Senpai performs magic tricks with new club members at a park to raise club funds.
Episode 7
Hmm.
There was a theme of breaking bonds threading through each vignette of Tejina-Senpai this week. Bear with me. I know we’re watching an ecchi slapstick comedy. Themes can be asserted through many ways in artistic media, and imagery is just one tool available to anime. Many of the sexy ways Senpai gets in trouble doing magic tricks refer to bondage play. Getting stuck in a box, getting tied up, chained up, or otherwise restrained in some way is always the excuse to show her panties, cleavage, or anything else to make us think sexy thoughts. We have the images of bonds already established, so it’s easy now to notice a bit of depth to Senpai’s character and situation.
To be clear, we’re not going to explore a heavy theme such as transcendence through a gag comedy’s plot. In this show, what plot? However, the characters offer history now that we’re over halfway through the season. Senpai had two major hurdles to clear when the season started — she needed to get over her stage fright and she needed to reestablish the Magic Club. The latter was accomplished with the timely introduction of Saki-chan and her brother Ma-kun with Oneechan’s insistent help. Senpai had to break her ties to the past Magic Club and accept its current street performing flavor. Even in a gag comedy, we need some kind of sign that time progresses. Slowly curing Senpai of her stage fright is a good way to accomplish that since we no longer have the preoccupation of the Magic Club being disbanded.
Now the story can focus on Senpai breaking her bonds of public performance anxiety. Assistant-kun started there at the beginning of the season, but he got dragged into saving the Magic Club. It used to be just Senpai and he in the club room making situation comedy with her spectacular failures, but now we have several people to draw on for these jokes. Because enough of Senpai’s character has been revealed, we have clues and hints for the premises of the therapy and practice situations which can be mined for laughs.
One thing that is obvious is that Senpai is guileless. Markers for characters like this in anime are how they openly greet people and usually have crumbs on their cheeks. It takes a lot of effort for such an innocent person to lie to people, or keep secrets. Magic is all about misdirection, illusion, and subterfuge. How can someone who can’t even wipe their mouth hope to trick someone else? Perhaps Senpai gets flustered doing a magic trick because she’s trying to fool people and gets nervous about lying to people? Assistant-kun will be a good foil as the straight man if Senpai needs practice tricking someone since he’s so skeptical and sees through her motivations so quickly.
Heh.
Chapter 1 – “Creative Senpai”
That’s different. Pretty girl knows her cooking is bad. Obviously, Ma-kun is used to eating well. Senpai needs to keep eating to fill out her own figure. It’s hard to be dignified with cookie crumbs at the corner of your mouth.
Cute. Short pigtails on Senpai. Finally! Senpai tells the story of the Magic Club and how all the older members graduated at the same time, leaving her alone. She had a year to recruit but was disbanded this year. All moot now.
Obviously, Senpai is going to make “special” cookies to mess with Assistant-kun. And they switched with Ma-kun. I do not get the Buddha reference. Senpai is still happy to see the trick work!
Nipple cookies… That’s a long time to make that joke pay off. Assistant-kun pays attention to important details.
Chapter 2 – “Fund-Raising Senpai”
It’s official! They have an official club, with money! Not very much money, though. Back to the park. Time to busk and get some money! Another cute hairstyle for Senpai. Most important for working in the park is the supply of barf bags.
Assistant-kun still loves his Behemoth-kun.
Senpai tries the “human statue.” Don’t wear a short skirt around little boys, Senpai! Flipping the skirt is bad enough, but just be thankful they didn’t do the kancho. Hahaha! Senpai runs fast after those scamps!
Saki-chan and Ma-kun got some money from their balloon animal performance, but they also got “treasures.” Saki-chan makes sure to toss the “treasures” without being seen. Senpai is going to make some bank too! The doujins just write themselves, don’t they?
Chapter 3 – “Pool Senpai”
The pool episode already? Yeah! I like Senpai’s giggle, especially when she shows what’s under her skirt!
Oh no. Please do not try underwater escape tricks, Senpai!
Uh, referencing the drowning from The Inugami Family movie? Desperate Saki-chan needs mouth-to-mouth from Ma-kun. Ma-kun has been through this before.
Assistant-kun compromises with just red string of fate on Senpai’s wrists. Still worried! She claims she almost had it. Assistant-kun almost had “it” too.
Chapter 4 – “Overcoming Senpai”
Good. We’re back to trying to cure Senpai’s stage fright. Senpai can do stuff in front of others, but just not magic. Assistant-kun “simulates” an audience with science!
She had no stage fright playing a statue. Can’t do “it” in front of people, like a rare animal… panda joke. Thanks, Assistant-kun. I like how he thinks about an audience — Bugs, okay. Things with a human face, not okay.
That cutout of Assistant-kun is amazing! Adding the big chin for laughs is just comedy gold. Is that his self-image? Just bad at drawing? It doesn’t matter! Fun! Assistant-kun is hiding behind the signboard to see if his idea works. Yay! She did it!
Oh. She still barfs, though.
