Special A - Episode 13

The last episode of Special A really teased us quite mercilessly, bringing us to the brink of believing that Hikari was finally going to realise Kei's feelings for her and that they'd all live happily after. But nooo, we're only half way through the series, so they had to renege on that thought and keep the status quo for the time being.

Indeed, episode thirteen of the series really doesn't bring anything new to the table regarding that particular relationship at all, instead choosing to focus on Akira and a particular neurosis of hers regarding making new friends as the entire Special A gang are made to spend three days at a normal school - "about time too!", I hear those of you frustrated by the main characters pampered existence cry. To be honest, that feeling of superiority the mere concept of a 'Special A' class gives to the series continues to be probably its biggest undoing, leaving the main characters aloof from the rest of the world in a way that isn't always as amusing as they try to portray it.


This particular episode has one glaring example of this, where Akira wins over her adopted class not thanks to her personality, but primarily due to being able to deploy a large number of limousines and an impromptu party for them all. Somehow it simply didn't sit well with me, in what was otherwise a half-decent episode, and once again it takes the gloss off some normally quite likeable (or at least occasionally entertaining) characters.

Once again then, this series skirts the fence of mediocrity without vaulting over into the green, grassy field of 'good anime', but then again nor does it fall into the slurry-laden pastures of 'bad anime'. It has a certain charm to it if I'm honest, but if you haven't picked up this series already by this point then there really isn't anything to make it something I'd recommend.