Nanase Nishino: "Denei Shojo: Video Girl Ai 2018" drama episodes three and four recap

 Air Dates: January 13, 2018 until ?? on TV Tokyo, Saturday nights at 12:20 am

Main Cast:

Nanase Nishino as Ai Amano

Shuhei Nomura as Sho Moteuchi

Marie Iitoyo as Nanami Shibahara

Hiroya Shimizu as Tomoaki Furuya
Karen Otomo as Rika Omiya
Jun Murukami as Shimizu

Shigeyuki Totsugi as Yota Moteuchi

 Pair of so-so episodes, first one really dragged along while the second show was much better but the drama isn't going as I thought it would. Did read a few of the Video Ai mangas though that was years ago and have forgotten too much about it. But thought with a girl coming out of a TV after being trapped for 25 years there would be much sci-fi or fantasy events which hasn't happened yet.

 At the conclusion of the second episode Sho finally got the courage to ask Nanami out to the movies, this was just a day after she had professed her love to Tomoaki. Sho used the excuse of going to the movies to help Nanami with writing the script for their anime movie and she accepted Sho's offer. The trio is attempting to create an anime movie for a video competition, Sho is the artist while Nanami is the writer but up to now she's had to write the script over twice.
 The pair really hit it off on their date and is there a man alive who wouldn't give their life to go on one date with Nanami?! Probably not and shortly after their eventful day Nanami sends Sho a text saying she would love to go out with him again which does happen. Not as fun as the first date but they do get to know each other better and though the pair have had two enjoyable outings Sho feels that deep down Nanami still cares more for Tomoaki which is true.

 To me it may have been a colossal mistake on Sho's part as what he did was have a private conversation with Tomoaki. Sho convinced him to ask Nanami out for a date, as you can see above that's what happened and Nanami is ecstatic about it. Losing a potential girlfriend like Nanami should be painful but Sho is taking it in stride as after all he was the reason for them going on a date.
 In this first of two episodes we did see quite a bit of Ai though seems she didn't play a major role in the story. Actually as I mentioned episode three was quite slow and it truly limped along as not all that much happened. He didn't have to but Sho is redoing the character over for the anime and for the new design he's using Ai to model for him.
 Sho did think a bit to himself about Ai which were certain questions I had also thought about. After being trapped in a VHS tape for so many years why does she act so human? Ai has to eat and sleep just like everyone else, Sho even wonders if she can catch a cold. You would imagine that she's some sort of humanoid and her true origin has only been partially revealed, she was somewhat created by Sho's uncle Yota who didn't appear in either of these episodes.

 I'm honestly not zipping through this recap on purpose but above is all that happened in the third episode, as mentioned it dragged along and especially the last five or so minutes. Sho is really starting to take a liking towards Ai, not as a potential lover but more as a friend. He takes her out on the town where Ai enjoys a steak(!) and even though she was trapped for so long in the VHS tape she does seem to know a lot about fashions.
 The pair stop into a clothes store and Ai really wants to change her look, on the street she wears her yellow uniform which I like quite a bit. Ai has her heart set on a drab sweater she sees at the store but for now she has to pass on purchasing it. As they were leaving Sho runs into an old female friend from his previous school named Rika, it's the fourth show yet it's her first appearance. Sho is one year older than she is and seems Rika had a bit of a crush on him in the older days.
 During their talk it appears Rika wasn't the only one who had a crush as Sho seems to be a bit smitten by her. Ai notices that, her forte is being able to detect people's emotions. Unfortunately it was Rika's only scene so far but wondering if she may be playing Sho's love interest soon? That took place on a Friday, the following day is a big one for the trio's anime movie.

 It's becoming closer to the deadline for the movie to be submitted, before they are about to have their get together Tomoaki has scheduled another meeting. That's with an anime artist he knows by the name of Shimizu, Tomoaki had gone to him for advice and to get what they've accomplished critiqued. Shimuzu was not impressed too much with their project, the drawings seemed passable to him but the script to Shimizu was a piece of trash.
 Naturally Tomoaki couldn't tell that to Nanami as it would have broken her heart yet again. Tomoaki heads to Sho's house for their meeting, beforehand Nanami had prepared a splendid bento for all to enjoy. Seeing what Nanami created was a major blow to Ai who had spent all morning preparing onigiri and other treats for the group, she quickly had to hide them away.
 At their gathering Tomoaki couldn't bring himself to tell Nanami what Shimuzu had said about her script but let the group know that it may need a bit of a tweaking. For a while the trio sat glumly trying to think of new ideas but Ai broke the depression and suggested they all go out for a picnic. There was a lot of work still to be done but the others agreed with Ai and they headed out not just for a picnic but a day on the town.

 As you can see above Tomoaki eventually did open up and he told Nanami exactly what Shimizu thought of her script. She's a trooper and even with all of the bad events that have happened to her Nanami still remains a cheerful person. The quartet have a really fun time on the town, they even stop at a batting cage where Tomoaki shows off his baseball skills.
 While watching him Sho had revealed to Nanami how jealous he was of Tomoaki. The pair have been friends for a decade but Tomoaki is just so much better at everything than Sho is, he sometimes wonders why Tomoaki wanted to be his friend. It's getting late and the foursome split up to head back home, Sho and Ai were getting along so well Tomoaki had made the remark to Nanami that the pair seemed to be more than just cousins.
 Coming to the end and there were two very short scenes. The first was that Sho had ordered the sweater that Ai liked so much when they visited the store. While he was trying to hide it he found the huge plate of onigiri that Ai had prepared, though a bit stale he ended up eating them which pleased Ai immensely. The final minute was in the apartment of Shimuzu who was opening an envelope. During their meeting Tomoaki had asked him to take a look at the new character designs. When Shimizu opened up the envelope he was shocked at what he saw which were drawings of Ai. The show ended with him saying to himself 'Ai Amano' as it appears he knows all about her.

 Don't know if the above will be possible as Ai had said Video Girls can't fall in love. As mentioned the third episode was barely passable but the fourth show was much better so let's hope the momentum continues on for the rest of the series. Will have the next pair of recaps in about two weeks, as of now am caught up with all of the aired shows.
 Unsure when I'll review it but do have the original 'Video Girl Ai' movie from 1991, don't know whether to finish this up first before the film is viewed. You'll find out soon enough, at the top of the post is a short promo for episode three while after the screenshots is one for the fourth show.