Grand Blue S2, Episode 2 — Diving Makes You Wet? Oh, Brother!

Iori’s little sister, Shiori, visits him at the Grand Blue diving shop but has ulterior motives.

Episode 2 — “Brother”

Hmm.

Cartoon gags are absurd fun. I grew up watching Warner Bros., Disney, and anything featuring Mel Blanc. I’m a fan, and it’s nostalgic to see anime employ the same humor. And so it goes with Grand Blue, which has gag comedy in the same vein as Looney Tunes. Rope and chainsaws pop into existence for the sake of jokes. Just like Animaniacs. Hello, Nurse! But the anime clearly distinguishes areas where magical humor does not intrude. We’ll never see those antics under the ocean while the characters are scuba diving.

Grand Blue expects us to laugh at its wacky characters on land. The rapid-fire jokes and gags have the function of character development. You have to pay attention to the details behind the screaming faces. This is how you know about Kouhei’s devotion to Lalako-tan, his need to pay homage to anyone’s little sisters (whoever they belong to), and how Iori has subconsciously started to strip during diving club celebrations. The gags are narrative devices, while the undersea vistas are eye candy. Hopefully, soon, we’ll see sexier nooks, valleys, and clefts from Nanaka, Chisa, and Azusa for eye candy!

Grand Blue Makes Me Go Heh.

Picking up where Grand Blue left us last week. Shiori objects to any talk of Iori marrying anyone! Ha! She debunked all the conclusions Nanaka jumped to. Chisa and Iori obviously did something else in her bed besides boinking their brains out until the morning light. It’s almost as if Shiori saw what happened! Hint: She did.

The Little Sisters of Grand Blue Are Precious Commodities

The Peek-a-boo Diving Circle meets Shiori, but Iori has more pressing concerns about his little sister. What is she doing there? Because she didn’t believe a word he had written to her! Iori’s friends can barely believe they’re siblings because Shiori is so conscientious. So much so, she brought some of Iori’s personal things from home. Like his chuunibyou music compositions. On CD! Smash! Ah. Here’s why Shiori wants Iori to come home — she wants him to take over their family’s traditional inn. But their father has already said he can’t hand it over to an idiot (that’s Iori). Everyone in Grand Blue agrees with Mr. Kitahara’s assessment of Iori’s cerebral gifts. Needless to say, I said it, the elder Kitahara is impatient to send her back home. What’s the rush? Azusa knows the calculation: Kouhei is nearby! Too late.

Everyone is blasé about Kouhei’s antics because he’s a violent fanatic of little sisters. Where did he keep the rope he tied up Iori with? Why does no one care that he trussed him up? Where did that power chainsaw come from? Grand Blue has pure cartoon gags. Kouhei’s needs are simple: a little sister to call him “Kouhei-onii-chan.” That’s too familiar for Shiori, though. Would “Kouhei-nii-sama” be okay? Utter devastation. Worth ¥20,000! Oh no. Shiori likes Kouhei’s favorite magical girl from anime. ¥30,000! Iori still wants Shiori to go back home, though, but he’s in the minority.

Shiori agreed to settle the argument about letting Shiori stay a couple of days by playing a game. Game over before it starts! Shiori used chloroform on her handkerchief! Ahaha! Azusa noticed how much Nanaka has in common with Iori’s little sister. The elder sister loves her little sister to death! But Nanaka sees more motivation than that for Shiori’s surprise visit.

Grand Blue Dreaming of Family Inheritance

Little sister’s secrets revealed. Shiori claims not to be fond of her brother. But she’ll do whatever it takes to ensure he inherits the family business. She’ll play a doting brocon, bring home cooking to induce homesickness, or creep her cousins out. Except Nanaka is as much a genuine little siscon as Shiori plays an elder brocon! Don’t forget about Kouhei. But Shiori’s plots will have to wait because Iori has plans with his diving club. It’s his final certification test to earn his dive license! Grand Blue is a scuba diving anime. That’s right! Shiori thought that was only an excuse for his drinking club. Well…

It’s bikini weather underneath those sweaty wetsuits. Definitely! Kouhei tries to keep the focus on people’s little sisters, but Iori’s confidently mistaken answers only silently enrage Shiori. Her favorite food is not Japanese confections. Plus, she’s an expert in electronic gadgets and only wears kimonos because she lives in a ryokan (a traditional inn). Uh oh. Shiori might like diving. We can’t have that! Her lame excuse of not bringing a swimsuit won’t fly with the women in Grand Blue. Aw. Poor Aina and her flat chest. Oh yeah! Kouhei always carries a school gym swimsuit with him everywhere he goes. All for naught. Shiori will watch her brother dive.

Aw. Grand Blue asserts its diving bona fides for a slice-of-life comedy. Gadget kids like Shiori need to find a hobby, like diving in the ocean, to unplug. Uncle Kotegawa convinced her to try diving. Congratulations to Iori for earning his diving license! Funny. Shiori compared swimming in the sea with miso soup because they both have seaweed.

Big Brother Deserves Big Pouts

Here we go. Iori’s little sister goes through his room for incriminating evidence to blackmail him. All the crap that fell out of his closet are references to the Grand Blue’s first season’s antics. Oho. Iori knows Shiori doesn’t want to take over the family inn. He may not know her favorite food or how well she uses internet gadgets, but Iori knows his sister’s temperament. But he still won’t inherit the business! Shiori gives big pouts! Say goodbye, but please come back soon. Azusa still sees how a brocon is like a siscon. Nanaka and Shiori should hang out more often.

Next time, someone who doesn’t usually drink starts drinking!

Grand Blue Dreaming Season 2 (Grand Blue Season 2) streams on Crunchyroll in Japanese audio with subtitles in multiple languages.

Which do you prefer? Brocon or Siscon? So many pros and cons. I like the obsessive sisterly love because the odds are better odds of yurilicious hijinks. You “incest is wincest” types might beg to differ because it doesn’t count unless the parties have, ahem, interlocking parts. Which is the best wincest? Let us know in the comments below!

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