Nanase Nishino: "Denei Shojo: Video Girl Ai 2018" drama episode eight 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

 Above video is for this episode which was subbed a few days later than normal. That's okay as the team doing them as a few other projects going on and they've done a fine job with the first eight shows. Hardly any screen time for Nanase in the previous episode except for a few flashbacks so it was nice to see her back for this episode as she's the main reason I'm viewing this series. Last we saw of Ai was at the end of episode six as she had passed out on a street and was picked up by a man walking by, her life span via the VCR player is dwindling down fast.

 The last few episodes this series has turned from being a lighthearted one to being a very serious and at times a bit depressing show. Ai has resurfaced but not in a good way for Sho who discovered Ai's reappearance by viewing her on the internet. Last episode the older anime artist/critic Shmizu had purchased the 'Echo' anime from Tomoaki that he, Sho and Nanami had created for for the paltry sum of 50,000 yen.
 When Ai had passed out on the street at the end of the sixth episode and was picked up I had thought Sho's uncle Yota was the person who did that. Was wrong with that theory as it turns out Shimizu was that person, he seemed like an okay guy at first but has turned into this show's villain. With Ai and the anime he bought Shimizu has managed to combine the two into a video that has become a huge internet sensation. The group's anime was based on Ai's appearance so it wasn't too difficult to fuse the anime and new footage of Ai together.
 When Sho saw the video he rushed to Shimizu's studio to bring Ai back home but there was a major problem. When Ai woke back up she had lost all memories of the time she had spent with Sho. When a Video Girl finally awakens from her hibernation she presumes the first person she sees was the one who brought her back to life. That wasn't the case this time but when Ai awoke Shimizu claimed it was he who brought her back to life, now Ai is there to serve him.

 More like building his bank account is what Ai is doing. She's become a major Idol overnight with her songs and dancing, Shimizu even has plans for Ai to have a photobook. Sho watches Ai at work which made him furious and when he tried to confront her she had no clue who he was, it remained that way until the end of the show. Ai seems happy with what she's doing, she is programmed to make her 'handler' happy and she's certainly been doing that for Shimizu and his wallet.
 But how long is Ai going to remain an overnight sensation? The reason she passed out in the first place was that the VCR that's enabling her to live is having some major problems. It had been overheating in the sixth episode and is now getting even more warm. According to Sho's uncle Yota the overheating is causing some problems with Ai's programming. She's not supposed to fall in love with a human but she had started to when she was with Sho, so far that hasn't been the case with Shimizu and hope it remains that way.

 Thought that was an interesting question raised by Sho above. He was wondering what would happen to Ai if he turned the VCR off, would she just vanish? Sho thinks so but he also has the thought that his memories of her would also disappear so he leaves the machine alone.... for now. The VCR player also shows the remaining time Ai has left to live. When she was brought back to life it was for three months but the time left at the beginning of the episode was 38+ hours, seems by the end it was down to a little over 15 hours unless the VCR is showing days(?).
 That covers Ai who was on screen for most of the show after being absent in episode seven. Few episodes back Nanami and Tomoaki finally began going out but still haven't become very close. This relationship seems doomed to me as Nanami is still upset that Tomoaki sold Shimizu their anime. Don't know what Nanami has ever seen in him, Tomoaki seems like a nice guy but is always so dour and ignores her constantly and she gave him the brushoff at the end of this episode.
 Sho is also a chap who has become very dour but that's mainly because Ai is gone. Rika constantly has been trying to cheer Sho up but perhaps she's been trying too hard. Rika is a cute gal but also one that is a bit timid as she never comes out and says what she really wants/needs to say. Towards the end of the show she even had her hair cut in the style of Ai's, Rika did it to get closer to Sho but the complete opposite happened. Seems Rika can finally take a hint which is that Sho is still in love with Ai so Rika tells him she won't bother him any more and Sho doesn't try to change her mind.

 Slightly longer recap than usual for this show but much more has been happening. The first five episodes were so-so but the last three have all been so much better and this has turned into a decent series once it became more serious. Not 100 % sure but would imagine there's four more episodes to go, think for those will be continuing with having one show per recap as it's become more interesting. So hopefully the next recap will be within the week, the drama airs on Saturday nights.