Golden Time – 17

Aww, so cute

I may be the only one who thinks so, but the OP song that Golden Time is using now, The World’s End, just gives a great feeling to the show. Even as it seems that Banri and Kouko are doing well, it keeps the show on an edge that really helps, with imagery and lyrics about Banri walking away. Is it foreshadowing what’s going to happen in the show? Or just a reflection of Kouko’s uneasiness about their relationship?

Daily Lives of The Festival Club

Maybe Banri would have been better off with the cult

Bunch of weirdos, that’s what they are. They make a big deal about Banri and Kouko staying in the club, even after what happened. But of course they think that ‘what happened’ is that Banri and “Roboko” have broken up. Although you can’t blame them too much for assuming Banri and Kouko broke up, given the vagueness of everyone in this show (is this how Japanese really are?). That’s what struck me throughout this episode: If you don’t know something about someone else, you’re not going to get told. Banri didn’t tell anyone that they had been in an accident. Linda doesn’t say that she heard about the accident from Mitsuo, and Linda didn’t tell anyone else in the club about it. Mitsuo doesn’t know about Banri’s accident and 2D-kun just offers what he heard at the cult retreat. And Kouko doesn’t fill him in at all, nor about whether Banri and Linda knew each other. Even Mitsuo apologizes to Linda about telling her. It just ends up with a lot of weird information disconnects, and in my mind gives more misunderstandings that get worse than fixed.

Kouko is intentionally vague

Embracing His Past

Making up with Linda-senpai

Banri and Kouko are really taking their argument and making up last week to heart, with Banri deciding to ask Linda about their past, starting with whether they’d lit fireworks together. After what Banri had said to her earlier about laying low about his past and that Kouko was uncomfortable with their past relationship, it’s understandable that Linda is a bit hesitant about the subject, but Kouko chiming in about it is the signal that it’s an acceptable line of conversation. I find it interesting that Banri makes up a far more heroic past self than he actually was, and while Linda doesn’t say how useless old Banri was, she doesn’t make him look good.

I loved this walking scene: Kouko and Banri each keeping a different step length

But she does bring up the class reunion that they’re having over the summer in Shizuoka, and when Banri dithers about it, Kouko promises that he’ll go. This leads again to more closeness between Kouko and Banri as they discuss his worries about the reunion, and how their relationship has changed since their last argument. As much as I like the arguments that Kouko and Banri have, I also like these moments between the two of them. They keep showing quite a bit of growth for Kouko and for their relationship.

Closer and Farther

Nice apron, Kouko

Another relationship that continues to grow is Kouko and Chinami’s. Despite Kouko being unrepentantly tsun towards Chinami, she always ends up doing exactly what Chinami wants: helping to unpack, staying overnight, being friends, discussing love. I’ve said before that this is a relationship that Kouko really needs, but it’s becoming more apparent that it’s one that Chinami needs as well. She seems able to be friendly with everyone, something that Kouko isn’t good at, but I don’t know if Chinami is really close friends with anyone else, given that it’s Kouko who is over helping her unpack and is the first person to spend the night.

Chinami’s going to steal Kouko’s first time from Banri

But a relationship that’s cooling off, maybe even before it got hot, is Mitsuo and Linda. And I don’t really know why, except maybe those misunderstandings that I mention above. Mitsuo has got to feel like a lot of people aren’t telling him things. He didn’t know about Banri’s accident. He doesn’t know about Banri and Linda being from the same high school. And noone’s really forthcoming with the information. And his attempts at flirting with Linda fall really flat, causing her to leave in a bad mood.

Mitsuo is blowing it

It’s getting kind of hard for me to figure out where Golden Time is going to rank. I really love the Kouko and Banri couple (which is one that I think a lot of people just don’t like). I really love that the show is not playing love triangle, after hinting at it early on. It’s possible that something amazing could happen when Banri and Linda are in Shizuoka, but I’m just not seeing that happening, with how well Kouko x Banri is going. And I really like that personal growth that it’s shown for both Kouko and Banri. From the standpoint of an anime that’s showing a young couple working through the growing pains of a relationship, I think the show’s brilliant. And it’s even had a couple of great moments, especially in those times of shouting between Kouko and Banri. But I don’t know if I see this show attaining the same level of regard that a show like Sakurasou no Pet no Kanojo did. It does have 7 or so episodes left, so we’ll see if maybe something amazing will happen, but it hasn’t been that kind of show so far, instead being just a nice relationship drama.

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!