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「友達の友達。」 (Tomodachi no Tomodachi)
“A Friend’s Friend”
I’ll be super honest, this week’s episode left me scratching my head. While I sort of understand what the writers were aiming for, it’s starting to drive me crazy that what I read from the source material is starting to quickly unravel as Brain’s Base unleashes their creative freedom.
Why I try to avoid the Source Material
The creation of expectations that aren’t met are almost as bad as stepping on a stray lego piece at night when you’re trying to navigate back to your room through pitch black darkness after nearly missing the toilet only seconds earlier because you were being too lazy to flip on the lights.
50/50
Seriously though, it baffles my mind how die-hard manga fans can stand watching their beloved characters and story go through the “creative” hands of whatever studio happens to get rights to it. For me, this week’s episode had me loving and hating it at the same time. While I did enjoy watching Fujimiya grow as a person as well as Shogo finally getting more than just one or two lines of dialogue, I didn’t enjoy how the show tried to introduce conflict just for the sake of creating conflict. Don’t get me wrong , I loved how it all began with Shogo revealing his legitimate skepticism right off the bat — who wouldn’t be a little suspicious when some strange girl claims to have selective amnesia? But the way they timed Fujimiya finally remembering something and the revelation she can actually remember non-friends just felt all wrong. Maybe it was because how it was executed or maybe it was just too much at one time — all I know is that I wanted to get hit with the wave of feels the exact scene in the manga brought and I never got it.
The Little Things
While I may have been a bit harsh in the previous paragraph, there were a lot of nice things sprinkled throughout the episode that helped emphasize certain points without explicitly saying it. Starting with the huge revelation that Fujimiya was able to recall her memories of Shogo, I have this odd feeling that it isn’t necessarily friends she can’t remember. If anything, maybe it’s anyone besides her family who she becomes emotionally invested in? But if that was the case, it brings up some scary questions. Questions like why doesn’t she at least attempt to manage her public image if she’s able to remember all the hurtful things people say to her? Or maybe it also works in reverse and she can’t remember those bitches in her class (that actually sounds pretty useful)?
Whatever the case may be, all I can say for sure is that I wouldn’t want to be in Fujimiya’s shoes. While I realized just how painful it must be to know you’re about to forget all the fun and happy things you experienced, it didn’t occur to me how the bad things would be just as impactful as the good. Because if selective memory loss wasn’t bad enough, I don’t know how I would deal with the idea that any unresolved conflicts would go unresolved forever. Can you imagine getting into a fight with your best friend and never giving them the opportunity to move on as you keep looking forward without even a second glance?
Looking Ahead
With things starting to ramp up and conflict starting to show its ugly face, it looks like we’re in for a pretty somber episode next week. Hopefully that conflict doesn’t get awkwardly resolved and we get some of feels I’ve come to expect from this show!
Preview
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I haven’t read the source material, but coming from the last 2 seasons of anime (which had the weekly Feel Trip Friday I have come to love), I expected more feels! As you so eloquently put it, I wanted to get hit with the wave of feels too!
i second this. I was expecting my usual dose of feels from this show but i’m glad the focus was more on Shogo this time. Any more Hajimiya and this show would give me diabetes.
Too sweet for you? <3
This series has definitely been one of the sweetest in recent memory. Shougo can’t even stand the fuwa-fuwa atmosphere!
this is the first couple i’ve gone HNNNNNNG for and that’s saying something. Even Yutta and Rikka i was able to go “aww they’re cute” but it’s a whole different story with Hase and Fujimiya. Maybe it’s because of Fujimiya’s smile… yea, that’s probably it. xD
Not sure why, maybe from the way it’s said in anime or translated in manga’s first chapter, but ever since first episode I kinda get the idea that the people she can remembers are her family members and everyone else who are not her friends, so it’s not really surprising for me what she says in the end about Shougo. Otherwise, she would forget people like the school teachers every week…
Shogo is keeping on cementing his wingman role; first for Hase and now for Fujimiya as well.
