Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru

[Frontier]

You know a girls' got it bad when her first dream of the New Year is her younger kouhai kissing her .

So Urushi lives in a classical Japanese house with her cute cat and even sleeps in traditional Japanese clothes. Neat .

Of course in a romcom you have to have the leads stumbling into each other even when they're not in school, but it was nice to see Urushi in casual wear and to see her and Ayumu get to spend the day together again. They even got to recommend books to each other and have a cute moment of videotaping Urushi's struggling because she's short !

Ayumu got to learn a lot about Urushi from visiting an Okonomiyaki stand that she and her deceased grandpa frequented. The manager is gruff, but a nice guy, no matter how much he complains about all the shogi being played at his establishment. And he's more than willing to dish out on how adorable Urushi was as a child, complete with flashbacks. Kid Urushi was too cute for words, and Urushi eating a satisfied meal was almost just as cute .

Of course her cat would be named "Kin," and she reminds Ayumu of Urushi so much that all his compliments feel like they're being directed towards Urushi. And the cat loves him! Which probably says a lot about Urushi's feelings as well, or how compatible they are. And the cat played surprise wingwoman by giving the pair an intimate moment with each other .

Takeru and Sakurako on a movie date! And Sakurako looked really good in her casual clothes! But poor Takeru could barely concentrate when she keeps acting out all the intimate couple moments between the leads in the movie right there next to him in the theater. Is she that oblivious and committed to acting out a story she enjoys? And would she have committed to that kiss since she was acting it out with the expectation that the kiss was going to actually happen like it did in the book? Takeru seems like he wouldn't have minded in the end .

So, like, what was that movie about!? It seemed like it was a man and a woman on the run together in a post-apocalyptic society and then the man ends up growing a tree out of him at the end? Which is an actual change from the book since it was supposed to be a straight up kiss scene? I'm as confused as Takeru .

Nothing says two teens in love like an accidental video call at midnight and just two kids talking in the night and enjoying each others' company like they're sleeping right next to each other...and then Ayumu actually goes to sleep and Urushi has to stay awake with how flustered their romantic night call together went. Too sweet for words .

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Frontier

So, like, what was that movie about!? It seemed like it was a man and a woman on the run together in a post-apocalyptic society and then the man ends up growing a tree out of him at the end? Which is an actual change from the book since it was supposed to be a straight up kiss scene? I'm as confused as Takeru .

I'm thinking that even if Takeru had managed to concentrate, he wouldn't have gotten any of it. I assumed this was a zombie story and Johnny was going to eat her face during the kiss but he just turns into a tree because why not?

[grecefar]

sakurako had the time of her life lol, killed two birds with one stone, enjoy the movie and tease takeru.

[Wandering Soul]

Originally Posted by Frontier

So, like, what was that movie about!? It seemed like it was a man and a woman on the run together in a post-apocalyptic society and then the man ends up growing a tree out of him at the end? Which is an actual change from the book since it was supposed to be a straight up kiss scene? I'm as confused as Takeru .

.

Yeah, it's one confusing movie. Everything up until the tree was pretty much your standard Zombie/ Post apocalypse flick. Either way I am just as curious as Takeru as to what would have happened if they stuck with the source material.

[FlareKnight]

The only thing I'm worried about is that I'm way more hyped when Sakurako and Takeru are on screen. I didn't think this would be a case where I'm loving the side couple more than the main one, but it might get there.

Not that I dislike Ayumu and Urushi. But maybe Ayumu's stance on all of this is just throwing me off. I guess it just feels a bit too selfish. He's not holding himself back on anything besides just not confessing. He'll go out on dates, he'll dig (maybe a bit too much) for personal information, express his attraction to her, etc. But he just won't confess. Despite all that griping it isn't like I don't like the pair. Urushi carries things really well and watching her feelings develop is pretty enjoyable.

Seriously though, Sakurako and Takeru are just fun. The only thing holding them back is just not quite being ready to openly say it. Despite doing similar things in terms of going on dates it works for me. Maybe it is just because they show up in short bursts. But regardless, I am enjoying seeing these two spending time together. And it feels like they are getting somewhere. Just really a matter of time...and presuming there's no more hypnotism.

Not sure about the movie's plot. But it was interesting seeing Sakurako act like she did throughout the movie. I wonder what she would have done if they didn't change the ending like that! As for the plot itself...I guess it was basically a zombie apocalypse type situation but instead of turning into a zombie...you end up a tree. So maybe a weird mix of The Happening with World War Z?

Credit to Sakurako though. The type that doesn't get upset about adaptations making changes. And considering it presumably went from a romantic finale to a semi-tragic one that's quite the leap for her to absorb so well.

