Handa-kun

Episode 3

All Handa Sei wants is to be left alone, so it's only natural for this episode of Handa-kun to continue surrounding the poor guy with misguided companions. Handa's first new admirer is Tsutsui, a former pretty boy who dropped out of school to become a hulking, surly delinquent. The big guy mistakes Handa's visit to drop off missed assignments as a challenge, but quickly changes his tune when Handa's legendary reputation saves both of them from an angry mob. The next member of Handa's unwanted entourage is Kondo, a self-described average guy who can't quite figure out why everyone else likes Handa so much. In the episode's final segment, we're introduced to Kawafuji, the only person Handa actually considers a friend. As the two of them take a bizarre walk through town, we learn the secret origins of Handa's paranoid outlook.

The first part of this episode follows more or less the same formula we've seen before: Handa meets a potentially intimidating character, only to win that person over through an amusing series of miscommunications. Now that the audience is familiar with the show's premise, the basic sequence of events isn't all that surprising. However, the comedic timing remains strong, and Tsutsui's backstory is ridiculous enough to provide its own share of laughs. The vast difference between Handa's intentions and everyone else's perception continues to be entertaining, and the show should be able to keep drawing from that well for a while. Overall, there's nothing special here, just a competent introduction for a new character.

Kondo is arguably a more interesting addition to the series, since it looks like he'll be filling the previously vacant role of the comedic straight man. As the other guys scramble for Handa's attention, Kondo provides plenty of witty and exasperated reactions to their antics. The show doesn't go so far as to completely remove Kondo from the chaos, and his decision to go with the flow in the aftermath of the cooking class marks him as a member of Handa's cult following whether he likes it or not. This series needed a guy like Kondo, and his presence should open up some new directions for the comedy to follow.

The backstory that Kawafuji provides for Handa's social isolation is willfully idiotic, and that's probably a good thing. Instead of presenting a dramatic and emotional hurdle for the characters to overcome, the story is played exclusively for laughs. This allows the series to remain focused on its comedic efforts instead of trying to balance the humor against any kind of significant narrative weight. Kawafuji himself seems to be a stand-in for the audience, as he's the only character who understands the situation well enough to sit back and laugh at the mayhem that Handa causes. As he points out, it's all far too entertaining to spoil by revealing the truth.

At this point, Handa-kun seems to have found a good balance of personalities within its main cast. Handa's miserable train of thought is amusing enough on its own, and his three big admirers build on that by consistently misinterpreting his actions. Kondo is able to take a step back and wonder what the heck is going on, and Kawafuji joins the audience in admiring the chaos from afar. It's a good setup for a series focused on character-based humor, and it should allow the show to simply toss the guys into new situations and let their personalities do the rest.

Rating: B+

Handa-kun is currently streaming on Funimation.

Paul Jensen is a freelance writer and editor. You can follow more of his anime-related ramblings on Twitter.