NORA’S WEEKLY ANIME DIGEST — WINTER 2022, WEEK 10

*in Morgan Freeman voice* So we meet again. Hope everyone’s doing well. This week, apart from the weekly series, I finally started watching Part 2 of Attack on Titan‘s final season. And when I tell you my brain is fried up! Although I’m more of a cheer-from-the sides kind of audience, AoT sure is a cool show and managed to hook me in right from the get-go even though I was feeling indifferent about the new season. 

Of course, I’m not here to chat about Attack on Titan. It’s beyond me anyway. Let’s take a look at what happened this week and talk about some feelings.

Akebi’s Sailor Uniform Episode

There’s still time for the athletics festival, and the girls continue to work hard so they can finish preparations on time. Akebi reveals that she joined the cheering squad, so she could visit each group that plays a different sport. None of the members know how to cheer, and they go around visiting their friends’ practices and score some tips and ideas in the meantime. The second half focuses more on Riona, Erika’s tennis partner, who feels the weight of her friends’ expectations, but not for the reasons we might expect.

Maybe because I thought it was resolved a bit too quickly that I wasn’t as satisfied, however, it was still amazing that this episode focused on body image issues Riona has. What’s more, it wasn’t just her comparing her size with others. It isn’t spelled out but I feel like what she’s especially concerned about is the way the fat ‘shakes’ when she moves around. Not sure if you’ve had any phase of being overweight or not fit, but it feels like jelly attached to your body and as someone who’s never been skinny, it’s always been something I was conscious of when moving. It sure makes you restrict your own movement. In that sense, I really appreciated the series touched upon this point without being overbearing!

Life With an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated Into a Total Fantasy Knockout Episode

After crashing the pool-party-slash-worship-session and offending a couple of more deities, Jinguuji and Tachibana were greeted by Mouria from the Intelligence Department and now are being taken to the king for an audience. Things turn out for the better thanks to Tachibana’s skills in charming, except of course, for Jinguuji. They get into a fight and Tachibana leaves the banquet hall in anger, which leads the way to an interesting encounter. A beautiful, young lady who’s exactly Tachibana’s type!

My Dress-up Darling Episode

The first half of this week’s episode wraps Inui sisters and Marin’s cosplay shoot together up and puts a nice little ribbon on top with a heartfelt conversation between the sisters. Then, we move on to Marin’s 3rd cosplay Veronica, who wears the easiest costume Gojo had to make until now. I wanted to say things go south during the cos-test, but Gojo and Marin going out shopping is a welcomed outcome anytime. Plus, we get to see Gojo wear awesome shirts. Everybody say: thank you Marin!

The highlight of this episode for me was Gojo and Marin’s impromptu Shibuya visit and their little talk afterward. Couldn’t decide which was more fun: seeing Gojo having an identity crisis over the clothes Marin picked for her or Marin finding Gojo hot in each of them? Regardless, I love seeing them enjoying the moment. I didn’t expect Gojo to be vocal about not wanting to see Marin wearing Veronica’s costume, but it was great that he just wanted out instead of asking Marin not to cosplay as her ever. Marin being Marin, of course she had to roast Gojo for making the request sound worse than it is before making it clear that she’ll respect his boundaries. And maybe, tease him some more.

It’s also a joy to see Gojo enjoy cosplaying, not as something that’ll keep him connected to Marin and enrich his vision for hina doll making, but as a craft in and of itself. He reads magazines, tries to come up with props or accessories, and is insanely happy when the idea works out.

Sabikui Bisco Episode

Bisco and Milo are finally safe in a cave. Bisco just patched his partner up and now tries to ease his worries, even though deep down both know the next course of action that each will take. Bisco, no matter what, will track down and kill Kurokawa. And that, he does. At his own expense.

I’ve watched this episode on Monday night and I still can’t process the episode, it was so emotional! I feel like Bisco is not dead, not because I refuse to believe that (although I do) but because he’s one of the two main characters, how can he? The question is how will he be revived. A part of me even questioned whether his soul will be linked to Tetsujin or not… I couldn’t bring myself to immediately watch the next episode and decided to wait.

Sabikui Bisco proves that it can deliver candid, emotionally charged, and vulnerable moments just as it can pull off action scenes that burst with energy and color. When the two are recuperating in the cave, the camera has our gaze travel back and forth between their softly clasped hands to Bisco’s hunched back over Milo. Bisco’s touch attempts to reassure Milo while Milo wants to make sure that his companion is within an arm’s reach. I even read him abruptly talking about Bisco dating Pawoo as Milo desperately trying to tie Bisco down in some way, probably thinking Bisco might see their partnership as something that may fade away but a romantic bond might be heavy enough to bind him to somewhere he can reach. And that ending… I realized that I bonded with Bisco and Milo more than I thought, it was so NOT cool of them to make me tear up!

Salaryman’s Club Episode

Now that the presentation is done, we’re back to the quarterfinals of the badminton tournament. Our Sunlight boys are finally facing off Unisics this time. an official setting and are set on winning this time. Things, sadly, don’t go their way. However, the episode doesn’t end on a bitter note: we have one more player added to the team!

Usuyama’s reasons for leaving and returning to badminton was one of the highlights of the whole series. It also should be a required watch for Anitwitter minors who think one would (and should) magically grow out of the things they enjoy once they reach their 20s. Even if you might need to take a step back when you feel like it becomes necessary, there’s no need to completely leave something that makes you happy behind. His family’s support naturally means a lot to Usuyama and when he hurriedly went after the team even though he’s usually so stoic was a sight to see! Although I can’t help but feel vary that this development might be connected to Miyazumi’s injury, I’ll leave that to the next week’s Nora to worry about.

Last week, I rambled on and on about the rotation system but looks like the whole ‘one last time’ talk was about a past injury of Miyazumi. Is he going to get surgery? Did he have a time limit? Or is it just his old, weary body not being able to take it anymore? What’s going to happen to me if even my comfort anime is going down the angsty route? Thankfully, I have my blog to cry about it all.

Sasaki and Miyano Episode

The cross-dressing competition comes to an end and Miyano is both saddened and relieved that he was one of the runner-ups, as he came off more masculine than he imagined he would. At this point, a couple of close friends already are aware of how things are between Miyano and Sasaki, they ask questions or provide gentle nudges they might need here and there. The festival ends with the fireworks display, a first-time for Sasaki as he never had a reason to stay so late before Miyano. The episode ends with them seeing a BL live-action adaptation in theaters.

Well… Wow! This week’s anime was out to get me. How emotional that hand-holding moment was and the camera lingered on the soft touch just the right amount. Almost felt like the fireworks were solely there to celebrate Sasaki and Miyano’s comfortable intimacy.

Up until now, Miyano tried to justify his emotions towards Sasaki in a more rational way, trying to compare his compare what he feels to other examples that are considered as romantic love. It was his way of being considerate and valuing Sasaki’s genuine feelings. When you’ve started to develop feelings that are considered out of the bounds of ‘normal’ and don’t have anyone you can openly consult, you’re bound to take your time and feel confused. Still, what Miyano loves so dearly in Sasaki, being able to be vulnerable and depending on the other, he needed to take the plunge and do the same. Because in the end, feelings are messy and reasoning can only take you so far, although it is necessary to some degree. It was cathartic to see Miyano getting past the fears that the possibility of hurting Sasaki and what being in a relationship with another boy might bring, realizing the power of his genuine feelings. I SUPPORT YOU ALL THE WAY, MIYANO!!!

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