Some quick, loose notes, because much like Maki’s parents, I’m very, very busy these days, and the blog is like the forgotten child I can’t devote all my time and attention to. Alas, I, too, am a deadbeat father.
Ever since Umi confessed to Maki, he’s been having bad dreams about his parents’ relationship. Something about someone falling out of love — probably the father. As a result, Maki doesn’t think he’s ready to become Umi’s boyfriend… but he’ll make sure to work hard in order to get there one day! It can never be simple, can it? Anime characters always gotta have some deep-seated hang-up. But I honestly don’t know what it means to be a “good fit for Umi.” If she’s already fallen in love with him for being himself… then why not just continue being himself? He’s overcomplicating this. Just do what you’re doing: being the considerate dork who share her tastes in shitty movies and video games.
Umi is telling their whole life story — how she first met Yuu, how she introduced Yuu to her friends, how things started feeling off in middle school, how those same friends eventually turned around and ditched Umi just to hang out with Yuu, so on and so forth. It’s a whole ass soap opera. That last part sticks out to me, though. Could it happen? Sure. People can and have been a lot worse to their friends. But the degree of horribleness is not what I’m questioning. Rather, it’s the consistency.
After scolding the class, Yuu volunteers to be the other class rep, but Umi swoops in and draws the winning (losing?) lot. Hm, it would’ve been nice if she had defended him. Instead, she gets to have all the fun pairing up with Maki even though Yuu did all the heavy-lifting? Gosh, I dunno about that. Umi then tells Yuu that the latter had gone too far. Huh? Hold on a minute. Hoooooold on. Moments ago, everyone was trashing Maki left and right. Just straight up insulting the guy to his face. How is a little scolding from Yuu “going too far?” What the hell is Umi talking about? She then actually makes Yuu apologize to everyone. My gast has been thoroughly flabbered.
Again with the peanut gallery caring way too much about Yuu simply greeting Maki. Oh yeah, sure, kids totally react this way to two people potentially being friends. I’m sorry, but I don’t find this scenario remotely realistic. This is anime’s form of humble-bragging. “Ugh, now everyone thinks I must have done something to her! Being friends with the hottest girl in class is just so hard!” But fine, we’re in bizarro world where kids can’t even have lunch in peace. Taira in You and I Are Polar Opposites complained about school having a social hierarchy. This show takes that concept and pushes it to the extreme. As a result, Maki has to take the two hottest girls in class somewhere quiet — a place where they can eat their immaculate bento boxes in peace. See, you gotta hang out with the losers from time to time, ’cause they would totally know all the best lunch spots! On the other hand, if their classmates were that surprised to see Yuu and Maki simply inteact, one of them probably would’ve tailed the group there. But shh, let’s just brush that aside for now!
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