The first… like two whole thirds of the episode is all Nishi and Yamada as both kids struggle to confess their feelings. Nishi sorta has the same insecurities as Taira, but without the severe self-loathing (just a little loathing as a treat). At one point, during a not-quite-a-date with Yamada at a bookstore, she literally turns and runs when she thinks she’s seen boys from her class. This follows a similar moment where Nishi had rejected meeting up with Yamada, because she couldn’t come up with a good excuse to leave the house. She was and still is so scared of her family finding out about them. I dunno, is this healthy? Her parents have to find out at some point. Is she just going to keep punting this difficult conversation indefinitely? It’s a bit much if I’m to be honest. Being the quintessentially nice guy that he is, Yamada always tries to accommodate Nishi as best as he can. I wonder, however, if this is sustainable. Do they wanna be doing this when they’re in their twenties? Thirties? I mean, you get what I’m saying, right?
Shockingly, Nishi does finally exceed our expectations. Concerned that her behavior is putting a burden on Yamada, she finally stammers out a confession… right in the middle of the sidewalk. Well, wouldja look at that? She is capable of change. But she then tries to scamper off in embarrassment. Two steps forward, one step back. Anyone wanna bet how long it’ll take Nishi to tell her parents about Yamada?
Personally, characters like Nishi are a bit exasperating. Yamada’s literally holding her hand as they walk together. In fact, he’s done most of the initiating throughout their budding relationship. He outright asked for her contact info, he outright asked to see her outside of school during the school trip, he outright planned this whole not-a-date so that he could confess his feelings. Yamada has consistently put himself out there; he’s consistently made himself vulnerable all for the sake of the relationship. The only time he’s let up was the confession, but hey, no one’s perfect. And yet, Nishi is still riddled with anxiety; she still entertains the possibility that she might have misread his feelings. Honestly, that’s a little annoying. At some point, Nishi needs to realize some basic truths about the guy she has come to love. Yamada’s not being quiet because he’s not in love with her. He’s being quiet because he’s just a lil’ dumb. Yes, he’s thoughtful when it comes to Nishi, but those aren’t mutually exclusive qualities. Sweet guy, but the attic is a bit barren.
Stray thoughts & observations:
— Like I said, I think Yamada is a little dumb: “But there’s so much here, it’s actually harder to figure out where they’d put [that book you were talking about].” Are bookstores different in Japan or something? Or are they also organized by subject matter or fictional genre like, y’know, every bookstore ever? C’mon, now…
— Every time Yamada is dumbfounded, he drops his smartphone. Probably a metaphor.
— Finally, we see people other than Nishi and Yamada. I don’t hate them. They’re just… not my favorite.
— Anime characters are too fussy about Valentine’s Day. Back in elementary school, I gave out store-bought candy to the entire class. I did that once. Never bothered with this again for the rest of my schoolyears. Obviously, it varies from person to person, but here where I’m from, I really think Valentine’s Day is for couples. Sure, some people try to do a Galentine’s or whatever for single friends, but that’s just a gimmick. Meanwhile, Suzuki even decorates her bags of goodies with hand-drawn pictures. So much effort!
— So what happens in college? People just stop giving a shit, right? I can’t imagine doling out candy in a lecture hall even if they’re obligatory. Yeah, you lose a bit of fun and whimsy when you become an adult. It’s probably why every damn anime series is about children. Even so, I can’t help but see college students as kids as well.
— Not much progress between Azuma and Taira. She jokingly hands him a piece of gum as they discuss the hassle of reciprocity on White Day. And now Taira, the overthinker, is overthinking a piece of gum.
— We still can’t escape Nishi and Yamada, especially since she has special homemade baked goods for him. He even cutely hand-feeds her one of them. Trust me, I wish I was excited about this pairing.
— Meanwhile, Suzuki gives Tani a box of iced cookies. They’re almost too pretty to eat. Wait, in Japan, don’t they make a big deal about what you get? For example, if people gift you such-and-such, it means they just want to stay friends or whatever. Ahhh, I can’t remember. Not like it matters with Suzuki and Tani. They’re firmly entrenched as a couple.
— Wow, these two are really gonna kiss in front of us just like that? On my Valentine’s Day? But seriously, I only find this amusing, because I saw a few fans insist that none of the kisses in episode 13 counted.
