And you’d cry too if it happened to you!But what has Harugon down in the dumps again this week? Well, we gotta start from the beginning. Every time Harugon shows up, Arata is also nearby. As a result, he has become quite famous. He was already a minor celebrity at school, but now even more than usual. Plus, the paparazzi are hounding him as well. Kuroe then goes and blames herself for this turn of events. No, it’s more like society is super weird about celebs in general. Fine, I guess it’s pretty damn crazy that some kid kissed a kaiju, but that doesn’t mean I want photos of Arata at school. I don’t need his photos at all! I don’t understand why the lives of complete strangers are so fascinating to others. But that’s just how people are. Anyway, Kuroe offers to support Arata in any way that she can, which he obviously appreciates a ton. Unfortunately, they’ll have to try even harder now to hide their relationship.
When Kuroe returns home, she demands to know why she was born this way. Even after seven episodes, her mother remains tight-lipped. Doesn’t Kuroe deserve a frank discussion about her true nature? Maybe the truth is something her mother doesn’t think she can handle, but… eh. If Kuroe’s kaiju condition can’t be “cured,” then she needs to know so she can plan her life out accordingly. And if it can be cured, then why hide it? Wait, does Kuroe still believe she’s Rinko’s biological daughter?
So what are two kids in love supposed to do when they can’t see each other? Only now does Arata suggest a video call. What I find a little odd is how Kuroe and Arata weren’t already on the phone all damn day. Can’t see each other? You can just yap on the phone. You can even go to bed on the phone. You can fall asleep listening to each other on the phone. Even if you could see each other, you would still be on the phone. Is this what couples do? Surely, it hasn’t changed that much since I was a teenager!
Rinko continues to look forlorn as her daughter’s relationship develops. The charitable read I’ve been doing since the start of the series is that she’s scared of losing her daughter. Even if Kuroe could somehow continue hiding her true identity, she’s still becoming independent and thus pulling away from her mother. Even so, there’s nothing to balance out the negativity. You really mean to tell me Rinko isn’t the least bit excited that her daughter is experiencing her first love? Isn’t that something that most moms get giddy about? I’m just saying that a dash of ambivalence might help make Rinko’s dilemma a little more interesting.
Speaking of people not being excited for the happy couple, we have Manatsu also being weird. Earlier in the episode, she was eavesdropping on the couple while looking pensive. Currently, Kuroe and Arata have planned a date to see the summer fireworks. Rairi is happy for them, but Manatsu expresses her doubts. She also grips her Harugon doll tighter as she does so. What’s going on with the girl? Does she know something? Has she already sniffed out Kuroe’s true identity?
It’s all a bit much, isn’t it? It’s bad enough that Kuroe has to deal with the mean girls at school and now the paparazzi snooping around. But she also has to deal with her mom and her own friend being less than supportive. To be fair, we later see Rinko help her daughter with a yukata. She isn’t forbidding Kuroe from seeing Arata either. But you can still feel the awkwardness and tension in the air. Kuroe might be too excited to see Arata to notice, but I doubt it’ll stay that way forever. I’d rather see them hash this out sooner rather than later. But that’s not going to happen if Rinko keeps refusing to talk about her daughter being a kaiju.
The date rolls around and we see the usual summer festival montage. When the fireworks go off, the couple gets separated by the crowd. I dunno how this always happens in fiction. It’s so overused. They can’t even get in touch afterward, because Kuroe’s phone is out of battery. I know I’m not the only person who obsessively keeps their phone charged, right? It would’ve been charged right before I left the house! Plus, if they aren’t yapping on the phone all the damn time, then what is killing her battery? Either way, this ultimately leads to Kuroe transforming into Harugon. Ugh, this is over such a minor series of setbacks, too. I guess you could argue that this is a metaphor for teens grappling with their hormone-driven emotions. Even so, crashing out because you’ll miss seeing the fireworks together with your boyfriend is a bit extreme. This girl needs help regulating her emotions, ’cause I feel like most people would just say to themselves, “Welp, that sucks,” then move on. So I guess the title of this post is a touch inaccurate.
Somehow, Kuroe’s clothes and personal items were just waiting for her when she reverted back to her human self. Did someone secretly help her out? Rinko likes to stalk her daughter’s dates, after all. But Manatsu has also been acting weird. We soon find out that she’s nearby; she would never not show up whenever Harugon appears. So it must have been her, right? I think this is all but confirmed when she suddenly confronts Arata in the after-credits scene. She even does it dressed as Harugon. But when did she find out about Kuroe’s secret? During the school trip?
Stray thoughts & observations:
— Kuroe thinks pigging out on snacks in her underwear isn’t very feminine, but if you’ve spent any time with women, then you would know that this is pretty much their state of nature behind closed doors. Yeah, the logic is a bit circular — it’s feminine because that’s what women do — but hey, it’s true.
— I like this chibi-fied version better.
— Clearly, Kuroe’s never hopped onto a video call before, ’cause she immediately freaks out as soon as she sees her boyfriend’s face. It’s kinda surprising to me.
— Kuroe even has to borrow her mother’s tablet for the video call, so they have to cut their time together short. Girl, you can just Facetime on your phone…
— I’m glad Arata also shows up in a yukata. It isn’t very flashy, but it’s a start. Usually, the girls get all dolled up and the guys will just show up in street clothes. I hate that imbalance.
