(CR) Yesterday wo Utatte (Sing "Yesterday" for Me)

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Frontier

I kind of feel like that might happen with Rikuo and Shinako, but the onset of their relationship feels more believable then Rou and Haru in my opinion.

Well, I'm not denying that - Rikuo and Shinako is the only pairing in the main cast that actually seems to have a basis in shared attraction. And yes, it could end up going that route - but I still think they'd be better off for having given it a shot.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

There are 18 episodes, but the remaining six are Abema-exclusive, apparently.

On top of that, there have been a handful of "extra" episodes that were exclusively aired on Abema, and it seems that even now, not everyone is aware of these one-off shorts. There have been five so far, coming after the credits for Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9. Most of them aren't terribly important and missing them won't hurt your enjoyment of the series, except for the second extra, which came after Episode 2. I wish the writers included this in the main part of Episode 2, because it provided very important insight into Shinako's state of mind. If nothing else, if you've not watched that Extra, then I highly recommend you do.

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

Loved episode 10. The week after week of suppressed feelings and frustrating on-again-off-again had a function: to make this episode more moving. I so hope Shinako and Rikuo can get together.

Me too! But...

Originally Posted by Kanon

I bet Shinako and Rikuo's relationship is going to go nowhere. At this point it's becoming more and more clear to me that Shinako can't move on but at the same time really enjoys the attention. She admitted to herself plenty of times that what she does is wrong, yet she can't help doing it.

...which was what I had begun to suspect since Episode 9, when Shinako hesitated at the very last moment to invite Rikuo into her apartment.

I know it's hard for most viewers not to interpret her behaviour as anything but manipulative, because that is how it indeed appears. But when it comes to matters of the heart, it's always easy for onlookers to pass judgment. It's not nearly as easy when you yourself are the person caught in the dilemma, so I still find myself empathising with Shinako.

I think she's a terrifically realised character. Kudos to the mangaka for creating someone as complex and complicated as Shinako. As I've pointed out last week, it's not always easy to distinguish between platonic and romantic love. Shinako, I believe, is at a point where she knows she has to move on. She knows that she has heavily romanticised her non-existent relationship with Yuu, but she doesn't quite know how to move on because she has yet to meet anyone who inspires the same kind of feelings as she had for Yuu.

As she herself said in the latest episode, she's coming to the realisation that perhaps there are different ways to love different people, but she isn't sure her growing feelings for Rikuo qualify as romantic attachment. In that context, it is reasonable for her to want to take it slow.

At the same time, I still don't think it's fair to accuse her of stringing Rikuo along, because she does seem to want to move on from Yuu, and since Rikuo is offering himself as an option, why would it be wrong for her to try? There is only one to know, after all, and that is to try and see if they could indeed work out as a couple.

But my final assessment still stands: If it remains the case that she can't see herself being physically intimate with Rikuo, then there really is no realistic hope of a good outcome from their attempt at romance. They're really nothing more than very good friends. The awkwardness between them stems directly from the both of them trying to force something that is not there.

I want them to work out as a couple. I really do. But I'm getting bad vibes from their interactions to date, and I fear the worst.

[Decel]

I like the new ED, but the upbeat animation feels like it changes the show's genre lol.

[Kanon]

At this point I think the only character I genuinely care about is Haru. I could relate to Rikuo way too much at the beginning of the series but his washy-washiness and passiveness have far surpassed my expectations and as a result I mostly feel frustration in every scene he's involved in. Shinako is worse than him on that front, and she keeps making excuses to boot. I'm also pretty sure she doesn't love Rikuo at all but just "plays" the role of his girlfriend to ease her loneliness. She was never willing to commit. As for Rou, he has serious anger issues and has been generally unlikable since his introduction.

[Frontier]

It says a lot about Haru's home situation that she felt more comfortable calling Rikuo after someone broke into her house then she did her own mother. I guess closeness to the area might have been a factor, but usually people think to call their family in these situations .

So Rikuo and Shinako are dating. It was so vague last episode that it took me a few minutes to realize for sure that that's what was going on .

Rikuo and Shinako feel like they deserve to be together by virtue of how wishy-washy and non-committal they can be. I guess this is less of an issue for Rikuo because he knows what he wants, but he's also pretty quick to acquiesce when Shinako doesn't want to go any further even when he's disappointed about it. On-top of that they aren't upfront about things with the people they need to be upfront with, which leads to nothing but trouble and heartbreak .

It was tough watching Haru see Rikuo and Shinako together and realizing what it meant. A part of her knew on some level this was going to happen, but having it thrown at your face like that so suddenly has just got to hurt. On-top of the fact that Shinako didn't even have the decency to face her. It hurt me seeing Haru cry like that. And she apparently quit Milk Hall too? I don't think Haru's in a good place right now .

