Kannagi - Episode 2

The opening episode of Kannagi left me, quite simply, wanting more - Although it's always difficult to judge any anime from a single episode, there was enough on show to suggest an enjoyable series ahead. If this second instalment was anything to go by, my initial gut feeling was absolutely right.


It's hard to worry too much about the plot of this particular episode, as it's really just an excuse for every aspect of Nagi's character to shine - One moment she's as cute as button, the next cunning as a fox, the next as stubborn as a mule; versatile doesn't begin to describe it, and even Nagi manages to convince both Jin himself (for a while at least) and his childhood friend Tsugumi that she has a split personality. Actually, she might not be so far wrong after all...

Speaking of Tsugumi, of course we have some inevitable rivalry for Jin's affections building up here, with this girl in question promising Jin's father that she'll look out for him while she's also suitably shocked to find some strange girl living with him, despite being gullible enough to take in Nagi's elaborate story to explain her presence. On top of all that, we also have some evil spirit capturing to enjoy, which also proves to provide both entertainment and amusement, including the classic line "She's not a weirdo or a fraud, she's a religious person". Oh, and there are kittens too. Awww.

Anyway, all I can really say is that I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. Sure, it wasn't hilarious comedy or action-packed, but Nagi is simply proving to be one of those eminently lovable and watchable characters, much like Spice and Wolf's Horo and her verbal sparring with others made that series. Her attitude plays off perfectly against Jin's own personality, which gives us all the makings of a great little series to close out 2008 just as the aforementioned Spice and Wolf opened it.