Yanderes gonna yandere.
Some things I know about Fumetsu after two+ seasons of riding its waves. Given a bit of time, it was always revert to its true nature. Which is to say, weird and kind of twisted. It may fake you out for an episode or even a few, but it always course-corrects. And that weirdness usually leans into darkness, depressing observations on human nature. I also know that even when it’s bad it’s usually interesting, which is a sort of feather in its cap I suppose. Not that this week was bad – it was pretty good on the whole. Certainly To Your Eternity has been a whole lot worse. But it was definitely disjointed.
I’d almost forgotten for how long the spectre of Hayase hung over Fumetsu no Anate e. It still does, but it was in remission for a while. Hayase is a character I really hated, but she had a huge influence on the plot for most of its run. Things seemed quite idyllic in this modern arc, especially with Yuuki and his family. Not with Mizuha so much – it was clear things weren’t hunky dory with her, and from her seiyuu that she was a descendant/reincarnation of Hayase. But just how twisted things were going to get, that wasn’t clear until this episode.
When Mizuha ran away, she was sneaking off to see her Grandpa, with whom her mother had forbidden contact. This seemed pretty clear-cut – Mizuha’s tiger mom was driving her to be perfect, and cruelly preventing her from bonding with her father who wanted to let her be a child. That was a convincing misdirection, to give credit where it’s due. But genetics wills out. Mom was protecting her as it turns out. Grandpa is the current head of the Guardians, and sees Mizuha as the heir (the 18th, to give some indication of how much time has passed). And the whole perfection thing was self-driven.
The most interesting part of the ep, easily, were Mizuha’s ruminations about her nature. Especially this idea that the perfection she obsesses over can only be sustained as long as she’s young. Perfect skin, endless energy, purity and single-mindedness. Once the complications of adulthood set it that’s all out the window, and she already sees her mom – who’s quite young and seemingly in good nick – as a wizened old hag. This is rather chilling in a low-key way, actually. Not just because it reflects on just how messed up Mizuha is, but begs the question – are there a lot of teens who feel the same way?
This line of thought has driven Mizuha to obsess over killing herself before any of that can happen – to preserve herself forever perfect and virginal by dying before that can change. Thus her question to Hanna. But meeting Fushi changes all that. He gives her something new to obsess over – the same thing her ancestor Hayase did. Fushi is an ideal in his own right, something to be possessed. Something worth surrendering her own purity and perfection for. To thine own yandere be true.
The shock twist at the episode isn’t quite so shocking when you consider Hayase’s history. But it is interesting that Mizuha has no memory of killing her mother. We can infer from the fact that no less than Miki Shinichirou is playing her father that he’s going to be an important player going forward, and Fushi is now aware of what’s happened and imposed himself on the situation. His idyll is shattered by Hayase once again. But Fushi is if nothing else the ultimate good boy – he can’t not try and help. To thine own cinnamon roll be true.
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