Summer Pockets: Season 1 Episode 20 – Recap and Review
Umi’s arc continues to be a bit of a struggle to watch, especially as it rehashes parts of Shiroha’s storyline, which we just saw.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Episode 20 “Marriage” Details
- Available On: Crunchyroll
- Public Release Date: August 18, 2025
- Director(s): Shinichi Tatsuta, Taichi Yoshizawa
- Writer(s): Takashi Aoshima
Storylines
- Shiroha’s arc is replayed, regarding her talking about her premonition and Takahara having to fight her grandfather to win her hand in marriage. But things are remixed so Umi can be involved. In fact, she swaps places with the girl on the boat who has to be rescued.
Review and Commentary
On The Fence
The Redo Was A Bit Lackluster [72/100]
Whether it is because we just experienced Shiroha’s arc or because this version takes away from the buildup that Takahara and Shiroha had, and splits it between Umi, Shiroha, and Takahara, it just isn’t the same. I get that this is Umi getting to live out a childhood fantasy of knowing her mom, especially when she was younger, and bonding with her. However, there is more of a “She’s young and cute, you should feel sad for her” than this sense that she is a person who has grown distant from her dad, and this is about connecting with the mom she never knew and the dad who is becoming a ghostly figure.
Add in that they keep hinting at deeper lore and side-stepping it, and it makes it so that, as much as you can appreciate Summer Pockets breaking routine, I wouldn’t say what was put in place has been better, whatsoever.
Overall
Our Overall Rating [72/100]
The Umi arc is starting to flail a bit. Umi isn’t living up to her potential, Shiroha’s arc is being replayed, and there remains this tease that there is far more to these characters and their families, but we’re not getting to dive into that.
Other Noteworthy Information
- Underwater Combat: Shiroha’s grandpa presents this as a traditional sport on the island.
Question(s) Left Unanswered & Predictions
- Is the show going to address Kyouko talking to a butterfly before Umi’s storyline began picking up?
- With Konato, Shiroha’s grandfather, noted as one of the four kings, who are the other three?
Slide Text
- Intro Slide
- Recap: Episode 20 rehashes a bit of Shiroha’s arc but changes things so that Umi can be present.
- Recap: This includes revealing the premonition, Takahara facing Konato to protect Shiroha, and everything up to the festival, where Shiroha believes she will drown.
- Recap: The major switch is Shiroha believing Umi is on the boat, instead of that other kid, which is where the episode leaves us – before confirming she is on the small boat.
- Review: What is frustrating me more and more with Summer Pockets is that Umi is a break from the routine, but she isn’t giving us something better.
- Review: There has been a lot of lore sidestepped, and things worth raising an eyebrow over, like Kyouko starting this arc talking to a butterfly, yet they haven’t been touched upon much, if at all.
- Review: Because of that, and Umi’s desire to play house falling flat a bit, while Summer Pockets may never get as bad as the Tsumigi arc, I wouldn’t say Umi’s is fighting to be in the top 3 at all.
- Overall (72/100): Umi’s arc is thus far a disappointment, and it is hard to say what could help it rebound.
What To Check Out Next
Summer Pockets: Season 1 Episode 19 – Recap and Review
Big reveals come from Umi that shift her dynamic with Shiroha and Takahara.
Summer Pockets: Season 1 Episode 18 – Recap and Review
Umi gets featured, and the way things start out may make you wonder the truth about her and Takahara’s origins.
Summer Pockets: Season 1 Episode 17 – Recap and Review
It’s the end of Shiroha’s arc, and so comes the question of whether Takahara stands a chance to avoid the fate Shiroha has seen.
