This episode was so incredible that I couldn’t help but write a long, rambling comment that I would feel satisfied with, including pictures, despite the hassle of uploading them (they take forever to load). I apologize in advance for my comment being unnecessarily long and resembling a recap.
It was funny to see how embarrassed Hashiba was when Yano and Tanaka caught him buying shojo manga, even going as far as to bribe them with fried chicken to keep them quiet. Hashiba’s response when Yano brought up the moment he confessed his feeling for Kiyoko two episodes ago was surprisingly cute. The sound he made was unexpected from someone as manly as Hashiba. His reaction to Yano’s question about what being in love feels like was also funny. Hashiba’s tsundere behavior throughout the scene, complete with plenty of blushing, was absolutely adorable. He really gave Yano a run for his money in the cuteness department this episode.
Despite insisting that the shojo manga was for his sister, Hashiba seemed genuinely interested in the story’s development. He even let Yano borrow all 20 volumes of the shojo manga, “Amika in Love,” which I suspect were actually his and not his sister’s. This turned out to be very beneficial, as the manga helped Yano realize that his feelings were indeed love.
The classroom scenes where Kiyoko tried to imitate Izumi’s looks and mannerisms were hilarious. I couldn’t help but laugh at how mesmerized Yano looked every time he saw Kiyoko, and how she resembled a sparkly shojo manga illustration each time. I appreciated the gender role reversal compared to the manga Yano read during this segment, with Yano essentially taking on the role of the heroine, while Kiyoko played the ikemen. The actions in the classroom mirroring those he read in the manga gave Yano the courage to confess his feelings to Kiyoko right in the middle of class, which was very unexpected and poorly timed.
After confessing to Kiyoko, Yano starts to behave affectionately and romantically towards her, doing things like brushing the chalk dust from her hair. The look on his face during this moment, along with the scoffing sound he made, was incredibly adorable and surprisingly hot. Who would have thought that this clumsy, accident-prone boy could be so charming? All thanks to the magic of manga, of course. However, even this new romantic side of Yano is still just as clumsy, as he almost fell to the ground shortly after. Luckily for Yano, Hashiba was there to catch him.
It was really surprising seeing Yano openly show his affection for Kiyoko in front of their classmates. I never imagined Yano would be so straightforward, and judging by the reactions of the other students, they didn’t either. Hashiba’s horrified expression when Yano states that Kiyoko is his type was hilarious, but the funniest moment was Kiyoko’s reaction after a classmate claims that Yano was hitting on her. I felt a bit sorry for Hashiba in this scene, as this had surely dashed his already slim chances with Kiyoko. But, Hashiba is a kind, good-looking guy who could easily find another girl. I actually think he and Izumi would make a really lovely couple.
The shared confession on the staircase was so touching that I couldn’t help but shed tears of joy. It’s the first time a romance anime without any tragic elements has made me cry like this. Kiyoko and Yano are both such sweet and kind-hearted people who truly deserve each other. It’s impossible not to root for their happiness. I also like that it wasn’t overly dramatic or drawn out. There was no beating around the bush, no misunderstanding, or hurt feelings, just two individuals being completely honest about their feelings for each other.
This anime has completely exceeded my expectations in every way. I decided to watch it because of the wild premise and the beautiful visuals, but mainly because my favorite voice actor, Kohei Amasaki, voices the main character Yano. I expected a cute romantic comedy, but I didn’t expect it to deliver so hard in both the romance and the comedy, being every bit as hilarious as it is heartwarming. |