Photo Kano is more on notice than it was last week. There is a very definite difference between capturing the beauty of the female form on film (at the very least, I’ve known a number of seriously legit cosplay photographers who are very above board) and shooting non-consensual gravure pics. I’m still fairly firm on the opinion that Photo Kano’s protagonist is aiming at the former, which is why I’m still watching it. Even so, given that there are two characters very much in the latter category prominently featured in the show, it really wouldn’t hurt for it to keep convincing me. Especially after that one exceptionally dumb slow-motion scene in the second half.

So the low-high asshole combo went way beyond the bounds of common decency again this episode. Though the main character, playing defense on their shenanigans mitigates that a little bit, I’m really just tired of seeing guys who act the way they do not get suspended (at a minimum). What really gets me here is that there’s a really potent plotline here within all that stupidity. And it’s one that, in all likelihood, this show will not have the guts to run. Imagine for the second, the low-high idiot team goes definitively too far and puts the Photography Club in a bind. They’re condemned, naturally, but as a result students tend to view photography in general with suspicion. Imagine if, within all that negativity, Kazuya is able to prove Photography is a legitimate art through his work somehow. If nothing else, it’s a general theme (having to defend an art form you love when idiots who also claim to love it cross the line of basic decency) that would resound with me personally.

Given that a form of blackmail was involved, this episode’s photo shoot with Muroto felt a bit sketchier than the one last week. Still, her backstory as a diver was a nice bit of finish added to her character. I especially liked how her personality shifted a bit more towards self-deprecation when she got more into talking about diving. I’m sure there’s a story there, which adds depth to the character whether it gets explored further or not. I also liked how the Photography Club’s President knew a little more and got serious to explain it. If it’s not a redemption of his spamming of the word “eros” (which I got tired of around the third episode of Koutoura-san), it’s at least and appreciable step up.

Conveying a clear picture of motion

On a more positive note, the scene transitions this week were actually kind of god-tier. In particular, the one that led to Kazuya’s watching Muroto dive and the one that brought the main character out of a montage of moments in autumn really jumped out at me and made the viewing experience smooth as silk. It’s a reflection of what the show still could be, if it spent less time emphasizing the idiot duo.

Would that this were all of the show

Photo Kano’s still not done with its 3-week trial period it earned with an impressive start. At this point, I am leaning towards keeping it for the blog and keeping up with it (the visual sense throughout has been just incredible), but I haven’t decided yet, which is a testament for the battle over the show’s soul currently being waged between the low-high dumbass duo and the rest of the cast.