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「雪の日と思い出と衝撃／体育倉庫でお約束／笑って♡理奈ちゃん」 (Yuki no hi to Omoide to Shougeki/ Taiiku Souko de o Yakusoku/ Emi tte ♡ Rina-chan)
“A Snowy Day, Memories, and a Shock / A Promise in the Gymnastics Storage / Smile ♡ Rina-chan!”
A kiss in the snow, a kiss on the ladder. In any other show those would be the highlights of the episode, but it’s what Kaede said that gave me a real shock.
A Snowy Winter Day
The first half of this episode was beautiful. Director Ishikura and his team at Studio Deen really poured all their skill into making the snow and the girls in it a treat to see. Every snowflake looked unique, and the extra blush of the girl’s faces, reddened by the cold winter air… I’m not usually one to talk excessively about the art, but here the beauty lent itself to the beauty inherent in the scene, and it built up that atmosphere well.
Beautiful Yuri, Tragic Yuri
I like how Sakura Trick gives us different kinds of yuri, but I keep forgetting that Kotone and Shizuku’s flavor is tragic yuri. With Kotone engaged to be married, their relationship must eventually come to an end as things stand now. This too served to build the atmosphere, lending an air of transient beauty to the friends playing in the snow. Haruka is like Kotone, wanting to burn dear moments into her memory before the clock on their time runs out. Love is worth having because it is rare, precious, and because it can be lost, but I feel for them having that choice out of their grasp. For now.
Haruka x Yuu is Out!?
The big shocker of the episode was Kaede’s conversation with Mitsuki. I didn’t realize that Kaede would be taking over as the next seitokaichou, but then she just calmly says to Mitsuki: “Haruka and Yuu are dating, aren’t they?” Whoa, what!? I mean, obviously they are, but I didn’t expect someone to just say it like that! What a great moment. This is the kind of development I’ve been wanting to see!
Kaede Suspects, Mitsuki Denies
Of course, Mitsuki doesn’t believe it. The real question is, does she not believe it because they’re both girls (like that matters, Mitsuki. Also you know you’re gay for Haruka too) or because she doesn’t want to believe it. Probably it’s a combination of the latter + shock when the idea was presented to her – I doubt she’s ever sat down and seriously considered it – causing her to default to the commonly accepted societal answer.
Kaede isn’t buying it though. I liked how they showed her distraction, only for Kaede to cover it up with another gag at Haruka’s expense. She really does have a strong poker face…and with how she noticed that Mitsuki was only talking about Haruka, she may be figuring out the other side of that love equation too. Now that would show some serious perception on her part.
A Kiss on the Ladder with their Friends Below
It really is only a matter of time before Haruka & Yuu get outed, even without someone as perceptive as Kaede in the cast. (Though with how gay Haruka & Yuu act, I don’t think that’s required. Yuzu-chan just doesn’t appear to have a functioning gaydar at all.) The JHSG bits, Haruka failing at jump rope, and all those things were good, but it was their daring kiss on the ladder and Kaede’s suspicions that made it for me. It’s only a matter of time, girls!
Looking Ahead – Sumisumi, & the Truth
After this episode, I’m gunning for some kind of resolution, revelation, or further advancement in Yuu x Haruka (x Mitsuki!) possibly coming out into the open. This is barely hidden yuri, but imagine the fun of OPEN YURI!! (Which would make them open perverts, and thus make Naotsugu proud.) Instead we’re getting a little Sumisumi to go along with the Rina-chan we got this week. I’m sure it will be funny, but this late in the game I’m not interested in other characters. Hopefully the second half of next week’s episode will fulfill all the hopes and dreams this one brought up.
Note: I’ll be out of town next weekend, so expect the episode 11 post next Sunday or Monday. Thank you for your understanding.
tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – A kiss in the snow, a kiss on the ladder, & the yuri might be coming out of the closet? Oh my! #桜Trick 10
Random thoughts:
- Yuu is like the snowball version of a redshirt. They can’t not hit her…except for Shizuku-chan.