I guess he will be much needed next week…
Wingman of the Season? 😀
“The creation of expectations that aren’t met are almost as bad as stepping on a stray lego piece at night when you’re trying to navigate back to your room through pitch black darkness after nearly missing the toilet only seconds earlier because you were being too lazy to flip on the lights.”
Heh,I barely read any manga nowadays,no LNs at all and maybe a VN on occasion. That’s especially true if I know an anime adaptation of the source material I was interested in is coming. For me,it’s so much more fun going into an anime blind and judge it from a stand-alone perspective,without all the “it’s not faithful to the source material therefore it must suck” mindset. I’ll admit that it sometimes backfires when the source material ends up being much better than the anime,although if I’ll loose interest in an anime or find it bad then I won’t be interested in checking out if the source material is any good so the only way I’d know this is either by trusting others or happening to go through the source material way before an adaptation was announced.
Still there are people who’ve read particular manga before it’s been ever announced to have anime adaptation in the future. There’s no way they won’t have expectations, especially if that is their favorite manga of all. Such is my case. And this manga is very special, with it’s unique magic that isn’t easy to transfer into animation. Thankfully Brain Base is doing good job, even if not always the way I’d imagine things. I agree with takaii that certain scenes were stronger in 3rd chapter of manga than in anime. And I do have my worries regarding what Brain Base will do later, especially at the end of the season, but addressing them would be entering the spoiler zone which I’ve promised myself to stay away from with this series.
But I’ve enjoyed this episode very much and I can’t wait for the next one…
Luckily, I think we’ve passed all the material that I read for the Preview.
LETS GO BLIND!
This episode actually covers chapter 3 of the manga. I think this episode follows pretty closely to the source material though.
From what I remember, the ending of this episode was the end of the second chapter and the karaoke episode was actually chapter three.
I love how the show can both make me smile and feel sad..
I kinda expected things to progress less quickly, but I’m glad she’s remembered something already. Definitely like how something different happens each week.
What do you guys think will happen if she decided not to go to bed on Sunday?
I was wondering the exact same thing myself! Lol. Perhaps the memories would persist as long as she’s awake, since she would have to sleep eventually, so the memoies could possibly survive Monday but once she falls asleep then it’s all gone.
I loved this episode
Shogo might be mean but hes awesome lol
And I loved this scene
https://randomc.net/image/Isshuukan%20Friends/Isshuukan%20Friends%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2032.jpg
It was just way too funny.
That man character is kind of an asshole and it makes me wonder if he’s the type that just quit if his idea doesn’t work. It’s like he think he’s that special snowflake that can “Fix” her. Most of the stuff that she’s doing is just him pressuring her into doing it. Not cool. Granted it all worked out but still his attitude kinda pushy.
It’s really important to have those types of friends. He’s pushy but he tells it like it is and sometimes people really need that to finally realize what’s actually going. We tend to look to the positive things in a bad situation to make ourselve feel better and gloss over the negatives that are still present to the point where we just ignore them. I’m a huge fan of Shogo for getting everything out into the open because as fluffy as this show is, it needs a rock like Shogo to bring it back down to earth.
aaaaand i just realized the you’re talking about Hase. My bad.
I think he’s just trying to be positive. He really likes this girl so of course he’s going to push her a little bit so that she remembers him. It’s a little selfish of him, but i think that Fujimiya appreciates that someone is actually trying for her sake. I haven’t read the source material so i’m curious if she had an issue with friends before so Hase’s pushing is going to start a few fires eventually.
This episode in particular…Hase was probably a little too excited about her remembering the omelettes and a little too petty when she remembered Shogo and not him but that definitely fits his character. It certainly bring up more questions like Takaii was saying.
I think you hit on something else that I couldn’t really put into words.
Hase’s over enthusiasm and how he treated Shogo when he realized Fujimiya doesn’t see him as a “friend” yet.
Then again, if I really liked a girl I might do the same things so I can’t fault him too much for that xD
Man if I was crushing on anyone the way he’s crushing on her, I’d be that way too!
