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Despite this seemingly being the penultimate episode, there is nothing to push you to believe we are about to hit the finale.
| Network | |
| Crunchyroll | |
| Director(s) | Takeo Takahashi |
| Writer(s) | Naoki Hayashi |
| Air Date | 3/17/18 |
Anything For My Sister: Nina, Yuzu
You know how Nina has been depicted as a bit of an air head and cry baby? Well, looks can be deceiving. While she has her child-like moments, when it comes to Sara’s happiness, she is willing to do just about anything. That includes putting Sara in the ideal possession to ask Mei out and even get Yuzu to promise to support Sara. A promise Yuzu didn’t know meant supporting Mei being with someone else.
Commentary
In a way, I want to give Nina props for being more than she appeared to be. Yet, with this being the episode before the finale, I feel like this sort of storyline should have happened, 2+ episodes back. With it happening now, and with Sara being a nice girl, it leaves you a bit torn. Even in terms of Nina’s involvement, while a bit underhanded, her making Yuzu promise to support her sister, considering all Sara does for her, you get it. Plus, they’re twins so their bond as sisters goes beyond beings friends. Especially since Sara is a good sister to her.
You Have To Confess: Sara, Yuzu, Mei
After Nina sets her up, Sara confesses and is now dating Mei. Yuzu doesn’t know this and with Sara not knowing she shares a love interest, she supports Yuzu confessing. Until she realizes who Yuzu likes. However, this isn’t learned until the evening and by that time Yuzu is in Mei’s room and trying to restart the cycle they are always in. One upsets the other, some kind of intimate, sexual move is done, things become awkward, clarification is asked for, and then a disappointing answer.
A cycle which, clearly, Mei is tired of. Life is hard enough with her handling the academy and then to have this girl, who doesn’t know what she wants, complicating her personal life. For while, yeah, Matsuri may have had a point about Mei perhaps being open to anyone, it isn’t in the way she put it. Mei wants someone to need and want her because she doesn’t have that. As the school’s interim principal and student government president, she sees the other girls in relationships and have families that are loving and co-dependent.
In Yuzu’s household, that isn’t the case. Mei is treated as a guest and in terms of Yuzu, arguably things are often one-sided. Yuzu takes full advantage of being Mei’s sister and uses that to break the rules and occasionally cause havoc. Mei, who perhaps is more confused about her sexuality than she lets on, isn’t sure how to play things. She seemingly is comfortable being the aggressor, but perhaps with how Yuzu reacts sometimes, she is left unsure if she is the aggressor or actually assaulting Yuzu. It may be unclear to her what they are and with Yuzu unable to define it, there is only stress.
The kind Mei can’t afford to have because she is already at her wit’s end and it isn’t like Yuzu is the easiest to figure out.
It’s Too Late: Mei, Sara, Yuzu, Nina
Despite being told Mei is with someone, Yuzu decides she is going to intrude on whatever date situation Mei has and speak her piece. That is, until Nina intercepts her and reveals the truth. All the while, Sara is working up the courage to ask for a kiss.
Commentary
How strange would it be, after all this that has happened, we learn Mei isn’t even really into girls that much. That she likes the softness of their bodies and feeling of their lips but doesn’t actually want a romantic and truly intimate relationship with another woman. In the back of my mind, I know this isn’t even remotely a possibility yet I still find this to be an interesting idea.
For, in the long run, the reason Yuzu was perhaps chosen to explore this all with is because Mei figured she could use her for this experiment. That, despite how extroverted she was, she wasn’t going to go blabbing about what Mei did. So, that way, Mei could explore the feelings all the other girls did without her business being out there. Without her grandpa knowing.
But, then she caught feelings and with Yuzu complicating it between making it seem she is getting the affections of a sister mixed with the affections of a love interest, it got way to confusing. Though, with us not getting to see Mei in a healthy relationship with a boy, or any boys pursue her, it makes this theory sort of weak.
Low Points
- This truly doesn’t seem like the episode to set up the finale at all. If anything, it gives you the vibe this may have 13 or 14 episodes in the season instead of 12. At least, 12 by all the usual sources for anime information.
On The Fence
- All the drama between Yuzu and Mei makes it increasingly difficult to root for them. To the point, it makes me glad this show is about to be over. Their back and forth isn’t even playing with my emotions anymore. It is testing my patience.
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