「先輩と僕らの。」 (Senpai to Bokura no)
“Sempai’s and ours.”

This is, simply put, one of the best love stories I’ve ever had the extreme pleasure of experiencing. The earnest feelings, the fragile first loves, and each and every character doing their best to reach for their dreams and stay true to themselves…it is fantastic. I don’t think I can say that enough. Truly fantastic. Truly.

Okay, gushing time over, objective time is now. For any of you Kaito x Ichika shippers out there, this episode is your reward. Often times shows will stop right at the point where a couple gets together, but a select few will take us past that and show us what they’re like together. That’s the reward, the sweet moments of cavity-inducing romance that make all the trouble they went through oh so worth it. And yes my friends, this was ohhhh so worth it. I don’t think I need to tell you that every time Kaito and Ichika were on-screen, I was rolling around on the floor clutching a body pillow and squealing like a third-grader at a Barney concert. And no, that’s not gushing. That’s just science fact.

The other half of the episode was centered around our tragic three, Kanna, Tetsuro, and Mio. Now, love triangles are tricky things, and love pentagons even more so. Bad feelings are liable to crop up when characters realize that they’re not going to get picked. The thing I love about this episode is that there’s none of that. Each character is so selfless that they would rather hurt themselves than blame others for their pain. But more than that, this episode flushes away the bad feelings as the final two stragglers, Tetsuro and Kanna, finally get their feelings out in the open.

Okay, I’m really trying not to gush here, but that? Fantastic. Those two were faced with serious regret – Tetsuro for hoping that Ichika-sempai would end up taking Kaito, thereby making Kanna available, as she ended up doing, while Kanna was struck with the realization that she had waited too long and had missed her chance. The two of them were beginning to hate themselves for their mistakes, which could have poisoned the feelings of the series. Yet it did not, because they did the right thing – though perhaps late, they went ahead and finally did what they should have done long ago, and confessed. Characters striving to be the best they can, to have no regrets, and to reach out for their happiness…these feelings were conveyed on the screen beautifully. I’m not being successful at stopping the gushing, am I?

Of course, there was also Mio, with her silently stalking ways. For a girl who used to be so shy that she talked to no one, she sure has become awfully strong. Yet her character’s evolution was so well done that this strength seems so right. I’m really having trouble finding anything to pick apart about this show. It’s like a master’s course in “How to do it properly” for a romance.

And yet, in the last few seconds the wonderful serenity that came from everyone’s feelings finally being out in the open was threatened by the long-anticipated (and perhaps dreaded, depending on your ship) arrival of one of Ichika’s alien cohort, her older sister. Will she take Ichika back or allow her to stay? I have no idea. Everything is out in the open, but nothing has been resolved. The same fundamentals facts that have been in place for most of this show still hold true: someone is going to get hurt, and we have no idea who it will be. Yet this episode gives me hope that, no matter who gets left out in the cold, they’ll be better off for the experience, because if nothing else they will have learned a valuable lesson: to be honest with how they feel, so they can live their lives with no regrets.

Seriously, this show? Fantastic. Truly, truly, truly fantastic. Science fact.

 

Preview

248 Comments

    1. With an odd amount of cast members chasing each other, it is inevitable, but I truly love how this does not affect their friendship. The fact that they’ve known each other for so long makes them really care about each other so much that even if they get hurt, they remain so strong. SUCH HUMAN CHARACTERS.

      End3rr
    2. Ichika could get taken away by her sister, then Kanna gets Kaito, Mio gets Tetsuro, and poof you have a happy ending!

      I seriously doubt that’ll happen, but it’s still a possibility!

      The Doc
      1. That is only a happy ending for two of 5 characters. Mio and Kanna both get the boys they want, but the boys don’t get the girls they want and Ichika loses her love as well. So no, its not “poof”.

        Bijyu
    3. you have 3 girls and 2 boys who all like each other in a pentagram if you will. Someone is GOING to be hurt. Only way out of this is for one person to not get the person they want (and be hurt) or one girl leave the show (in a spaceship or feet first in a box).

      Karmafan
      1. Don’t know why ppl keep getting the idea that once Ichika leave, Kanna gets Kaito. I can almost be certain that won’t happen even if Ichika leave. Kaito just not interested in Kanna that way, either he either up with Ichika or he be alone, there won’t be an option 3.

        mike
      2. Nah, More like Mio and Kanna. We know for a fact Mio has slept nake with Kanna more than a few times. That’s the ideal ending but we all know it would never happen, Oh and Kiato would also have to die to make it ideal.

        Seven
  1. Oh god this series kicked down the door to my top 10 faves of all time and its climbing up the list every episode! can’t wait to see what her sister’s reaction will be!

    Daniell
    1. Agreed. I was tentatively excited about this show before the season starts (because I never let myself anticipate things too much), but I never expected it to become one of my top two romances of all time. It’s been a good surprise, though!

      Stilts
    2. I wasn’t even going to watch this until RC picked it up! Glad this was covered as it definitely turned out to be one of my all time favorites- I’d even say close to Clannad and beating Toradora!

      Kmainichi
  2. Oh! I get it now!
    We’re suppose to hate Ichika and kiato, While they’re making out and doing stupid stuff every other main character is suffering to the point of tears.
    Clearly so we don’t care when Kiato dies from lack of kissing Ichika and Ichika accidentally crashes into the sun.
    Well played writers; well played

    Seven
    1. It’s good to hear about the more negative aspect of the story, and it would actually be a great topic to talk about. If you can do me a favor and subtract the sarcasm and re-word these sentences, then we would actually have a truly interesting discussion. ^ ^

      End3rr
    2. Huh? what are you talking about. I was not being sarcastic at all. There is no way the writers can expect us to still like Kiato and Ichika after everything they put all the other characters through, so clearly the only good way to end the series would be to kill those two off, And because we already hate them for being tools to everyone else we don’t care. That way the show still gets good ratings

      Seven
      1. I see, I do understand where you’re coming from, this is true because of my own personal experience I’ve been a Kanna before, there’s always been a Kanna in us and its those experiences that actually make us grow. To accept the fact that we aren’t always going to get what we want. Ofcourse, were gonna be depressed about it, but the fact that she understood that their years of friendship is alot more important, is what we should learn as we bounce back from those depressing moments. BUT you gotta understand that there’s also a Kaito in us, you know, that moment when you finally get what you want despite all the obstacles while also being straightforward enough to face the ones we hurt in the process. We can’t hate on Kaito and Ichika for what they have because I believe that they deserve it. That my friend is what I think this show is about.

        End3rr
      2. Haters will hate.
        When faced with this dilemma, someone will definitely get hurt. Kaito chased after what he wanted, better than choosing Kanna just for convenience. Ichika accepted her own feelings. And the remaining three characters in the end respects two for it, for being honest.

        Leon
      3. Who ever said I hated the show? I just hate Kiato. He goes around hurting people left and right, and all because he is just out right stupid. How is it that everyone else can read each other like a book, but he can’t? Even further than that he was straight up told how Kanna felt and did nothing. Kiato is bad protagonist and person, end of story.

        Seven
      4. …. I wish not everything had to be said in black and white.
        Ok, I don’t think Kanna should end up with Kiato because he’s a retard. The problem is how he and Ichika handled everything. Just because Kiato and Ichika are both ignorant and stupid for not being able to see what everyone else sees they managed to hurt every other person in the story.

        God… having to spell things out for you again

        Seven
      5. Like really, that one guys sister spent at most five minutes of screen time with the other characters and she figured out what was happening.
        I guess I’m just mean for not forgiving being stupid

        Seven
      6. LOL WHAT!?!

        So you are saying it is my responsibility if some guy I haven’t even met start raging all over the net because his long time crush became my girlfriend? Is that it? Am I stupid because I didn’t notice that? That, my friend, is dumb.

        The Moondoggie
      7. Let’s even up the situation. Is it my responsibility if my female friend is still butt hurt after saying that I like her friend more than her?

        LOLZ at that. It’s NOT Kaito’s responsibility. It’s Kanna’s and co. problem if they cannot move on.

        The Moondoggie
      8. If anything you are good for a laugh. Between your god awful english and faulty logic you’re pretty amusing.
        I honestly don’t see how you are still missing this. They are not strangers they are a close group of friends; hence how everyone but Kiato and Ichika knew how every other person felt, and yes it kind of is a friends responsibility to notice the others feelings and not hurt them.
        Ok fine lol it’s not Ichika’s fault. She’s an alien and does not know human culture, But what’s Kiato’s excuse? brain damage because he’s actually dead?

        Seven
      9. Are you dumb? Why would he need an excuse? Is it his fault that they are all hurt from this? No. Should it matter to him now? No. And why is that? Because it’s not his responsibility. Why would it matter to him, he already flat out stated he likes Ichika. If anyone’s at fault it’s Kanna’s for still having feelings for the guy even though she knows who he likes.

