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| Overall | Art | Animation | Character Design | Music | Series Story | Episode Story | Reviewer | |
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| Unevaluated |
 Stretch
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[series:4785#628] | ||||||
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(12 episodes watched): I almost didn't watch this show at all, because I figured an anime with 'Pii-chan' in the title would surely be cutesy, childrens' grade stuff, but this turned out to be anything but. In the course of the first, double-length episode, we experience teleportation between Pii-chan's world and this one, Sasaki exploiting economic opportunities that the teleportation presents, and then, to top it all off, yet another dimension, namely Sasaki's discovery of a secret branch of the Japanese police that deals with dangerous psychics. Most shows would have been content with the theme of selling cheap stuff from modern-day Japan in a medieval world (which has been done before) and would just milk that premise for twelve episodes or so. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this show was willing to stretch the envelope farther, and I hope it has just begun. Most shows start to get stale pretty soon but maybe we have one here that will remain fresh for much longer. One could almost draw the conclusion that this show will deliver a new premise with each episode. In episode two Sasaki is called upon to take part in a raid by the anti-psychic police. This didn't thrill me all that much, but yet another bizarre twist at the end of the episode was entertaining (Sasaki sees what seems to be a fairy of some sort). I wondered how so many different plotlines could be interweaved within one show. I had assumed that episode three would expand on this event, but actually there was no mention of it. Instead Sasaki becomes involved in the possibility of a war breaking out in the isekai world. Viscount Muller asks for his extraordinary help and is not disappointed. I liked this episode a good deal more than the last one, as the isekai politics have at least a touch of complexity and realism to them. More and more people ask for Sasaki's help with one endeavor or another. Also, we learn some of the story behind Pii-chan/The Starsage. It had seemed that a tragedy had occured (Viscount Muller was supposedly killed in a faraway battle), but that turns out to have been untrue in episode four. At a stroke, Pii-chan pretty much puts an end to the threat of invasion that had been looming. And intriguing touch comes when Muller and the Prince realize who Pii-chan really is. Sasaki is smart enough to keep himself out of trouble most of the time, and his dealings remain fairly interesting. In episode five Sasaki discovers that yet another stereotype of popular fiction, Magical Girls, is in fact quite real. Most shows would be content to have the main character discover that just one really existed (like isekai worlds), and after that would gradually get stale, but here the realizations just keep coming. In episode six Sasaki is put in charge of psychic Shizuka Futari who has become intrigued by his powers (he explains them as him being a Magical Boy). Sasaki would rather keep her at arm's length but she discovers something that he would prefer to keep secret and blackmails him. It can get difficult to keep track of what various characters know and believe, rightly or wrongly. This episode takes place entirely within the real world, if it can still be called that after all the mind-blowing revelations that have taken place. Episode seven takes place largely within the Isekai world as Sasaki becomes involved in the power struggle to decide to successor to the King. Elsa, Count Muller's daughter, discovers that Sasaki makes these crossovers, which was interesting. How will he explain them? Transfers between the real world and isekai ones almost always go in the other direction. I don't know if it was wise to give her a wide ranging look at modern Japan. Marc, an acquaintance of Sasaki, is being railroaded in an effort to extort him into doing business with a rival of Count Muller. The wackiness of the early episodes seems to have worn off somewhat and I wonder where the story is going now. What is the secret of the girl who lives in the apartment next to Sasaki? We met her in one of the first episodes and have encountered her several times, but why remains unclear. In episode ten Sasaki uses his diplomatic skills rather than some sort of fighting ability to arrange a rescue for Marc. This is definitely unusual, but I thought it odd how quickly Count Dietrich dropped his demands (including a fortune in gold which Sasaki had agreed to pay as ransom) once reminded of the loyalty to the realm that aristocrats like him are supposed to hold. Sasaki and Pii-chan are back on Earth in episode 11, as Shizuka Futari gets into trouble with her secret psychic organization. The change in plot is so abrupt that I thought maybe I had missed an episode (or was there a bit after the credits in the last one?). I can't help feeling that the plot is sort of wandering; I have little idea what the main conflict of the story is, or for that matter, if there even is one. Weird stuff happens, which is amusing and interesting to a certain extent, but it can't just go on forever if this is aiming to be a truly good show. My patience is running out. The Magical Girl is back (along with an accomplice) in episode twelve, but the result is inconclusive. I had long wondered what part Sasaki's next door neighbor would play, since he meets her again and again. We get a hint in this episode, and it's another out-of-this-world thread. This can't be a one season show, since a new thread is introduced and numerous old ones are nowhere near resolution. Last updated Wednesday, April 03 2024. Created Friday, January 26 2024. | ||||||||
