Ritsu’s life continues to be a rollercoaster in quite a few ways.
What They Say:
Episode 4
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
After the way Takano pushed through in getting together with Ritsu after a very long day, forcing a deep and hungry kiss on Ritsu ended up going the wrong way. While Takano had hoped that it would cause Ritsu to really come around with him, to realize that he does have feelings for him after his weak protestations about having a girlfriend, it instead pushed him further away, for the moment at least, as Ritsu does everything he can to get out from under his grasp. It’s a rough moment to watch because Takano’s forcefulness isn’t exactly a surprise after all that has gone on, and he hopes that by doing this he’ll get Ritsu to admit what his real feelings are, but it ends up backfiring on him for the short term at least. Having Yokozawa show up in the middle of all this just makes it all the more embarrassing on a few levels, though at least it makes his escape more manageable.
Trying to get back into a normal work situation after that is definitely a difficult thing, though mostly for Ritsu as he tries to be even more into his job and focused so he doesn’t have to deal with Takano all that much. Of course, it’s a small and cramped office, so things do tend to happen and he can’t get away from them all that easily. And the conflicts in work have a more personal edge to them as Ritsu deals with his problematic artist as he tries to get things in on time, very passionately in fact, which creates a scene within the area that feels very out of place. It’s interesting to see unfold as Takano has set views because of his time spent in this industry, and he tries to impart this on Ritsu, but there’s the mixed feelings that he has to go through this experience himself, both as the experience and the potential failure that Takano knows that it will be, in order for him to become a better editor.
Watching all of it unfold is definitely a lot of fun as we see Ritsu’s approach, which while it has its benefits and lets him shine some, it’s also a difficult thing to do in this environment and group. That he has to apologize for his approach says a lot, but it’s the kind of thing that you need to see every once in awhile to inspire others to think a bit more outside the very narrow box they tend to put themselves in. Ritsu makes quite an impression, but it’s also a position that now has him being watched a bit more since he’s not exactly a full on team player in a way as he bucked against the experience of his seniors. Still, there’s some level of admiration there, especially from Takano, who ends up looking at him a little differently with how the results played out and you could almost see him really smiling in surprise at how it all ended up unfolding.
In Summary:
There’s a lot to like with this episode as it deals with the fall out of Takano’s aggression but also shows a good deal of how intense Ritsu can be when he wants to be. Of course, that intensity is all work related, but you know it can be translated elsewhere as well, and is a moment he needed in order to stand up against Takano and his confident and superior ways. Ways that have of course made him the man that he is and the editor that he is. With Yokozawa throwing a few little things into the mix that adds a lot of uncertainty, everyone is on shaky ground in different ways and watching the dance that’s going on between all of them is a lot of fun. Usually the role that Ritsu has is one that I dislike the most as the characters are too weak and uninteresting, but he bucks that trend and is someone that you can feel is real and accessible, someone you’d actually want to hang out with.
Grade: B+
Simulcast By: Crunchyroll
Review Equipment:
Sony KDS-R70XBR2 70″ LCoS 1080P HDTV, Dell 10.1 Netbook via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.
