English Dub Review: Kenka Bancho Otome -Girl Beats Boys “Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of! The Great Study Session”

Playin’ in the street gonna be a big man some day.

After the engaging “Fight in the Rain” Kenka Bancho Otome -Girl Beats Boys episode, the saga continues with “Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of! The Great Study Session.” Hinako, who is masquerading as her twin brother Hikaru, attends Shishiku all-boys academy. Hikaru charged Hinako with challenging and fighting the rest of the boys at the academy.

It’s because there’s a rivalry wherein the classmates’ challenge one another to fights. Why? That’s not quite explained. Perhaps a boys-will-be-boys mentality?

Hinako explains that she’s beaten the first year boys. Rather than fighting the second years, they hold a massive study session. It’s a pretty unlikely trio of Hinako, Konparu, and Totomaru. Compounding the situation, the study session is at Hikaru and Hinako’s place. So the action is mostly slight tension that the switch will be revealed.

Additionally, as Hinako, Konparu, and Totomaru study, the audience learns about Shishiku. The homework is painfully simple because most students would otherwise fail out of the academy. Totomaru however is an intelligent prodigy. While the study session focuses largely on academics, Totomaru and Konparu explain to Hinkao that she, who they believe to be a male, isn’t terribly masculine. For keeping up the ruse, perhaps a problem. But Hinako likely isn’t insulted by this comment. Thus, there’s learning on three fronts: studying, discovering more about Shishiku Academy, and learning the impression the newfound friends have of one another. The episode ends with a close-up of a doodle in Hinako’s notebook of her with Totomaru and Konparu.

“Show’Em What You’re Made Of! The Great Study Session” is my favorite episode of Girl Beats Boys thus far. The dynamic as Hinako and Hikaru attempt to continue their respective roles is rather entertaining. Plus, it’s definitely the most cohesive episode to date. It shows quite a bit, such as the dynamic between the trio of friends. While it mostly transpires in Hikaru’s house, it’s arguably the episode which presented the greatest insight into the Kenka Bancho Otome universe.