First Impressions / sola

Summary:

When her classmates come to visit her at the hospital, Koyori tells them that she’s not lonely because her sister always comes to visit and because she has someone to play with here. Koyori at first hesitates at calling this someone – Aono – a friend, but she ultimately says that she is. Back at home, Yorito finds Matsuri looking at the doll he bought which she thinks is quite cute. Mana then comes by so that she can go to school with Yorito, but she also brings Matsuri a bag of clothes. After class, Yorito shows Mana the doll and because she doesn’t like it, he brings her along to the small doll shop where he’s been getting them. Mana thinks that he should stop buying them since Aono doesn’t seem to be pleased with them, but Yorito feels that until Aono comes home, the dolls will stay by her side while he’s not there. When they get to the hospital, Mana finds it unusual that Koyori isn’t in Aono’s room. Koyori is in her own room staring out the window, and Mana figures out that Koyori hasn’t told Aono yet about leaving the hospital. Koyori, however, feels that she can do it herself without her sister’s help.

Koyori stays up late staring out the window and thinking about when she and Aono first met the first night that Koyori was at the hospital. In the beginning, Aono hadn’t replied to any of Koyori’s questions or to Koyori introducing herself. When Aono finally did speak, she said that when she pressed the button, something different came out. Koyori figured out that this means Aono got the wrong drink – coffee, which she hates – out of the broken machine. She had then noticed the origami that was sitting beside Aono, but Aono stayed silent about it. The ice finally broke between the two girls when they both realized that they couldn’t sleep because they were lonely. The next day, Yorito and Mana visit Aono in the hospital again, but Yorito forgets to bring her a doll and she makes him promise to bring five tomorrow. With the 36 that he’s already brought her, that will bring the total up to 41, though the one she likes the most is the first one. Seeing Aono smile at the doll, Koyori tries to tell Aono about her leaving the hospital, but she’s still unable to say it and runs out instead.

After crying to Mana that afternoon, Koyori is unable to sleep again and gets a cup of hot coffee at the same spot she met Aono all that time ago. To her surprise, Aono finds her there and starts the conversation by formally introducing herself. Koyori convinces Aono to try the coffee again, and although Aono still doesn’t like it, she does find it warm. Remembering when they met, Koyori admits that she wanted Aono to teach her how to fold origami, so Aono now gives her the folding paper and promises to teach her because they are friends. With this, Koyori has enough courage to tell Aono about leaving the hospital, and the two spend the night making origami. When it comes time for Koyori to leave, she dresses in her school uniform to shows to Aono and promises to come back again. On the way home, Yorito get spotted by Tsujidou, who is at the restaurant where Mana works eating dinner with Mayuko again.

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Well, I really like the piano piece that played in the final minutes, but the episode overall was merely okay. This does give Koyori and Aono some character development, but as much as I like hearing Shimizu Ai voice Koyori, the episode just doesn’t have the same appeal without Matsuri playing a bigger role. That being said, I do look forward to Aono getting more involved in the main story since she’s featured as prominently as Matsuri in some of the shots on the official website.

19 Comments

  14. Questions, questions. So Aono is mad keen to have Yorito bring silly stuffed dolls to her, but each time she takes one glance and tosses it in the bin. Does she want one particular doll – like maybe the one that Mayuko’s carrying? How long has Aono been in the hospital, and why won’t they let her go home? Is Aono old enough that Takeshi’s “girl from 17 years ago” could be her, rather than Matsuri? What would the connection be?

    Does it mean anything that Yorito’s name reads “night person”, while Aono’s reads “blue” as in sky? Matsuri’s been washing her outfit daily in Yorito’s sink; fine, but what is Mayuko doing to keep hers presentable 🙂

    r3dking
    Reply

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