Hello folks, and welcome on back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d check in on the nocturnal escapades of Kou and Nazuna, wherein Kou has just been presented with his most intimidating challenge yet: give a massage to fatigued office worker Kiyosumi Shirakawa, as Nazuna is feeling lazy and just wants to play videogames.
It’s a predictably low-stakes challenge for this charming production, which has so far offered a pretty even mix of romantic comedy shenanigans and more general reflections on modern ennui. Though Nazuna claims to be an avatar of the night’s allure, as we’ve already seen, the night is actually pretty boring when you don’t have someone to share it with. Kou, Nazuna, and Akira are all most fundamentally seeking a sense of purpose and community in a world that’s less validating and more atomized by the day. It is as of yet unclear whether playing Street Fighter at 3AM is the solution to our crisis of modern alienation, but goddamnit, these kids are gonna try. Let’s get to it!
Episode 6
Ooh, I like this. We begin on a cold open from our new character Shirakawa’s perspective, using the clean break of the episode shift to set us in her world from the start. I always find it interesting how different mediums use the different pauses available to them for dramatic effect. Just as commas, periods, paragraph breaks, and chapter breaks create different scales of separation in written fiction, so do scene changes, ad breaks, and episode breaks create tiers of dramatic distance in television. And for a full refresh to dive into a new character’s perspective, an episode break is ideal
These closeup shots and flashing city lights immediately create a sense of claustrophobia and disorientation, making it clear that Shirakawa is overwhelmed by the after-work demands of her profession
Yep, she hates the after-work drinks that come implicit in so many Japanese professions. She’d rather be at work or at home, not being leered at by her drunken superiors
“This quietness is the one good thing about going out for drinks.” She has a natural appreciation for the still of the night, making her a potential kindred spirit to our nightwalkers
Interesting how the color design is different for this sequence. Rather than the bright neon lights that dazzle Kou, Shirakawa appreciates the cool earth tones away from the city lights
Oh my god, they put Kou in the goofy nurse outfit. This show understands what’s truly important
Kou begs us to understand that he’s not in this for the kiss, he’s actually in it for the money
Shirakawa is surprised to learn Kou’s already working at fourteen. Though she’s a working adult, it seems likely she’s as directionless as any of our other leads, simply following the path laid out for her and hoping it will result in personal satisfaction. Her willingness to go out on a limb and accept Nazuna’s offer of a massage seems to indicate just how poorly that plan is working out for her – and just like with Akira, Kou’s declaration that he actually has something he wishes to pursue seems almost inconceivable
“I don’t know what it is. The same streets I always walk on seem oddly exciting, just because it’s night.” All of them are just seeking a thrill, or at least novelty, something different from the unsatisfying daily routine. It’s not that the night is so uniquely special, it’s that modern life emphatically isn’t special
“There’s not many cars, so you can walk right in the middle of the road.” And Shirakawa agrees, also understanding that unique thrill of being unbound by society’s normal rules, of coloring outside the lines
“When I was your age, I felt the same way. That’s ten whole years ago for me.” The years have a fiendish way of sneaking up on us, but at least Kou’s words can remind Shirakawa of happier days
“Why did you stop going to school?” “Because it got boring.” Can such a simple reason for abandoning our prescribed path really exist? Is it that easy to find our own purpose in the world? Likely not, but it’s a comforting dream
“Me too. I’m just a bit tired.” A very gentle phrasing of the fatigue and dislocation that has led both of them to this moment
“I deal with bosses and colleagues. I have to pretend I’m having fun, and laugh even if something’s not funny.” Clever storyboarding emphasizing the rising toll of this performance. As she loads on more grievances, the camera jumps further and further back, creating a larger empty space behind her as if piling the invisible loads of necessities upon her
In this sanctuary, she’s able to fully embrace the weight of her grievances, and thus breaks down in tears. We can carry our suffering for a long time, but often one invitation to lighten our load will send the whole mountain tumbling down
Shirakawa’s boss calls, apparently demanding she return to the office. But having seen so much of himself in her, Kou decides he’s going to introduce her to the true freedom of the night, and refuses to let her leave
Fun texture effects for Kou in this authoritative mode. He looks almost like a misprinted newspaper, with thick, rough linework and shading that evokes a printer running out of ink
Then Nazuna tosses her out the window
“If something’s so bad you cry, you shouldn’t have to do it.” “You’re just a kid. You wouldn’t understand.” True, of course. Life is absolutely brimming with obligations and injustices we must weather just to get along, and as you grow older, the range of unwanted tasks that are expected of you only grows. Kou’s simplistic rejection of this paradigm is working for him now, but what about tomorrow, or six months from now? If he rejects school now, is he really going to be happier sustaining himself with the kind of work that doesn’t require a high school degree? Kou represents a hope of a more free approach to life, but in truth he is little different from many adolescents, enjoying the sunshine of this freedom from responsibility while it lasts. What good is his philosophy to Shirakawa?