Did Rikuo know Kyouko? I don't recall them actually meeting .

I think relationships should progress at their own pace, but it really doesn't seem like Shinako knows what she wants other then having Rikuo by her side. I guess sometimes it can be as simple as that, but does that really make for a romantic relationship ?

Serves these two right that they kept putting off revealing their relationship to their other love interests only for them to get caught in the act twice .

[Wandering Soul]

Wow this episode was frustrating. It was clear they were both going to be caught together everytime they put off telling the others about their relationship. They pretty much deserve it.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Well, Rikuo and Shinako's supposed relationship isn't really working out, is it? I had suspected so for a while now, but it's increasingly clear that it's not going to end well for the both of them.

That makes me sad but, at the same time, I'm surprised by the amount of vehemence against Shinako in the interwebs. I can understand where the hate is coming from, and it's largely justified: She's holding Rikuo hostage in a relationship that isn't going anywhere. In her own words, she doesn't want him to change, and is fine with the way things are. That effectively means they're still just friends, even though Rikuo wants them to be more than that.

So, yes, I can appreciate why viewers are seeing it as Shinako allowing herself to play the role of Rikuo's "girlfriend", rather than being genuine about her feelings. All I can say though, is that I'm closer to how Shinako's colleague, Morita-sensei, sees the issue, which is that there isn't anything wrong per se to take it slow for now. And that's probably why I'm a bit blindsided to the "true" state of things between Rikuo and Shinako at the moment.

The more obvious thing, to me, is that if this were an actual, healthy relationship, neither Rikuo nor Shinako would be so ill at ease in telling Haru and Rou that they're now a couple. Shinako's hesitance, I can understand — she has been indecisive from day one — but Rikuo's hesitance is a bit more puzzling. I'm not sure where it's coming from, but I think his uncertainty over where things actually stand between him and Shinako probably has a lot to do with it.

As for the other issue that's lighting up the interwebs, yes, I feel vindicated in knowing that I'm not the only person who absolutely hates Rou. The kid is just full of himself. His selfishness and sense of entitlement to Shinako's time beggars belief, to the extent that he's thinking of moving to somewhere between his college and her home just so she can come and cook for him. Hello? When did Shinako even agree to do that for you in the first place?

Rou's obsession with Shinako is troubling on so many levels that I don't even want to imagine what it could be like if he does indeed get his way with her in the end. It'll be infuriating.

Originally Posted by Frontier

Did Rikuo know Kyouko? I don't recall them actually meeting.

It's in one of the "extra" episodes that have been airing exclusively on Abema TV. Chronogically, it happened sometime after Rikuo stopped Haru at the road junction, when she was en route to a delivery.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Haak

I had to do a double take there because I could have sworn this was just a 12 episode series but apparently it's 18? Well that certainly changes perspectives. I was 99% convinced that the show would end with Shinako and Rikuo together but now it probably looks more like it will be a Haru ending.

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

There are 18 episodes, but the remaining six are Abema-exclusive, apparently.

I thought about adding to my previous post, but it's another story altogether, so I decided to go ahead with a new post instead.

This just in: Yesterday wo Utatte has been confirmed to have only 12 episodes. It seems there's been a misunderstanding about the six Abema-exclusive episodes — these are in fact the "extra" scenes that had come after the end of a few episodes (there have been five in total so far, with the last one to come after Ep12).

So, yes, next week's episode will be the last. We are now apparently at about Chapter 70 in the manga, out of 113 Chapters, which means the anime is probably going to either going leave things open-ended, or it might reach for an anime-original conclusion. We'll have to wait and see.

[serenade_beta]

*inhale*
*exhale*
*inhale*
*exhale*
*inhale*
*exhale*
*inhale*
*exhale*

...SEX! Just freakin' do it and stop messing around!

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

I thought about adding to my previous post, but it's another story altogether, so I decided to go ahead with a new post instead.

This just in: Yesterday wo Utatte has been confirmed to have only 12 episodes. It seems there's been a misunderstanding about the six Abema-exclusive episodes — these are in fact the "extra" scenes that had come after the end of a few episodes (there have been five in total so far, with the last one to come after Ep12).

So, yes, next week's episode will be the last. We are now apparently at about Chapter 70 in the manga, out of 113 Chapters, which means the anime is probably going to either going leave things open-ended, or it might reach for an anime-original conclusion. We'll have to wait and see.

That seems very, very odd. The pacing has been spot-on for an 18-episode series - why would they leave 7 episodes worth of material for the final episode?

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

I thought about adding to my previous post, but it's another story altogether, so I decided to go ahead with a new post instead.

This just in: Yesterday wo Utatte has been confirmed to have only 12 episodes. It seems there's been a misunderstanding about the six Abema-exclusive episodes — these are in fact the "extra" scenes that had come after the end of a few episodes (there have been five in total so far, with the last one to come after Ep12).

