Ao Haru Ride – 02
A casual first embrace?
It’s just me for the continuing coverage of this shoujo series. Yep, the old guy does the reviews for the girly romance shows.
Social Shift
From the doubts put in her mind last week by Kou, about the type of friends that she’s been keeping, Futaba finally gets pushed over the edge. Seeing how unfriendly Asumi and Chie actually are, seeing how friendly Makita, the object of their jealous sniping, is when Futaba encounters her eating lunch alone, and thinking about Kou’s words about fake friends, it’s unsurprising when Futaba finally snaps and stands up for Makita. Seeing her own past in the treatment of Makita by Asumi, Futaba finally calls out Asumi for putting Makita down just to make herself feel better.
Making a new friend
Of course that puts them on the outs, a moment of pique undoing years of hard ‘work’. And even though Futaba doesn’t want Makita’s thanks or gratitude, she’s still made Makita happy with that defense. That also means that through the rest of the school year, Asumi and Chie don’t talk to her. She does get the opportunity to have one last encounter, pointing out that those are her true thoughts, and receiving the final brush-off from Asumi (but how pathetic does Chie look, being the ‘tachi’ to Asumi, not saying anything, and finally running off after Asumi?). But when one thing ends, another begins, and the overture of friendship from Makita is well-received by a Futaba who is realizing more about herself.
Remembrances
Taking an important step
Another memory of Tanaka-kun from middle school, in the same watercolor style, sets up Futaba’s connection to the past this week. This time, it’s the faint memory of the way he smells, encountered before during a game of cops and robbers, and again when Kou figures “screw my reputation” and embraces Futaba, pulling her head to his shoulder. But far from being done for romantic reasons, it’s to protect Futaba from talk, since she’s the one who has been crying and doesn’t want to be seen that way. And that triggers the memory, the familiarity, and also refires her interest in getting closer to him. And she finally breaks the ‘Tanaka-kun’ habit… by just switching right to his given name. But he just reacts with a bemused look and a “do what you want”, which Futaba takes as fair game to keep calling him “Kou.”
Murao and Kominata, the secondary couple
We also get our introduction this episode to the required shoujo satellite love interest. While this is usually a couple that forms out of friends of the main couple, this time it seems like it’s two almost entirely unrelated people and maybe a bit of a love triangle: Shuuko Murao and Aya Kominata, with a little side of Tanaka-sensei thrown in. It’s pretty obvious that Shuuko has a crush on Tanaka-sensei, and equally obvious that Kominata has a crush on Murao. But you wonder if anything can be done by Kominata to get Murao to look at him. It’ll be interesting to see how these two get together with the budding possible romance of Kou and Futaba, or the budding friendship between Futaba and Makita.
I felt this was a really strong second episode. It doesn’t look like we’ll get that quick couple, but it’s interesting that Kou isn’t afraid of even close physical contact with Futaba, although there’s not much meaning behind it yet. Kou seems to be getting a little past his “I don’t like the way you are now,” as Futaba gets away from “the way she was” and more to the person she feels she really is (a model set well by Makita). I also really like the OP introduced this week, musically and visually (that closing look of Futaba’s… yowch!), as well as getting more comfortable with the ED. All in all, a show I’m really enjoying, and one that looks like it may continue in a good vein.
Rowr!
About Highway
Proving that you don't have to be young to love anime, I enjoy all genres and styles of shows. If it's not hurting anyone else, you should never be ashamed of what you like!
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Aaagh, that main image gave me a lot of pain. Don’t mind me though as I’ve read the manga. >>;
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
Don’t scare us, Kyokai-san! >_<
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
I reeeeeally like this show. So much that it made me crave some shoujo, so instead of reading the manga and spoiling myself, I marathoned Kamisama Hajimemashita.
But about Ao Haru Ride, again, I really like it. I like that kinda stereotypical, shoujo art style, I like the MC and Kou. I just can’t wait to see more! <3
I never realized that I missed shoujo so much.
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
Maaan, Tanaka-kun is just a hardcore tsundere. Stop this act *slaphisface* And what’s more embarassing, be seen crying or be seen hugging someone?
Tanaka-sensei is most likely Tanaka-kun’s older brother who kept the old surname. They are way too similar.
And only I couldn’t see Makita acting in any way whatsoever? To me, she was only one person throughout the whole episode. She just said rude things to people who are rude to her and that’s fine to me.