I went and saw the BokuYaba movie Friday (as is my wont, I’ll refrain from posting until I see it subbed). The “mind your movie manners” PSA was an animated short featuring Tani and Suzuki, which seems entirely appropriate (though I’m sure whoever does the programming for MOVIX wasn’t thinking about that). Is that an indication that this series has achieved some level of cultural penetration? If so it’s due to the manga, as that will have been produced before the anime started airing (or not long after).
You know all the rules by now, and the fire from the ice. The A-part is mostly going to focus on the side cast, and the B-part on the A-couple. There’s some spillover this week though, as things get quite serious – by YaIAPO standards, anyway. Library Girl (I need to start calling her Nishi but “Library Girl” has such a great romcom ring to it) and Yamada are going nowhere fast. Mainly because Nishi is as awkward via IM as she is verbally. She thinks way too much, Kentarou hardly at all – a tale as old as romcom time. It’s becoming clear that the title doesn’t just refer to Yuusuke and Miyu.
Opposites or not, high school romances are awkward for most of us. Yamada-kun has a fair bit of experience, we learn – with “carefree girls” who suit his nature – but it seems as if none of it was remotely serious. But when Miyu bemoans that she’s a first-timer, Yamada objects – “What about Ricchan?” he asks. It’s not made immediately clear who Ricchan is, but it is clear this is about to be a thing. Also, I’m convinced Gapacho was at the library because he was pining over Library Girl…
It’s Bunkasai time, as Polar Opposites checks off another romance standard. Class 2-7 is doing a cafe (at this school it’s determined by lots, it seems). Nishi is manning the Photography Club room and bemoaning her lack of docent skills. But she manages to have a conversation with Miyu and Yuusuke (well, Miyu) about photography when they stop by, giving her confidence a (tiny) boost. But the big news here is that Ricchan – full name Rihito – is going to be attending the culture fest. The old middle school gang has stayed in touch, but Suzuki-san has been skipping out on any meetups where Ricchan is going to be present.
This meeting is beyond awkward, as neither of them know what to say and Yuusuke is freaked out at meeting his girlfriend’s old boyfriend-adjacent and bishounen guy. Turns out they were buds in middle school (like Kentarou, Miyu hadn’t dyed her hair, probably against the rules). By acclamation is was declared that they should be dating, Rihito suggested it as a joke (maybe), and Miyu didn’t say no. And as is so often the case, a beautiful friendship was wrecked by the specter of romance. It’s hinted that he wasn’t as fine with abandoning the notion of love as she was, but he took one for the team and tried – unsuccessfully – to hit the reset button.
This is one of those occasions where we can say “it’s nobody’s fault” and mean it. Miyu liked Ricchan, loved hanging out, and was aware that he was a hunk – but she just wasn’t feeling the other thing. She’s felt bad all this time about leaving him hanging, more or less, and it’s a shame it caused turbulence in their social group. But neither of them ever really did anything wrong. As for Tani, he doesn’t want to talk about it but he’s so blunt as a rule that Suzuki can easily tell that he’s unsettled. Miyu wwas never proactive enough in setting things straight with Ricchan, but she’s learned from it – and simply feels differently about Yuusuke.
The essence of Yuusuke’s unease, basically, is that Ricchan seems like “the sort of guy Miyu should be going out with”. And of course she doesn’t see herself as Yuusuke’s type either. It’s that opposites thing again, obviously a central theme (I mean, it is the title). And it may be expanding too, as the first serious nods to the inevitable third couple of the series, Azu and Taira, finally appear. Taira is a constant hoot – his reactions never fail to amuse me, and his puzzled irritation at the complexities of life is extremely realistic and relatable. Free-spirit (and maybe bad girl) Azu is not an obvious match for Shuuji – which in this series means it makes perfect sense.