        And if anyone has a problem with grammar, its you, who spells “Kaito” as “Kiato”.

        If you still have any problems, GTFO!

        The Moondoggie
      10. Lol I’m sorry. You are just to much. Kiato never said he like Ichika to anyone before the last episode. Not including the chick at the beach(because she never said anything else about it to anyone). It seems really pointless to talk to you though. lol. Every point made you just ignore and it goes over your head. Then you respond with the same thing just re worded a bit.
        And you’re come back for me calling you stupid is calling me dumb? what are you five? Oh and grammar has nothing to do with how I spell some obscure asian name, I know sorry I’m not giving you much to insult other than I’m not a nice person.

        Seven
      11. Obscure Asian Name? LOLZ, this just proves that you, sir, are a dork, who seems to can’t even remember a name, or type it, right.

        And what about your username, Seven? Very artistic. Almost the same as a name a three-year old kid would give his cat.

        And no, I get the point that you are harping about, only that I think that YOU HARPING ABOUT IT IS THE DUMBEST THING I EVER HEARD!… TODAY.

        The Moondoggie
      12. “dork”
        Lol you have to be doing this on purpose, I say you’re five and then you say I’m three; I say you repeat your self by rewording it and you say I’m “harping”. Notice a pattern? Really though I don’t care how his name is spelled nor should I, nor does it matter.
        Oh and my username? I guess I did say to find something else to insult in a roundabout way. Nah bro, my finger was just over the 7 key and I went with it, I use google@gmail.com to post here to if you want to make fun of that. I don’t have an account.

        Seven
      13. It’s a bit stupid to jump into such a juvenile discussion, but I guess I will anyway. Kanna has mainly herself to blame as her main interest when the series started was for Kaito NOT to find out her feelings. It’s not really strange that she managed that until it was too late. It’s a lot easier for bystanders to see how it actually are because they can see how someone will act differently around the one they love. But the loved one doesn’t have that advantage as they are obviously always around when they meet the one that is trying to hide their feelings and wont see how they are ‘normally’.

        In the end so should you when you are in love be less worried about your loved one finding out and be more worried about them not finding out.

        Znail
      14. holy hell there are a lot of missing words and comas in there, but I think I get what you are trying to say. The fact is that because we are watching and know both sides of the story it is easier for us to form an objective opinion, because we know what the characters don’t know. It has almost nothing to do with how Kanna is acting around anyone, it is blatantly obvious to the entire cast that she likes him except Kiato and Ichika(because they’re retarded). Now while you are right paying attention to the person you like is the obvious thing to do Kaito knew from early on in the series how Kanna felt and just chose ignored it. While it is acceptable like Ichika it is not acceptable to know that Kanna liked him and not confront her about it until after he was together with Ichika. What I don’t like is how he made every one suffer more than necessary just because he is to stupid to see obvious signs.

        Seven
      15. Booo! Another sign of stupidity. Ichika knows. He overheard the guys conversation two(or was it three?) episodes ago. Go watch it again.

        Or maybe, you aren’t watching at all?

        The Moondoggie
      16. SHE over herd them, and I did not mention it because it’s not relevant to what I was talking about. Again you are just calling me dumb (what I called you), Might as well just say “no you!”

        Seven
      17. Not relevant? You are saying Ichika doesn’t know. Yet you do confirm she did overhear the conversation. So technically, you do confirm she knows.

        Conflicting statements aren’t good for you, troll.

        The Moondoggie
      18. You’re the one who is annoying: can’t you see everyone down voted your posts.

        And what are you talking about? Didn’t you specifically said:

        “…it is blatantly obvious to the entire cast that she likes him except Kiato and Ichika(because they’re retarded).”

        And:

        “SHE overheard them…”(I fixed your grammar here: you were missing an “a”)

        LOL. Here are two conflicting statements, that came out of your keyboard.

        The Moondoggie
      19. I say mean things. I expect to get down voted, Way to mix up your apples and bananas again.
        Guess I’ll have ti quot my self from only one post again “learn to read in context”

        Seven
    3. Not sure I get where you’re coming from at all. You hate them because they followed their hearts and got together despite how it might hurt their friends? They like each other, so they should be together, it’s not their fault that everyone can’t have a happy ending. It’s also not like they were all in everyone’s face about it, they were home alone.

      What would you prefer? Everyone continues to stifle the feelings and they never grow as friends or people?

      Tez
    4. Lol “following their hearts”

      Sorry. I’m not even going to dignify what you said with a real response. Far to many cliché statements to take you even a little seriously

      Seven
      1. as someone who’s been on the losing end of a similar situation, despite your feelings on the matter “the heart wants what the heart wants.” call it a cliché all you want, but that’s how it works in the real world. no matter how strong your feelings are for someone you can’t just force a relationship onto them, that’s not a cliché that’s a fact. if they don’t feel the same way about you, there’s nothing you can do to change that.

        so to me, this episode was damn well executed. the characters got a chance to express themselves and they can now move on. love isn’t something that you can control, so it’s pretty damn childish to hate a couple because “they put other people through emotional turmoil.” that’s just life. you win, you lose, and if you lose you have to learn to deal with it and move on.

        a fallout would only really occur if they weren’t real friends in the first place. what’s my situation? i confessed to a high school friend when we were in college, rejected. she got married a little over a year ago, we’re still close friends.

        frankly, the only negative thing i’d have to say about this show is that the characters are acting WAY TOO mature for their age. i remember back in high school everyone was petty and i imagine high school kids today are still just as petty.

        RickyMack
      2. Maybe I need to work on the clarity of my statements or something, Because everything you just said was completely irrelevant. The concept of “following one’s heart” is all fine and dandy, but talking like a catholic after school special while trying to pose and argument just makes you look bad. There are better ways to phrase it is pretty much all I was saying.

        Seven
    5. “dork”
      Lol you have to be doing this on purpose, I say you’re five and then you say I’m three; I say you repeat your self by rewording it and you say I’m “harping”. Notice a pattern? Really though I don’t care how his name is spelled nor should I, nor does it matter.
      Oh and my username? I guess I did say to find something else to insult in a roundabout way. Nah bro, my finger was just over the 7 key and I went with it, I use google@gmail.com to pose here to if you want to make fun of that. I don’t have an account.

      Seven
      1. Oh you noticed? Well since you, sir, is something I consider as a classic troll, I won’t need formalities or subtleties now would I… because, you know, you’re just trolling.

        And don’t deny it: You are obviously complaining about something that isn’t really there.(Saying it’s Kaito’s responsibility that Kanna is butthurt, LOL.)

        So come on out and just admit you are trolling so I can slay you already.

        The Moondoggie
      2. Eh… nice try trying to play it off like you did it on purpose, but that would only work if I could not read every other post you have ever posted, and see that you talk like that all the time. “A” for effort though. Also, good attempt to try and type more grammatically correct, But far to many commas.
        and Oh my god….. “So come on out and just admit you are trolling >>>so I can slay you already<<<" you're clearly one of those people who think it's cool to be blatantly nerdy in public, and that is really sad.
        Please, if trolling is not agreeing with everyone that Kiato is a good protagonist I guess I'm moving under a bridge.

        Seven
      3. What so bad about being nerdy, huh? What’s wrong about being that? Well, I guess that you seem to like stupid jocks better. Mind you, a nerd who works for the government is more useful than a jock who plays football…

        Hey, I love myself, both as a fan and as a nerd.

        And yeah, I’m this way because, frankly, I hate trolls and view all haters as trolls and that trolls are not subject to human rights. So if you are a troll or is trolling then, guess what: To me, you’re a piece of trash.

        Because, hey! What’s your purpose on trashing a good show? Just for the lulz?

        The Moondoggie
      4. “I hate trolls and view all haters as trolls”
        You pretty much just said “hi i’m an idot”, hating something is not trolling, you could have just said “I hate apples and view all bananas as apples” and it would have amounted to the same thing.
        Once again you just ignore things already said. I think the show is fine, and I’m not “trashing” (you mean bashing) on a good show, I’m “trashing” on a bad character in it.
        Oh and yes acting like the stereotypical nerd in public is bad, I’m a bioengineering major and I also do sports, nothing says you can’t be both.

        Seven
      5. And? Nobody says you can’t just choose only one either.

        “Bad character” as in “someone you can’t approve, because he got some female friend hurt by choosing another woman over her?” LOLZ. Man, I pity your girlfriend: dating her because you pity her? Damn….

        The Moondoggie
      6. Oh my god lol. I really think you can’t read. I’ve said a few times now that I DON’T think Kanna should be with him, and that the problem is Kiato is a tool for MAKING EVERYONE ELSE SUFFER MORE THAN IS NEEDED. NOT who he is dating.
        Anyway; I’m done with this I’ve said everything that needed to be said to prove my point. If you still can’t get it bro go ask your mom or dad to teach you how to read.

