hontou ni sou omou?

Muteki Kanban Musume was the only summer season series that I picked up and it’s been buckets of fun. While I like all the characters in the cast, especially the antagonism between Miki and Megumi, I eventually voted for Kayahara-sensei in the current AoMM poll. Apparently Jason is surprised that she’s in the lead. After all, she’s only a supporting character, doesn’t feature in the OP and doesn’t even have screentime for half of the series (1-3, 6-8). But almost every time she appears (出った～～～!!!), I had a good laugh. Right from the start, with the use of TV static - and I just love The Ring parodies since the original movie scared me shitless. Plus she’s got the oneesama factor. ;)

The humour from Kayahara-sensei comes from her gloomy state which can be ramped up to positively creepy (especially when she’s trying hard to be friendly) and it’s hilarous how it’s completely reversed by ramen. Good noodles soothe the vengeful spirit. Just like how good bah chor mee (minced pork noodles) soothes the loli-siscon.

Kayahara-sensei has fairly cordial relations with Miki, Ohta and Miki’s mom, but Megumi completely misunderstands her identity. First impressions do last apparently. I love how Megumi just *doesn’t* get it that Kayahara-sensei is just creepy and not actually a real ghost.

Although Miki is “invincible” she can’t defeat her mother (without the help of alcohol). Similarly she shows a healthy respect to Kayahara-sensei because of her status as a teacher and a customer. The Facial Sumo competition also showed how Miki was defeated outright by her and that instead of fists, the bribe of ramen had to be offered up to secure the piggy.

In addition, Kayahara-sensei saves a worn out Miki from Megumi by just being there and is also the whole gang’s only hope of escaping from the enclosure with her Sadako-like ability to scale walls. I do enjoy how Miki treats her as a completely normal person and is filled with admiration of her creepy abilities rather than horrified by them.

Earlier on in her debut episode, Kayahara-sensei shows how seriously she takes the Warrior of Justice aspect of being a teacher by being worried about the absent Suzuki and then by attempting to get Megumi to shed her anger at Miki (and then her fear of Kayahara-sensei). We see this again in Ep 9 when she charges in on the scene of Miki bullying Ohta. Except it’s so weird that she just has to withdraw. I can soooo see Miki’s interrogation technique being effective on some fellow anime bloggers.

Though she doesn’t give very good advice about raising children or building character. It’s either that the Onimaru family mental makeup is so way off the median profile or that she’s ingested too many fashionable pop psychology theories that passes for educational policy in many countries these days.

Again she proposes a flawed hypothesis - this time, about who can ride animals. Fortunately it’s disposed of by falsification later, otherwise Miki will always be able to rub it into her mom’s face. Anything that gives Miki over her mom is Verboten.

I really thought that Kayahara-sensei was going to pull off another stunning victory out of nowhere against Miki again. But the ghost picture joke was just too good to pass up.

Again LOL at how Drunk Megumi is not afraid of her at all even though she still thinks she’s a vengeful spirit. And how easily Megumi subverts Kayahara-sensei by the promise and taste of delicious ramen which completely destroys any of her sense of responsibility as a teacher. I wonder if she becomes even creepier if she’s served with bad ramen? Really hope for and looking forward to a second season!