English Dub Review: Aharen-san wa Hakarenai “An Idol, Huh?”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

An encounter with Reina’s favorite arcade game has given Raido a severe case of idol brain.

Our Take:

This week’s episode has Aharen and Raido getting a passion for fashion and idol mayhem following their athletic shenanigans.  Unfortunately, the Bratz aren’t around to help them achieve their dreams of being popular idols, but that’s okay.  We didn’t need them to have fun choosing the right clothing style, especially when people like Aharen and Raido are around to do that.  After trying out gyaru fashion, the duo are brought back into the world of video games, thanks to the introduction of Aharen’s favorite idol arcade game, “Primitive Planet”, causing them to go wild with idol fever.  

Considering my enjoyment of the second episode involving the “Animal Crossing” equivalent, it’s no surprise that this season has brought the video game element back.  Fortunately, this episode doesn’t resort to being a simple retread of “Kinda Grainy, Huh”, as it’s more focused on the duo’s obsession with an idol franchise than them being inside a video game.  On the other hand, this one doesn’t have much creativity in its plot and presentation compared to this season’s second episode.  Thankfully, it was able to compensate with its amusing reflection of popular idol-based franchises, including Long Live!, and their fandoms.

The episode also capped off nicely with Reina’s attempt to become an idol herself, with her performing at the festival with her siblings Ren and Eru.  The idol concert involving the Aharen siblings had been on everyone’s radar for quite some time since it first aired, and I can understand why.  It’s another harmless and fun moment involving Reina trying something new with her siblings, and it benefited very well from its smooth animation regarding the dance choreography.  I would even say that the idol concert scene is better animated than the one in the idol arcade game, which utilizes a CGI style similar to the second episode’s Grainy Crossing game.  Overall, this is an entertaining scenario that playfully explores the world of idol sensation while maintaining the show’s deadpan humor and charm.