Ano Natsu de Matteru – 07
… Nyaa.
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I don’t even know what to expect from Ano Natsu anymore, but I guess that’s a good thing! Since the beach episode was stretched to two weeks, I’m sure we’ll be seeing some very important scenes this episode! |
Emotions are high as Ichika stumbles upon Kaori and Kaito in the middle of an “intimate” moment. She runs off as soon as they notice her, scared of confronting her own feelings for the bespectacled boy. Kanna, who is also wandering around the forest, sees Ichika and wonders what happened.
Arisa regains consciousness after being pushed to the floor by a pantyless Mio just as she, along with Tetsurou, made their escape. Mio pleas to Tetsurou not to tell anyone what happened and he agrees. Before going back to the set Mio heads back home to put on some underwear. Slowly everyone returns to the filming area where a curious Lemon questions what happened between everyone. (As if she didn’t know …) The filming begins and while capturing the scene Kaito wonders if different aspects of his life will start to fall apart. In the middle of their scene, Kaori quietly asks Ichika if she has feelings for Kaito, leading to a shocking response and a straightforward “CUT!”
“Keep still, we’re almost canon.”
A wild Arisa appears and chases off poor Tetsurou. Kanna thinks he should take her out on a date already, but Mio is obviously against that idea. Now back home, Kanna searches the house for Kaito but he’s nowhere to be found. Lemon arrives on the scene tricking Kanna into drinking some Dynamite Drink for the answers about Kaito’s feelings in return. Kaito, who is now at Kaori’s hotel, is told by the receptionist that she asked to meet him elsewhere.
Mio helps a desperate Tetsurou escape from Arisa in a pretty sketchy alleyway, but despite that they get her off their trail. They once again talk about keeping what happened a secret, but suddenly … ARISA. She brings up the fact that Mio wasn’t wearing panties and calls her an exhibitionist, in hopes of getting her away from Tetsurou. Out of the blue Mio makes a shocking confession, she’s a nudist! (If the panda phone calls weren’t enough of a hint already.)
DESPAIR.
Meanwhile, Ichika arrives at a shrine where Kaori is waiting. Ichika bluntly asks if she loves Kaito, and what follows is another confession … maybe less shocking than the nudist one. Kaori had a boyfriend at her home town, but was dumped. She came to Okinawa to have fun and forget those feelings, but when she saw Kaito she sort of used him to distract herself from the bad memories. Before leaving Kaori also reveals that Kaito said he has someone he loves, and that it’s probably Ichika. Just as she leaves, Kaito arrives.
Awkward …
Stay thirsty my friends.
At the vacation house Kanna shows the obvious signs of Dynamite destruction, a little woozy from the alcohol most likely. Lemon uses this chance to dress her up in some of her … costumes. Back to Mio, Tetsurou, and Arisa, Mio reveals that she comes from a family of nudists and was raised that way. For her going to school in clothes was very strange, but she still managed to make great friends like Kanna and Kaito. Taking the hint, Arisa disappears without notice. Tetsurou shows his support for her and her habits, leading to yet another confession! Mio confesses that she’s in love with Tetsurou, but he doesn’t exactly have a response.
Outside the shrine Ichika tells Kaito all about what happened between her and Kaori. They notice the sunset in the distance and while standing Ichika holds Kaito’s hand. Back at the hotel, Arisa cries over Tetsurou as Kaori pats her head. Walking home now, Kanna accepts that Tetsurou doesn’t have to answer her confession.
OTP. FOREVER.
Love is like the clink between two megane(ko)s.
Outside the vacation home, Ichika and Kaito talk about relationships and “chasing”. Kaito says he wants to be the one doing the chasing and kisses her. Just as their lips part they notice a Dynamite infused Kanna looking on curiously. Clearly she’s not in the right frame of mind to take it seriously and then goes on to kiss Ichika. (Nyaaa~) Inside, Rinon suddenly starts to feel strange.
The group finishes their filming with Kaori and when the last scene ends they send her off with a saddened Arisa. Lemon says now that filming is over they have the rest of the afternoon to enjoy before the plane comes. They throw on their bathing suits for a few last moments of fun. Lemon looks down at Rinon who seems to have a bit of a headache, and in the vastness of space a spaceship speedily passes by heading towards an unknown location.
“BRING IT ON.”
Preview: A description is not necessary with a picture like this.
