「よそんもん / 東京から来た奴ら」 (Yosonmon / Toukyokarakita Yasura)
“Guys from Tokyo”

This week’s episode was a complete bundle of joy. From start to finish there was never a dull moment to be found.

Handa’s Tomodachis

Coming from the city that moves at a breakneck pace, Handa’s friends coming down to visit served as a nice reminder about just how different things are in the countryside. Ever since we met Handa and watched him struggle to acclimate to the country life, I’ve been a big fan of all the relationship building and the sense of family the show’s been trying to create and this episode was the icing on the cake.

Using everything that he’s learned since he first arrived, I absolutely loved how Handa managed to keep his head on straight with adversity literally staring him down. Not only did he not let a grudge between him and a younger calligraphist get the better of him but watching him realize that what he’s looking for can’t simply be found by returning to his old but comfortable lifestyle felt simply amazing. Because with the kid who stole first place from him blabbing on and on about how all his recent life choices are completely wrong and Handa having trouble figuring out just what he deems is important in life, it wouldn’t be hard to fault him if he caved to Kousuke’s request. But with Naru doing what Naru does best, it was refreshing to see Handa learn from all his experiences from the past five episodes and discover just what he’s looking for.

Finding Yourself

With this week’s episode not really having a big slice-of-life section in favor of giving Handa a full episode to find himself, I just wanted to touch on something that the episode made me think of. I’m personally in a pretty stressful point in my life where I have almost no clue about what I want to do. School isn’t a place where I can hide from reality and money has become more of a hassle than a pleasure. Toss in how I’m not particularly talented at anything nor have a specialization at anything and the thoughts about the future start flooding in.

But if there’s anything I’ve learned from Barakamon, it’s that no matter how much of a bitch life’s being you have to get back up and face it. With friends and family ready to catch you no matter how hard you get knocked down, there’s never a reason not to get back up and try again. Because sometimes, it isn’t about achieving what you think you want but the path you took to get there.

Looking Ahead

After such an intense episode, I’m hoping that next week goes back to some lighthearted fuwafuwa goodness. If it doesn’t, it isn’t a huge deal but I don’t know how much more I can take of my emotions getting all riled up.

‘Till Next Week!

29 Comments

  1. Awesome episode once again! It was a blast to watch from start to finish and the humor is one of the best I’ve seen in a long while. The “don’t read stuff I said or wrote in front of me” resonated with me, true story here.
    Apart from the obvious Pokémon reference (filthy Monster Ball!), did anyone catch the Evangelion nod? When the tatoo guy was talking about Handa’s past and how bad he was for social interactions, we can see for a moment Handa sitting depressed behind an AT Field (which in Eva is the wall within one’s mind).

    Wanderer
    1. The AT Field was pretty obvious. Aside from that though, In Kawafuji’s flashback to their middle school days, it was obviously Handa but seriously I thought for a second Kawafuji was talking to Setsuna F. Seiei.

      Zhinvu
  2. While I felt that the art standards took a big dip in the first half of the episode, its yet another fine episode from what has perhaps been one of the most motivating anime series I have seen in a very long time. Personally, I often find myself wishing that I was a kid again as life was so much easier then. There are no worries, and each day was about having fun (well…depending on where in the world you are anyway). Then I would think “hang on…what is stopping me from living my life with the same philosophy as back then?” It would instantly change my mood. I love how this series is constantly pushing forth the same concept too.

    Taiakun
    1. OOPs forgot my other point. ITS PRETTY AMAZING even so far the theme of finding yourself has always been there but now they show that hes also BELIEVING in himself hes growing well i guess its 1/2 way point but theres growth! before his style was too textbook like copying off a template… now hes finally believing in himself to develop his own style instead of trying to write like a type writer if you will… harsh old man wasnt wrong! heartless but had a point!

      GoodStuffs
    2. Show Spoiler ▼

      Dualash
    3. Yeah it’s the manager guy. Good for Tama that she didn’t show up during that scene though, or she’d probably get a severe concussion, instead of some slight bleeding.

      Hanabira.Kage
  3. At this point i can say Barakamon is running a little stale for me. It’s still at the top of my list this season but the episodic nature of the show is starting to wear on me.

    The drama in this episode felt a little too hand fisted for my tastes. And it really only reinforces that most of the conflict is hardly anything more than superficial. There is always “Sensai has some issues he struggles with, by the end of the episode he’s over it with a heart warming conclusion.”

    Not a bad formula but it’s getting a little boring imo.

    leatherhead333
    1. GUY. THIS SERIES IS FOCUSED ON A CALLIGRAPHER HOW DEEP CAN HIS PROBLEMS BE? hes poor and cant feed himself? sorry this isnt that type of show… Seriously, IF HIS CAREER IS BASED ON HIM BRUSHING CHARACTERS??CMON REALLY SIR?! your expectations seem unreasonable 😛 if you wanted some lame ass over complicated im so super smart plot Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei then youve come to the wrong SPACE 😛 or even sword art online 2… which tries to be super clever but lameee! its the simple things that are best in life 😛

      Well, this ep sensei struggles are the same from after the first ep of the season hes still soul searching still finding his own way of the brush! It wasnt the same mini problem here and miniproblem solved there. Those are just his trials to progress in his growth, little by little he grows it doenst happen in one shot! LIKE MAC says ITS THE JOURNEY that were shown taking us along his ride to self discovery! He still tackling the BIG problem being his passion for life, to make his own mark in the Calligraphy world the main reason he moved away from the city… he wants to become a GREAT SUPER LEGENDARY MASTER like a da vinci of calligraphy of somesort!to prove old man wrong that hes not just some Run-of-the-mill second rate artist with no soul in his writing! cause up to that point honda has just been text book template writer. If he was painting portraits he did a fine job painting faces accurately but they are souless/emotionless cause he has never brushed a mona lisa 😛