[BWTraveller]

Not surprising. I'd say that they're at bare minimum equal to Ayumu and Urushi, if not the better pair. It happens. I've had romcoms in the past where side characters' romances were far more interesting to me. Heck, I'm pretty sure I've heard some people express a greater interest in Hamaguchi and Hojo than in Nishikata and Takagi.

[Frontier]

Ayumu is just too disciplined and strict with himself for his own good .

[Kanon]

I could tell from the start I'd like Takeru and Sakurako better than the main pairing. Urushi and Ayumu are just too ordinary, nothing makes them stand out. Frankly, they're boring.

[SentryD]

I do like Urushi and Ayumu too, and their relationship is progressing in a steady pace compared to other couples in similar anime, but Ayumu is still a bit annoying due to the strange mix of his obnoxious intrusiveness and fear of actually confessing his feelings. The way he's casually overstepping the boundaries without taking Urushi's feeling into consideration sometimes gets a bit uncomfortable to watch, especially when his assertiveness is paired with being a huge pussy.
I don't really want to complain though, this episode was the best so far, but the dynamic between Sakurako and Takeru is simply just so much better and more interesting that the main couple pales in comparison, regardless how cute Urushi is. It is literally impossible to not love the cinema scene.
The accidental video call in the end of the episode was really good as well, probably my favorite Urushi x Ayumu moment so far, however

Spoiler:

the upcoming introduction of the unnecessary third wheel character is something I'm not quite thrilled about.

So despite all my complaints, I think this anime is season top 3 (or at least top 5), I'm just not really a fan of Ayumu's character itself. Otherwise it's pretty fun.

[Kanon]

Sakurako -> Maki -> Urushi

That's my ranking after the latest episode. Sakurako actually reminds me of Takagi quite a bit, I think she's very much aware of what she's doing and enjoys teasing Takeru.

[Frontier]

Oh wow, we're already at Valentine's Day! I'm guessing the next episode will be the beach/pool episode .

Ah, the struggle of every girl in a romcom on Valentine's Day when they have to give out chocolate to a boy but they are desperate to make it come off like giri chocolate (even though it really isn't) .

Maki really is the keep that keeps on giving! Having chocolate for practically everybody! It's just nice to hear HanaKana .

I guess now it's more clear than ever that Sakurako knows exactly what she's doing and is just playing around with poor Takeru. She doesn't even need to hypnotize him, just the threat of it is enough to get him going .

That's some intimate library flirting going on with both couples. I love these dorks so much .

Poor Ayumu...his dunce mistake cost him more shogi time with Urushi. And Urushi seemed so disappointed she couldn't get to play shogi with him .

[grecefar]

On thing I like about this is the relationship between the three childhood friends. Sakurako, takeru and ayumu are pretty close, it's cool and since ayumu likes urushi there is not drama or love triangle between them.

[BWTraveller]

One thing I noticed with this ep. I've heard people connect Sakurako's tendency to avert her eyes with her feelings toward Takeru, but she doesn't seem to be able to look Ayumu in the eye either. Seems more just something she's bad at regardless of who it is.

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by BWTraveller

One thing I noticed with this ep. I've heard people connect Sakurako's tendency to avert her eyes with her feelings toward Takeru, but she doesn't seem to be able to look Ayumu in the eye either. Seems more just something she's bad at regardless of who it is.

Not that it stops her from being a good teaser .

[Frontier]

It's April, the start of a new term, and the cherry blossoms are in full bloom! And of course on their first day of the new term we've got Urushi and Ayumu reuniting in the club room and going out to inspect everything like a proper high school couple !

So Urushi's a 3rd Year now, huh? Feels like that makes Ayumu legitimately beating her so he can confess more important than ever now that it's potentially his last year to do it .

I guess it's difficult being love interests in different school years when it means you can't be in the same classrooms together...and it seems that both Ayumu and Urushi wishes they could be together, but Urushi's just happy knowing they're both in Class 1 and will get to be on the same team for Sports Day again! How sweet !

It's nice to see Urushi in class with her gal pals, even if they enjoy teasing her too much. Of course Urushi should be glad Maki's the only one who knows about the guy in her life .

Time for recruiting new club members! Which is the perfect chance to finally show the beginning of Ayumu and Urushi's relationship in a flashback. Ayumu seemed set to join the Kendo club, but he didn't seem to feel very passionate about anything other than training himself, and then in true romance fashion the wind and the cherry blossoms throw a shogi club recruitment form into his face and Urushi right behind it and it's love-at-first sight! And who can resist Urushi's bright and happy smile at the prospect of finding someone who wants to play shogi with her ?

Man, it's tough to find high school kids who want to play shogi. I guess Takeru's in-your-face attitude and rough face didn't help .

