Check out my episode four review here!
Man, here I was psyched about seeing the boys go up against Misaki Academy and all we got was eternal suffering this episode. The new one should be out sometime tomorrow, so at least we don’t have long to wait concerning that. I don’t know why I expected the elite team members to be a bit…I don’t know, nicer to our boys. You know, like a sort of graceful air of encouragement and mutual understanding?
But nope, we have a fiery red haired boy whose arrogance is extremely off-putting. I know they are all kids, but I hope our soft tennis team kicks their soft tennis team’s asses. All five hundred of their team members.
We also got a bit of backstory on Kasuga Kinuyo. Or Ruriha. Kaori?
It’s funny she had so much to say about the tennis team and their natural place in the world when she doesn’t even have a well-formed identity. I guess this is where that elitist speech came from in a previous episode. This is just my opinion, but I wonder if her mother’s school choice will really help Ruriha. Kaori clearly wanted to go elsewhere, and believes herself superior to her classmates.
Ruriha should know the people who work for her father, to better relate to them.
Kinuyo doesn’t need to concern herself with the commoners, she’s better than them.
Haruhi-san would agree.
But what does Kaori want? What does she write in her journal? How can she even combine all of these differing identities and please everyone, at such a young age?
Then we got a glimpse into Rintaro’s head, and why he (may) be threatened by Maki’s influence on the team. Despite having parents that love him dearly (based on what we’ve been shown), Rintaro seems to feel inadequate in his life. This most likely stems from his perceived rejection as a baby by his birth parents.
I hope he knows that even if his birth parents aren’t around, he does have his real parents who raised him with love. Maybe he’ll understand that, someday.
He has his own issues to work on, and I don’t think the trigger was necessarily Maki – but he sure will be the scapegoat.
Hopefully they include him more at the next practice match. Together, Rintaro and Maki could come up with great strategies for the new pairs under their increased vigor. Which reminds me – what was up with the Track team members barging into the boys’ soft tennis locker, the raggedy storage shed no one wanted, to talk shit?
They even threw their shirts in there, as if they are trying to take it over. I guess now that the soft tennis team is trying, track is scared they won’t make the cut?
Honestly unless we get their heart-wrenching stories within the next seven episodes, I don’t care if they get disbanded. I’d rather the soft tennis team stay. I’m not saying those other youths couldn’t be going through things, but this particular group of boys (and Mitsue) could really use the support.
Sigh.
Okay, I’ve stalled long enough – let’s talk about Maki and his dead beat daddy. Who I feel like is a lower level Yakuza. He just gives that vibe: short temper, staying at home with no other reportable income, taking advantage of his woman. I don’t know any Yakuza, but he sounds like that type of dastardly dude.
So, he was taking advantage of the ‘system loopholes’ like I suspected in the last episode. And watching the apartment to make sure he only comes when Maki is home. The revelation was that Maki’s mom does know this happens, and instead of fighting (or because she is tired of it and just wants him to leave them alone) just submits and gives him what he wants. The cops can’t do anything, because he is the father. The apartment building can’t do anything, because why would you keep a loving father from his son?
I know his type. Maybe that’s why it pissed me off so much watching.
I love that Shinjo is brave, and threw the money in his face but…now he’ll be watching his family too. He will start harassing and causing trouble for their household, and Shinjo’s mom already dislikes him for reasons yet unknown.
(Why does Shinjo have so much money of his own at this age? And so many brand new tennis rackets just laying around? It’s not a bad thing, just curious.)
Ah, this is turning into a mess. At least Ryouma is around to support his little brother. Otherwise I’d be really worried. Maki’s father has to be dealt with. Hopefully Maki really doesn’t end up killing him, I don’t know if the law would be on his side. Sure, he wouldn’t get a hefty sentence, but it would mess him up more than the years of abuse already have.
Ending this on a somewhat less grim note, what do you think Maki’s mom was talking about episodes earlier? That something he didn’t yet know about his father? Realistically, does anyone know the statute of limitations for an unsolved murder in Japan?
For you know, if anyone in the anime does decide to take out the much needed overflowing trash that keeps spilling in Maki’s house.
Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, I’d love to hear from you! Also be sure to follow us for more Stars Align episode reviews.
Also thank you everyone for bearing with me getting these reviews out. As of yesterday, I had the final segment of my Dental Work Saga completed. I still am in pain, but I’m able to think clearly now and focus to write. Plus, I’m going to keep ice on my cheeks so that I can buy and chew a bento at Anime NYC this weekend. ☺
次のエピソード: The Bullies Came Through!
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