First Impressions / Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru

「愛のナイトウ避行」 (Ai no Nai Touhikou)
“Loveless Elopement”

So when they say “Slice of Life”, I suppose you can take it as literally cutting a slice out of your life and animating it. What’s cool is that since we are all different people, all of our experiences are different – and what makes slice of life so great is that anyone can take that slice of whatever they’re showing and almost feel like they could be a part of that, even if that person has never experienced it. While there have been a ton of misses in this genre, I have always felt that when slice of life is done right, the rewards are just so sweet. Which is exactly how I would describe this week’s Sore Machi – sweet. I don’t know how many readers out there have an older sibling, but I don’t. Being the oldest in my family I never had an older figure to follow around or learn things from. While I never really wanted someone to show me the ropes, I figured it’d be nice to have someone like that. Here is where the whole slice of life part fits in – Takeru comes back this week and slowly starts to experience the thrills of a grownups life. For starters, after getting suckered into drinking a disgusting “Vitamin C” energy drink he can’t sleep. Being the great older sister she is, Hotori decides to take Takeru on a midnight stroll to use up his abundance of extra energy. From here on out, I’m not entirely sure what got me, but I was just in love with the entire episode from here. Probably due to Hotori being such a great older sister and acting like it, I couldn’t help but smile as Takeru made his first journey being outside late at night. From showing Takeru all the nifty spots throughout town, launching an acorn straight at Sanada’s face, to blowing his mind with the concept of “midnight” and how yesterday was only a few minutes ago – Hotori felt like a totally different character. While I wouldn’t say was was being responsible, it felt like she was more mature than usual. Maybe it was from Takeru looking up to her as his older sister, or maybe it was this, but I wouldn’t mind having Hotori be like this more often. Right at the end Takeru brings up a pretty interesting point – just how often does Hotori go out for midnight strolls anyways? I gotta say, after Hotori gave the entire “after hours” tour of the city, it doesn’t surprise me she’s always tired in the morning.

Not to forget the other main man this episode, Eroyu.. Sanada really goes all out with trying to grab Hotori’s attention this week. Somehow, I can’t help but feel that Sanada might be the perfect match for Hotori. Not only do their inner personalities seem like a match made in heaven (they tend to talk to themselves a lot) but just like how Hotori takes her horoscopes seriosuly, Sanada catches a stupid fortune on TV about how taking a trip with the girl he likes will help bring him closer to her, and ends up taking it seriously. The timing for his plan to take a trip with Hotori could NOT have been more skillfully planned. After Hotori tells him a touching story about how she failed to make it to class on time by a few minutes, she quickly passes out on Sanada’s shoulder. After he freaks out from pure happiness, he is pitted with two choices – get off of the bus in less than one minute to go to school and ruin his romantic moment with Hotori, or travel past school and go as far as possible in hopes of “traveling enough” to make the fortune to come true. Choosing the latter, I totally expected Hotori to explode with rage especially when she specifically woke up extra early just to make it to school on time. Of course, Hotori being herself did the exact opposite, not only completely forgetting about being late and deciding to skip school entirely after Sanada suggests it. I don’t know if Sanada really got the experience he was hoping for but it looks like he managed to have a good time. Of course Sanada’s day can never end well, and after he mentions spending time with her back when they were kids, Hotori brings up an old memory of Sanada ditching her in the past – leaving Sanada in shame. Sorry Eroyuki, but at least it wasn’t porn this time!

 

Preview

35 Comments

    1. After just watching this episode, I don’t mind the lack of our beloved Futaba-senpai, Hotori really slayed me enough, and made Eroyuki do a Kamina-esque death scene (well deserved) was a pretty enjoyable scene. I’m loving Chiaka’s voice more and more specially after Mitsuba from SYD… <3 Ahhh Thanks Takaii for posting even though it was very late for you. 🙂 I am still going to say ambiguous as my answer~ Sorry. <3

      Kyzel
      Reply

  2. Just finished watching it.
    When Sanada came out with a metal bat, I nearly fell off my bed xD
    I don’t even remember when I first stayed up past midnight.

    There was some good fanservice at the end :). Her brother must still be quite innocent if she allows him to bathe with her.

    Kirino
    Reply

  11. This episode was so funny, and when I was a kid my big brother did the exact same thing to me, telling me because I stayed up at midnight I’ll be locked up in a paradox between the two days lol.I understand what you mean , now that’s slice-of-life done right.

    Rockmanshii
    Reply

  13. Ahhh late night wondering, me and my bro used to do that when traveling in China lol at 3 am there are still plenty of people on the streets selling meat on sticks, cooked corn and things i can only hope was food… good times good times

    crazystudyguy
    Reply

    1. I remember the night when I was traveling home from work late. I was sitting on the train and it wasn’t terribly full but the seats were for the most part “full”. All of a sudden, I felt a head press against my shoulder. It was this really beautiful woman dozing off on MY SHOULDER! What did I do?

      I let her sleep, that’s what I did. Felt like a pimp. Oh yeah..~ Funny enough, I woke her up when I had to get off the train and she said thanks because she was getting off there too. (shoulda got her number.. >_<)

      Good times. Yes.. good times, indeed.

      Shirt
      Reply

      1. OMG I thought that only happened in manga and amine you lucky guy, you must have used up all your happiness points, good karma or what ever dictates for that to happen.

        But if that’s possible there’s still hope out there XD and ye you should of had done something, getting her number may have been too much, maybe a bite to eat just say you don’t like eating alone. If it was an anime im sure you two would have met up again but ahh a 3d life is cruel….

        crazystudyguy
        Reply

  14. Ah what an emotional rollercoster. Better write it down in my diary before i forget. Wait 2 lines that’s it? lol.

    Hotori was surprisingly breathtaking when she said that stuff about there was life besides their own little world and that it was breathtaking and vexing at the same time.

    outcast
    Reply

    2. A lot of times, young children are able to bathe with their older siblings/parents. YOUNG children. Once they reach puberty, they’re gone.

      Take Mitsudomoe for example: Futaba bathes with her dad all the time.

      Kirino
      Reply

  21. This week’s episode really set a new ceiling about story quality for the show so far. Both segments were really great.

    Takeru’s attitude felt genuine, as well as Hotori’s big sister act (I’m also the oldest of 3).

    Rooting for Sanada ever so more 😛

    Decel
    Reply

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