Anime Best in Show

Review: Campione! Episode 8 Best in Show

Quick Summary

In Campione! episode 8, “A Hero Arrives,” Godou Kusanagi was desparate to get some alone time away from Erica Blandelli, because as amazing as she was, he needed time to think. He turned to the witch Lucretia Zola for help. He was elated when she offered to set everything up. He was a little less elated when Yuri Mariya got wind of what was happening and demanded to accompany him — to make sure he didn’t do anything lewd. He was flabbergasted when he got to Italy and learned that far from helping him, Lucretia had coordinated her activity with Erica, and both were waiting for them when they got off the plane. Can Godou withstand being with such powerful, strong-willed women, each of whom wants to pull him in a different direction? Or will escaping them make matters much, much worse?

Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.

Best Moment in the Show: Godou Takes a Slap to Maintain the Peace

There’s no way I can blame Godou for what happened her. This one’s on Mariya! But Godou did what he had to do to maintain the peace. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

It’s become cliche in the world of anime: A male character peeps at a changing or showering female character, and she slaps him. For example: In Heaven’s Lost Property, I lost track of how many times Sohara slapped Tomoki. In Campione, though, they tweaked the trope just a bit, and in a transition episode like this one, came up with my Best in Show moment.

Erica had taken Godou out on the ocean. It was a beautiful scene. She was all sultry smiles and provocative poses. The sun was setting, and the gentle swell of the waves made a most romantic scene. Well, except for the handcuffs on Godou’s wrists and ankles. Apparently, she’d had to “convince” him to go out of the water with her. Thinking she’d gotten him far enough away from shore that they could share an intimate moment, she unlocked the cuffs. Instantly, he dove over the side and swam like mad for the shore.

It’s almost enough to make me feel sorry for Erica.

As it turns out, I should have saved my sympathy for Godou, because when he came ashore, he realized he had intruded on the hot spring that Lucretia, Mariya, and Arianna Hayama Agliardi (Erica’s maid) were enjoying. Lucretia seemed more amused than anything and said that Godou was “pretty bold” (05:20). Of course, she made absolutely no move to cover herself. Mariya was scandalized; even Arianna said frantically (05:29), “First it was just Erica-sama, but now me, too?”

As you can see, Lucretia wasn’t in the least bit concerned. She knew Godou hasn’t intentionally chosen this section of beach to swim to. Mariya and Arianna, though, had a completely different reaction. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

I want to speak up in Godou’s defense here. At no time in the series — and at no time even hinted at in his past — has he been in any way lecherous. In fact, he turned down Lucretia back in episode 1, which was the same episode in which he spent a night alone with Erica in her room (due to Lucretia’s machinations). Remember how he didn’t lay a hand on her? And ever since, he’s been studiously not taking advantage of his position of Campione. This is a major difference from the trope as I’ve most often seen it: Godou was not trying to peep.

I do wonder why Arianna accused him, though. She should know better!

Mariya, though, went beyond a simple accusation. When Godou tried to retreat, Mariya wrapped a towel around herself and demanded his attention. I want this to be clear for the record: she demanded that he stay. She then started berating him for behaving so “lewdly” and told him that she didn’t know if she could trust him anymore because he was so perverse.

Poor Godou just knelt there, taking her insults, probably trying to figure out how to get away. Or maybe he was just exhausted from swimming ashore. In any event, Mariya became more and more animated until she finally demanded why he didn’t defend himself. That’s when her towel fell away.

Just a suggestion, but if you’re going to lecture someone while wearing only a towel, you should probably keep a tight rein on said towel! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

And that’s also when she called him a jerk and slapped him.

Okay, maybe it’s not completely different from the trope, but I still thought it was funny. And I do feel bad for Godou having to endure so many false accusations! What’s the poor guy have to do to get a break?

What did you think of Perseus’ introduction? What was your Best in Show moment? Let me know in the comments!

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