「会長はスミスミなのじゃ!/桜色の真実」 (Kaichou wa Sumisumi na no ja! / Sakurairo no Shinjitsu)
“The President is Sumisumi! / Cherry Blossom-Colored Truth”

Sumisumi loves oppai! The new pint-sized seitokaichou led to Haruka & Yuu’s secret getting out, but the drama quickly moved from external to internal, and was all the better for it.

Sumisumi-kaichou!

Last week I expressed reservations about the sudden focus on the newly minted Sumisumi-kaichou (correction: I thought it was Kaede who was taking over, so whoooops!), but they managed to turn the late introduction of a new character into a good thing. First of all, Sumisumi herself was quite a treat to see, if only because she’s a total baka and she gropes oppai like a 13-year-old boy who can actually get away with it (so, like no 13-year-old boy ever). Those oppai groping scenes – cannot take screen shots fast enough!!

You’re Not Even Trying To Hide It Anymore, Are You?

The other thing Sumisumi-kaichou did was provide just enough of an impetus to get Haruka and Yuu to the third year floor, and that led to the big reveal. Mitsuki was clearly already suspicious after Kaede’s comment last week – side note, SO JEALOUS!! We need to get some Haruka in there – but now the cat is out of the bag for real. Who knew groping plots could lead to real plot?

Yuri Is Bad…Only Not

Though I know I’ve said this before, it bears repeating – introducing drama into a funny, ecchi, slice-of-life comedy like this is a delicate proposition. The Shizuku x Kotone bits have done somewhat well, but that’s because they’ve been handled lightly, and when they weren’t handled as lightly – the pool episode – it didn’t work as well. Here, we got Mitsuki bringing down the “Gay is bad” hammer, and that was riiiisky for this show. “Haruka-san, you need to wake up.” That could have sent up spiraling down into a teen melodrama the likes of which would only end in a terrible crash and burn. And not the entertaining kind of trainwreck, just the bad one.

That didn’t happen though, because they quickly pivoted from an external conflict – “yuri is bad” – to an internal one, i.e. Mitsuki realizing that oh crap, she’s in love with Haruka. I can only imagine that suddenly realizing your sexuality isn’t what you thought it was, and what’s more you’ve fallen in love with the same girl as your little sister – these two siblings really do like the same things, eh? – would be a little disconcerting. It’s also a more interesting conflict in my eyes – or at least, a more fitting one for this series – when a cultural clash on the morality of two girls kissing would have been…just not Sakura Trick. What’s more – bonus points here – Sumisumi was instrumental in making this realization happen! Do she once again proved herself to not be a wasted character, and that the time spent introducing her so late in the game was well used. That’s a hat trick, I think, or at least a Sakura Trick. Thank you, thank you, I’ll be here all week!

Kotone on [Not] Listening, Secrets

Perhaps the most fascinating comment of the episode was when Haruka asked Kotone for advice on what she should do.

“I wouldn’t listen. It was a secret, so it we make it a secret again, there’s no problem!

From my seat, that was far more about Kotone and Shizuku than it was about Haruka’s problem. Kotone wouldn’t listen, and she would make it a secret again, but she’s still engaged? It doesn’t sound like Kotone is going to go to war with her family to be with Shizuku, but it doesn’t look like she’s going to let go of her love either. Watch out, future Kotone husband, and I hope you’re gay yourself, because otherwise you’re cruising for a very unsatisfying life as Kotone’s beard. Sucks for you, dude.

Wingwoman Yuzu

Time for some wild mass guessing (trope!) – What if how Yuzu kept getting in the way of Kaede “guarding” Haruka was on purpose? Yuzu has always played the oblivious card, and mostly I think she is oblivious, but how she kept getting into Kaede’s way there was a bit blatant. Possibly that’s just the writers dispensing with subtlety for a moment just as Haruka and Yuu were doing the same, but it could be that Yuzu is quietly supporting her two friends without letting on that she knows. Likely? Naw. But as the chances of some Kaede x Yuzu action diminish with the finale incoming and the focus on Yuu x Haruka x Mitsuki, our only chance now is that both of them are totally aware that they love each other, and for the Haruka x sisters sandwich to lead to them coming out to each other.

Dammit man, we can’t leave a ship behind at this stage! Full speed ahead!

