First Impressions / Yuru Camp

「ようこそ 野クルへ」 (Youkoso Yokuru e)
“Welcome to the Outdoor Activities Club!”

Following the reveal that Nadeshiko and Rin attend the same school, Yuru Camp follows that up with a look on what it’s like to be a member of the school’s Outdoor Activities Club, and how they’re able to conduct club activities in squalor. Aoi and Chiaki are shown to really have their work cut out for them as they have to improvise with what the school is willing to give them for their club’s resources, and as the sole members of the club, they have to make due with that claustrophobic’s nightmare of a storage closet. It was amusing to see how creative they’ve had to get by accepting Nadeshiko merely at the prospect of upgrading to an actual classroom and gathering any leaves they can find around school to eventually burn as a campfire. Nadeshiko is still a radiating light of enthusiasm, but Aoi and Chiaki’s dynamic as a unit trying to survive with what they’re given is entertaining. Chiaki in particular was funny as the more frugal member of the group, opting to buy a budget tent for 980 yen if it meant not having to spent 45,000 on the good stuff.

That’s also part of the focus in this week’s camping tips as we learn about the different types of tents you can use while you’re outdoors. The non-freestanding tents can’t just be rigged up with what’s in the bundle like freestanding ones, so they must rely on using outside resources to hold up your tent like pegs and guy ropes, but they have the distinction of being much more compact that way. I’m still happy that they gave a voice to the pine cone that Nadeshiko found. Additionally, Rin’s perspective goes over some of the ramifications of using campgrounds as your source of adventure as many come with guidelines and standards such as buying permits to be on the property, renting out stands for your firewood, and purchasing the wood in bundles. In non-camping related studies, the end of the episode teaches us about how to whip together some Kikyou Shingen mochi.

This was also an episode where Rin had some wonderful time to shine. As she went to the permit-required campgrounds, she had quite the adventure as she had to contend with the ol’ bathroom sign switcharoo, got speared by an excited dog, and met her spirit animal in the form of a statue. It was cute to see her enjoy her own time while she was away camping. At the same time, she came off as relatable when she immediately gave a repulsed face when Nadeshiko proposed joining her (I don’t have a good poker face). It was nice though that they’re setting up for a nice reunion together with the two just as Rin was starting to feel like she might’ve been too harsh on her. I’m also glad that the anime continues it’s love of scenery as they drew some beautiful looking houses and sheds in this episode.

Every girl had their time to shine in this episode, but I’m most excited for what they’ll have in store for Ena. She proved to be quite the cheeky wild card this time around as she gave Rin’s bun a beautiful makeover, played out an Oregon Trail-style camping scenario via text where she gets both her and Rin killed, and had Nadeshiko track Rin down by texting her a link to the park she was camping at. We also got to see her chill out with her adorable dog as she perked the dog up with the promise of a walk only for the two of them to retreat under the covers when that cold front hit. In addition, she’s the only one so far to have wanted to help the club build their cheap tent. So far, Yuru Camp is keeping up the good work in being on-target with the cozy, cute fun of joining like-minded friends for some camping journeys, and look forward to what the club’s next steps are.

14 Comments

  1. i dont know what to say about 980 yen tents… i am a hiker… depending on your mountain, your tent needs to be durable as fck. 980 yen tents makes me wonder about its quality and durability against mountain’s extreme weather. well unless they plan to camp on the ground maybe its ok but camping on MASL as high as everest base camp where winds can blow as high as 120kph? good luck. and yep i dont think pegs will save it. it will be ripped on high altitude.

    hmm well if they plan to hike mt fuji, they dont need tents anyway… (huts along the trail and they dont allow camping in the mt fuji.)

    Jeffers
    Reply

    1. The irony of the fact that in this episode they actually call out the hiking club as being more athletic and hardcore vs the laid back Outdoor Club. 980 yen tent is (and already has) going to be a piece of crap though.

      weasl
      Reply

    2. These girls aren’t climbing mountains. They’re camping, not hiking.

      That said, I wouldn’t want to go camping with a $9 tent either. You get what you pay for when you go that cheap.

      Wanderer
      Reply

    1. also an Pine cone is a good fire starter.. It burns fast and bright, in my village they use them to start an fire in their oven.. But they like to “explode”, because of their seed..so beware of flying sparks

      Worldwidedepp
      Reply

  9. I’m enjoying this far more than expected. So far well made and relaxing with a surprising choice of BGM for some parts. Nadeshiko seems to have a energetic tune heavily inspired by Irish folk music as her personal theme while a part of Rin’s camping is done to tunes which seem to draw on Swedish or at least Scandinavian folk music, at least in the choice of instruments if my ears do not mislead me.

    It will be interesting to see how the series will balance Rin’s somewhat introverted nature and her need for “solo time” and the more social side of her personality.

    Gars
    Reply

  10. I read the scene where Nadeshiko visited the club room for the first time very differently. I felt it could be read in two ways,
    1 ) Knowledge about camping is a long one.
    2) This club doesn’t need a whole lot to function. By default camping is such. You park make shelter and you go about your day with what you have as a resource from nature. So a narrow club room is fine, no quality tent make your own shelter.

    https://randomc.net/image/Yuru%20Camp/Yuru%20Camp%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2002.jpg

    There is more to camping than a bunch of nifty tips on making the experience comfortable. I hope the next ten episodes the girls don’t build a tent and park their buts on a chair. They need to do other things like trap and hunt, they need to be active. They are out doors throw a frisbee, play American Football.

    The pinecone with a voice is a nice touch but now I can’t bring myself to start a fire with it.

    If the student council didn’t allow an Anime club in Anime-gataris because this past time is for lazy people, where does this put the camping club? Rin is seen with a book when ever she pitches a tent.

    Ena, will she join.the camping club? I hope so…

    RenaSayers
    Reply

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