Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. Zoku – 12-13 [END]

Yui is suffering.

And so the second coming of Oregairu, SNAFU TOO: The Snaffening, draws to a close.

A Valentine’s Affair

Who’s giving Hikki chocolate?

Episode 11 presents us with the typical pre-Valentine’s Day fervor. Love is in the air, and girls are preparing their various confections for the object of their desire. Under the guise of this unassuming theme, the show continues to build the foundations for the finale. It starts with a flashback all the way to the very beginning of the first season. For those who don’t recall, the first ever request for the Volunteers Club came from none other than Yui, who wanted to improve her cookie baking skills. Hachiman is reminded of this overhearing the bros in class discuss their prospects of receiving homemade goodies from the girls, though the significance of this flashback is made apparent only in the finale. Moving on, the Volunteers Club is visited by Iroha yet again, who stirs the pot by wondering if Hikki will receive anything for Valentine’s Day. Yui takes the bait and blurts out that he will. The obvious conclusion from this slip of the tongue is that Yui will make sure Hikki receives something by making something for him. And while Hachiman brushes it off as a statement that he can always fall back on Komachi to give him some courtesy chocolate, Yukino (and Iroha) definitely got the hint. The storm approaches.

Don’t get flustered!

In response to requests from returning customers Yumiko and Saki, the gang organizes a “cooking and taste testing” event with the help of Iroha and her connections. A variety of miscellaneous events take place during the event, including an encounter with Kaori which provides her with some character development. But the main attraction is the confrontation between the Volunteers Club and Haruno. Up to her usual tricks, Haruno first takes a stab at Yukino by revealing to everyone that her sister had given Hayato chocolate for Valentine’s Day before. Everyone is taken aback, and notably Yukino glances at Hachiman to see how he responds. Thankfully, Hayato steps up and quashes the statement by contextualizing it as courtesy chocolate given before the two even started grade school. Undeterred, Haruno proceeds to ask Yukino who she is planning to give chocolate to this Valentine’s Day. This gets the usually stoic Yukino flustered, leading to a blush-filled encounter between her and Hikki that is only broken up through Yui’s interference. At this point, it is unclear how much Yukino is aware of (or understands) her feelings for Hachiman. But it is fairly certain that both Yui and Yukino know that the other has romantic feelings for our lucky loner.

Overnight Stay

Haruno is disappointed.

Having weathered Haruno’s attacks, the gang carries on their activities happily. But of course, Haruno isn’t done without a parting shot. After witnessing Hachiman taste test the collaborative work of Yui and Yukino, she decides to ruin the mood by asking him if this kind of relationship is what he calls “genuine.” She goes on to call Hachiman boring and states that she preferred the “old Yukino.” Despite the apparent mean-spiritedness of her words, Haruno is definitely well-aware of the Volunteers Club’s current situation. She knows that both girls have feelings for Hachiman, and that playing friends as they are now cannot last forever. Inevitably, one of the two will make a move on the loner, or he will be stolen away by a third party. But no matter what happens, their current relationship will be destroyed as it is based on their refusal to acknowledge the feelings deep in their hearts. Though Haruno may not have meant for it, this if anything is probably the kick the starts the ball rolling for the finale.

Yui sinks her ship.

Before the episode ends, we also see an encounter between the Volunteers Club and mama Yukinoshita as the gang walk Yukino home. Given her manipulative nature and the fact that she essentially pulled the same trick at the end of episode 10, it is likely that Haruno arranged for this confrontation. The reason for it is simple. Haruno is losing her ability to control the Volunteers Club. And from her last words with the gang at the event, it can be inferred that she now sees Hachiman as a “bad influence” on Yukino. Instead of aspiring to be like her older sister, Yukino now has different goals of her own. Goals which revolve around Hachiman, even if she may not be entirely conscious of the influence he has on her. Haruno probably seeks to bring Yukino back to her old ways by forcing her away from her friends with the authority of their mother. Thankfully, Yukino is able to convince her mother to leave without incident. With Yukino safely at home, Hachiman offers to walk Yui home as well. However, he is rebuffed as Yui continues to struggle between her personal feelings and her desire for the gang to stay together.