- All the lesbians love petting Shizuku-chan.
Check out my blog about storytelling and the novel I’m writing at stiltsoutloud.com. The last four posts: Realism, cynicism, & the unreasonable man, Weak business models, Combat scenes – Blocking & initiative order, and Critical flaw.
Preview
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End Card
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I don’t think my body can last for even another episode.
Too sweet for me.
Especially Mitsuki-kaichou’s overly cute reactions.
Will Mitsuki ever win da Haruka? If she fails, she could go for Sumisumi or Rina or both girls. The snowball scene was so cute, I almost died. Also, all these Yuzu x Kaede teasing is killing me. And seriously, I think no-fun sensei needs a girl (student or teacher).
That’s not even a question. It’s obvious she doesn’t stand a chance with Haruka. Thinking otherwise is deluding oneself.
OMG the amount of HGNNNNNs in this episode is just too damn high!!! XD First, the Kotone x Shizuku kiss in the snow is just HGNNNN and then the kiss in the storage room, between Yuu and Haruka, when their friends were right there too! How bold! And we can’t forget when Yuu was sucking on Haruka’s finger at the beginning just too HGNNNN I want my fingers to be sucked on by Yuu! and When Haruka tried to lick the finger Yuu sucked, so close! So close!
And are they going to be found out that they’re going out! I am looking forward to next episode now :3
Now excuse me as I HGNNNN over this episode again and prepare my body for next week’s episode that’s to come!
Yuu all cover in white stuff.
I called it last week:
Kaede knows of Yuu X Haruka. And now she aparently got wind of (X Mitsuki) too!
#Told ya so.
Now if the series can end with Kaede X Yuzu somehow, it will be perfect for me.
That depends on whether she chooses to go through with the marriage, doesn’t it? Right now she’s avoiding the whole issue by living away from her family, choosing to spend time with the person she loves instead. While it’s true that no matter what she chooses things will change, their relationship doesn’t necessarily have to end. She could choose to defy her family’s decision and refuse the marriage. Depending on how strict her parents are, she could end up being disowned for doing so, but it’s still an option for her.
Or she could give in, follow her family obligations, leave behind her love as a fleeting memory of her teenage years, and marry to enhance family and business connections as is expected of the heir of a wealthy family. Such a plot development would be very… well… Japanese. Both with accepting the transitory nature of things, and with placing the obligations, expectations, and traditions of society as more important than freedom and happiness.
However, the choice is still hers, and as far as I have seen Kotone has not yet made it. Do not condemn them to a tragedy before the ending has been written.
“as things stand now.”
I put that in because the series doesn’t seem interested in having a Kotone-fighting-her-family-so-she-can-be-with-Shizuku dramatic plotline. It might, and there’s no reason that Kotone and Shizuku (as characters, divorcing them from the proclivities of the story they’re within) can’t fight against Kotone’s parents and live happily ever after and whatnot.
But yes, I don’t condemn them to a fate other than what they would wish, I just assume they won’t take the action necessary to grab their preferred future because it doesn’t seem like that kind of story. I’d be happy if I were proven wrong though.
“With Kotone engaged to be married, their relationship must eventually come to an end as things stand now.”
I still don’t get why they needed Kotone to be arranged on being married. I even ranted on Twitter about how pointless it’s going to be.
Watch as they’re gonna go nowhere with this storyline. Kotone’s not gonna be gutsy enough to confess to her parents, and Shizuku is gonna remain sad for quite a long time. I’m calling it.
The main purpose for plot seems to be to differentiate between the two main yuri relationships. After all both are based primarily on long lasting friendship that “intensified”, so the writers gave one a serious story in an attempt to both give needed depth to the secondary relationship and show that Sakura Trick is not all about softcore yuri fan service (even though it is).