Kendo girl finally appears! Rin Kagawa seems like a very well-mannered, graceful, and skilled young girl and also the kouhai of Ayumu and Takeru from their old middle school, whom she idolized for their kendo prowess and basically followed them to high school. Which is why she doesn't take it well when she learns that Urushi in the shogi club basically "stole" them away, although it was hilarious how she was going along with joining the club at first assuming they were a kendo club. Like, can you imagine Urushi doing kendo ?

Recruiting other members is all well and good, but Urushi realizes how much she doesn't want to lose Ayumu, and the shogi club just wouldn't be the same without him. She just can't bear to be parted from him! Her running towards the duel was so romantic and sweet .

It's time for a duel to protect Ayumu's time with his senpai in the shogi club! And despite not doing it for a year, he manages to defeat Rin in kendo! I think the power of love might have helped a bit there .

All this difficulty with finding members and Rin ends up joining them because she lost to shogi, more or less, even though no one was really expecting her to join. Well, she'll definitely keep club interesting, I'm sure .

[grecefar]

it's funny that three promises for the future of kendo turned to shogi in highschool.

urushi is a witch lol.

[Kanon]

It feels like they've been rushing just to introduce the obligatory third wheel. Maybe she'll shake things up and be a fun character, we'll see. I wonder if Ayumu will be forced to come up with various plans to leave her out of the club room so he can enjoy some alone time with Urushi.

[FlareKnight]

Honestly I was thinking that it was surprising that the rival hadn't shown up by this point yet. Probably should have expected that she'd be a year younger than Ayumu and so there'd be a need to wait a year before she could join the mix.

I suppose it adds an extra element to things. And I guess we'll see how the dynamic plays out with her likely being a much more active member of the club.

Expected that it was love at first sight for Ayumu, but wow it really was. One quick interaction and his future was decided . But it also is a reminder that he's already used a whole year without getting that confession done. Only has one more year before she graduates.

[Frontier]

The Shogi Club is now an official club! And Urushi is on cloud 9 regarding that and the fact that now she feels like an actual Club President! Even if the new member doesn't quite acknowledge her as that quite yet .

Poor Ayumu...he can't beat Urushi, he can't even beat his kouhai, when it turns out Rin is actually good at shogi. And he loses her respect as a Senpai, becuase Rin only gives people due respect if she thinks they're stronger than her. Tough break, Ayumu .

Rin is even able to give Urushi a good match, but luckily she has Ayumu's emotional support at her back to help her win! And then Rin starts worshipping her and trying to become her servant. And that's Ayumu's job !

Rin is polite and nice (at least when she feels you're worth respecting) and surprisingly emotionally adept...yet she's also quite gullible when Maki makes her believe she's a shogi master when she has no idea how to even play the game .

Sakurako didn't seem to enjoy Rin and Takeru's faces being close together...also, Sakurako was always there watching the kendo matches? I bet she was there to watch Takeru .

Wow, Rin not only heard and realized Urushi was trying to call Ayumu "handsome" but she immediately figured out that Ayumu had a crush on Urushi. If only she had stayed a moment longer and she would've heard Urushi expressing how happy she'd feel if Ayumu did have a crush on her, but that would probably give too much of the game away .

Rin doesn't care that Ayumu left kendo because he fell for Urushi, she's mad he hasn't been man enough to confess to her yet. But she's surprisingly understanding when she finds out why he won't confess...because she felt the same way about him, having worked hard to improve at kendo so she could beat Ayumu and then confess to him. And with her still bottling that feeling up, having never been able to express them, she wholeheartedly tries to support Ayumu with his love for Urushi. It's kind of bittersweet .

Did Urushi utterly crush Ayumu because watching him and Rin so close together made her uncomfortable? Jealousy sure brings out a woman's vicious side .

Time for Rin's welcome party! And there's a time for shogi and a time for just having fun, as Maki as helpful to point out...but she'll use shogi if it means giving Ayumu and Urushi some alone time. Classic wingwoman move! Too bad Takeru won't be Rin's Senpai any more .

Ayumu wanted his alone time with Urushi (and it seems like Urushi misses that as well), but he also just wanted Urushi happy and to achieve her dream...but Urushi wouldn't have gotten there without Ayumu, and she feels immense gratefulness (and love) towards him. And having wanted to make him blush, she succeeds with some close contact! Utterly adorable .

[Kanon]

I'm really liking Rin so far. At first I thought Urushi was reading too much into when she didn't call her President, but it turned out she was totally right and didn't respect her. Because Rin's respect has to be earned. I don't think Takeru will remain "senpai" very long...

I didn't expect her to find out about everything and much less to actually support Ayumu and Urushi's romance. Very nice surprise. Takeru and Sakurako are great friends but there wasn't much they could do to help him get closer to his goal. Maki is also a great wingwoman for Urushi but if Ayumu is dead set on not confessing until he beats Urushi, there's not much she can do to advance their relationship.

That said, still needs more Sakurako.