bound to bring more laughs with her unluckiness. Ben-To's doing a good job so far at entertaining me.
Episode 6 - Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)
All's well that ends well. The Monarch is defeated, Gabriel Ratchet is disbanded and Yō is well on his way to becoming a Wolf. Another spectacular fight scene in this episode which showed how good of a team Sen, Ayame and Yō are. They literally destroyed the Monarch without breaking a sweat (with the exception of Yō who got hit with one punch from the Monarch). Macchan's backstory also added a nice element to the story, especially with the possible reappearance of the Wizard, given that he is seen at the end of the episode. There are so many different match-ups I would like to see right now (Sen vs. Yō, Wizard vs. Ice Witch, Ayame vs. Wizard, Yō vs. Wizard, etc.) so here's to hoping that my wish will be granted!
Episode 7 - Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4/5)
I really have confidence in Ben-To now; another great episode. Upon watching the first few minutes, I had a bad feeling that it was going to be a pure fanservice episode given the fact that they were going to a pool. Sure, there was some swimsuit fanservice, but that was all overshadowed by the surprise twist of battling for Ben-To in the pool. That's right; all the regulars had also come to fight for half-priced bento floating on the water. It was a new and exciting spin to the regular battles. Aside from the action, two new girls (I'm assuming they're twins) made cameos in this episode and it seems like they're going to be introduced in Episode 8, according to the preview.
Episode 8 - Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (3/5)
As if we didn't have enough yuri in this series with Ume, this episode introduced the yuri twins Sawagi Kyō and Sawagi Kyō (yes, they have identical-sounding names). For me, this episode didn't really appeal to me, partly due to the fact that there was no battle scene. However, I did enjoy the whole misunderstanding between Yō and the older twin. The best part had to have been when she finally realized that Yō, on top of not being the Ice Witch, was male. Hana also does a good job as extra comic relief, like always. With this, there seems to be new opponents for Sen and the Half-Pricers Association. Looking forward to seeing how things play out.
Episode 9 - Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (3/5)
I'm not too fond of Ume's character so obviously this episode wasn't entertaining for me. I especially felt sorry for Hana who had to endure the sexual advances from Ume. Also, yuri isn't really my thing, making my experience with this episode even less enjoyable. On the bright side, the first few minutes of Asebi and her out-of-this-world bento was awesome. I'm really curious about what ingredients she used to make such unique-tasting bento. I mean, come on, durian-flavoured rice? That's one-of-a-kind. Anyways, I just hope that the bento battles return soon or else I'm going to have to retract my statement about my confidence in Ben-To.
Episode 10 - Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)
Right now, this is how I see things: the producers thought that the idea of violently beating others up for the sake of half-priced bento wasn't crazy enough and decided to throw in some magical shopping baskets that have some dark energy coming out of them in order to enhance the entertainment value of the brawls. Whether I'm right or not is another story. This episode was interesting as it gave viewers more information about the Sawagi twins - the fact that the two girls, known as the Orthrus, have been terrorizing supermarkets around town, demolishing any other Wolves that get in their way with such force that one will not remember being defeated by them. Even Sen, who is considered one of the strongest Wolves due to her reputation as the successor of the Wizard, was easily taken down by the twins. It's understandable on one hand since the battle was essentially unfair from the start (2 vs. 1). However, landing only one hit for the whole duration of the battle is unlike her. I would've expected the infamous Ice Witch to have put up more of a fight, at least proving that she is a force to be reckoned with. Nonetheless, I believe that Sen will make her comeback in the last two episodes. Hopefully, in the final clash, the playing ground will be leveled, with Yō assisting Sen in her hunt for revenge and victory.
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