So, yes, next week's episode will be the last. We are now apparently at about Chapter 70 in the manga, out of 113 Chapters, which means the anime is probably going to either going leave things open-ended, or it might reach for an anime-original conclusion. We'll have to wait and see.

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

That seems very, very odd. The pacing has been spot-on for an 18-episode series - why would they leave 7 episodes worth of material for the final episode?

Yeah, kind of seems odd that they paced this out the way they did for a completed manga if they were only going to stop short of actually fully adapting it .

I hope the series is able to conclude satisfactorily...

[Kanon]

Next week is the last episode? That can't be true, we haven't even gotten into Haru's backstory. Maybe this is actually split cour?

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Next week is the last episode? That can't be true, we haven't even gotten into Haru's backstory. Maybe this is actually split cour?

I guess if it is they'll probably officially announce it with the next episode.

[orion]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

*inhale*
*exhale*
*inhale*
*exhale*
*inhale*
*exhale*
*inhale*
*exhale*

...SEX! Just freakin' do it and stop messing around!

If they did , then the manga wouldn't have gone for over 100 chapters.

[Wandering Soul]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

I thought about adding to my previous post, but it's another story altogether, so I decided to go ahead with a new post instead.

This just in: Yesterday wo Utatte has been confirmed to have only 12 episodes. It seems there's been a misunderstanding about the six Abema-exclusive episodes — these are in fact the "extra" scenes that had come after the end of a few episodes (there have been five in total so far, with the last one to come after Ep12).

So, yes, next week's episode will be the last. We are now apparently at about Chapter 70 in the manga, out of 113 Chapters, which means the anime is probably going to either going leave things open-ended, or it might reach for an anime-original conclusion. We'll have to wait and see.

This seems like a really weird move. Maybe they'll conclude the actual story with an OVA or something because I can't see how the things will end while still being well paced.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Wandering Soul

This seems like a really weird move. Maybe they'll conclude the actual story with an OVA or something because I can't see how the things will end while still being well paced.

I just binged the manga. There isn't a thread for the manga on this forum, unfortunately, so I will try to be as careful as I can.

Without giving too much away, I will just say that screenwriters Yoshiyori Fujiwara and Jin Tanaka have indeed changed quite a few things while staying faithful to the themes and leaving the core narrative relatively intact. Based on what I've seen in the official PV for the series, the manga's ending has already been adapted well ahead of time.

If next week's episode is indeed the last, then there will likely be a major time skip to reach its destined conclusion. And given the changes already made, some of the side stories covered in the later chapters wouldn't fit the TV series quite as well any more. In short, I think there won't be enough material left for 18 episodes, not enough that matters in any case.

So, it seems likely that Fujiwara and Tanaka went into production aware of the 12-episode time span they had for the anime adaptation. We'll have to see whether they can pull it off effectively.

Spoiler for No specific manga spoilers, but you may inadvertently draw inferences, so read at your own risk!:

I accept and respect the manga's ending, but one aspect of it still leaves me deeply disatisfied, and I'm in denial over it. There are so many things I want to get off my chest! But I'll leave it to you to make your own discoveries and come to your own thoughts about the way the manga ended.

[Haak]

I don't know how they're going to wrap this up well in one episode but if this ends up being another unfinished adaptation, I think I might just flip a table...

Originally Posted by Frontier

Or he's at least concerned about not hurting her feelings...

Just to be clear (because I'm not sure we were talking about the same thing here), I was referring to this scene:

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[Blueknight78]

man this trainwreck is really big.

again we have the 4 amain characters and everything happening being "they faults.

haru issue still being the fact which she did know which her "love" could be a lost one and one side, but she still keep trying, then on that i can't full say which she "did not wrong", if she is being hurt is not "full rikuo fault, while he does have a huge play on here still part of the troublem come from here for trying to get into one of hell already complicated relationship and even witth the knowledge of it she still trying then obvious she gonna get hurt at some points.


rikuo - man this guys really have a serious issues of being "too passive and most importan indecise and "too kind" in the wrong time, the fact which he is unable to "full reject" haru and ask her to true give up and stop is really problematic sometimes i feel like he is trying to have "haru" as a "reserve" in case his relationship with shinako don't work he can go for her, the fact which he keep his relationship with shinako in hidden was horrible and very selfish from him, this is why i feel which indeed rikuo and shinako are really a perfect coupel, both of then have issues with the "move on" and are unable to proper "reject" the others peoples interested in then.


shinako - the same or even worst than rikuo, being too passive, and to indecise abou the other guys and the fact which she is holding back even more than him make things worst, the fact which she told which she want things to "stay as they are" was a really terrible thing to say for you "boy/girlfriend" when the relationship is stagnated in a really bad state like that, i really feel like they are really perfect for each other in the way they behavious almost in the "same way.

