Ramparts of Ice

Episode 11

Previously, on Ramparts of Ice: just as Koyuki was starting to truly settle in with her new friend group and get ready to move on from her middle school bullies, a tall goth first-year approached her. As this girl towered over Koyuki, she introduced herself as Akine Atagawa and expressed hope that she could be friends. Little did she know that her mere existence would send Koyuki reeling into flashbacks about how this girl's older sister was… Koyuki's middle school bully! Dun dun dun!!

My hope in writing that was that you'd picture a WB/CW style prime time teen drama montage, because that's what all the love polygons burgeoning in Ramparts of Ice are starting to remind me of. Truly, this episode was a land of contrasts.

Much of the episode was a true flashback, with Koyuki finally offering us some clarity on exactly what happened in middle school. Despite the drama of the final confrontation, most of what happened is the same kind of thing that happens in middle schools every day: Koyuki and Atagawa became “friends” for self-serving interests. Atagawa envied and resented Koyuki's relationships with the older students, so Koyuki invited her along. Atagawa got to hang out with the upperclassmen, and Koyuki got to enjoy basketball club without being picked on. Everyone wins.

Except, no. Self-serving friendship is not actually friendship at all, especially when there's a time limit on one side of the advantages, something Koyuki realizes in retrospect. There was no big falling out, no one fight that suddenly made their fake bond no longer worth it. Simply, Atagawa got tired of faking friendship, and used her social capital to start turning everyone against Koyuki.

If this episode feels uncomfortably familiar, you're not alone. It's the kind of friendship politicking that haunted my middle and high school years, the slow degradation of relationships that ultimately go sour. People have to pick a side, and they don't pick yours. Suddenly, you're alone.

Or, almost alone. Because Koyuki knows who Atagawa likes. And she knows that the person who Atagawa likes, likes her. And that is how she ended up dating Igarashi.

Yeah, it's not great. She admits that even though she had no interest in him, she accepted his invitation in order to hurt Atagawa. It was a stupid, mean choice by a girl who felt cornered and desperate, who gave into her petty desire for revenge. It used Igarashi as a pawn in their war, after which she went on to break his heart in the cruelest way possible.

So, how was Igarashi as a boyfriend? We get more of the day of Miki's confrontation with Atagawa, after she was rushed off to the infirmary. It's a pretty flattering moment for Igarashi, who swoops in and defends Koyuki, comforting her in his arms. How could she do something so cold to him? How dare she? 

Well, I'm not quite ready to let him off the hook yet, and I have a feeling that's exactly how Asagawa intended it. After witnessing his heroics, back in the present day, we get a reminder that Koyuki still isn't comfortable sharing her taste with others thanks to how he belittled her. The thing is, there's rarely a “good guy” and a “bad guy” in breakups. Teens, especially, are still learning how to be good romantic partners and good people in general. I remember witnessing countless couples breaking up where neither person was really at fault, or they were both kind of assholes without meaning to be. 

Back in the present, Atagawa the Younger's cute friend is after Minato. She thinks Koyuki and Yota make a cute couple, just like everyone else. Yeah, sure. Fine. 

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Ramparts of Ice is currently streaming on Netflix.