      GoodStuffs
      1. Calm down there fido. You failed to notice that I said I have no problems with the formula. It’s just getting stale for me. The overall goal is still a present issue but every trial that he comes across he overcomes in one episode every single time. At this point I can’t say anything more than “I like this show”. I don’t feel like his struggle with his problems are all that genuine personally. So I’d prefer if he didn’t have them in the first place that being the case. If it had a Non Non Boyori vibe to it that would be no problem. But the show here is trying present a problem that the MC has to overcome. So i expect more out of it development wise than I would from Non non Boyori. That’s all.

        leatherhead333
    2. How rude… the first thing you write is an insult? stop contradicting yourself if you dont have a problem with the formula why are finding it stale from the show following that formula? you do have a problem with it. good for you then be bored! this series is light hearted fun… go rewatch psycho pass for something more maniacally twisted it conveniently released the extended version maybe just for you!

      well of course in most cases its a better idea to wait for when the show completes the season to actually call it good/mediocre/bad. hmmm prob just you his problems seems real enough given his back story and setup… hes the kid that never had fun ever! all he does is practice and focus on writing calligraphy how is it not genuine? never heard of michael jackson? did he not resent not having a childhood? pretty sure he suffered alot to get to where he was. Honda seems similar except hes alot younger but only a promising star not legendary yet… because he was too textbook and never formed his own original style kinda like those boyband type singers backstreet boys… nsync thats why timberlake went his own way!

      GoodStuffs
      1. That first line wasn’t an insult. You typing in all caps with plenty of explanation marks really makes it hard for me to take your statement seriously. You made baseless accusations about me and my expectations without hearing why I felt that way in the first place. Needless to say I have nothing left to say to you. And I’m not contradicting anything. I said the formula is getting stale for me but there is nothing wrong with the formula ITSELF. Please don’t assume things based on your own contrived logic. And don’t tell me to watch something else simply because i don’t enjoy every single thing about something you like.

        leatherhead333
      2. “Calm down there fido.” fido- a generic name for a pet dog.
        So its normal to call someone a pet dog and thats not an insult? lol what a bold face liar.

        yeah I used caps where appropriate it was hardly ALL CAPs so exaggerate more ok?
        sure thing Mr passive aggressive trashing a show softly its totally cool, wait except its not.
        The things you say you dont like about the show is the show itself with 12 ep total how do you figure them to be able to make any impact by dragging everything out?? theres bigger fish to fry. Maybe with 24-26 eps youd see alot more buildup. Most of what I say is true maybe I missed your loopy logic about you thinking its boring but its fine. yeah true feel the same way we really are going in circles k nothing now left to say either

        GoodStuffs
  4. Funny all around episode.

    <soapbox>
    @Takaii — Life is a journey; it’s that simple. As you take each step
    you (try to) gather the things that will help you take the next step:
    education and wisdom; friends and companions; money and prosperity.
    These things will not always bear their full meaning when you come to
    possess them, but over time you’ll better appreciate their value and
    judge for yourself which to continue to nurture and which to discard.
    You’ll carry these your whole life and you learn to protect the things
    that are most important to you <sic>.

    IMHO, it’s important to be able to look back on your journey and see what
    you’ve taken from those steps: wisdom, companions(hip), prosperity.
    That ability helps you take the next step forward as you continue to
    nurture what is important to you — and we are always doing this — always.

    Even if we think we’re not advancing, that’s the (negative) thought that
    we’re nurturing – that lack of accomplishment is what’s important to us.
    It’s the foundation for the next step. But it was arrived at by some choice
    somewhere in the past that we participated in.

    (We think about it, so yes it is important — you don’t think about things
    that you don’t care about :).)

    Understanding the choices and steps that got you to where you are is the
    key to continuing on that path or to make a different choice to begin a different
    path. There may have been many subtle steps in the past before you noticed
    that you’re not on the path you sought, so a change may require many small
    steps before you recognize the new path completely.
    </soapbox>

    Thank you for covering this series!

    mac65
  5. That theme about finding yourself tears me up. I worry about my life every single day, and wonder if what I’m doing is right for me.

    I believe EVERYONE has a hidden talent that brings them meaning to themselves an to everyone. I found mine early on. Don’t worry! You will find one someday.

    starss
  6. “Go on ahead.”

    Those words pierced into my heart. Sometimes it’s so ridiculously hard to accept someone else’s greatness. To accept your own inability to impress everyone. Everyone’s “sky-limit” is set at different heights.

    Definitely got some nostalgic Honey and Clover auras from this episode. Sensei sometimes remind of Morita.

    Petit
  7. I am disappointed at myself

    Why did I almost skip out on this anime?! This is pure comedic gold! I almost missed out one probably one of the greatest laugh fest of the season. Shame on me!

    Ginobi47
  8. I’d like to know what happened to Naru’s parents. I think that’d be a great episode to further develop the relationship between Naru and Handa. Maybe it’s something tragic and that’s why she’s being raised by her grandfather… or maybe her parents are somewhere traveling the world without her. Hmmm…

  9. So this maybe a spolier or I could be completely wrong but here’s what i see happening
    sensi is finally forgiven by the director and is about to return to Tokyo and naru uses that birthday gift to make him stay on the island instead. The second part of the show was to dry attention away from it by making the audience focus more on the unknown details of Naru’s parents.

    I could be completely wrong though lol

    JP

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