It is unfortunate that you do not like his character. There are times when I feel that he is too pushy or too jealous as well, but it is human nature. A lot of us (especially guys) act like this when we have feelings for a girl, isn’t it great to see how you appear to be from a third person perspective?
That aside, Hase’s character is made to complement Fujimiya’s character. No, he is not the type that quits when his idea doesn’t work (though in Chapter 28….read it yourself). Fujimiya feels overwhelmed by him at times and Hase noticed that he was selfish last episode already. It is not like he can change himself completely though so he remains to be a pushy even now.
For the Fujimiya filled with solitude, he is the best person she can ever have as a friend. She desires friends, but is afraid to forget them again and again. Who gave her the courage to stand up once again on her two feet? Yes, you got that right! It’s none other than Hase. Shogo is a nice character, but he wouldn’t bother to approach her at all. Her other “friends” or classmates simply didn’t bother to understand her situation.
Jealousy, envy, hatred, disgust, fear – these are all human emotions. What do people assume when you act cold and distant towards them? Obviously contempt towards you. Why did not Hase act like this as well? Because he loves (or likes) her. Therefore it can be said that it is not only Hase’s pushy nature that allowed him to open up the closed-Fujimiya, but also the fact that he LOVES her. Love blinds a person after all. His courage, however, stems from his own personality. Hase is such a lovable dork though.
tl;dr – Fujimiya is the type who lacks the courage to get what she wants, but Hase’s pushiness gives her the courage to do so. Basically, they are made for each other. Also prepare for more feels later on xP
For the others wondering about Shogo and possible NTR, read at your own risk (there is a huge amount of spoiler, so please DON’T READ if you don’t want to know. I’m putting it here because some people might be curious and would want to know beyond the 16 chapters that are scanlated):
Show Spoiler ▼
Never had a problem with this episode, although I haven’t read the source material. Conflict-wise it did not seem forced, more a result of what happens when rationality meets emotional investment. Forcing conflict in this would have had Hase hate Shogo and drag that out in dialogue with Fujimiya (instead of Hase and Shogo simply returning to their normal friendship not long after).
If I hadn’t read the source material, I’d probably be in the same boat as you Pancakes.
But I mean, its hard to say since I’m already predisposed.
https://randomc.net/image/Isshuukan%20Friends/Isshuukan%20Friends%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2015.jpg
This episode goes to show you that the quiet person in the room is always the one who has the most to say. Especially the things we like to forget to make ourselves feel better.
Shogo? More like Shobro.
https://randomc.net/image/Isshuukan%20Friends/Isshuukan%20Friends%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2023.jpg
This scene in particular…I absolutely loved it. Bitches will be bitches and it’s always a joy to have them put in their place. Especially by characters with a dgaf attitude.
Fujimiya leveled up this week. I’m really liking where this is going.
I agree. Three cheers to Shobro!
That aside, it is usual for people to talk behind others’ backs. Sure it might get out of hand into blatant insults but viewed more optimistically, light talking-behind-people’s-backs is just as much constructive criticism.
It’s the same everywhere. She just has to get used to it as distasteful as that may sound.
I agree. I’m sure they didn’t have any ill-intentions but there is a point where gossip just becomes insulting. Seeing Fujimiya all teary-eyed is hard for my heart strings.
Shobro!
It has been a while since I’ve read this chapter, so I didn’t remember enough of what the execution in the manga was like to be able to compare it to this episode. I think strik3agle up above me made a good point in that the idea that Fujimiya can remember certain people that aren’t her friends, that idea is implied but not stated outright. It’s not really a surprise, more of a thing that you neglected to consider when you first heard about it and then when confronted with it, you end up saying, “Oh yeah! She has to remember non-friends at least, or how does she remember people like her teacher?”
I didn’t think much of the execution of the revelation scene when I watched it – since I’ve forgotten how the original went – but after your observations Takaii I can see how it was a bit awkward in terms of timing.