        Seven
      7. Man look at all those down votes bro, it must mean you are really annoying lol, Oh wait! one has nothing to do with the other.
        Anyway, Let’s start over.
        Riddle me this: you said it’s not Kiato’s fault that everyone got hurt, and it’s not his responsibility. But I say it is, because he’s suppose to be their friend. If friends are not suppose to look out for each others feelings; what’s you definition of a friend?

        Seven
      8. LOL, and you didn’t use another email and spammed my post with down votes… five times?

        Uhuh… so immature.

        If he is their friend, if they consider Kaito as their friend, they will understand his decision to date Ichika. Or is your brain too weak to understand that.

        The Moondoggie
      9. Man you are trying so hard to sell the hate=troll thing it’s funny.
        Friendship is one sided as is, and that’s the problem. Kiato never though about anyone but himself even after her heard about Kanna. Oh and for about the tenth time lol. This has NOTHING to do with who is dating who, and you also did not answer the question about what a friend is.
        Also what’s with all this hate, I said let’s start over. We can be bros.
        wait….. if you hate me and hate makes you a troll… oh snap! We should just make up so you don’t have to be a troll

        Seven
      10. And what should he think, Kaito I mean? Should he have dated Kanna? Should he be thinking “Man, if I date Ichika everyone will start crying?” LOL. Then what is the point of a romcom, dumbass! Because if not isn’t he free to date Ichika? Funny how you are saying it doesn’t have anything to do with who is dating who when the reason Kanna is crying is because Kaito IS DATING Ichika.

        And it’s OK to hate trolls and haters. It’s like “it’s OK to kill murderers and rapists.”

        The Moondoggie
      11. Man bro, So much hate. You are clearly trolling, what a hypocrite. And it’s pretty simple how it has nothing to do with who he is dating. If kiato had just talked to Kanna relativity soon after finding out how she felt Kanna would not have had to directly tell Ichika that Kiato liked her, thus saving a lot of heartache.
        And you need to chill on all the hate bro, can’t be good for your health. You already admitted you are a super nerd so I can only assume you are not in good physical condition making your health even worse. Relax homeslice, it’s the internet; No need to get so worked up.

        Seven
      12. Wow, “hypocrite” huh? Then the people are hypocrite for sending a murderer to the death row?

        Stop trying to weasel your way out of it.

        And that move you are asking of Kaito to talk to Kanna is more laughable: you’ll just make it look like Kaito feels sorry for Kanna that he didn’t choose her over Ichika. Sorry to say to you, the director of this show has years of success in his belt. He did the right thing, and it actually created more drama, which was the intended effect. Your idea would make it lame.

        Or maybe you didn’t like how Kaito dumped your favorite character and made her cry. Boo-hoo. Everyone can see it was going to happen since episode 1, this being a romcom. It’s Kanna’s job to cry, forgive and forget and move on.

        And I won’t thank you for thinking about my health because even if I am a geek, I’m still built like a tank and can take, and throw, a few blows.

        The Moondoggie
      13. Lol you have a real problem recognizing sarcasm and relevance don’t you, We’ve been in a very similar situation before. In fact more that once, but any way. I like how you gave up on trying to sell hate = troll and moved on to killing convicted murderers, the attempt is nice to bad it’s way out of context.
        It’s silly how spiteful you are, you always respond to my post in a negative way. The idea of stopping a problem before it seems pretty logical in my book. But hey that’s just me. It is also so silly how you are trying so hard to find insults to use. I’ve said a few times now I don’t think Kanna should be with kiato, but you just like to ignore it so you have something more to say. Though I will at least give you credit for keeping this up so long even though you have not made one valid point with a reason other than your opinion backing it.
        Tanks = Heavy and slow, So you’re agreeing your fat? kay’
        You: Four push-ups and sit-ups in the morning, Yeah ripped as hell. get on my level.

        Seven
      14. I think you are the one ignoring context here. I never said anything about Kaito dating Kanna in my last post… What I said that Kaito talking to Kanna right now saying “Sorry, I like Ichika” is dumb and would just serve to make Kanna cry even more.

        And well, since you are a stupid troll, I do expect you to fail making intelligent guesses like what you did right now with “built like a tank = fat”. Probably you are all muscle and no brain.

        The Moondoggie
      15. It was the first sentence of your second paragraph
        “Or maybe you didn’t like how Kaito dumped your favorite character and made her cry”
        And that’s relevance not context. Sorry…. close though
        Yet again the sarcasm just goes right over your head with the whole tank thing.

        Seven
      16. Hmm. Well maybe if you just flat out say what you want to say instead of going roundabout with sarcasms, pretending to have a brain, maybe you’ll be understood more.

        Like this:

        “I think your idea to blame Kaito for Kanna’s tears is stupid and you are just bashing a good show because it hurts you.”

        The Moondoggie
      17. I forget what it was, It was when I said Rukia from bleach looked like a dude is when you started you bickering at me, right?
        It’s cool Moondoggie; my bro. I know you just want to be friends, and chill with that. It does not matter to me if you can’t tell the difference between relevance and context, or if you can’t see blatant sarcasm, or if you think opinions that don’t agree with the norm are all trolls. I can accept you for who you are. /bro hug

        Seven
      18. “if you think opinions that don’t agree with the norm are all trolls.”

        Well maybe if trolls just keep shut about it, I won’t go into troll-slaying mode, you smurf.

        The Moondoggie
      19. @Da5id

        You’d be surprised: I could still remember my first downloaded subbed anime, the people I met at the defunct Franky-House scanlation forum, even the argument of pros vs con about Negima!?(made by SHAFT) in this here blog. I could still remember how I would mistake Omni’s post for Divine’s and vice versa.

        The Moondoggie
      20. Though I’m confused as to what you slayed. I was not trolling nor did you make any valid points lol. From watching you stumble all over your self non stop all day I find it really hard to believe you could “slay” any troll. Well I guess if the if they are dumb too you could slay them.

        Seven
      21. No, no. You don’t get it. It’s the term I use to describe the act of shooing(I hell want to say Shuu-ing) away trolls like you away from perfectly good sites like this where everyone is usually… positive.

        And you, sir, are the one doing the stumbling. You can’t even express what you want to say straight. Or even give a reason for it. I don’t think you even have a valid reason for posting what you posted.

        The Moondoggie
      22. I actually gave a lot of reasons, you just don’t take in anything you read. i.e. I used the words sarcasm and tank in the same sentence but you still thought I was talking about the show. All and all you lack the basic skill sets to hold up a complex conversation or argument.
        The most you do for retorts is “no you”, In order to “shoo” someone you need to hold the upper hand in the conversation, which you have shown time and time again that you can’t do. You can’t differentiate between the context of something and the relevance it holds, two very basic skills you need. Sorry I’m not trying to be mean you just never back up anything you say with facts, you only state your opinions as if they were facts.
        Also, If everyone was positive life would be pretty boring

        Seven
      23. AH, so you were trying to change the subject…

        So sorry, I forgot one rule about trolls like you retreating when it isn’t in their favor. And I do hold the upper hand: who among that posted against you agrees with you? No one. They all agree it isn’t Kaito’s fault.

        Oh and BTW: If everyone is positive, we won’t have had Hitler and 2 million+ Jews were not aimlessly killed.

        The Moondoggie
      24. I’m not sure why you keep saying anything about changing subjects. Shifting across multiple topics is a part of any conversation, and going back to a topic is also a simple matter. Lol. sorry if thinking about more than one thing is tough for you, I’m just a jock meat head, so I would not know.
        “retreating” huh? it’s almost like you ignored every post I’ve said all day. And I think you are missing something. Kiato being at fault is a fact, He could have handled the situation better, no questions asked. If it would make a better story or not is and opinion(this is me putting things in black and white for you again lol). It does not matter if everyone agrees with me or not, No one believed Columbus when he said the earth was not flat. Did not stop him from being right.
        Oh no! not two million Jewish people…. wait there is still a ton of them, so it’s not like that amounted to anything in the grand picture. I guess we got a history lesson at most.

        Seven
      25. It’s so funny, It’s practically like you can’t read. I’ve relied on nothing but facts to support what I say while you are the opposite, all you do is say how you think it is. Be honest, State one FACT you have used against me at any point during all this. Though it is pretty sad that you think you have “shown” me how my “opinion”(still not an opinion lol) is unwelcome. Regardless of anything you think or say you have done nothing but look stupid while I have done nothing but look like an ass, But in order to drive in my point about kiato a certain amount of crudeness is needed. Major difference is; I can read a conversation while you at best can read a full sentence. Sorry bro, just the way it is /<3

        Seven
      26. If you are saying that you have used facts against me then you are sadly mistaken. What fact would support that it was Kaito’s responsibility to apologize to Kanna?

        You haven’t stated any facts at all. That’s only your own sorry opinion.