Kou acknowledges that he is indeed naive, but also that a boss calling her at this hour is clearly ridiculous. Hardship might be inevitable, but surely she can find work that doesn’t harass her at two in the morning
“If you’re going to be crazy anyway, you might as well have fun!” Sage words
“Vampires don’t have to embrace logic, because they’re vampires.” Alright, less sure about that one
Shirakawa admires and envies Kou’s freedom, but she can only briefly share it. She’s an adult; the pressures defining her life will not wait for her to find herself. But at least, for this moment in the darkness, she can feel the relief of those old memories, a recollection of the moments she felt so young and free
“I hope you get to be a vampire.” “If I become one, I’ll make you one too!” Vampirism clearly has a specific, nontraditional meaning in Call of the Night – it has basically nothing to do with sexuality or control, and everything to do with embracing freedom outside of the lines of society’s expectations
“As long as you know that, won’t things feel easier?” At the very least, allow for there to be a light at the end of the tunnel
“It’ll be fine. Girls tend to like me, you know.” Kou’s dawning awareness of this quasi-harem scenario
“Hey, come up with something fun to do.” It’s funny that Kou essentially sees becoming a vampire as the solution to his ennui, as it’s abundantly clear that Nazuna sees Kou as the solution to her ennui, vampire or not
They eventually settle on visiting a night pool, which I am sorry to admit I was too uncool to know was a thing
Kou is briefly excited about seeing Nazuna in a swimsuit, before remembering that her usual bra and booty shorts outfit is basically a swimsuit already
“If anything, she’s showing less skin than usual. And yet, why? Why is that more erotic than usual?” Well, first of all because seeing someone you’re attracted to in a new context and outfit is always exciting – novelty is inherently compelling. But also because eroticism is generally based in implication, with what our minds can fill in tending to excite us more than what we can actually see
Nazuna is indifferent to being ogled until she realizes the effect it has on Kou, at which point it becomes a novel new form of teasing
Refreshingly non-predatory flirting here, given the usual anime standard. Our would-be wooers both cheer for Kou when he finally asserts himself
“Hearing what other people thought of you wasn’t fun, and I’m tired from all the people. Seeing them try to be friends with you so casually… I kind of didn’t like that…” Charmingly earnest confession of his jealous feelings. And of course, seeing him be so vulnerable prompts Nazuna to reward him, offering a nighttime adventure that is theirs and theirs alone
Of course, she has to do it in her own uniquely Nazuna way, by dive-bombing a pool from a hundred feet in the air
And Done
You’ve certainly picked an unusual path for yourself, Kou! With Shirakawa here to serve as contrast, this episode consistently emphasized the absurdity of Kou’s ambitions, repeatedly gesturing towards the aspects of his current life and future plans that he clearly hasn’t considered. Can vampirism really sub in for all the meaningful attachments to the daylight world he’s attempting to forego? Especially since, as Nazuna consistently demonstrates, becoming a vampire clearly isn’t an inherent solution to the repetitive tedium of modern living. Both Nazuna and Kou seem to see in each other a certainty or solution that the other sees in them, making for an inherently charged dynamic that seems only maintainable in transit, as each of them reach towards a certainty that doesn’t actually exist. They are less perfect for each other than perfect mirages of happier futures, which actually makes their relationship more interesting than if they were simply compatible partners. It’s quite the mess to sort through!
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