First Impressions / Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai

「早坂愛は浸かりたい / 藤原千花は超食べたい / 白銀御行は出会いたい / 花火の音は聞こえない　前編」 (Hayasaka Ai wa Tsukaritai / Fujiwara Chika wa Chō Tabetai / Shirogane Miyuki wa Deaitai / Hanabi no Oto wa Kikoenai, Zenpen)
“Ai Hayasaka Wants to Get Soaked / Chika Fujiwara Really Wants to Eat It / Miyuki Shirogane Wants to See You / I Can’t Hear the Fireworks, Part 1”

We’re three weeks into their vacation and the student council members are well into their summer plans. As predicted, Kaguya and Shirogane haven’t had the courage to reach out to each other and have spent most of their time agonizing about it. Chika seems to be enjoying her travels around the world with her sisters, one of which we have yet to make proper acquaintance with. And Ishigami is apparently roaming the countryside solo.

In the first chapter, while sulking about Shirogane, Kaguya finds out from Hayasaka that Shirogane uses Twitter. She helps Kaguya create an account and from then on, Hayasaka’s attempt to enjoy a solo bath time is constantly interrupted by a technologically challenged Kaguya. Although the chapter focuses on how dependent Kaguya is on Hayasaka and how much of Hayasaka’s life revolves around her mistress, I think its true significance lies in these words: “You’ve never succeeded with that pattern before. Not even once.” Hayasaka tells Kaguya that all her manipulative efforts have never enticed the president to make the first move. I’m hoping this slight revelation will encourage Kaguya to openly express her feelings rather than use deceptive tactics. The more ‘lip-touching’ incidents we get, the more the gap between the two will lessen.

The second chapter is possibly my favourite in Kaguya-sama so far. Chika is back in town and does so with a bang. When she enters residential ramen shop Hayata Tenryu, Chika unknowingly goes up against ramen giant Saburo Odajima. A charismatic Chika breaks his cool with her particular ramen order, proving that she can stand on the same stage as the ‘Metro Area’s Big Four Ramen Kings’. The entire sequence has vibes similar to cooking battles in Shokugeki no Souma, one of my top three food anime of all time. You can imagine me yelling “Chika, gambatte!” from my chair, waving a Chika-branded flag while the scene unravelled. To top it all off, when she created her mini-ramen, my jaw dropped because I’d just discovered that my favourite anime character of the Winter 2019 Season (yeah, I said it) eats her ramen like I do. Forget being on team Kaguya or Shirogane. From now on, I’m on team Chika all the way. Perhaps this is just wishful thinking, but I have a feeling she’ll be garnering the respect of the other three ramen monsters in time.

In our third chapter, we’re given a pretty solid build-up for what’s coming in the final episode. Kaguya and Shirogane yearn for one another and deeply regret not making any other plans other than the 24th’s festival. Their feelings lead them both to an empty student council office, however, at entirely different times in the day. I’ll be honest and say that I thought they might actually see each other, even if for a second, but that would make things too easy wouldn’t it? It’ll definitely make their reunion a lot more emotional at the matsuri though. Just another ten x’s on the calendar before that day comes around.

But the real gem in this episode is revealed after the credits. Kaguya’s poignant and emotional monologue explores her childhood, one ridden with solitude and distance between herself and all those around her including her very own family. Affection and love have never been staples in her life, which explains why this first love of hers is a challenging one. But even with all the sadness and solitude that cloud her memories, she still holds onto hope. Hope that she can finally create memories surrounded by people who care about her. The only thing is… this chapter is called “I Can’t Hear the Fireworks, Part 1.” What does that mean for next week’s episode?

 

13 Comments

  1. Okay, I need to ask: did Kaguya seriously get called to Kyoto on such short notice just so her father could walk by her, and when she calls to him all she gets is a “good work”? Like, they made her waste an entire day and nothing else happened?

    Hayasaka said it best. Drop dead.

    Aex
    Reply

    1. Yes, she got seriously summoned to Kyoto, screwing over her date with her friends, and ending up almost brushed off by her father.

      It should be noted that the term Hayasaka used (kusojiji – shitty old man) is literally unthinkable for valets like Hayasaka. It shows a degree of loathing and disrespect which is unbelievable. Which only cements her as _my_ best girl of the show, especially when she covered Kaguya’s hand.

      JUSTICE FOR HAYASAKA!

      Mentar
      Reply

    2. Yes, he did. He treats her like a piece of property, like an ornament he can just have hung up around the house whenever he wants to show off that his dutiful and obedient daughter is waiting to do whatever her fauther commands.

      When I first read this chapter I was utterly enraged at that scene. I can’t… I don’t even have words for what a horrible excuse for a father that man is.

      Wanderer
      Reply

  2. >you kinda missed best girl admitting to wanting to fall in love and actually be as stupid as kaguya there, that’s big really.
    >chika eating chapter, for some reason, lacked one scene that made that chapter twice funnier in manga, they basically cut punchline there.
    >best girl straight saying what every reader thought about the old-man, truly the best. also it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay time. eeeeeeeere we go.

    next week they animate fireworks ch2 and following chapter. also i found the video of fireworks ch2 reaction thread on /a/ at the time. will post it next week god willing. so ya all anime only peeps could witness the glory it brought to anon that day.

    Show Spoiler ▼

    cpn mango
    Reply

      1. ain’t we all hoping for s2 after credits, but imma not gonna go hype. just the other day the bloodlines 2 trailer dropped and in a span of hour destroyed any hype i had over it.

        cpn mango
        Reply

  4. The “missing each other – both emotionally, and physically by passing close by each other without noticing” will become relevant next episode. Keep it in mind. I’ll only say this much: When I read the manga, it made me scream at the screen. Literally. No, I kid you not.

    For me, the manga chapter was a punch in the gut. I was grinning like a schoolkid and looking forward to their unexpected reunion – until I saw the dark, empty room. It’s like the author was saying “don’t you EVER presume to know how things go” to me.

    And the coda after the credits is only _half_ of the chapter “I can’t hear the fireworks, part 1”. The eaysgoing half. Keep the episode title in mind, it will be relevant, too.

    On to the end run.

    Mentar
    Reply

  6. https://randomc.net/image/Kaguya%20sama/Kaguya-sama%20wa%20Kokurasetai%20-%2011%20-%20Large%2031.jpg
    This scene gives me 5cm per second and Kimi no Nawa feels. I cried internally. So close yet so far. The feels is sad.

    https://randomc.net/image/Kaguya%20sama/Kaguya-sama%20wa%20Kokurasetai%20-%2011%20-%20Large%2002.jpg
    Fujiwara nee-chan is an absolute win

    https://randomc.net/image/Kaguya%20sama/Kaguya-sama%20wa%20Kokurasetai%20-%2011%20-%20Large%2006.jpg
    ANd you sir, are a man of culture

    Henrietta Brix
    Reply

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