        And you have(and I was waiting for it) forgotten my question earlier:

        “If they really are his friends…. Shouldn’t they understand Kaito’s decision to date Ichika?”

        If they really are friends, they would understand Kaito’s decision to date Ichika and avoid making him feel sorry.

        The Moondoggie
      27. Are you now purposely trying to make yourself look stupid? No where has the topic of apologizing, let alone the word, come up in this conversation at any point. I also already answered that question a while ago, good try, but mostly anyone who has read this has realized you can’t read.
        I’m curious to know how you think “kiato knows kanna likes him and then does nothing” is an opinion. I think you need a dictionary bro, this is just getting out of hand with the amount of sheer stupidity you say.

        P.S. only two more post to brake 200, Yeah GC status.

        Seven
      28. Are you now purposely trying to make yourself look stupid? No where has the topic of apologizing, let alone the word, come up in this conversation at any point. I also already answered that question a while ago, good try, but mostly anyone who has read this has realized you can’t read.

        Uh.. No you didn’t. You didn’t post anything that answers that question. All you did was try and steer the conversation away from that topic.

        I’m curious to know how you think “kiato knows kanna likes him and then does nothing” is an opinion. I think you need a dictionary bro, this is just getting out of hand with the amount of sheer stupidity you say.

        Uh.. no. Your point was somewhere here:

        Riddle me this: you said it’s not Kiato’s fault that everyone got hurt, and it’s not his responsibility. But I say it is, because he’s suppose to be their friend. If friends are not suppose to look out for each others feelings; what’s you definition of a friend?

        Meaning that you are pushing their responsibilities to Kaito(an opinion). To which I answered:

        If he is their friend, if they consider Kaito as their friend, they will understand his decision to date Ichika.

        The Moondoggie
      29. well bro, I’ve patronized you long enough. I got this thread where I wanted it to be(GC level), and you like to try and talk in circles because you think you are smart. I am so past bored with you it’s not even funny. If you want to try and out wit me again wait till the next episode of GC is posted.

        Seven
      1. Well, Stilts, I recommend that you should get used to it. I’ve seen worse at Divine’s Guilty Crown posts and I assume Divine (probably) never bothered by it. Their argument is pretty interesting and sometimes even gave us some new viewpoints about the show, so let them continue…

        Kusabi
      2. Sorry Stilts…

        But I’m perfectly fine calling Seven a retard…. for stupid reasons. At least I have reasons to.

        Promise I’ll make it up to you next season ; )

        The Moondoggie
      3. @Kusabi: I’m not really bothered by it. I just didn’t check this post for a while (b/c I was writing the Negima post), and when I finally did I was like “Ooo, lots of comments!” Then I saw this, Orz

        By all means, go on. I wouldn’t quibble over grammar and spelling too much, though…the only people who have to do those things properly are us writers ^^

        Stilts
      4. Funny how people get worked up over this. In the whole scheme of things, I ask “really”?

        I know we all love anime- but getting so antagonistic? It’s like a bad episode of Big Bang.

        Kmainichi
      5. I know right. So people just get so mad over the internet. But on a different note I’ve been looking for a new show to watch, is Big bang any good? I have watched all the big name shows like Dexter, Game of thrones, ect ect

        Seven
      6. My wife thinks it’s hilarious. It’s has some pretty good geek stereotypes- and throws us a lot of good geek insider jokes. I watch it on occasion and it definitely would not hurt to try it.

        Kmainichi
      7. Wow. This. I know I’m a little bit too late, but I really want to give my take on this. I can understand where Seven is coming from. If Kaito had confronted Kanna earlier about it, her suffering wouldn’t have been prolonged.

        However, I am actually pretty impressed that Seven actually hates Kaito. Impressed at the show actually. This goes to show that the characters here are “human” enough that they can be hated for a valid reason, which is a “human” fault.

        Now, I can relate with Seven. I dislike Kaito for what he did NOT do. But I can also relate with him, because I actually had been in his shoes long ago, a situation where I kinda knew someone liked me, but didn’t do anything.

        Which is why I can say, Seven may hate Kaito, and he can put the blame on him, but he can’t say it could have gone that way. I think, it was inevitable this happened. Kaito, as with his fellow protagonists, isn’t mature enough to realize that doing nothing is something bad. What if he HAD confronted Kanna? How is the situation gonna play out? “Hey Kanna, I have a feeling, but you like me right? I don’t like you, and I want to just stay as friends”. LOL, conceited and arrogant much?

        And we couldn’t say that Kanna would also be in a confrontational attitude, where she would actually confess if asked. She could have also denied it,in a state of panic in being discovered, or out of consideration for Kaito’s feelings. Which is because I also think Kanna is also still not mature enough and brave enough at that time that she would actually confess.

        Which leads me to my final point. You can hate Kaito and Ichika, Seven, and anyone who thinks like you, but this is one of the realities of this show — that this story is about 5 teenagers, TEENAGERS(for emphasis), who, unlike you, have not reached the emotional and mental and social maturity to have realized the “right” thing to do,that when it comes to feelings, its better to actually just say it right out, at least on the romantic type of feeling.

        P.S. What you actually did, Seven, WAS trolling. Knowing how much everyone here really liked this show, and liked Kaito and Ichika as characters and as a couple, you still decided to use your freedom of speech. I know you expected a backlash, so I conclude you either did that to pick a fight, or just plain wanted to vent your frustration on Kaito and Ichika and didn’t care about the confrontations and backlash you would recieve. Well, you do have your right, and without your opinion, people might not have seen another side to this show. So, thanks for trolling? LOL

        Sorry for the long post

        vlm
      8. Haha, figures. Your points were pretty valid. They (Kaito and Ichika) were pretty stupid. Stupidity by being young, LOL.

        Anyway, its all the writers’ fault (blaming the writers now am I?). If they made the characters that are already mature, we wouldn’t have much of a story, it’d be too short. Plus we couldn’t have appreciated the character growth each one exhibited.

        vlm
      9. That’s more like it guys, I knew that this would turn out to be a really good debate because as much as we love this show and the countless of positive reaction this show is getting, the other important parts aren’t as obvious as they should be. So I thank you personally, Seven, for bringing this up. Now go to sleep -_- 36 hours? haha

        End3rr
      10. I was awake for about thirty hours before I even started this, Not sure I think I might be an insomniac. I still don’t feel that tired even after going to school and what not.

        Seven
  3. I’m left wondering how this will end. I know that Kaito/Ichika will stay together. The real point of interest for me is not the drama for the main couple, but the actions and results of the remaining characters.

    I would love to see a Mio/Tetsuro end but it’s more likely we’ll get a very open ended finale with everything unresolved but the characters will have gained strength and we’ll get some slice-of-life moments with a overarching monologue shared by all 3 of them. Do you guys predict any feelings will start to sway or do you think they will leave it as open-ended as possible?

    Also, Remon might be an alien. Who knows.

    7godeohs
  4. Things that I do/think about while watching this show.

    – constantly looking at the time bar to see if the episode is gonna end soon = /
    – constantly thinking about how great the characters are written despite the short series
    – how many landmines Kanna are actually going to step on.
    – the wonderful anime-movie-like production of the scenery that shows the beauty of rural towns outside of the city.
    – this is not a show about love triangle, but almost like a love food chain
    – Kaito and Ichika are definitely one of the cutest anime couples in a while.
    – how realistic the dialogue is.
    – the nostalgic feeling of teenage relationships that we ourselves have gone through.
    – Kaito kissed Rinon.
    – Lemon is troll of the year.
    – constantly believing that Mio definitely put a gps reciever on Tetsuro because she seems to always know his whereabouts
    – I also commend every characters decisions in regards to going after their love, by not doing anything drastic like school days.
    – This show definitely makes you want to fall in love again.

    in conclusion, which I am sure that most of are viewers are probably thinking, I DO NOT WANT THIS SHOW TO END.

    Thankyou for the quick post Stilts

    End3rr
    1. Yare yare, don’t even compare Ano Natsu to School Days. School Days only surprise us at the end of series, while Ano Natsu surprise us almost at EVERY episodes.
      Makoto Itou is hunting and banging chicks here and there, while Kaito only have one goal to pursue, Ichika.

      Well, I agree on most of your other comments, though. Remarkably-written and realistic dialogue, indeed.

      Kusabi
    2. Characters are cliched, settings are stereotype, but the pacing of the show is godly, maybe the main reason why most of us loved this show. Some people hate this show’s stereotypical characters but…. MAJORITY OF US LOVED THE WHOLE SHOW ITSELF NOT JUST THE CHARACTERS!!!

      BaKaYaRou
  5. This show has made me… really happy. The romance genre has been absolutely starved for the past two years. Sure, there’s been decent entries over time, but the almost all of them have usually been above average or lower, bar counting Bakemonogatari and Ano Hana, and even then, whether those actually count as romance series is debatable. And finally, we got a romance series which is much more than just above average. It took two years, but wow, Ano Natsu is awesome.