Intermission

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Never Actually Fought

Cry for help.

Ah yes, the finale. The episode we have all been waiting for, yet simultaneously dreading. Though the cold open does not show it, we just know right from the start that Yukino has made something for Hachiman. More importantly, it seems that she has become much more conscious of the loner after their little intimate moment during the taste testing event last time. It’s still not certain whether she realizes that she loves him, but she is definitely aware that she is attracted to him. And unfortunately, this awareness just gets in the way of things as it makes Yukino extremely shy around Hachiman. It takes Yui’s encouragement just for her to share some homemade cookies with the loner, and after school she finds herself unable to present her Valentine’s Day gift. The desperate look Yukino throws at Yui as she attempts to make an exit is perhaps the best evidence that she does not know what to do. These are feelings new to her that she doesn’t know how to deal with. As it so happens, the situation is defused by an unexpected source: Haruno.

Haruno reveals her feelings.

Back for round two, Haruno announces that she has been dispatched by their mother to stay with and watch over Yukino. Furthermore, she goes on to reveal why she is so fixated on interfering with her sister’s life. And it’s surprisingly simple. Haruno is just jealous of Yukino. Being the older sister, Haruno has always been burdened with all the responsibilities of carrying on the Yukinoshita name. Meanwhile, Yukino has mostly been left to her own devices. But instead of forging her own path with the freedom afforded her, Yukino chose to emulate her older sister. In Haruno’s eyes, this was probably akin to throwing away a gift that she had been denied all her life: the freedom to be who she wants to be. Haruno goes on to berate Yukino, telling her that she has never made any decisions of her own and that her inability to act now in the face of a new experience is a result of always following in her sister’s footsteps. Honestly, this is something that Yukino needed to hear in order to fully move on from Haruno’s shadow. But regardless, Hachiman finally gets tired of Haruno’s attitude towards her sister and politely tells her to sod off. Way to go, Hachiman!

Yuigahamom too stronk!

Following the encounter, the gang take refuge in the Yuigahama household. We are introduced to Yuigahamom, who is very interested in Hikki, to Yui’s embarrassment. The gang also convince Yukino to stay the night to avoid the inevitable conflict with Haruno waiting for her back at her own place. Notably, Yukino copies the excuse Hachiman gives her, word for word, when she calls her sister to let her know that she won’t be home. Haruno picks up on this thanks to her keen observation, and has Yukino hand the phone to Hachiman just to let him know that. This little detail may seem trivial, but it actually provides us with great insight on how Hachiman has changed Yukino. Instead of encouraging Yukino to walk her own path, Hachiman has just replaced Haruno as the person she follows behind. That is to say, Yukino has merely become dependent on the loner instead of her sister. And this is something that very much plays a big hand in the later events of the episode.

A Date To Remember

Watching “fireworks.”

The next day, Yui invites Hikki and Yukino on a date. it’s a bit strange that Hachiman was so surprised at the invitation since he himself asked her just last episode if she was free someday soon. But to be fair, the meaning behind his question at the time wasn’t exactly clear since he certainly wasn’t implying a date. Anyway, the trio visit an aquarium, where the atmosphere lightens up a little thanks to some playful banter. But the cheery mood doesn’t last long, as Yukino is reminded of Haruno’s words while watching a fish swim alone. It is at this point that she starts to come to terms with the fact that she is dependent on others. There is also another flashback to the first season while the gang watch some jellyfish swimming, in which Yui recalls watching fireworks at a festival with Hikki. At the time, Yukino couldn’t attend due to family matters, so Yui expresses her happiness at the three of them being able to watch fireworks (the jellyfish) together this time. This moment captures in essence the path that Yui has ultimately chosen; the solution that she has reached to the Volunteers Club’s greatest problem.

Yui doesn’t want things to end.

