Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo starts out just like that, all about romances being hinted and you feel like everything is going well, even if most plot points seem to be resolved by the middle of the show, which should have alerted me that a big twist was coming - and boy did it pack a sucker punch to the feels and the angst.
If you're looking for something light and sweet, better end it halfway and not go down the spiraling angst roller coaster that follows. Mind you, I don't believe it's really out of character, nor was it unbelievable, but it just leaves you with a bitter taste, no matter what way the show will end. There were plot points that could have been progressed in such a better way without going to Kuzo no Honkai route. They were all valid developments, but could have overall been treated in a much healthier way, especially since you end the show with some major holes for some of the characters.
While I enjoyed most of the characters and their development throughout the show, if you're someone like me who was expecting something along the lines of Tsurezure Children, will leave this show with a very bitter taste. Nonetheless, if you're in for the ride, strap yourself in and enjoy, since I don't really feel like it ever goes into the melodrama side of things, not as extremely as Kuzo no Honkai did to become basically angst torture porn for your heart.
I'll go slightly into spoilers from here on out, so beware!
If we go deeper into each story line and how they develop, I was left wanting much more from Momoko and Niina's stories. While Rika was keeping my sanity and faith in love intact (and Hitoha was mostly neutral for me, I feel like it was handled well enough given everything that was going on in the show), a great portion of the plot is about Kazusa, which I loved. Most of the deadpan rants I went on were soon followed by her own pointing out how dumb things had gotten, which was refreshing, while she still maintained her innocence and the shyness that is to be expected for her character.
Momoko's storyline was quite interesting, it's not everyday a character I'd point out as clearly canon LGBTQ+ actually develops on that during the show, however we were able to see a small introduction to Momoko's realization of perhaps not being straight, while also being shown how what seems to start as a "normal" romance can turn sour very quickly. Momoko was very refreshing, didn't feel melodramatic or over the top and I wish they had given her more development, but unfortunately it wasn't possible considering Niina (who could have helped immensely developing Momoko's side of the story) was unfortunately wrapped up in Kazusa's plot for what I would consider shock value.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think the way she acted was out of character, not given everything she had been through, however I believe she could have coped better with her trauma with Momoko's help as a friend (even if it never became romantic) instead of having Izumi become a surrogate for the affection she used to get from the guy who basically groomed her. Niina has every right to have a warped sense of self worth and romantic love, but I don't think she benefited anything from her obsession with Izumi and it truly derailed the show for me, since it also caused a lot of unnecessary angst for Kazusa's plot.
In the end, while most plot points are solved, you still end up with Momoko being unsure of everything and Niina not coping in an healthy matter with any of her trauma and I honestly don't think she would in the future, not from the way the show ended.
Will I pick up the manga to try and see if it can change my mind? Probably not, I had enough heartache for this year and 2020 had been a pain enough as it is. Also keep in mind, from what I've seen, the translated manga had yet to catch up to the anime so for all we know the ending for the anime can even not be canon, while the drama most certainly is. I can only hope Momoko can find herself and Niina can learn to grow healthy habits without being through Izumi or even using Momoko to not lose her as a friend. Either way, I don't think I want to find out.
While I don't regret watching this to the end, I don't think I would have picked this show up if I knew where it was going, I feel like it sullied everything without any need and I can only thank Rika and Amagi for being the shining wholesome light in a rather bleak development. I have no complaints for those two, completely wholesome and realistic, giving me the light hearted rom com I came to watch.