Yay for confessions! I was definitely not expecting so many important developments to be made this quickly, but I loved every second of it! As expected, with the closing of this beach segment Kaori and Arisa departed, but not without a bang. Having played catalyst to some of the best Ano Natsu moments yet this episode, I’m starting to feel like I might miss them. Heck, without them the group would probably still be just as awkward and oblivious to each other as they were five weeks ago.
Moving on, Mio and Tetsurou are one of the most adorable couples I’ve ever seen in an anime, whether their feelings are mutual or not. (Oh the joys of being a diehard shipper!) Mio being a nudist only adds to her growing list of quirky characteristics, and I think that goes well with Tetsurou’s “down-to-earth” personality. Now that the hardest part for Mio, the confession, is out of the way we’ll have to wait and see where Tetsurou heads with his feelings for Kanna. Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if we have to wait quite a while longer for him to decide, especially now that Kanna’s chances look pretty slim. It’s a pretty big mess really, Tetsurou loves someone who doesn’t love him back … will it be that easy to suddenly switch/develop those same feelings to Mio? And how will Mio feel knowing she was “the second choice” if they do end up together? Where Kanna looks at Tetsurou as a little brother, sometimes I get the feeling he might look at Mio as a sort of little sister … but I still think they’re cute.
For me, Ichika and Kaito have always been eh, a secondary couple I suppose. I’ve always been way more interested in the other brewing romances, like Tetsurou/Kanna, Tetsurou/Mio, Kanna/Kaito, Remon/Rinon, and so I guess I’ve paid less attention to them in general. However, I really enjoyed seeing their relationship blossom this week. (Really though, it’s about time!) Clearly they’re going to be facing some more hardships though, since it’s only episode 7 and we’ve barely even touched on the alien issues and the “hickey disease”. If Rinon and the spaceship was any indication, we might be getting a bit more supernatural in the upcoming episodes which I’d like to see happen. The cast can’t be in the dark about the matter for the entire series, right? Hopefully not.
Anyway, I’m really tempted to watch Onegai Teacher after hearing all the comparisons … but why do I have such a big backlog though!? Ergh. Maybe once I’m done with everything else I’m watching I’ll pick it up. I’d love to see the series that Ano Natsu is sort of the spiritual successor of … though I’ll miss Remon.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I’m glad you share the thoughts I have about our departing supporting cast, Kaori and Arisa (Yay Index! Yay Menma!). I could easily see them sticking around; well plot-wise it would require some work, but in the characterization front, they add so much to the mix. I wonder, did the producers intend for us to miss them? If so, they are geniuses. And I have to admit, design wise both were really nice on the eyes, as are all the cast.
I am so glad to see Mio have her moment; both the nudist confession, and the love confession, as they are very very related. She is such a sweet character, and this moment is when she found her courage. Bring it on. Well said.
Like you, I’ve not been supportive of Ichika x Taito. It seems to plotted, to contrived, as if we are supposed to expect it, simply because it’s an anime rom-com, and the male lead, and the curious outsider girl are meant to hook up. Again, are the writers baiting us with that? Both Ichika’s and Taito’s internal monologues suggest something else is happening…We know these thoughts they are sharing with us are feelings of the past and those feelings do not suggest a relationship between the two.
And then there is Kanna. I’ve enjoyed this character from the beginning. She is spirited, spunky, and dynamic. Exactly the type of woman that I enjoy the company of. If I were sooooooooo much younger than I am, I would swoop in and sweep her off her feet. I’ve done it before. But in this show, I’ve felt paternal. I want to protect her. Interesting what this show does.
And then there is Lemon/Remon. Good gravy, girl, what are you? By all the stars in the sky and all the atoms in the universe, what are you?
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Maybe the producers will do something nice for all the fans and bring Kaori and Arisa back at the end. I was honestly hoping for a Kaori-Kanna showdown (before she talked to Ichika), but that never happened.
Hm, that’s one of the reasons I’m not too into their relationship as well. I like it when relationships are formed not because the two characters are “main characters”, but because they naturally grow closer. Up until now I’ve felt like the scenes between the two have felt, as you put, contrived.
lol Remon (or Lemon? I don’t even know anymore), I’m hoping for some twist to reveal that’s she not just a normal girl. She’s still my favorite. <3
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Preview: What do the Japanese know that the West does not. Why do girls look so freekin’ awesome in yakuta?
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
True. Girls are beautiful in yakutas. There was an anime I saw some time ago, though I can’t remember the name. Apparently it’s a tradition when wearing a yakuta, there’s no obligation to have underwear on. LOL. I can definitely see Mio fitting that discription without a problem after hearing her confession.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Wow, I’m sure the producers will use that to their advantage next week with Mio. xD
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Look at the smile in the preview…I want to eat them both up!