    Are there plot devices? Are there moments when things get a bit unrealistic? Sure there are, but whatever. The real meat of series takes the form of utterly human characters, and the amount of people who actually feel bad for some of the characters is a testament to the storytelling and likability of characters. IMO, Ano Natsu is the kick start that genre’s needed for the longest time. I’m hoping that 2012 can keep delivering good romances such as this.

    Oh, and the fact that this came from J.C, a studio which has been IMHO, botching titles for quite while, makes this even better. I’m hoping that this is the start of a return to from for J.C, however unlikely.

    Click
    1. The stargazing scene when Ichika and Kaito went out for the walk with Nagi’s Vidro Moyou as bgm is definitely up there with he stargazing scene with from backemonogatari with Supercell’s (Nagi) Kimi no shiranai as bgm. ^ ^

      End3rr
  6. Mio has really changed into a strong girl. Not only can she face her own feelings, she is giving advice to those who previously looked after her.

    She has quickly become my favorite girl of this series, probably even more than Remon. I’m really hoping she ends up with Tetsuro.

    MasterDragonKnight
  7. And everything works out in the end with everyone confessing to everyone else. Pretty much all the cards are out on the table. I LOVE this show in just how honestly it clears up everything.
    Still, Kanna is left in the open in this round of love train musical chairs. How many episodes are left!? I think she deserves a happy ending.

  8. Good to know that I’m not the only one who was “rolling around on the floor clutching a body pillow and squealing like a third grader at a Barney concert.”

    The KaitoxIchika scenes are such a pleasure and refreshing to watch. Their dialogue and actions are so human and believable.

    So many conflicting feelings in this episode. On one hand, I’m really happy Kaito and Ichika are a couple, but it makes me even more sympathetic to Kanna, Tetsurou, and Mio’s feelings.

    I never really thought much of anyone aside from Kaito and Ichika, but these past couple episodes have gotten me really attached to them. At this point, I don’t think there’s a single character in the show that I don’t like.

    SO GOOD.

    Kentaiyoshimi
    1. So I’m the only one who is trying to supress squeeing this time? XD Because I’m having this feeling that the adjectives I know isn’t enough to describe this awesome anime.

      The Moondoggie
  9. I was really wondering about Tetsurou, what path would he take..
    But did he use the past tense talking about his love for kanna there???

    Wow nakkid appron upside down pinapple caek… MY GOOODDDDDDDDD~

    Irecinius
  10. From the storyline goes, I believe that the last 2 eps will resolve the story of team A(KaitoXIchika).

    As for team B (MioXTetsurouXKanna), their arcs have ended with this episode. Everyone has finally confessed yet still managed to keep hold of their friendship. As such, the satisfaction of letting out their feelings and move on without destroying the status quo is their resolution. Similarly to AnoHana’s end.

    That would make team A going the way of Onegai Teacher and team B going the way of AnoHana.

    john
    1. I believe that Kanna has resolved her situation already, but, do you think Tetsuro has? Or do you think that they will resolve his situation with the whole idea of time heals everything and that Mio will be there by his side.

      End3rr
      1. IMHO, all 3 characters has resolved their pent up issues. The confessions are in the open, but to force the situation to turn into romance would destroy their friendship which none of them wants. I believe that they would just continue to be friends and maintain the status quo.

        Reflecting on that, if Tetsurou were to pick either girls, it would be a slow building romance that eventually would get the other girl’s consent and would not hurt her feelings. By going this route, the friendship will be maintained.

        john
      2. Ahh, well said my friend. After reading that over again, I can only say that I do agree with you now, this is because I actually thought about what you said and included it in my own experiences because I also had a Kanna/Kaito-like experience in middle school, and now she is still one of my very few bestfriends.

        End3rr
      3. ehe, thanks. I usually don’t like to speculate the storyline if its not completed, since it could spoil my viewing pleasure if it does turn out to be true.

        A side note, if the story goes as I predicted, an OVA would be unnecessary. Although it would be nice if they put out a special on their lives 10 years later.

        john
  11. well, watching this ep really brought me back to the 2 times where i was mopping around and trying to hurt myself since i waited too long to fess up. this ep kinda reminds me how disillusioned we could get or utterly upset we get when we realise the one we love turns you down or is happily with someone else. brought a few tears to my eyes

    c2710
  12. This… show… is… awesome! The characters feel so real. All their heartfelt emotions feel genuine. The writers deserve every big of praise. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a fantastic tear-jerker of a finale. I’m not so sure the Kaito x Ichika will have a traditional happy ending. The narration is by Kaito looking back on events. There’s just one too many “I never knew at that time…” lines.

    On a side note, I love the ending song. I have never skipped over it when viewing the episode. I know that it often starts playing while the episode is ending, but it’s a beautiful song. It currently has my vote for best song.

    bertman4
  13. Mio really did become a strong girl. I really like despite all this her friendship with Tetsu and Kanna hasn’t changed at all. But, and I know people won’t like me saying this but, I find it creepy how she just pops up here and there XD

    The emotions were really strong in this episode. Especially from Tetsu. I want to see everyone happy but I know this can’t be done without someone getting hurt between the way…

    Corn
    1. Mio is the bomb. I just loved the scenes where she was eating cake with Tetsuro and then when she was comforting him.

      She was the ultimate killer combo of cute and sensitive!

      Knockout punch!

      Kmainichi
  14. Awesome Episode, this series went straight to my top five anime romance, is right up there with rumbling hearts, i just hope it keeps getting better with last 2 episodes, plz with a good ending. aww Kanna stay happy im still rooting for you

    skyreno
  15. Stilts- that was 100%.

    At the end of this episode I can say that I love all the characters. Hook, line and sinker.

    Kanna, Tetsuro, Mio- thank you for being honest with yourselves. It’s a good lesson in life.

    “No regrets.”

    Kmainichi
  16. It’s unfortunate that I can’t like Ichika…at all. I love Kaito and Tetsubro and Kanna and Mio and Remon and Tetsubro’s sister and Kaori and everyone…but I just can’t like Ichika. She’s clingy, she’s kinda plain for an alien chick…the only things she has going for her are her looks and the way her glasses knock against Kaito’s, which is adorable. But otherwise, I have no emotional attachment to her whatsoever and that prevents me from enjoying this series to its maximum. Well that and Kanna’s misery because I love her but even if Ichika wasn’t a love interest I still wouldn’t like her.

    EmD
  17. When Mio hugged Tetsuro after his confession, I just had to say d’aaawww and bawl my eyes out while hugging the nearest pillow. Seriously, Y U TURN DOWN AN ATTRACTIVE NUDIST GOOD COOK TETSURO???

    Anyway, I just had to commend ALL HAIL GODDESS Yanagi Nagi (and the composer) for the beautiful ED and the show’s musical director for the perfect timings. This show just makes you want to experience that teenage puppy romance again (gosh I felt so old saying that). To quote Stilts, it’s “a Science fact“.

    nagi
  18. How the heck did Lemon sneak in with that camera! LOL! Then she slides Kaito the condom!!!
    Was that an Anime first – anyone know?

    Kanna seems the least appreciative; Mio hasn’t given up on Tetsubro and is truly doing her
    best in spite of Tetsubro’s feelings for Kanna.

    It’s clear that even if Ichika does leave Kaito (which I really doubt), he’s made it clear that he
    has no interest in Kanna. Kanna has effectively trashed Tetsubro’s sincere and honest advances.
    IT’s difficult to confess to one who would reject you, but to openly admit that you manipulated
    some circumstances for a favourable outcome takes real courage
    . I applaud Tetsubro for that.
    Mio has not stood idly by. This is an interesting contrast between two girls and how they are
    handling rejection. One is very selfish and the other is sincere and hopeful. I’m rooting for Mio.
    Great writing.

    So, to me, Kanna has written herself out of a relationship with anyone. The only question that
    remains is how the story is going to resolve Kaito and Ichika. Will she stay on Earth with Kaito and
    they’ll spend their days looking for that place – will they leave together and return to her home?

    With the introduction of Ichika’s sister, we’ll finally learn more about Ichika, her home, and her
    reasons for going on the trip. I don’t really see a tragic end considering the genre of the series,
    but is seems like it for Kanna, so I can’t rule things like this out completely.

    mac65
    1. I have to disagree. Kanna and Tetsurou were in the exact situation here: They both turned down the person who crushed on them in order to confess to the person THEY crushed on so they could get it off their chest. Kanna didn’t trash his feelings any more than Testurou trashed Mio’s. If that’s all it takes for Kanna write herself out of a relationship, then so has Testurou.

