Remember that show about the boy that transforms into a girl and battles other girls with either magic, guns or swords, and the mysterious Moderators who arranged those fight?  Well neither do the writers, and frankly, that’s turning out awesome.

THE CAKE IS A LIE!

These two episodes represent the Beauty Pageant arc, as I like to call it.  Again, the initial excuse is pretty flimsy, but you can guess who does the entering, and who is the enteree.

Have you looked in your shirt this morning?

You have to imagine that as long Natsuru is going to be involved, somehow Akane, Sakura and Shizuru are going to get involved.  Now follow the logic – if you’re going to be in a pageant, you need matching underwear.  If your a guy who’s never shopped for women’s underwear (which is an assumption on my part), you better take along your female friend.  And naturally, if you go underwear shopping, chances are you’re going to run into your student council president, who’s going to call the other girl who has a crush on the female version of you, which you currently are.

That made sense when I started that paragraph.

It all ends in tears…well, actually, a karaoke sing off in an attempt to find a talent for Natsuru.  Instead, it turns into a sing-off with a duet with Natsuru for the winner.  Natsuru, as usual wusses out.

Yea, that’ll work…

This leads to the logical conclusion that this competition must continue on stage, and all of them must enter the pageant as well.  Natsuru has only herself to blame.

In fact, Natsuru’s wussyness needs to be discussed.  First off, I am not entirely convinced he’s a guy anymore.

While the natural outcome of a guy turning into a girl, which is standing in front of a mirror all day, is not the stuff that moves a story along, you would think there would be some desire to take advantage of the situation.  But still, do we assume Natsuru turns into a girl body and soul, or is he so fixated on Sakura he can’t stand the thought of oogling other girls?

Others are starting to notice.

So how does one prepare for a Pageant in this crazy school?  Flip through the next few pics for an idea.

With this kind of set-up, what follows is nothing short of a classic of seriously disturbed anime.   With no talents to actually use on stage, Natsuru tries falls back on her fire spells, but they were banned by the fire marshal.  Convenient, that, which to his credit, Natsuru calls them on it.

Sakura to the rescue

OK, what you got?

The hell???

Guess I have to bring up the Entrail Dolls, the guides for each Kampfer.  They are clearly a reference to Gloomy the Bear (google it), injured dolls that help the Kampfers out with just enough information to keep going.  More importantly, they are all distributed (if not made) by Sakura, which would be a major plot point if they ever get back to the whole girl fight sub-plot.

And thus, we reveal what the works of Shakespeare would have been like if they were sent in a world where everything is literally loosing their guts.

You first

I’m going to have to take your word for the whole shiney thing

It most certainly does not!

Heck, even the fansubber is loosing it.

I have to use that line next time I win at chess

Each contestant makes their entrance in turn, Akane interrupting Sakura and Shizuru interrupting Akane.  The actual act being interrupted is the opportunity for Natsume to get it on.  First Sakura.

Then Akane, who Natsuru messes up in his classic cluelessness.

And he was never heard from again

And finally…Shizuru?!

Honestly did not see that coming

And now we expand the love, um, pentagon?  Do I have to remind anyone that the pres has expressed the desire on multiple time to KILL Akane and Natsuru?  And are we ever going to get the 4th Kampfer?

Guess so