Unless there is a season 2 it’s unlikely to see anything further regarding this except for some character musings as what transpired this episode. Even with a second season though your hunch is probably correct.
Yes, it probably won’t go anywhere because there’s not much reason for it all to come to a head before they graduate, and we certainly won’t get to see that far before this season ends. Just because we won’t get a resolution here doesn’t mean it’s pointless, though. There might be one in the source material.
A harsh dose of realism. Such situations are common enough- especially in more conservative/transtional societies.
While the off handed remark was amazing in of itself, it’s hard to believe Stilts that you missed the hint of yuri lust that Kaede has for Yuzu. She mentioned something about if it would be ok to do the same thing with Yuzu and if Yuzu would notice her advance. Just a glimmer and a chance, but the option for yuri^3 has not yet been removed 😛
Hopefully Haruka and Yuu get outed soon, just for the sh*ts and giggles that will cause and to ground Haruka. She is too perverted for her own good now, just based on wanting to openly suck on the finger that Yuu so enthusiastically gobbled on while asleep.
I thought she was talking about whether Yuzu would accept it [Yuu x Haruka]? Not anything to do with potential (and would be amazing if it happened!) Kaede x Yuzu.
And yes, Haruka no ecchi :3
She talked about both. The comment concerning Yuzu was more implied and spoken to herself though than direct and open. It’s why it still only remains a faint glimmer at this point, not much evidence anything will happen along that front yet 😛
Not only does Kaede has a fairly good guess at Haruka x Yuu (Kaede probably envies them, hoping she can be so liberal with her
MikanYuzu 😀 ), she’s also come pretty close to discovering Mitsuki’s unrequited love when realizing Mitsuki mentions Haruka’s name a lot.:O That end card… for some reason the sub I was watching didn’t have it 🙁 Thanks Stilts
Dammit Kotone, for as open and impulsive as she is at anything else, she sure is a coward about facing her family. The only result of her marrying some guy would be a miserable few years with a divorce down the road. Either way, her family would be pissed, so she might as well get it over with now.
And maybe she will, though we probably won’t get to see it ’cause they’re not the main characters. Not unless we read the source material, anyway. D’oh.
But Kaede’s words were quite a shocker this episode indeed. Makes sense that she’d be the one to figure it out, considering she’s the smarter one of the Yuzu/Kaede combi and she’s got a pokerface anyways. Haruka isn’t exactly subtle either. And now with that knowledge in hand but no knowledge about who knows about it and who doesn’t, she could easily blow the lid on the whole thing. I wonder what role her knowledge will play in the final two episodes, anyway.
And Onee-chan is totally lying to herself, in my opinion. She resorts to denial because it’s easier – after all, otherwise she’d have to face that she’s gay for Haruka, that her sister is gay for Haruka and that Haruka is already taken. I doubts she wants to face that.
Regarding Kotone’s arranged marriage:
Note that she is quite wealthy, and as a person has responsibilities towards the wider world… you might say her personal happiness comes first, but what if running away from marriage would result in ruining her family business, hundreds of employees going jobless, etc.? I am not sure how I would rect in her shoes. On the other hand the arranged marriage can be a whim of tyrannical parents so it can go either way. Myself, I hope for happy ending for Kotone X Shizuku, of course, but I can’t exclude a bittersweet ending of “forever remembered first love” for them too.
Businesses don’t have to fold because of marriage anymore. Kotone could become owner of the business and then hire someone to actually run it day-to-day, with no influence whatsoever on her marital life.
It’s a false choice, and as a contrary Western gentleman I see it for what it is. Of course, family and responsibility isn’t as big of a thing in my culture as it is in Japan, so what’s obvious to me – just hire someone to run the business dammit!! – might not be palatable for them.
That doesn’t mean Kotone should sacrifice her happiness on the altar of what will make her family happy, though. She should take both.
I forgot to say this in my first comment, but Rina’s last laugh was epic, so creepy >:3