Looking Ahead – OT3 Finale

Looks like the final episode will be centered on Haruka, Yuu, and Mitsuki. Good! As much as I love me some (potential) Kaede x Yuzu, that’s the most interesting vector with the possibility of the best ending of all – the Yuu x Haruka x Mitsuki two-sisters-and-a-busty-girl threesome sandwich. Oh gods, the doujins…I can almost see them now!

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Sumisumi-kaichou leads to Mitsuki finding out about Haruka x Yuu, & then Mitsuki realizing she loves Haruka as well. One more! #桜Trick 11

Random thoughts:

  • Haruka gets so happy when she finds a new yuri friend. Don’t worry Harupopo, you have at least one more incoming!
  • Haruka is the kaichou slayer, she attracts all the kaichous (and their little sisters) with her oppai!
  • Don’t switch to Kotone-chan now, Harukaaaa!
  • Yuzu quietly makes her case for best girl by dancing without a care and then being heartbroken when no one was paying attention to her. Fortunately, Shikuzu is a good girl. D’aawwww!
  • Ohhh, so that’s what Mitsuki’s oppai are made of. Yummy!

Check out my blog about storytelling and the novel I’m writing at stiltsoutloud.com. The last four posts: The easiest to not do, Realism, cynicism, & the unreasonable man, Weak business models, and Combat scenes – Blocking & initiative order.

Full-length images: 05, 06, 36.

 

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27 Comments

  1. The real reason behind pudding craze made me laugh. But there is some serious stuff in this silly series, Mitsuki is really shaken by her realization of love for Haruka. I know the extent of my own shock with my own (straight) sexuality after strict catholic upbringing. So I can imagine how shocked must be that straight-laced kaichou with sudden realisation she desires someoene – and a girl, to make things even more complicated.

    ewok40k
  2. Internal voice: The yuri side of the Force is the pathway to many things that some consider pleasurable.

    Mitsuki’s conscience: Will it make Harupopp mine?

    Internal voice: Why yes…..

    c2710
  3. Watch out, future Kotone husband, and I hope you’re gay yourself, because otherwise you’re cruising for a very unsatisfying life as Kotone’s beard.

    You lost me, why would the fiance have to be gay to be able to have a satisfying life?

    Longhaul
    1. I think the statement meant that he would need to seek out sexual satisfaction elsewhere, because he would not be getting any from Kotone, because she would still be secretly keeping Shizuku as her lover.

      Wanderer
      1. Yeah, Wanderer’s version would work fine too, I just feel like the whole beard thing works better if both parties truly aren’t interested in each other. Instead of “I can’t have her, so I better find an alternative,” it’s “I don’t want you and you don’t want me, but this is convenient for both of us because SOCIETY.” Something like that.

        Or they could just come out and not have to worry about it. That’s the actual best end. Kotone just isn’t broadcasting that she’s going to choose that path.

        Stilts
    2. Either gay or straight I see this as a traditional Japanese marriage. For appearances and to produce children. Everything I have seen on Japanese couture going way way back is that gay and all types of sex are ok to do as long as you marry opposite sex and not show the other in normal public places. I still remember the episode of a historical period anime I loved (can’t recall the name with two warriors and a girl) where the Dutch Ambassador is thrilled that in Japan it is ok to be gay. (Japanese culture was even more sexually free before us westerners interfered but still in private Japan leads the world in kink as far as I can tell, like in many areas the Japanese act way different in private than they will admit to doing for the public)

      But I agree with Stilts that being gay for the man would be way better as having a woman in your life that you can sleep with only when trying to have children but know it will never be anything else would suck if you were straight, even if you took lovers. If you were gay it would be an equally miserable chore.

      RedRocket
  4. How do you top a public kiss in front of fireworks? Why by kissing in the gym during dance class of course. How no one saw that happening is beside me, likely needs to be chalked up to the significant coercing power of yuri.

    Weaker episode again, but the kissing was definitely passionate to say the least. Only topped by Mitsuki’s realization that she is in fact a lesbian and Sumisumi’s love of all things big and bouncy. I laughed more though at Mitsuki’s lack of reaction when Sumisumi felt her up, she literally did not notice/did not care. Yeah Mitsuki is definitely on the side of moar yuri, no matter what words pop out of that mouth.