      You’re making Kanna come off as someone who DIDN’T run halfway across town to tell Kaito her feelings and just stood there and accepted reality. In this episode, she and Tetsurou were looking for closure and finally saying what has been on their mind since the beginning of the series. They both had their emotional struggles and are both good people for understanding the situation afterward. They both deserve good endings, whether they’re with who they wanted to be with or not, as does Mio.

      Da5id
      1. “Closure”.

        Good way to put it.

        I’ll be interested to see how the Tetsuro/Mio line will progress as Tetsuro left the door open with the line that literally says “I don’t hate you.”
        きらいじゃない

        Which I would actually say would approximate- “I don’t not like you.”

        Kmainichi
  19. Wow the people in this show are magicians. Not just the aliens and alien-/esper-/whatever-Lemon can pop out of nowhere the normal humans too. Tetsuro stands with his back to a cliff and Mio comes from behind. She really is strong climbing up there just to get on his back.
    Just like in ep 09 at the end which was ridiculous too with Mio, Kanna and Testuro running into each other after Kanna confesses early in the morning. That was far too scripted to take it serious.
    Seems like everyone in this show except for Kaito and Ichika are major stalkers.

    FlyTaggart
  20. This show should be renamed “How To Write A Good Romance Anime”.

    Anyway, where did Mio come from after Tetsurou’s confession? I didn’t see any good hiding spots, but she came out right behind him. My only guess is that she climbed up the fence, in which case I hope she was wearing underwear.

    Da5id
    1. Well the author is an expert on romantic anime and that the model for this series is tried and tested. It’s not surprising that its good.

      And well, we can only guess if she is wearing one or not. She is a nudist after all.

      The Moondoggie
  21. I’m a tad worried about all this stalking, I mean it’s a country town and all but Tetsuro isn’t even a tiny bit surprised when Mio pops up at his secret confession childhood memories meeting sport, does he know the whole time shes following him XD Also I love reading your reviews Stilts, as a fellow book worm I think you will write a wonderful book someday..please don’t leave RC though <3 Kanna, Tetsuro and Mio is probably one of the best and most balanced (in terms of who ends up with the guy) triangles I've ever seen- cannot believe this show ends soon.

    SlushiZ
    1. Nyahaha~! I’ll do my best :3 And no worries…I have no intention of leaving RC anytime soon.

      As for the stalking…it is a tad bit worrying, yeah, but it just works so well every time it happens that I tend to give it a pass. I used to be more unforgiving about stuff like that, but the scenes are enhanced so much by the coincidence that it’s worth it. It’s best to just not think about it too much, imo

      Stilts
  22. I admit I’ve always been more interested in our supporting trio than the main couple and it’s great to see everyone finally coming to terms with their pent-up emotions. Now moving on to the most difficult question? Who will be the lucky one that ends up with Tetsuro? I’m not sure my fragile heart can take it *Stocks up ice cream and hands out spoon to everyone*

    Seishun Otoko
    1. Domo Arigato. Now, I wonder if the show is going to put more emphasis on our alien sister problem, or resolving the rest of the cast in regards of who Tetsuro will end up with.

      End3rr
    1. That…wasn’t the wisest move, lol. Reminds me of the time I got a fortune cookie that said “the love of your life is right in front of you”…while I was sitting across from the woman who had just rejected me the day prior. Orz

      Stilts
  23. Kanna, for your bravery, for enduring your pain, I salute you! May you find a requitted love in the future. Your love is truly heroic.
    Kaito, I salute you for so simply and honestly answering Kanna’s declaration. Well done!
    Tetsuro, I salute you for confessing to Kanna and doing your best in a battle lost from the start, all the while only thinking of Kanna’s happiness. It is time you have found some happiness of your own.
    Mio, I salute you for becoming stronger and defeating the odds. Youre there for Tetsuro when he needs it the most.
    Finally, Remon, I salute you for being the cutest troll ever, and remebering Kaito to use protection.
    Ichika will now have to confront her own family over staying here and romancing a local boy. But given the show’s record I dont doubt she will defend her love successfully. I think her love is strong enough.
    Best romcom since long time!

    ewok40k
  24. I like this show a lot, however I don’t like how Kanna went and told Kaito, in real life this is a little bit hard to do and even harder to accept. I can tell you that it take time to let it go perhaps that have to do with the type of person you are.

    I have been in both sides and both side really sucks

    oscuda
    1. My thoughts exactly. I think they just jumped the shark.

      Things were great up until this episode, but her coming out and the introduction of another space faring char (next episode) just ruined it for me.

      In my view, what could have been a 9.8-10/10 show just turned into a 7/10.

      fluca
    2. Good folks of RandomC, I have never agreed with anyone more. This is, by every measure, a superb romance. But the whole alien thing was a flaw from the start. Like a seed caught in a tiny crack on a dam, it has grown and ruptured what could have been perfect. Without the alien element, this could have emulated the perfection of True Tears with it’s own touch of comedy and characters. Nonetheless, this is bloody fantastic. An absolute pleasure to watch.

      SirMuffin
  25. We should kidnap the writers and force them to do a Guilty Crown remake!

    Damn, I really love the story and the characters! I agree, Mio’s development was really big but you couldn’t really call it “sudden”. But just like you said, it’s perfectly timed and it’s not too off or out of place.

    I applaud the writers for the being able to write something so beautiful as this. If you take a quick look at the plot, it’s as generic as it can be. Bored from life Boy meets girl, they fall in love but neither would confess, they go through some misunderstandings/problems, they overcome it, they resolve their feelings and get together, the end. But wow, did they manage to put some great story and twists to make it as interesting as possible. And right after they get together, Ichika’s sister comes to break them apart and take Ichika back home(probably?).

    Seriously, they should have been taken in as the writers of Guilty Crown. Who knows what kind of epic show GC might have been if the writers of AnoNatsu were doing GC right from the start.

    The Story You Don't Know
    1. Yeah, the characters and plot really drag GC down. Glossy animation and character design can only distract people for long before they realize the main character’s a wuss and the main heroine is cardboard.

      Da5id
  26. I see a few out there rooting for the supporting characters. Brofists to you all.

    The romance between Kaito and Ichika seems to prove right the idea that you tend to lose interest in something you’ve been looking forward to once you’ve actually received it. A lack in build-up to that kiss, maybe? I dunno. All I’ve felt since their glasses first touched was dissatisfaction, and I’m unsure why. It’s as if their relationship was begging the question “What now?”. Their lovey-dovey actions and words during this episode served to make their relationship a whole lot more cheesier, and honestly, I’m finding it a little awkward. Ah, the series is ending soon, so I’ll bear with it.

    But yes, all eyes on Kanna, Tetsurou and Mio, all struggling to make do with what they have. I’ve adored these 3 and the development of their characters for the past few episode, particularly Kanna. A preference for short hair? I seem to have such a preference, but more than that, I’ve fallen in love with her pure, naive, forward-looking character. It must take guts for someone to profess his/her love to someone who’s already got eyes for another, and to see her running with all her might to do just that with Kaito made me wish I was a fan on the side of the road cheering her on. (After some thought, I realized that she shares some traits with Minorin from Toradora!, another character I’ve actually been infatuated with. Well, well.)

    And Tetsurou. I saw through his character pretty early on during the series, simply because he and I are alike in personality. Knew he was smart enough to do the math and come up with some scheme like “Catch the brokenhearted damsel Kanna when Kaito and Ichika get together”. Out of the bunch of them, he’s probably the most realistic one, and my favourite of the lot. Again, cheered him on from my room as he struggled to get through to Kanna. His confession was perfectly inperfect (hah, bad attempt at wordplay). Not being able to be direct, and instead beating around the bush, hoping to mince the meaning of the words, yet trying hard to mean them. A neither-here-nor-there kind of confession, and exactly what I found myself doing a couple of years back with the girl I liked. Tetsurou, it’s as if we were meant to be bros.

    Nudist girl Mio also has me cheering her on. Seeing her popping out of nowhere all the time and comforting Tetsurou just warms my little heart. She knows his eyes are looking at Kanna, but she can’t help but love and care for him, to the point that she’s happy whenever he’s happy, and she’s sad when he’s sad. Now, isn’t that just the most encouraging thing you’ve seen in the past half an hour (random timeframe)? You don’t witness such relationships very often, do you?

    Really, it’s the pure, unshakable love that Kanna, Tetsurou and Mio have that make them such a draw in this series. No one (well, maybe not no one) wants to see an easy love happen, because it’s unrealistic and not something we can relate to. But you can’t get enough of these 3 because they’re just such powerful characters, holding each other up and believing in their right to love. They’re characters that leave a much bigger impression on you because of the experiences they’ve been through. Ahh, they remind me of the bliss of being a youth.

    In short, I’m in this for them supporting characters. The lovebirds can go fly off now.

    Junglepenguin
      1. I write not only because I want people to read my thoughts. I just like writing in general. Problem, bro?