Yui has chosen friendship between the trio over her personal feelings for Hachiman. Despite the highly symbolic Ferris wheel ride the gang just disembarked from, during which Hachiman noted the futility of going around in circles in an attempt to preserve some sort of status quo, Yui has still chosen to prioritize her friendship with Yukino and Hachiman over a relationship with the loner. And just like the Ferris wheel, the story comes full circle as Yui presents Hachiman with a bag of homemade cookies, recalling the request that she first came to the Volunteers Club with. Then she announces to the other two that she can offer them the status quo they have been clinging on to if they recognize her as the victor of the long-standing challenge within the club: whoever is best at saving others may order the losers to do anything. Of course, the astute will immediately realize that ordering the losers to do the very thing that would allows the victor win the challenge and gain the right to give orders to the losers is circular reasoning. It depends entirely on the other two agreeing to the terms in the first place. But I digress.

Yui’s solution.

Certainly, if Yukino and Hachiman simply let Yui “save” them by following her orders to bury their feelings, they can all continue being the friends that they are now. But is this really the solution that the trio are looking for? Yukino, being the dependent person that she is, is unable to come up with a solution of her own and starts to agree despite her own growing feelings for Hachiman. But as she is stammering out her response, our hero comes to the realization that leaving her future in someone else’s hands will not help Yukino. Remember how Shizuka entrusted Hachiman with breaking through Yukino’s shell in episode 8 and Yukino asked Hachiman to help her someday in episode 9? Thus motivated, the loner speaks out, denying Yui’s solution and reminding the other two that such a false relationship will not give him something genuine as per his own request to the club. Unsurprisingly, Yui admits that she had a feeling Hachiman would oppose her solution. Which brings into question whether she went into this knowing that she would fail but leave the Volunteers Club with a stronger resolve, or if she truly wanted to maintain a false status quo. But this question will remain unanswered and left to our imagination.

Yukino’s Request

Hachiman stops Yui’s plan.

With the climax behind us, we are left with one last development that simultaneously completes the story thus far and sets the stage for what’s to come. Both Yui and Hachiman have made a request to the Volunteers Club. So the time has come for the final member, Yukino, to make a request of her own. Recall that Yui’s request was fulfilled in the first season. This can be taken to represent the past. And Hachiman’s request, which the trio are currently working on, was submitted midway through this season. This can be taken to represent the present. So by analogy, we can take Yukino’s request at the end of the finale to represent the future. After all, solving it is what the gang can look forward to as they move on in their lives. Remember Shizuka telling Hachiman that the present isn’t everything in episode 8, and Hachiman’s own words about the past, present, and future in the previous episode? The show sure loves to subtly but consistently build up the story between these tidbits and all the flashbacks to the first season.

I have a request.

Anyway, we don’t actually get to hear what the request is, but we can certainly make some educated guesses based on the latest events that have transpired. My personal theory is that Yukino will ask the gang to help her become her own person. Now that she realizes that she is dependent on others, starting with her sister and moving on to Hachiman, she will undoubtedly want to start making her own decisions and stop relying on others. Of course, she will technically be relying on her friends to help get her there. But that is a contradiction for the Volunteers Club to solve. And once she is sure of herself, maybe then Yukino can think about facing Yui and Hachiman with her feelings. Even though we don’t get to hear Yukino’s request, the show has been gradually building up to this moment, as it is wont to do. So as disappointing as the cliffhanger ending may be, I still think it is a fairly good bit of writing rather than a slap in the face.

Extras

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And there you have it. SNAFU is over at last. Well, at least for now. From what I have heard, the show has actually run out of source material to adapt, even overtaking the LN with these last two episodes (they are not anime-original, just aired before the latest volume of the LN was published). And studio feel has chosen to adapt the plot faithfully all the way to the end,¹ deliberately avoiding an original ending. Hence the cliffhanger nature of this finale. So even though the stage is set for a potential continuation in one form or another, I suspect we will not see anything for a while if we do get anything at all. In any case, I continue to believe that a good anime adaptation should stand on its own. Not having read the LN, I am unaware of what might have been cut and what might have been tweaked slightly. But the anime itself certainly holds strong without any knowledge of the source material. SNAFU can certainly be tough to chew and digest, but if you do take the time to understand the story, it can be quite rewarding. So with that, I give this show (both seasons) a solid recommendation for anyone looking for a school anime with more depth than the usual harem hijinks.

9/10

See you next time?

¹Edit 6/29/2015: I have been made aware that studio feel actually cut out a substantial amount of material in order to fit everything into one cour.

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