Love Lab ep6: clash at the cram school!

Well this is a welcome change! In the first seconds of the show we get to meet Riko’s family, or at least most of it. Her little brother, who seems very popular with girls; and her mother, a normal woman who is understandably a little worried about her tomboy daughter. They’re both very familiar with Riko’s secret and bane, her lack of any success with boys romantically, and the fact that she’s always been thought of as one of the guys. It sure makes her popular at the all girls schools, but it doesn’t do a damn bit of good for her in regards to the opposite sex. If Natsuo strikes out with guys because she seems too aloof and perfect, then Riko definitely has the opposite cause for her problem.

This show continues to move forward by throwing in new wrinkles and new characters. While Riko and Natsuo decide to give normal love research a break for the afternoon since Riko isn’t up to it, and most of the other girls are preoccupied, they run into an old, old acquaintance of Riko’s. He’s such an old one that she hasn’t the foggiest idea who he could be. And when Natsu and the watching Sayori jump to the conclusion that he’s just another one of the guys that Riko’s rejected, the guy looks hurt and runs off.

*sigh*

While the fact that there’s a guy out there that she’s rejected puts her in an incredibly good mood, Riko’s still troubled that she can’t remember the dude no matter what. At school she runs into a classmate who frequents the cram school that Riko visited before to do research on guys. They talk about a guy that remembers her, and Riko wonders if that’s the same guy that approached her at the book store? Her solution is to go to the cram school to see if that’s the person.

Once there though, she sees that it’s definitely not the boy she met at the bookstore, but some guy with glasses that also knows her that’s she’s nicknamed Jan. He’s not too keen on her, mainly because of that nickname. And the conversation that springs from that isn’t good. It doesn’t take long for her actual target to show up though. It seems both boys are friends. But when her target sees her, he bolts! The funny thing is that once she catches up, she only ends up embarrassing both of them, and he seems to be quite heated and hurt that not only that she doesn’t remember him or his confession at all, but that it appeared that she used the knowledge to pick on him in front of her friends.

Wow, I really thought things were easier than this for women.

Riko doesn’t get to find out who the boy is until she gets back home and her mom shows her a picture. It looks like the boy her mom has been trying to set her up with is the same one that haunts her. And when we see the boy, he really looks nothing like he did as a kid. He completely looked like a girl back then! not to mention that was as far back as third grade! I’m with Riko in believing that there’s no way she should have remembered the guy!

It’s time for a rematch, and this time Natsuo weasels her way into the situation, forcing Riko to let her come to the cram school. Of course she thinks this is all for real world, practical research. Once Riko and Natsuo run into Jan and the boy now named Satoshi, the dance begins anew. He runs off, Riko chases and instructs Jan and Natsuo to talk to each other.

Awkward!

Once Riko catches Satoshi this time, she makes some progress, but ultimately strikes out when she admits that she still can’t remember the confession, and calls him cute.

Ladies. Never. Ever. Call a guy cute! Ever! A lot of us hate that sh*t. I am NOT a puppy!

Meanwhile, Jan and Natsuo have an awkward, fumbling, misunderstanding laden conversation that ends in total confusion. If Natsuo was gonna get a grade in practical application of love research, she’d find no way of avoiding an “F”. Then again, Jan is a real a-hole who wastes no time in jumping to conclusions, so I’d say she had a tough subject. Things continues to get worse when the girls meet, and the way Natsuo explains the conversation, it makes Jan sound like an even bigger a-hole than he already is!

Back at school the next day, the show continues to steamroll ahead with the problems as four new requests for love advice come through, and it seems that members of the Newspaper club have caught wind of their love research.

End of episode.

It looks like we’ve moved far past the point of acclimation and introductions, and are headed full speed ahead into the wacky plots. There are problems piling up everywhere! Riko is not only teetering on the edge of being exposed at times, but she’s genuinely striking out with this guy who may be her chance to break out of her funk. He clearly likes her and has for a long time. Then there’s the problem of the newspaper club that seems ditsy, but just capable enough to cause problems. It’s interesting that they can’t stand the same nosy, pushy teacher that I can’t stand. I wonder how this will help them get back at her?

And then there’s the major problem of all that love research. Their last plan may have worked, but it was terrible! It was way too hard, conspicuous and risky. And it can’t be done again. Whatever plan they have, especially if they intend to keep supporting this endeavor, has to be the complete opposite of what they tried before. And as usual they’re going to have to think of something soon.

I thought it was nice to see Natsuo actually deal with a boy for once in this show. Even if it was a complete failure. It seems the show is actually interested in seeing her and Riko make real progress. It’s just weird for me to see things fail from a different perspective. Usually it’s the guys worried about talking to girls and being in relationships, in my experience we have to be the aggressors. So it’s a little weird to see guys taking on the opposite role here. Then again, I’ve always said I’m one for diversity, so I shouldn’t complain.

Further Reading: 

• Episode 5
• Absolute Territory – Love Lab ep6
• Rabujoi – Love Lab ep4
• Love Lab – Character/Seiyuu pages