        And for those who do read my rambles, I appreciate it. For those who don’t, please bear with my walls of text. I tend to write uncontrollably when I get into the mood.

        Junglepenguin
      2. I really like what you said here, and its true and I just really have to agree about your comment on your “writing uncontrollably when in the mood” because, this show gets you there so easily. I never really liked writing and it’s rare when I actually get interested enough to write about something. I guess you can say that my preference for the comments I post relating the other show are limited to one or two sentences only. But nope, not for this one. Infact, I’m thinking of re watching the whole show just so I make sure that I don’t miss anything and write my first review on it on MAL.

        End3rr
  27. Was it just me or Ichika was too sweet this episode? The blanket bit was fine but.. all the other clingy shots were kind of.. well.. annoying! I’m used to this show being on such a higher level than other romantic comedies, that this annoying, while understandable, display of affection from Ichika bothered me quite a lot :/ But I guess it’s true to the source – weren’t we all like that with our first bf\gf back in the day? Clingy and annoying? ^^”

    lucci
  28. One minor negative thing:

    Mio’s reasons for liking Tetsurou seem kind of…weird? I know only got one flashback, but it seems like she only likes him for knowing her name, which kind of…spoils how close they are by not having that much substance. I figured it would be something like he saved her from thugs at one point. In comparison, the rest of the “love train” seems to have more depth. Tetsurou likes Kanna because he’s known her a long time. Kanna likes Kaito because she admires his ability to smile through tragedies. Kaito likes Ichika because…well, i’m not too sure about that either. Ichika likes Kaito because he can look pastbthe fact that she’s an alien.

    Mio likes Tetsurou because he memorized all the girl’s names in their middle school class…?

    Da5id
    1. That was probably just what first made her notice Tetsuro. I’m sure her love came from everything she saw about him after that. He’s a pretty damn good guy, after all.

      Stilts
      1. Well, yeah, seeing him looking at HIS crush and forcing himself to not do anything about it probably is legitimately admirable, it just seems odd that “remembering other girl’s names” was the thing that made her notice him romantically. Usually that would be means to call him a flirt or something (which I guess he did try to make himself out to be, if unsuccessfully).

        And even with two episodes left, I can’t bring myself to choose sides. Mio should end up with Tetsurou, but Testurou should also end up with Kanna. Kanna should end up with Kaito, but Kaito should end up with Ichika.

        I dunno, man. Some how I’m going to be completely satisfied but completely bawling at whatever this show gives me. And that scares me.

        THE FEELS.

        BTW, has anyone played Katawa Shoujo yet? I’m at 39% completion!

        Da5id
      2. This being a romcom Da5id, crying manly tears is a given.

        $5 says that GE will be crying like a pro after this is all done…

        I was thinking it will somehow end like ToraDora and Onegai Ticha where the female lead leaves the protagonist for a while and they will get reunited in the end. That visiting Onee-san seems to just make this scene more possible.

        The Moondoggie
      3. Taiga left for another school. She came back and hid in the closet in the final scene of the series. Ryuuji got the hint and opened the closet to find Taiga…

        Then they kissed and fans across the world squee!

        The Moondoggie
      4. @Da5id: Haha, my internet is so slow, I just download Katawa Shoujo’s HCG. The art is beautiful, like an oil-painting right? Is that VN worth playing? From what I read from Wiki, the plot has a good premise.

        Kusabi
      5. It is certainly worth playing. It’s actually my first VN, and I probably won’t play too many after it, but it’s certainly an emotional roller coaster. I tried going down one path and ended up…going down three at once.

        Anyway, it’s great AND it’s free. PLAY IT

        Da5id
      6. Well, too bad VN these days is Japanese-regional, and for me, that means the script will be messed up, as Applocate didn’t work in my PC.

        Well, that’s enough about VN. Let’s continue the discussion of Ano Natsu.

        Kusabi
      7. Guy nurse’s rant…? No! You’re thinking of “Scarred” which was a different VN idea, but didn’t have anything to do with KS’s development.

        Katawa Shoujo was based on a page of concept art in the back of a “Nausicca and the Valley of the Wind” Doujin that showed the main five girls, mentioning the main idea for a VN with disabled girls in it, hence the name. The pic got stickied on /a/ and a group of freelance developers came together to make it.

        More info:
        http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/subcultures/katawa-shoujo

        Da5id
      8. Nyahaha, it’s not about the computer, it’s internet connection problem. And what do you expect? I’m only a poor college student. I could go to campus and it only takes 30 minutes or so to download it, but I’m kind of lazy at the moment, so… *go to sleep again*

        Kusabi
  29. @Da5id: Haha, my internet is so slow, I just download Katawa Shoujo’s HCG. The art is beautiful, like an oil-painting right? Is that VN worth playing? From what I read from Wiki, the plot has a good premise.

    Kusabi
  30. Toradora, Railgun, Ano Hana and now this; Nagai and everyone else working on these are sheer geniuses. I knew this would be one of my favorite shows before I even started watching it; all I needed was a piece of artwork from it and I went “Yup.”

    I completely agree with every single thing you’ve said about this show, about every character and emotion they (and we) have felt thus far. Whomever gets hurt will have become much stronger in another sense :’3

    So sad this is ending in 2 week :'< I know making a series longer could potentially ruin its charm but I don't think that would be the case for this show at all.

    Kiria
    1. Indeed, Nagai Tatsuyuki is on an amazing streak now. Railgun aside, he seems to specialize in these romance stuff, be they adapted or original.

      (And prior to Index 2, Railgun at one point even manages to become more popular than the main series. )

      (This is of course not taking anything away from the contribution of screenwriter Kuroda Yousuke, as this series is more or less his brainchild, labelled as the “spiritual successor” to his previous hit series Onegai Teacher and Onegai Twins. )

      Kinny Riddle
      1. “And prior to Index 2, Railgun at one point even manages to become more popular than the main series.”

        Could you give me a link to confirm that statement? Just curious.

        Kusabi
  31. “This is, simply put, one of the best love stories I’ve ever had the extreme pleasure of experiencing.”

    Really? To me it’s nice, but nothing speacial. Pretty generic. Good, but not great.

    André
    1. If you look objectively at the premise of the show, it is cliché as hell with generic characters to boot. However it is the storyline and presentation which shames all romance animes to date.

      Simply by taking these generic characters and peeling off their layers story-by-story, we find that they are not so different than us. And that makes them “human” and relatable.

      The show did not emphasize too much on the alien premise, as cliché as it is, but instead relied on the interactions between the characters.

      If a show can turn a supposely bland and predictable plot into something that would impress RC’s bloggers, it would get an A in my books.

      john
      1. So you are saying that Ano Natsu is good because the characters are realistic and all that stuff?

        Well, I don’t think so. The characters from Ano Natsu do not act in a realistic way. They act pretty much like characters from a Mexican soap opera. There too much cliche and too much unnecessary drama to consider this as “human” and “relatable”.

        Maybe you haven’t wacthed many show to know that, but there are tons of anime that do this “human” thing batter. KimiKiss, for example, is an anime with relationships that are much more realistic and relatable that what you see in Ano Natsu. Honey and Clover, Lovely Complex, Itazura na Kiss, etc. They’re all shows with characters that are more “human” than Ano Natsu.

        Overall, Ano Natsu is just good anime in my opinion. But there is absolutely nothing impressive about it.

        And, while I like to what the blogger form RC have to say, I don’t think you should consider them absolute opinion. They’re no different from regular viewers. I think that you should have you own opinion. LOL.

        André
  32. (Disclaimer: Definitely no sexist masochism intended)

    Kaito once again demonstrates why he is THE MAN.

    First he takes the initiative in confessing his feelings to his true love (Ichika), now he is apologetic but firm in turning down the advances of other suitors that comes his way (Kanna), rather than dilly-dally about it and drag it on, resulting in longer-term damage.

    This episode’s subtitle would be: Best to get it over and done with and move on as quickly as possible.

    PS I am quite disappointed that the long post count here is mainly due to a pointless flame war rather than a discussion of the characters. This is quite unbecoming of RC’s usual standard of high quality discussions.

    Kinny Riddle
    1. Lol. Ok I could not just ignore this. You claim to have read the thread but you clearly got nothing out of it. Initiative? Please, Both Ichika and Kiato did nothing on there own. In fact Ichika needed three different people to tell her what to do. As for “dilly-daily”ing there would have been no need for it in the first place if Kiato just did the smart thing from the get to. Hell even Kanna stepped up faster than him to get things done and out of the way, albeit only by about a day, she still beat him to it. I’m guessing it’s because kiato is a tool and did not want to leave the house while Ichika was there.

      Seven
      1. Feel free to disagree, mate, but why all the hostility? With words like “lol”, “please” and “you’ve not read the thread”.

        No wonder you get accused of being a troll even if you don’t mean it, because the tone you’re making here sounds as though you just wanted to pick a fight rather than discussion for discussion’s sake.