I personally think a better idea would have been to end the episode on when Hase is celebrating right after catching up with Fujimiya in the corridor, and leaving Shougo’s entrance and subsequent comedic/informational conversation for he beginning of the next episode. Or maybe a post-credits scene? Anyway, that would’ve made the emotional impact stick much nicer, and they would have a bit more time to sink it in, because Hase’s reaction felt a bit rushed – (I seriously don’t remember how the original went so maybe this is wrong but) I feel that after she told him that she remembers the omelets Hase should have spent a few seconds longer being surprised and touched (?) by that, but instead he transitions to a celebratory “yahoo!”, which feels a bit too quick to me.
Yeah I think I need to go back and reread the manga. In terms of my stance on reading the material, I guess I don’t go out of my way to do it, it’s just that a lot of the times I ended up having read it before an anime was announced. In my case, my memory is bad enough that oftentimes I forget what happened (like here) and it ends up being no different than going in blind anyway. XP
My memory is quite bad too, don’t feel too bad NKNKN XD.
Yeah, I’d love to hear your opinion after you get a chance to reread the chapter.
That said, I don’t normally read the source material before watching a show so I’m in a bit of a new situation!
I kind of feel the solution might be Show Spoiler ▼
but there are probably a million other solutions out there to fix her amnesia.
I went into this blind so I can’t comment much on it’s faithfullness to the source material. But one thing I can say is that it’s full of fuwa fuwa and daw moments.
Iust say, Shobro made a valid point to how Kaori’s condition might just be a farce. Just like Hase, I was caught up by Kaori’s cuteness and fragility
Shogo may be brutally honest, at least he’s quick on the uptake
https://randomc.net/image/Isshuukan%20Friends/Isshuukan%20Friends%20-%2003%20-%20Large%2013.jpg
…and that is one heck of a fuwa fuwa
time(k-on!?) distortion bubble….“The Fuwa side of the Force is the pathway to many things that some consider to be fluffy and fuzzy”
Master Yui
Grand master of the Fuwa side of the Force
I purposely didn’t read the manga to tone down the expectations which I guess I’m lucky I did. Fluffy moments are here and there and I like the way the Hase and Fujimiya’s relationship goes. On the right ‘sweetness’, per se. The conflict initiated by Shogo is kind of lame. Too easily posed, then too easily resolved.
Looking forward to future episodes. Hopefully, they’ll start delving on the whys of Kaori’s illness.
Source material can be a double-edged blade in regards to series expectations. I usually make peace with not getting involved with any adaptations or stick with the one I preferred.
Actually wondered if fujimiya would have felt inexplicably upset with shogo and wasn’t sure about reason, If they didn’t resolve the issue before monday.
Another great episode.
Personally while i think he was a tad bit harsh Shogo’s skepticism is actually pretty realistic. If you can tell me that you would simply believe such a story right off the bat I’d question exactly how grounded you are in reality. I think Shogo was being harsh also because he was trying to protect Hase. He knows that he is guliable and overly nice so I think he felt that Fujimiya was possibly tricking him and would eventually end up betraying his feelings or was simply using him to get pity. He’s the most grounded and relateable character in the show so far though i hope he softens up a bit as time goes on.
The whole specific circumstances with the amnesia is kind of bugging me because it just seems a little to convenient but other than that I’m still on board with this one.
Just as an anime only viewer the pace of it was seamless but I was jarred by the uncertainty of “what if Shogo is right”. They did a good job of making it a realistic story direction. It did however seemingly freeze what felt like building a safe place for Fujimiya to grow. So I was left feeling uncertain. I’m not sure if that was intentional or not. Now it feels like they opened the door for her to be able to admit she was faking it’s not so sweet a ride. I’m very interested to see where it will go now though.
Yeah, right? It made me think, “What if something really traumatic happened to her when she was younger involving friendships, and now she uses the amnesia ploy to avoid making new friends?” However, I don’t think this is very likely. I don’t think she’s lying about the amnesia, but it was enough to introduce some credible doubt into my mind.