Yankee-kun to Megane-chan – 07-08

Fun at study camp but later it’s SRS BIZNESS

Heya all, hope everyone had a good weekend. Not much up for me besides being tired lately. One week left then back to school, oh so soon. Ah well, that’s life. One another note, sorry that this review is late. Xmas was busy because I had to work on the Eve and cook too hehe. I made some really yumm tiramisu, oh my favorite.

In the previous episode, Daichi’s hopes were let down after finding out that Miyagi isn’t the girl from the entrance exams. Episode seven starts with the class going on a ‘study camp’ (wish I could go on a study camp) for two days and three nights. Daichi, of course, is irritated at such a thing but Hana is just as excited. Hana attempts to be the tour bus guide but fails at pointing out sites of interest. Meanwhile we see Rinka glance at the back of the bus towards Daichi after hearing the three gossiping girls talk about a love shrine. What Rinka doesn’t know is that Izumi sees all.

Hmm do I sense some secret crushing?

The class arrives at their study camp which is actually a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). The students only free time is before dinner. Class is already in session and after a test, we see Hana’s horrific single digit score. Anyone who scored below 30 has to stay for supplementary lessons and this time it’s only Hana because Daichi actually scored 31 which Hana tried to tell him was 13. After class, the students go out for their free time and Daichi ditches Chiba who wants to go to places that only someone like him would go to. Rinka inquires about Daichi’s whereabouts to Izumi who flat out tells Rinka to give up on liking Daichi who already has someone he likes and Rinka denies such feelings. Meanwhile Hana is stuck in supplementary lessons all alone and Daichi while taking a walk sees a lonely boy at a shrine. Daichi tries to act cool yet shows some worry for the boy who’s all alone and finds out that the boy is waiting for his dad to light fireworks. The boy’s mother arrives who has been looking for him and right away assumes that Daichi is a bully (how discriminating). The mother realizes Daichi’s uniform and inquires about the school then drags the boy, Sota, away. Chiba then appears creepily behind Daichi and drags him away a bro-date.

Back at the supplementary lessons, Sakai-sensei scolds Hana while she’s working on problems until he receives a phone call that ends in some disappointment. Meanwhile it’s night, Daichi and Chiba arrive at a hill site and discuss about their future and dreams. Back at the ryokan, Rinka is by herself staring at information on the love spring in a tourist guide book until Hana arrives and sees something in the book about a foot bath that will make you smart (what?). Hana quickly rushes to where Daichi is to show him the book but doesn’t realize that she entered the men’s bath because of her fogged glasses.

Peeping Hana.. tehehee~

During free time before bed, Hana tries to get Daichi to go with her to the foot bath but goes away mad at Daichi’s refusing. While Hana is studying, Rinka inquires about Hana liking someone and when Rinka is asked the question in turn, Rinka dodges the answer. Meanwhile Daichi loses sleep because Izumi degrades Daichi while sleeping and Chiba snores like a bear. Daichi takes a walk and remembers Sota waiting for his dad and in turn thinks of himself as a child. Daichi arrives at a mini waterfall and sees a girl already there; thinking that she’s the girl who lent him the mechanical pencil. Daichi approaches the girl and shyly introduces himself and asks her out. They make plans to meet at the foot bath the following day at 5PM. Nearby on the overlooking bridge, some yankee looking guys are walking by and recognizes the couple. After Daichi leaves the girl, the mist disappears and yes it’s Hana who is all happy that Daichi will finally go to the foot bath with her.

Hana: “Teheeeheee”

The next day in class as Sakai-sensei takes roll call, Hana points out there’s a kid in the back of the room. It’s Sota asking his dad if they can light fireworks now. The class is surprised that Sota is Sakai-sensei’s kid and Sakai-sensei chases Sota until he runs out the room to his mother. The husband and wife argue about Sakai-sensei’s lack of parenting and keeping promises until the wife announces that she wants a divorce. The class watches the scene, such an odd moment and Sakai-sensei goes back to class like noting happened but during class we see a depressed sensei. After class while attempting to study, Hana is blaming herself for the sensei’s situation and Daichi is just happily fixing his hair for his ‘date’. Hana tries to get Daichi to help but Daichi unlike himself tells them not to bother. Daichi runs into Izumi when downstairs and sees Izumi carrying Sota’s fireworks. Izumi tried to return the fireworks to Sakai-sensei who didn’t want it anymore. While Daichi is leaving the ryokan, he’s stuck in thought about the date and Sota. In realization, Daichi decides to do the right thing and calls for Hana to go and help with fixing Sakai-sensei’s problem.