        Anyway, to rebuke some of your points.

        First, initiative meant the confessing scene itself. I do not deny both of them required some nudges forward in order to get to that point, but from there on THEY ARE ON THEIR OWN.

        Second, “dilly-dallying” refers to the situation AFTER the relationship is established, i.e. dealing with any lose threads that might still remain after he has started going out with Ichika.

        I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt that you’re just purely disagreeing and not having a go at me personally. But keep up the hostility and I’m going to have to ignore you next time.

        Kinny Riddle
      2. I don’t even think you read what I typed. Kiato only got the opportunity to “not” dilly-dally because of a mistake he made in the first place(not talking to Kanna after he found of how she felt), and then still ended up losing to Kanna because she went to confront him before he was going, like I said, she only did it a day before he was going to do, she still did it first. The confessing could not have happened with out everyone else so there really is no initiative on their part, I think you need to google what that word means.
        Also nothing is ever personal over the internet, just the way it is.

        Seven
      3. “Kaito only got the opportunity to “not” dilly-dally because of a mistake he made in the first place(not talking to Kanna after he found of how she felt),”

        Not sure what you’re complaining about. As pitiful as she may be, the onus was on Kanna to have secured her position with Kaito, but all this time she never did. By the time Ichika entered the scene, she had lost. Why should this be Kaito’s fault anyway?

        “and then still ended up losing to Kanna because she went to confront him before he was going, like I said, she only did it a day before he was going to do, she still did it first.”

        “A day before he was going to do, she still did it first”? Wait, what? Are we even watching the same series?
        Let’s see
        1. Tetsuro nudges Kaito with the bombshell info about Kanna’s feelings.
        2. Kanna does the same with Ichika about Kaito’s feelings.
        3. Ichika decides to meet Kaito, prompting Kaito with the courage to confess.
        4. Following day, Tetsurou and Kanna “lick their wounds” and get it all out before moving on

        “The confessing could not have happened with out everyone else so there really is no initiative on their part,”

        I repeat, when I said “initiative” I was referring ONLY to the moment of the confession last episode. I have no fucking idea how on earth you managed to put words into my mouth and assume I was referring to the entire situation since episode 1.

        “I think you need to google what that word means.”

        http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/initiative?s=t
        “Initiative: an introductory act or step; leading action: e.g. to take the initiative in making friends.”

        As I said above, if used in the context of that confessing scene last episode, I find my use of the word “initiative” quite appropriate.

        If you still find that I might have misinterpreted the word “initiative”, then fair enough.

        But there you go again. If that isn’t outright hostile and offensive, I don’t know what is. I really don’t understand why disagreeing with someone requires you to be so rude. We’re not even talking politics or religion. So to hell with your “nothing personal” excuse, this may be the internet, but this is Random Curiosity, not YouTube, and most certainly not 4chan. At least have some modicum of respect.

        Kinny Riddle
      4. Man…. spelling things out in the most simple way possible is tiresome. I’ve explained most of the points better earlier in this thread.
        Now let’s make this REALLY simple. you said Kiato does not dilly-dally, so I respond by saying he still ended up doing nothing because before he could talk to kanna AFTER he confessed to Ichika. You know… how she sprinted across town while Kiato was eating watermelon and making out with ichika.
        Ok so you’re saying “Initiative” can used at any given point in any situation. The way you use it could make it work for something like this.
        “I took initiative in starting the third paragraph on my essay” which makes no sense, Initiative is the FIRST step.

        Seven
      5. Moondoggie oh my god lol, you just made my morning. You are so hell bent on trying to make me look bad you act like a retard in the process. The definition of Initiative is on this page, and was even linked to. I just reworded it to make it simpler, introductory for first. This is just to funny. Buy now I am trying to be mean and rude, being nice to retards over the internet is like being nice to a belligerent drunk. No point to it.

        Seven
  33. Mio >> Kanna. Pros list!

    Mio
    – NUDE BAKING
    – loved tetsuro since the beginning
    – NUDE BAKING
    – has always been looking over tetsuro, only wanting the best for HIM
    – NUDE BAKING

    Kanna
    – unnecessary wristbands

    JetsDuck
  34. Sorry for that mess of comments upthread, Stilts. Great post! Very entertaining and your gushing is totally understandable. (When you were first introduced as a new writer, I looked forward to reading your posts since I enjoy your whimsical writing style, but then I didn’t end up watching the series you blogged. Now you’re doing AnoNatsu and, while I miss Divine’s posts, I’m glad that you picked it up :D)

    Anyway, this episode had such great moments for Tetsurou, Kanna, and Mio. They all shined at one point or another, Tetsurou in particular. I don’t pay much attention to ranking favorite female characters, but I think with this latest episode Mio has surpassed Ichika for me. Her character development has just been so impressive. I’m continually surprised by how great all the characters in this anime are! The scene with Lemon embarrassing the hell out of Kaito and Ichika was pretty funny, but (unfortunately?) I think I’ve started to care more about how our three side characters end up…

    Faye
  35. I think that Ichika will have to return home, or we’ll hear some sort of tale a la ‘Chobits’ where the parts don’t work or line up or sex between two different species is worthy of the ‘galactic death penalty’. I think we were sorta warned about then when Ichika didn’t recognize the ‘fu—‘ or the condom. I think the tragic three will soon have their fourth member back, so they can have a tragic foursome. (hehehe I can dream dammit.)

    U238Willy
    1. Actually- she said:

      Watashi wa kono hoshi no ningen de arimasen. (1:17, episode 9)

      I am not a human of this planet. So she -is- human.

      Watashi- I
      wa- (ha) am
      kono hoshi- this planet
      no- of
      ningen = human/human being/person
      de arimasen- not be

      Kmainichi
  36. hmmm, a hell of a lot has been said already, but 1st I want to give my thanks to Seven, even if most of that back-and-forth trolling wasn’t needed xD but still it enlightened the “other” aspects of the show that everyone(being on one accord) wouldn’t realize, hence why Seven’s negativity is considered trolling. But I agreed with his logic. Now for my own; I honestly wanted a Tetsuro+Mio combo….following that’s how the orginals(Onegai Teacher/Twins) went. Tetsuro+Kanna is definitely different even if I don’t like it. or maybe I am just a sucker for a stalkerish-shy person like Mio lol…which you’d guess I love Yuno from Mirai Nikki, minus the shy part. Yet despite what Mio is, I love her’s and..well everyone’s character development and how they said they could change themselves from this experience( even if it s a little too mature for them at that age). Another Note: I just recently discovered this site and I am SO MAD that I didn’t know about this a LOT sooner. Love a good place where people can have a good debate, instead of the usual “1st, 2nd, 3rd” blah blah blah that is the norm nowadays. So I will most definitely continue coming here more often, hopefully for intellectual conversations, even tho Seven+Moondoggie’s conversation was amusing to an extent.

    Crucible
  37. I love this show. After the first episode of each show this season I probably would have picked Another as my favorite of the season but now I’m pretty sure it will be Ano Natsu, although endings matter a LOT in my personal rankings so we’ll see. But at this point this is by far the show I most look forward to every week, I’m always spamming my F5 key on Wednesday’s hoping the fansub group I am getting it from will release it instead of forcing me to wait until Thursday. I will be truly sad when it’s over, shows of this caliber do not come around so often.

    Beckett
  38. I’ve stuck with this show for 10 episodes now, and I see everyone raving about it, but I just don’t feel attached to it in any way. It’s a shame because I love what Nagai Tatsuyuki has done. I loved Toradora for the gradual buildup of Taiga and Ryuji’s relationship, along with the character development of the other three characters to the point where I felt invested in wanting all of them to be happy but knowing they wouldn’t be. I loved Ano Hi because of the deep character development and how Okada Mari really successfully captured the different ways the characters were affected by Menma’s death. The character development in this just isn’t as great. I don’t really care about the characters, so I’m not personally invested in seeing anyone happy, except for maybe Kanna. Ichika and Kaito’s love for each other just seems not real to me for some reason. Maybe it’s the lack of Okada Mari’s incredible writing. Whatever it is, I’m not one of the many many many many people who can’t wait for the next episode each week.

    Trakand
  39. Thing I hate about this series? It’s sooooooooooo Onegai.
    Thing I love about this series? It’s sooooooooooo Onegai.

    Some times I’d think to myself that this series is too similar to the Onegai series that I wish they’d have done something different for a change. Then again they have to a certain extent done something different and the similarities really augment the series well.

    So confused with myself.

    Azuma
  40. This show is my guilty pleasure every week. I simply loveeeeeee it! This is definitely a romance anime done properly. It’s perfect in every way and the character development has been so realistic… Ahhh, I don’t want it to end. I have nothing more to really say except that I want the next episode to hurry up already lol.

    Axel

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