and here ruo - if anything i agree is the "hate over him" this "children really need to grow up", making plans to keep forever medling in her life without even ask her, what the hell was that????, he want to move to a house between the school and her home just to be able to keep going eating at her place, which means she now must make food for his dad, for him and for rikuo(each on a different house), she is they "personnal chief??? or maid???, this brat is so annoying and what with that "reason" about find which she is which rikuo, rikuo is her boyfriend and most important she is "nothing" for him than a good friend for him to be so angered lik she is "betraying him or something like that", serious ruo is the worst here and i would love to see him ending "alone" to learn how to proper deal with peoples and stop being soo selfish, and spoiled brat and jealous like that.

[orion]

Originally Posted by Blueknight78

man this trainwreck is really big.

again we have the 4 amain characters and everything happening being "they faults.

haru issue still being the fact which she did know which her "love" could be a lost one and one side, but she still keep trying, then on that i can't full say which she "did not wrong", if she is being hurt is not "full rikuo fault, while he does have a huge play on here still part of the troublem come from here for trying to get into one of hell already complicated relationship and even witth the knowledge of it she still trying then obvious she gonna get hurt at some points.


rikuo - man this guys really have a serious issues of being "too passive and most importan indecise and "too kind" in the wrong time, the fact which he is unable to "full reject" haru and ask her to true give up and stop is really problematic sometimes i feel like he is trying to have "haru" as a "reserve" in case his relationship with shinako don't work he can go for her, the fact which he keep his relationship with shinako in hidden was horrible and very selfish from him, this is why i feel which indeed rikuo and shinako are really a perfect coupel, both of then have issues with the "move on" and are unable to proper "reject" the others peoples interested in then.


shinako - the same or even worst than rikuo, being too passive, and to indecise abou the other guys and the fact which she is holding back even more than him make things worst, the fact which she told which she want things to "stay as they are" was a really terrible thing to say for you "boy/girlfriend" when the relationship is stagnated in a really bad state like that, i really feel like they are really perfect for each other in the way they behavious almost in the "same way.

and here ruo - if anything i agree is the "hate over him" this "children really need to grow up", making plans to keep forever medling in her life without even ask her, what the hell was that????, he want to move to a house between the school and her home just to be able to keep going eating at her place, which means she now must make food for his dad, for him and for rikuo(each on a different house), she is they "personnal chief??? or maid???, this brat is so annoying and what with that "reason" about find which she is which rikuo, rikuo is her boyfriend and most important she is "nothing" for him than a good friend for him to be so angered lik she is "betraying him or something like that", serious ruo is the worst here and i would love to see him ending "alone" to learn how to proper deal with peoples and stop being soo selfish, and spoiled brat and jealous like that.

But again, this boils down to Shinako not doing what she is supposed to do because she wants to keep the status quo. She wants Rikou as an"almost-boyfriend". She makes excuses not to tell Rou because she prob likes him also and she wants the family atmosphere.

In the end, she just ruins things for everyone and Haru didn't tell her off enough imo. Glad Haru for the moment went "F**k you Rikou!" and got out of that awful relationship. Rikou does not deserve Haru imo.

[Blueknight78]

Originally Posted by orion

But again, this boils down to Shinako not doing what she is supposed to do because she wants to keep the status quo. She wants Rikou as an"almost-boyfriend". She makes excuses not to tell Rou because she prob likes him also and she wants the family atmosphere.

In the end, she just ruins things for everyone and Haru didn't tell her off enough imo. Glad Haru for the moment went "F**k you Rikou!" and got out of that awful relationship. Rikou does not deserve Haru imo.

almost the same goes to rikuo, because he also don't told to haru and keep hidden and also keep "his status quo" with her (haru), while he is trying to improve with shinako he still "not pushing enought" and still accepting they crap relationship moving in slug steps(even turtle could be more fast), this is why i told which both of then have basically the "same issue", both of then are too passive/insecure/ and doing little to nothing to really "move foward", ofcourse he is trying a little more than her but he also still "hurting haru" by doing what he did and it "bit" him in the right time in same way it ended biting shinako, basically both passed for the same issue the only differenrce was the reaction of the "others sides" while haru was more like "giving up and less or more accepting her loss", rou was just acting like she cheated on him or something like that and alread goes "rage" and again his "way of already planing "everything" without talk to shinako already was bad enough to do.

That is why at this point i really feel like rikuo and shinako really are perfect for each other because they are more or less following the "same way of act" ofcourse it in reallity is really bad for they relationship because going "too slow" in many times can be worst than "not moving" and things are going too bad for then at this point if rikuo not take that chance to really step in and make his relationship with shinako to really move.