「亜人ちゃんは支えたい」 (Demichan wa Sasaetai)
“Demi-chan Wants To Support”

This episode was absolutely amazing. I’ve been thinking we needed a bit of a paradigm shift and this episode was exactly that. I’ll catch you after the break after I finish wiping my face.

Life Is Never Easy

Man, I’m not sure where I want to even start with this one. So many things were flowing through my mind as this episode played out that had I done a better job of documenting them, I could probably write a mini-thesis on how we could improve the world if we had a way of producing teachers like Takahashi. But that’d honestly be no fun and instead I’d like to talk about the mere fact that we finally got to see Takahashi run into a bump in the road.

As the de facto “main” character that has nearly no faults and is ikemen of the show, I’ve been curious how Demi-chan would handle giving Takahashi some struggles. In terms of personality and character type, it felt like there was no chink in his perfect armor that the story could exploit for some good storytelling. That and when you really think about it, on a personal level we don’t know much more about him than he’s a very caring person and goes out of his way to help people close to him. So for a character that seems nearly perfect I was very surprised how well the show managed to use an outside force to really expand Takahashi as a character. In the form of a strict vice principal (who ends up being a pretty upstanding guy in his own right) whose only previous appearance was last week (I suppose to set things up for this week), I was surprised by just how powerful his words were. For both Takahashi and myself, I quickly started thinking about all negative impacts being a bit too involved with someone else’s life could be and I think it was right around when Takahashi closed his door in-front of Hikari when I realized things could start heading down a really dark path. Toss in how Takahashi started to picture our girls overcoming their struggles without his help and I could start to feel my eyes get a little watery.

But What Goes Around, Comes Around

But in true Demi-chan fashion, HIkari managed to come up with just the right thing to help lift up Takahashi. With a heartfelt video that had some awfully loving words from Yuki, Kyouko, and Satou-sensei I could feel my chest puffing up in happiness as my tear ducts started to push out liquid. Because as corny as a thank you video might be, there was something just so endearing about everyone’s recording that you could genuinely feel the appreciation and love that they all had for Takahashi. And as if the show needed to confirm my feelings, I nearly lost it when they actually showed Takahashi about to cry.

However, it didn’t even end there. With Hikari characteristically showing up at just the right time, I really appreciate the show using her to help drive everyone else’s point home. With no shame, watching her yell out everyone’s true feelings to Takahashi I doubt there was a person out there who didn’t feel the same way that Takahashi did.

And after all of that, the show still wasn’t done coming full circle. When Takahashi came running up to the Vice Principal with the confidence to tell him to politely fuck back off, who would have thought that the Vice Principal instead would have not only apologized for his previous comments but also commend Takahashi for his efforts?!

God, if this wasn’t the definition of a fantastic and nearly perfect episode I don’t know what the word perfect means anymore.

Looking Ahead

Without making this post any longer, I’ll catch you guys next week where we’ll maybe get our traditional beach episode! Until then, stay safe and make sure to keep a lot of tissues hear you. Cheers!

 

Preview

20 Comments

  1. How do you appoligize to an anime character? Gomen nasal Vice principle! I thought you were going to be a prude who would chastise Sensei for being to familiar with the kids. Instead you were thinking about what was best for the kids development! And you even had a change of heart when you saw that what you were afraid was going to be a problem had already resolved itself. He may not smile much but he’s got a damn big heart.

    Damn, Satou-sensi asked him out and then chickened out and made a joke out of it. Bad girl! No cookie (and no dato).

    Frankly I though this was the last episode. Certainly seemed like it given how it played out. Almost made it anticlimactic.

    Bear
    1. If she did, she’d unleash a nosebleed epidemic the likes of which haven’t been seen since High School DxD first hit the airwaves.

      And it would be glorious.

      That said, (and as mentioned in my episode 7 comment) I’d love to see Satou-sensei, Machi and perhaps Yuki get a luminescent blush over a topless Takahashi-sensei wearing only board shorts–or swim trunks like the lads of Free! (c’mon, equal-opportunity fanservice for the ladies, too)–with Hikari teasing her demi companions over that reaction (while secretly getting a luminescent blush herself when her friends and Takahashi-sensei aren’t looking).

      Incognito
  2. This really felt like a season finale and it would hhave beeen a really good on imo. Seems next week’s episode, the real finale, will end things on a more comedy (and fanservice-y?) note instead. Will definitely miss this show.

    Chisel
  3. *sniff* ;_; I was actually believing Taki-sensei’s support for the demis was over. And the VP did have a point, which made this problem all the more believable- Taki-sensei WAS doing it mainly out of his own self-interests, he just happened to be damn good as doing it, but he sought no official school permission to do so. Why did the VP have to think this?? Demis are already different by nature, and at times they have to get all the support they need. The ending shows they have the ability to make friends like normal people on their own, but they need extra support only when they need it, and they really do. I do think Taki-sensei may have been coddling them a BIT too much, but everyone got benefits out of it, and I’m sad to realize we have our first antagonist of the show…. if only for this episode. Hikari is wise beyond her years. She knew exactly what would cheer him up, and her advice at the end was very mature. This really did bring a tear to my eyes. It was truly beautiful.

    starss
  4. ALL MY FEELS.

    The other thing that strikes me about this show, is the virtue of taking a simple idea and doing it well. A well-written show with engaging characters and good performances from the cast. Who could ask for anything more? Except, well, more! 😉

    momerathe
  5. I have to watch this in the middle of night so that my family don’t see me balling my eyes out. Anyway, this is such a heartfelt episode.

    I’m gonna go stock up some blood packs for next week’s episode cause it’s BEACH EPISODE Y’ALL!!! I hope Satou sensei can let those ‘gals’ out for some fun, if you know what mean 😀

    Bored_Onlooker
  6. Did anyone noticed how perfect was Machi’s facial expressions’ when she did her part of the video? They matched what her words completely. When she was describing the time Takahashi scolded her, she had a sad and melancholy look, for example.

    I think the animators and the seiyuu really did a great job! It’s all the more commendable because unlike Yuki, Sakki and Hikari which had comedic and more intense facial expressions, Machi’s was more mild and it’s not easy to draw/emote her feelings.

    sv
  7. This show never stops surprising me in pleasant ways. Good to see that the VP isn’t a textbook example of the “Humans Are Bastards” trope despite his apparent antagonistic setup.

    And I did feel Takahashi-sensei’s pain when he was asked by the VP not to meddle too much in the affairs of his young demi charges, as it felt like he lost a purpose in life that he finally found and loves to do: Helping demi students adjust to normal human society.

    Which makes the whole sequence later on that much more heartwarming.

    Incognito
  8. Ep 12:

    R.I.P. Satake 🙂

    Good mood for the final episode, and also good work from the Water Drops CGI team in Part B. It feel not out of place. Congrats from me

    Let’s hope the Anime get the necessary success for an 2nd season. But then we need Manga content first!! 🙂

    It was a nice ride, thank you

    Worldwidedepp

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