    Pancakes
  5. Despite her late appearance, I like SumiSumi already. With her eccentric way of talking, and her doing what all of us wanted to do all along: Grabbing Haruka’s and Mitsuki’s boobs. 😀
    https://randomc.net/image/Sakura%20Trick/Sakura%20Trick%20-%2011%20-%20Large%2016.jpg
    https://randomc.net/image/Sakura%20Trick/Sakura%20Trick%20-%2011%20-%20Large%2039.jpg

    She’s even got Mitsuki figuring out her own lesbo-love for Haruka.

    Haruka and Yuu have been kissing in public places for so many times, it’s quite amazing that it’s only now that someone saw them.

    Finally, Shizuku getting patted on the head is just too cute. <3
    https://randomc.net/image/Sakura%20Trick/Sakura%20Trick%20-%2011%20-%20Large%2012.jpg

    I'm so gonna miss this show for my weekly sweetness feed.

    echykr
    1. Finally caught up with this wonderful Yuri series. This first with a great amount of kissing, heck I have not seen any anime with this much kissing on the lips. And my second Stilts series to comment on. If it’s Stilts I tend to love it if Stilts does even before I know Stilts blogged it.

      Haruka you protest to much! I can tell by your blush when your oppai are grabbed that your are embarrassed and getting too turned on to be conferrable with the feeling at school. I’m sure if Yuu ran her hand up your shirt in private and touched them slow you would have a different opinion.
      Finally to have a kissing yuri series is wonderful. Margot and Malga in Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon as a sexually active yuri teenaged couple openly living together still have the couples in this show beat for being out there though. They also own best yuri kiss but being angles with wings floating in the sky kissing makes that comparison unfair.

      Ah I love Japan home to class S where all girls were for awhile were expected to explore the yuri side when young. Class S is still alive as proved by suggestive AKB48 ad with the girls open mouth kissing in bedroom wear. Class S is also proven in AKB0048 and other anime where when two girls are caught in an embrace in a room sex is assumed. Yes on the surface Class S is not actually supposed to include physical action but I take that as the typical Japanese trend of not admitting to something in public but assuming sex is included in private. One of the fun things once I learned this two side Japanese view on sex is with the traditional yuri glasses show knowing that Japanese are for the most part assuming sex is going on and that it is not just a tease. I have actually came to the view that unless direct statements or indications are made that characters are not having sex that there is a very good chance the characters are having sex and it is just not shown.

      Yes there is a tragic side of Class S and other straight forbidden love situations in that the couple is not allowed to live together openly even though them seeing each other for secret get togethers is ok. In stories where couples are separated I see that more a worry that the couple by becoming obvious will not conform to normal Japanese tradition and marry who they are supposed to than a worry about the couple having sex.

      RedRocket
      1. I am right now marathoning Simoun, a glorious epic of Sci-Fantasy air combat where pairs of adolescent females pilot planes powered up by kissing before flight. I am amazed I did manage to completely miss this series back in the time when it aired…

        ewok40k
  6. Damn you, Sumisumi, doing what we’re all thin-

    …I mean, what an eventful episode! Given how bold they got during the series, it’s no surprise Haruka and Yuu were finally caught. And by Yuu’s sister, of all things. Who finally realises her feelings as well! Seems this show is going to end with a bang after all.

    I agree with you that overblown drama would’ve dragged this show down at this point, and given the personalities of our main duo, it wouldn’t fit anyway. These two are waaay too attached to let some naysayers pull them apart, and I liked Kotone’s advice about how to just proceed as normal.

    Not to mention I think part of Mitsuki’s dissaproval was already jealousy under the excuse of cultural norms and protecting her sister. Jealousy both because her sister’s happy with her sexuality ánd because she’s Haruka’s girlfriend. She fits the ‘armoured closet gay’ part of the spectrum anyway – after all, it hasn’t been uncommon for some anti-gay types to be gay themselves. This show likes having a variety of types of yuri, after all. It’s good that she admitted to her feelings herself, though, before her dissaproval spirals out of hand. OT3, make it happen!

    As for Yuzu, she’s just a baka, I think. She’s like a dog who constantly needs attention, so she’s probably still oblivious. I do wonder about Kaede’s reaction when the cards are on the table though. Though I guess she’d just laugh and go ‘I knew it’.

    Onwards to the yurilicious conclusion! OT3! OT3!

    Dvalinn
  7. I got sounds currently working for 3 of the scenes. There’s 17 scenes in the update currently. not everything will have sound. doing sounds old school style where audio is chopped into parts. I am behind on reading comments, will check later today.

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