Search - Ah! My Goddess, Season 2: Flights of Fancy, Vol. 3 - Reunited and It Feels So Good on DVD

Some background info for Peorth arc

SWC | TX USA | 10/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The story line of this volume of AMG season 2 has been mostly covered, so I'll not go over it again. Rather, I want to mention about some cultural (maybe language) issues regarding Belldandy and Keiichi's love relationship. One thing that puzzles people around with the Peorth episodes is why it is so difficult for Keiichi and Belddandy to say to each other "I love you." This recurring theme of hesitant love (or dumb shyness) is a core engine of entire AMG series and the defining love algebra between Keiichi and Belldandy. This is mainly, I think, sitting on Japanese culture or Japanese language about "liking" and "loving." If you don't get this suttle nuance, their relationship looks to be dull and non-progressing at all. You should have been aware that Belldandy use the term "tski," when she expresses her feeling toward Keiichi. The Japanese word tski is roughly equal to "like" in English. In other words, tski can be used in various settings, which is not directly related to romantic love. For example, in episode 26 of season 1 (Skuld grown-up), Belldandy said that both she and Skuld "tski" Keichi, hinting that she is not aware of Skuld's affection toward Keiichi. The word tski is also used for expressing emotional attachment in general such as "tski tea," "tski the miso soup," or "tski riding a bike. What I want to say is that during the entire show Belldandy has only used the word tski, which always remains the possibility to be perceived as general liking toward Keiichi. That was only up to this point until Peorth helps (or maybe forces) Belldandy to tell the word "ai shi der," which is declarative and and non-reversible term exclusively for romantic love between adults. That is, with Peorth's stimulations, Belldandy got forward one big step with Keiichi, implying that she accepted him as her serious other-half. Unfortunately, this nuance can hardly be conveyed in English interpretation and people got confused why it is so hard for both people to say love especially when they did it so many times in previous episodes. Interestingly, Japanese people seldom use ai shi der in general but rather frequently use milder term tski for expressing love. It is even more true for girls and definitely most true for a goddess as modest as Belldandy. Thus, Keiichi was kind of unsure and insecure about Belldandy's love to him, although he strongly believed as so. The role of Peorth was to break the seal between the couple and made Belldandy to realize Keiichi's manly desire to her as well as her own reception for Keiichi being her man. So, Peorth arc was not just simple filler episodes recycling the old theme."

PEORTH WANTS KEIICHI

Sesho | Pasadena, TX USA | 09/22/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Keiichi is having a hard time of it this third volume of the second season of Ah! My Goddess as yet ANOTHER goddess has arrived on the scene to complicate his life. Back at the beginning of this show, Keiichi made an accidental call to the Goddess hotline and Belldandy showed up to grant his wish almost immediately. Last volume, the same thing happened and the goddess Peorth showed up and she's really pushing Keiichi to make a wish. She tells him she was summoned by his desires, desires which even he might not be aware of. Could it have something to do with the fact that this is the second season and Keiichi and Belldandy have hardly even kissed? Probably! Peorth even starts to fall for Keiichi in the way that only anime with beautiful girls falling in love with losers can pull off. While the first two episodes continue the Peorth storyline, the last two are standalone. In the third episode, an old member of the Auto Club, Chihiro, comes back to town to find things aren't being run like they used to be. She instantly takes a liking to Keiichi because of his passion for working on cars and motorcycles, a passion which in all of her years of racing, has faded away. Then it's time for Urd to have her own romantic troubles as a old flame called the Troubadour shows up out of the blue, having abandoned her years ago in quest of the Golden Nightingale.

I didn't particularly like the Peorth episodes on this volume because they were nothing we haven't seen before in a million other harem anime. It is refreshing that Belldandy can find Urd and Keiichi naked in the bath and not even blink an eye. She even asks to join them! You're never going to see Belldandy hitting Keiichi over the head with an Osaka fan or any other such comedic excess. That's left for Skuld to do! The love story here is more one of courtly love where the object of affection is kept at a distance and adored from afar. I mean, have we ever seen a really good conversation about anything between Keiichi and Belldandy in this series so far? But I guess this love story works within the context of anime.
"

THE REAL REVIEW

Anime Lover | Parma, OH | 09/28/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well the title on the box says it all, threes a crowd, but fours a headache....at least for Keiichi and Belldandy. The first episode starts off with Peorth reading a romantic manga and coming up with an idea to take Kei on a date, which of course falls apart when he secretly invites Bell, Urd and Skuld along (to which Urd applauds his action). Then the group is off to the pool, where Peorth tries to 'help' Keiichi by trying to drown him. You also learn the reason WHY Peorth hates Belldandy and learns that it was an misunderstanding. Not to mention the Goddess Duel which includes a tickling contest, whack a fish, and Meteor Bullseye. The second episode, Keii finally decides to request his wish to Peorth, who words it as to fulfill his greatest desire. As she is trying to seduce him, he and Bell run off to the campus to hide where he finally admits fully that he loves Bell, and was surprised that she does admit that she fully loves him. This lets Peorth return to heaven, but makes you wonder if SHE has not fallen for our dorky hero (and you know she makes frequent vists if you read the manga). Then the two senior members of the auto club head for the hills as the first club president decides to make a visit, and it is a girl. She sees a mini bike that the club was tinkering with and chalenges Keiichi to a race. Bell discovers not only is she doing it for the challenge, but also the fact she is tired of her job as chief mech hand for a bike racing team and does not feel fulfilled. The last episode bring one of Urd's old lovers (a plum tree spirit by the name of Troubodor) back into her life from his journey for the golden nightngale. He see Keii, and assumes HE is dating Urd and tries to wipe him out. Well the spirit tries to show that he need Urd by showing up on TV singing, which makes Urd blast him a few times (the number of depth charges she uses on him is amazing). Then the most entertaining part is when Kei is in the bath and Urd in a daze walks in on him (totally naked as well), and that when Bell sees him, she is unfazed and was willing to help out (the faces of Keii and Urd are priceless).

well this season is halfway done.....with much more enjoyment to come, Skuld's angel, Hild...and where is Marla? This does not disappoint any fan of the series and makes you wonder is when this is done, when will season THREE come.......till next disc"