Sakamichi no Apollon – 06

Kaoru – “Just as they reach their moment of happiness, I shall kill them with this garden spade.”

Hello everybody and indeed, welcome to another episode for Kids on the Slope. We got some more drama going on this week, so let’s get right to it.

“My Favorite Things”

Passing up on seeing The Sound of Music

For the most part, Kaoru is fine. There’s still a bit of heartache at the thought of giving up on Ritsuko, but he’s such a pure, good-natured guy for even trying to help Ri be able to hook up with Sen and try not to interfere in anyway.

Ri’ko seems very much in a state of confusion when it comes to her romantic interests. The show passes thru time with each episode starting, so it’s been a while after she rejected Kaoru. As time passes and a new school year starts, there are plenty of cues in the episode that suggest as much. Sleeping in class as Kaoru came in, her concerned look as Sen marched like a zombie towards Yurika and wanting to go “clamming”. I mentioned that after the scene of Kaoru kissing her, things have only gotten more complicated for her. It’s had have a longer lasting effect than I might have thought.

She also mentions not going to see The Sound of Music in theaters when that was the only way to see a movie back in those days, suggesting to us that she feels she may have missed out on what was her only chance with Kaoru.

Would Kaoru return her feelings if she were to confess to him? There’s many ways Kaoru, dare I say, should say no. After re-establishing a friendship with her, a romance with a not-so-happy ending is detrimental not only to his friendship with her, but also with Sen. Kaoru has already patched up one emotional scar; would this potential emotional wound end up cutting deeper? She’s a lovely girl and any guy would be lucky to have her, but given the history between those two, the risk is too high to bring what confusing place their friendship is at now to “the next level”.

Sentarou vs. Damn Moe Fang Guy

I hate this guy. The moment he came on screen with that stupid moe fang, that little white bit of art coming into vision, it was an instant conclusion that I was not going to like this guy. If I were Kaoru, I’d be readying my fist for a full-force collision with his face.

Though, that’s kind of the point of him, is it not? To have the viewer hate him and have an unlikable character get in the way of the friendships we adore and cheer for; to bring this band called the Beatles and their rock ‘n roll ways in between Kaoru and Sentarou. Seiji sees talent and wants Sen really much for his band; looks like someone is looking for his very own Ringo Starr, someone that’ll drum 8 Days a Week. Well, it’s actually just for the school festival. Don’t tell Kaoru that though, cause he will rage. All of the characters have had somewhat of a subdued aura about him, so this upbeat and dare I quote “colorful” boy jumping into things was kind of a jolting experience for me.

What bothers me most about Sen wanting to join the band is that it’s as though Seiji has just beaten him into submission with persistency and “generosity”. He doesn’t even seem to care too much for the music even after multiple listens. As a guy who’s preached to Kaoru about the gloriousness of jazz, it’s as though Sen’s cheating on him with another band.

Sen loses himself, Kaoru fears he’s losing Sen

(also, convenient bus scheduling)

Kaoru – “Don’t go with Yurika or Seiji. Be with me.” Sen – “I don’t ‘swing’ that way.”

Sentarou really is dependent on his friendships with Kaoru and Ritsuko. Within moments of being in a new class and separated from them to start a new school year, Sen is back to his delinquent ways. He doesn’t have the guts that Kaoru has to confess and continues wallowing in loneliness by even telling Ri’ko to watching over Kaoru more.

Kaoru did kind of act as though he was being cheated on right in front of his face. It’s a little much to say what he said to him, but when Sen told Kaoru to not criticize someone he doesn’t know, we see his past experience with friendship end in a bitter way and Kaoru lashes out in fear of losing another friend. Acknowledging his emotions afterwards and understanding how much he values Sen is great, but only if this guy had enough of a mind to fantasize this bout of frustration beforehand and realize how rash it was of him to do what he did.

What’s going on with Jun?

“Jun this, Jun that, oh my god Jun is so cool!”

Those are in summary the words Sentarou used during his “date” with Yurika. Kind of reminds me of a reverse of Working!! where Yachiyo kept blabbing on to Satou about Kyouko. Jun is a really cool guy, but as I was concerned with last week, he may not have the best character. Something’s obviously broken bad; he’s barely recognizable in that shot.

Let’s hope things get back to normal (yet again) between the two boys. After seeing Sentarou come to Kaoru’s side on a number of occasions this series, I think Kaoru is due to step up and make sure Sen doesn’t get swallowed into the world of Rock ‘n Roll. If you want him to stay your friend, you gotta bounce back from your little setback earlier and get your buddy back. You were the one that started the fire Kaoru, it’s now your job to grab a hose and put it out.

(I feel like I’ve stepped into some yaoi terrritory. It’s one of the drawbacks to being a guy on a female-dominant team blog. The sentence typed itself for me.)

About Jrow

Produces the MetaVerse podcast. Also plays games and watches sports of all sorts. Is an actual Pirate King.