Summary:
Being separated has made a big impact on both of Aka and Fumihiko’s lives; she is sleeping at the office while he can’t help but be reminded of her at every turn. The “ha” campaign is taking both of them to Niigata for a night. They two get to see each other again on the train, but are too embarrassed to even make eye contact. In the inn at Niigata, Manager Yoshioka has to inform Fumihiko about Aka living in the office. Aka finds herself in the hot springs thinking to herself about how much she enjoyed being with him. It turns out that Fumihiko is on the other side of the same hot springs thinking about how much he misses her too. Not knowing that she’s there, he swims over in frustration over his situation and bumps into her. She doesn’t believe him when he tells her that it’s mixed bathing after ten o’clock. Unfortunately, Fumihiko’s co-worker Hatake interrupts the two before they can talk about what’s on their minds. Aka then learns from her manager about all the work that she’s going to be doing. She can’t help but think that she’s missed her chance at talking with Fumihiko and starts crying. Once again, it’s Yoshioka who tells Fumihiko about the situation. He goes into her room and tells her that he wants her as the voice for the next campaign. Aka responds by saying that anyone could take her place. Fumihiko doesn’t want to get in the way of Aka’s dream and says that he’s only trying to help. Aka quotes War and Peace with a line about how thinking you’re unlucky will make you lucky. Though her apartment burning down was bad luck, Fumihiko taking her in was good luck. He responds to her earlier statement by saying that he doesn’t think anyone would be ok for the part and it needs to be her. At this point, he asks her to return home and she accepts. After the campaign, Fumihiko welcomes Aka back home.

So after spending most of the episode missing each other, Aka and Fumihiko finally make up. I thought the black-and-white/color part at the beginning was a nice way of showing how everything Aka-related stood out for him. Without Aka’s manager meddling, the two would have taken forever to make up, if they ever did. Speaking of the manager, I like Yoshioka’s character more and more although Hatake is getting more and more annoying. Anyway, Aka and Fumihiko really just need some alone time to nurture their relationship and finally be able to admit that they’re in love with each other. It probably won’t happen that way considering how popular of a seiyuu Aka is becoming, but I can’t see this show not firmly pairing the two together by the end. Only two more episodes left!

8 Comments

  1. Well, that was sweet… although their embarassment seems just a little unusual given how things began for them – but then again, they didn’t exactly get to talk all that much before she left, from what I recall. It’s still… definitely teh opposite of a harem anime, which is a nice change.

    Haesslich
  2. I’m totaly confused about how they are going to end this. The making-up-at-hot-spring chapter was the end of that 1st story arc. Now only god can tell what they are going to fill the last 2 eps. In the manga they pritty much admitted to love each other at the hot spring and it would have made the perfect ending.

    Hypernova
  3. Sure, they made up and are back together.

    But thats never the end of the story- real life actually tend to make that the point
    at which things really get complicated.

    I would have hated to see the show end without a peek at what their time together will be like now

    bananabanana
  4. Hmm.. I was just wondering.. how loli? (if you can say ^^;;) does everyone think Aka is? beacause while she doesn’t look like a character to have the name loli agaisn’t her name.. so far she is definalty a bit (or alot! sometimes (imo) ) loli-like. or mabye a better way to ask is what part of aka comes across as being a loli?

    Her face looks very young, and child-like, and putting her against Fumihiko, she comes off as a bit of a kid.

    Well I kinda get annoyed when people jump at characters when they are close to or nearly 100% loli by most peoples standards, just by looking at them.. and say they really! hate everything! loli but then with Aka they think everything! is fine.. (well mabye the last part is just me… ^^)

    guy
  5. This anime is just too short. It should have been regular lenght episodes and a full 26 episode run. Maybe we will get lucky and get another season. I would rather see more shows like this, Canvas 2, and Lamune than most of the series we are getting any more. How many magical girl (Magikano excepted), mecha, or supernatural shows do we need . . . .

    LOPLOP
  6. The real question is, which bishoujo does NOT have a loli face? What makes bishoujo’s so attractive is that they have cute loli faces, yet unique personalities and perfect, mature body proportions. If Aka had such a mature face, she wouldn’t be “cute” anymore.

    And Aka is 18 (I believe?) while Matsumaru is 23 (Not sure). They are bound to have different size figures.

    Rasmiel
  7. I hear this sort of stuff over and over again.
    My wife is 48 yet still gets carded when we order drinks. She’s 4’11” and 95lbs… I’m the same age and 6′ (210lbs). She’s Japanese and people assume she’s under 21 or 20-something. And they assume I’m some cradle stealer.
    So little Aka and tall Fumihiko hits some personal vibes here. if “loli” means “young cute looking” (more like “moe”) then yeah sure….. but too often people use it in a derogatory manner.
    When my wife loligoths up for Halloween, its just damned cute…. period. 🙂

    Anyway, I love REC and the Hepburn references… too bad Fumi isn’t as articulate as Cary Grant.
    And its too bad it wasn’t a full length series — though this really focuses the writers I bet.

    Vexx

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