POWUH: 700-799 and Parkouring Fanboy with 776 comments
I really had a lot of fun watching this one, favorite episode of the series so far. Highlight was easily Remon playing dress up with Kanna, but Mio was adorable coming out as a nudist like that. Such an unexpected but obvious-in-retrospect development. I love how well the show handled that subject. I wish more anime would explore such awkward and possibly touchy quirks that people have like that.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Ah I agree! I feel like lately not too many characters have something that quirky (or even controversial?) as part of who they are. I mean, how many characters are there in anime who are nudists? xD
(excluding “adult” anime)POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 323 comments
WOWOWOW !!!!
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
My thoughts exactly!
POWUH: 400-499 with 428 comments
So many confessions! I’m actually glad they threw some of them out in the open, especially from Mio/Tetsurou, and the all important Ichika/Kaito! Makes sense now about Mio’s nudism because I was wondering why she always walked around naked without a care in the world…
Oh, gonna miss Kaori and Arisa (though Tetsurou ain’t gonna miss her that much…), they definitely did justice by them.
As for the Ichika/Kaito pairing…I think it’ll be a bittersweet ending, maybe…because she is, uh, a foreigner (uchuujin!), and from that little sneak peek, looks like Kaito might be getting a new member to his harem…huhuhuhu
Oh yes, Lemon had too much fun with Kanna, nyan 😀
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
lol Yeah, I don’t think Tetsurou has any qualms about Arisa leaving. He’s probably pretty thrilled actually. xD (Unless he secretly loves attention.)
Bittersweet has been what I’m expecting too, otherwise I feel like they would have delayed the confession for a couple more episodes. I mean, it can’t be all lovey-dovey for 5 more weeks without problems, I think? >__<
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
And so we finally confirm our suspicions about Mio. It’s surprising how shocking it is still to hear it even after more than a decade of anime. Sure scantily-clad is quite regular, but full-on nudists are really quite rare…
This episode was really more of a Mio episode for me. I like the little irony that she is scared to expose herself to others (i.e. interact normally) due to the fact she is used to exposing herself regularly, in the physical sense of course. Of course, other than the slight difference in upbringing, Mio is still a normal girl and it’s heartening to see her love for Tetsurou finally drove herself to be courageous. While she’s finally overcome a big barrier to her love, it still doesn’t stop her from being one of the most considerate of the cast. Ahh.. dammit, Mio. You’re such a good girl. I really do hope they manage to end up together.
Back to our main couple… this week’s developments were frankly rather weak. Especially in how Kinoshita’s intrusion was quickly explained off as her way of distracting herself from the depression of being dumped. Quite a rather obvious development really, but I felt it could have been executed much better. Still, Ichika seems to have finally accepted her own feelings and is willing to try it out despite the possible hurdles. And they were even very very close to first base too! Kaito-kun sure is suddenly taking the initiative…only to be Kannya-blocked. And even took away his initiative too!
Poor Kanna, being a victim to Lemon’s underhandedness. Lemon is such a sadist. She’s almost on par with Mayo Chiki’s Kanade Suzutsuki, who pretty much dominated everyone in her path for her own personal amusement.
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
Mio <3 I love her and Kanna both so much, why couldn't there have been one more male in the cast so one of them wouldn't be left out! By far, this show has some of the most likable characters of the season imo.
Right? It's nice to see a more straightforward Kaito compared to how he was a couple weeks ago. "Kannya-blocked" haha I like that. xD
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Hnnngggg Kanna-nyan! So cuteeeee and that dynamite drink <3
Lots of pairings going on
<3 Mio and Tetsurou
POWUH: 700-799 and Horror Expert with 701 comments
All thanks to the lovely Remon!<3 lol
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I am still shipping Lemon x All of them….
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
Onegai Teacher has a lot of conceptual similarities, but it handles the ideas differently — first, it is much more focussed on the space alien angle, and second it is much more focussed on the relationship with an older woman angle.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 144 comments
I’m glad I’m not the only one who was shouting, “F- yeah, Mio!” every time it cut to her scenes. Romantic comedy is out of my usual genre range, but this series has really got me pulled in.
And I kind of feel terrible for this, but the Kanna reminded me of the meow scene from Super Troopers. How many times can you say nyaa in a single scene…
I kind of hope at the end of the series, they actually put the movie together and show how Remon directed their lives. Even if it’s just a bonus episode on the DVDs. I’d wait for it.