What They Say:
Episode 11: “The Kaede Quest”
With Nodoka’s Puberty Syndrome resolved, Sakuta’s expectations to spend sweeter times with Mai is growing. But then, a scandal is reported by the media about Mai Sakurajima having a new boyfriend. In the press conference for a movie she had a role in, Mai gives a sincere explanation. Seeing that, Kaede decides to set goals for the rest of the year, wanting to do her best for Sakuta’s sake as well. One of the goals she writes down is to go back to school…
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
If there is something I do appreciate, it is the avoidance of unnecessary angst which is contrived by a writer who thinks it is the only way to create drama. Fortunately, that is not the case here at all, as the discovery of Mai’s boyfriend does not cause serious problems. This is likely because she is an actress, not an idol. Had her younger sister Nodoka been caught with a boyfriend, the resulting hullabaloo would have likely ended her career. Japan has an incredibly screwed-up “purity” culture surrounding idols, but it does not entirely extend to those in the rest of the entertainment industry. It is nice to sidestep that bit of melodrama, because our attention is focused on a more poignant bit of that.
As you can tell from the episode title, the major focus is on Sakuta’s younger sister Kaede, who at first seemed like she might be an annoyance, a wheedling, chirping little sister who fawns over her big brother, but was quickly revealed to be a victim of horrific treatment at school, which resulted in her becoming a shut-in. That we are going to be confronted with Kaede’s past now is reinforced by the sudden appearance of a new minor character, Kotomi Kano, who claims to have been a middle school friend of Kaede’s who got to thinking about her and the sad turn of events back in school. She comes to talk to Sakuta about Kaede, wondering how Kaede is doing.
As for Kaede herself, she appears to be making some forward progress. Bit by bit, she begins to wish to go outside and emerge from the protective cocoon that Sakuta has created for her since she dropped out of society. Small steps forward finally result in Kaede going outside their apartment and even coming to the beach for a picnic with Sakuta, Mai, and Nodoka. Is Kaede all better?
No. There are still some worrying signs. At one point, Kaede collapses with a bruise mark on her neck, after making an effort to overcome her mental roadblocks. As the episode ends at the beachside picnic, none other than Kotomi happens along and Kaede reacts as if a stranger has appeared, not someone she recognizes. Now Sakuta must reveal a secret of Kaede’s to Mai: Kaede appears to have mentally blocked all her memories of her past experience in school.
The end game is in sight for this, the final arc of the season. Kaede is taking steps forward, but we see how much further she must go. On the side of all this, the mystery surrounding “Shoko-san” and “Shoko-chan” is reopened. Who exactly is Shoko Makinohara? It’s time for Seishun Buta Yarou to give up its final secrets. The sarcastic dialoguing between Mai and Sakuta is back. I’ve enjoyed much of what I’ve seen this season so far. The last two character arcs have brought the heart into things, perhaps the one element that was lacking at the start (the show was a bit too faux-cerebral at times). I look forward to next week with much anticipation.
In Summary:
The drama surrounding the discovery that Mai Sakurajima has a boyfriend…dies down rather quickly. She’s not a singing idol, so the repercussions are far less damaging. That done with, it’s time for the main event: dealing with Kaede’s situation. We have been slowly building to this point for a while, but it was gratifying to see her take a big step forward. And sad to see that she still has much, much farther to go.
Grade: A-
Streamed By: Crunchyroll (also at Hulu and FunimationNow)
Review Equipment:
Apple iMac with 12GB RAM, Mac OS 10.13 High Sierra