Hmm meeting with my first love or helping the soon to be divorced teacher?!

Daichi and Hana arrive at a store where Sakai-sensei’s wife works and tries to talk to her about Sakai-sensei. They get nowhere until a neighbor interrupts that Sota left by himself. Sota’s mother runs off looking for the boy and Daichi and Hana soon follows in search. Hana finds Sota at the shrine from earlier and as Hana tries to get the boy to go with her, some guys with bats show up to cause trouble for the formerly known Hurricane Ada. Daichi shows up and fights off the guys and even Izumi makes a cool appearance helping them out. Afterwards Daichi takes Sota and they head out to solve Sakai-sensei’s problem.

Hana sings: “We’re off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of ozz…~”

Back at the ryokan, Daichi, Rinka, and Chiba gathers the class to the meeting room for ‘class’. As Daichi drags Sakai-sensei into the room, the sensei steps back out after seeing his wife and son in there. Daichi then tells the story about ‘someone he looked up to’ as a child. Daichi when a child cried about his dad not keeping promises but his mother comforts him and tells him about how important his dad’s work is. So Sakai-sensei should go teach class and show his family what his work means to him. Hana volunteers to answer a problem and the class tries to turn her down but Hana goes up and answers the question correctly with some hints from Sakai-sensei. The class cheers and Sakai-sensei’s family cheers as well.

Afterwards, Sakai-sensei and his family makes up and goes to light fireworks. Hana and the gang watch until Daichi remembers about the ‘date’. Daichi runs off and then Hana suddenly remembers the foot bath. Daichi runs to the meeting spot to find the girl not there and Hana arrives which disappoints Daichi. They both end up heading to the foot bath and as they argue, Daichi gets a “Is this it…” moment (explained in previous review). They find out the bath is closed and as they leave, we see Rinka appear from behind the bushes.

Episode eight starts off with Daichi talking with Sei about finally finding the girl from the entrance exams. Daichi is all happy until Sei asks about him getting her number. Unfortunately, Daichi didn’t get her number.. nor even her name. Oh how Daichi dreads that he’ll never see the girl again.

In class, we once again see Hana’s horrific test scores but at least she’s not scoring single digits anymore. Teacher-parent conferences are taking place and Chiba shows a depressing look about him having a second conference.

Oh Sei, how I we’ve missed your presence

In the student council room, Chiba attempts to erase the circle around Science for his future choice of study. A discussion about dreams come up and Hana tries to learn everyone’s dream but what is Hana’s dream? To get by every day. But what everyone doesn’t know is that Rinka’s dream is to have Daichi as a hubby. Daichi and Chiba part ways when Daichi reaches home. As Daichi enters, his mom comes and greets not Daichi but Chiba who’s behind him. Yep, Chiba invited himself into Daichi’s home and the comparison begins. Daichi’s family compliments Chiba in various things and Daichi gets ignored throughout the night.

Meanwhile, Rinka is helping Hana study. After Hana goes to take a bath, Rinka and Hana’s grandfather discuss about the new Hana. Rinka is unsure if she likes the changed Hana from her old self.

Around bed time, Chiba converses with Daichi about his family problems. Chiba rarely sees his dad who is a lawyer and wants Chiba to become a lawyer too but Chiba actually wants to be an astronaut. Chiba’s mother gets yelled at when Chiba displeases his father so Chiba is afraid to speak up to his family on his choices for the future. Later that night, Kairi (Daichi’s sister) carrying some papers about a medical program, peers in on her father in his office. When noticed, Kairi changes her mind on talking to her dad about the papers and borrows a book. Meanwhile Daichi loses sleep because of Chiba’s snoring and sleep talking. Daichi enters the kitchen to be surprised by Kairi sitting in the dark. Kairi confesses about not wanting to inherit the clinic but be a doctor and suggests Daichi to take over the clinic. This makes Daichi mad because his sister’s selfish request is what Daichi has always wanted to do in the first place but could never tell his family who have no expectations in him. Chiba listens in on the conversation until Kairi yells at Daichi and storms upstairs; running into Chiba.

Eavesdroppers everywhere~

The next day, Daichi walks to school pissed off with a nervous Chiba trailing behind. Hana makes her random appearance and clashes with Daichi who ends up walking off alone. On the roof, Daichi is listening to music and Hana comes to ask why he’s skipping class and find out what’s wrong. Daichi starts to talk about people having dreams and that he has one too but can’t talk about it. Such a serious and dramatic scene. That night Hana discusses with her grandfather about dreams and tries to figure out what her own dream is. Meanwhile Daichi is in his father’s study and surprises his father as he walks in. Daichi asks his dad if he has any expectations in him and the dad tells Daichi to be himself and not worry about the clinic nor that he shouldn’t have expectations in Daichi. How demoralized Daichi must feel.

