Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?

Episode 4

Sometimes I can't tell if a show is well written or if I am reading too much into bad writing. I mentioned last week that the show was walking a very delicate tight rope with Himari as a character. I could sit here and rationalize her actions, but that doesn't necessarily mean all of them sit well with me. I'm glad we didn't side-step the incident that happened at the end of episode three and had that become the main bulk of the episode, but the whole episode also felt weirdly uneven. There were some truly amazing scenes this week with great dialogue that perfectly reflect what some of these characters are going through. The argument in the hallway between Himari and Yu that led to the choker getting broken was honestly perfect because, from both perspectives, it felt like the other was going back on a promise they had previously made. Himari is still arguably more in the wrong, but when she said she was hurt because she wouldn't be his priority was a good scene.

I also loved the conversation that Yu had with Shinji about how love is something that can be very hard to maintain. I like how he was able to break down the issue as best he could, but still left room open for Yu to make his own choice about the situation. The point was that a choice needed to be made, but something was potentially going to be sacrificed in the process. Yu could just pursue a relationship with Rion, but that would come at the cost of his best friend, and if he prioritizes his best friend, he could miss out on a potential relationship.

But then there are scenes like the entire start of this episode and the middle, which take things a step too far with Himari being a brat. You could argue that she's still in denial about how she feels, but she needed to be humbled throughout this episode. I'm glad that her brother calls her out on emotionally manipulating and blackmailing her best friend (while also admitting that he is semi-blackmailing her as well). I'm not 100% sure what advice he was trying to give her. Was he trying to say she has a choice between maintaining a permanent lasting friendship versus a potential fleeting romance? I know this episode is trying to feed into that idea of choice, but even Himari admits she didn't understand what he was saying.

The problem is that it feels like Yu came to more of a conclusion and found more resolve off-screen while we were dealing with Himari, which left the ending of the episode feeling very strange. Don't get me wrong, it felt incredibly intimate and genuinely heartwarming. The fact that Yu was willing to quit school to go with Himari to Tokyo is a level of commitment I don't think any other best friend on the planet would take. I feel like that crosses a line into basically saying that he'll go to the end of the earth for her and his vague response about the meaning of the purple tulip (which in some ways can mean an intense admiration but in other ways can symbolize a deep affection) makes me wonder if he's already concluded that he likes her more than just a friend.

By the end of this episode, the status quo gets restored, but did it? I don't know because I'm not sure what the series is building towards. I think it's clear that these two love each other, but there isn't a conflict preventing them from just being together. It just feels like the show is intentionally sabotaging its timing so that they don't take that extra step. My fear is how long the show will keep this up. Will we sing this song and dance until the end, or will we get our expectations subverted?

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