Future planning = SRS BIZNESS

The next day, we see Chiba’s mother (who is established as a MILF in my view by the reactions of male students) at school looking for Chiba for their teacher-parent conference. During the conference Chiba is all quiet while his mother relays his father’s wishes for Chiba’s future. In the student council room, Daichi once again crumples his future planning sheet and Chiba picks it up. Chiba tries to lecture Daichi about not speaking up when he himself has his own similar problems. The two start to argue and Hana enters to overhear. The two guys argue to the point of grabbing each other and Hana breaks them apart; sending Chiba flying out of the classroom (breaking the door which crushes Sakai-sensei). Daichi storms out while Hana tries to help the trapped Sakai-sensei.

Daichi’s dad runs into the classroom and bumps into Sakai-sensei who rushes off, leaving Daichi’s father who notices Chiba in the classroom alone. Meanwhile on the roof, Hana approaches Daichi and tries to tell him her dream. Hana’s dream is to be friends with everyone forever and Daichi tells her how stupid it is. Even so, Hana says it’s her dream even if people will laugh at her for it and then encourages Daichi to do the same and returns the crumpled future planning sheet.

One might confuse this as a confession scene~

Back in the classroom, Chiba is discussing with Daichi’s dad about his father and expectations. Daichi’s dad explains to Chiba about expectation being a form of love from the parent who has hopes and concerns for their child. Daichi’s dad then says that he’s letting Daichi pick his own path and whatever Daichi chooses, he’ll agree. Meanwhile Daichi is listening in on the conversation from outside the classroom and Sakai-sensei with Chiba’s mother arrives. Basically Sakai-sensei called the parents in because of the fight between Chiba and Daichi. As Chiba’s mother keeps apologizing, Chiba butts in and finally speaks up for himself on his choices. In the end, Daichi hands back his unchanged future planning sheet to Sakai-sensei and finally tells his father that he’s going to study medicine. Daichi asks his father if he has a problem with it and his father, without hesitation, says no.

Hana: “Well done pig, well done.”

End Thoughts: Two more episodes left to go for this dorama and now things are getting a bit more into the main story. We’re getting more in touch with the supporting characters Rinka and Chiba, especially for this episode seven and eight. Rinka’s secret crush for Daichi is somewhat unexpected (as well doesn’t follow the manga) and I see problems to come concerning this – love triangle. Too bad nobody ever really listens to Izumi’s straight forward and wise advice.

Episode seven focused a lot on Sakai-sensei’s family problems but then on the side we have Daichi finding the girl who lent him the mechanical pencil during entrance exams. During that waterfall scene, I found it displeasing that it was more obvious that it was Hana behind the water mist compared to the girl being Hana in Daichi’s flashbacks. And yet, it was amusing when Daichi left Hana who had such a happy grin on her face. It was also touching to learn about Daichi’s childhood and the reminder of it from seeing Sota go through the same thing. But poor Sakai-sensei, he’s a good teacher but the students blatantly make fun of him in surprise that Sota is his son. As for the ending of the episode, it was quite funny when Daichi got a “Is this it…” moment but ends up being punched in the guts at Hana who somehow puts the blame on Daichi for the foot bath (which makes you smart hah) being closed. I like how in the very end we see Rinka just appear from behind the bushes. Rinka and her thinking mentality seems worst than Hana because she feels that as the disciple of Hana, she is unworthy of wanting something that Hana might want. But I do not feel any pity for Rinka. Hana x Daichi FTW~

As for episode eight, oh man such dorama. This episode actually didn’t feel like I was watching some cool show that depicts an anime/manga, instead it just felt like an actual typical school life dorama series. Yet, I suppose it’s a sort of refreshing thing to have and this episode covered elements of the main story to the series. Daichi’s family problems and wanting to study medicine but puts no effort because of his family having no expectations in him. This all comes about being solved thanks to Chiba’s own problems being similar and Hana in the background giving her support and concerns. I’m so glad that Daichi finally got to say what he wanted to his father. Seeing Daichi keep getting put down by his family and others is just depressing. Anyways, I look forward to the next episode which will give us some laughs, maybe action and some more dorama.

Preview: The school holds a cultural festival yet trouble to come is lurking nearby aiming at Hana.