I can’t believe it’s only now I notice that the final cut of the OP is actually Iori. What this means exactly I can’t say, but closing with him and the series logo certainly suggests that’s a very important character. At this point On is the only one that’s emerged from the pack as a true “lead supporting” character, but it’s at least possible if not likely Iori is going to join her. There’s an obvious niche in the story for him to do it, and by all indications he may be the best dancer in the cast (On obviously thinks so).
As the only other male dancer (that we know of) in the school and a sempai to boot, there’s obviously room for Iori to be a very important figure in Kabo’s life. We know bits and pieces about him now: he’s an otaku (surprisingly). He’s pretty quiet and not too integrated with his classmates. And, according to On, the best dance battle competitor in the area. His response to Kabo’s halting outreach is to challenge him to a dance battle. One might assume this is an attempt to put the new kid in his place, but it seems as if Iori is genuinely curious more than anything.
This goes pretty predictably – and quickly draws a crowd. In fact Iori is pretty impressed by Kabo’s first round, calling him (internally) a natural. But after that Kabo starts trying to play to the audience and loses the music, and his last two efforts are pretty hopeless. Iori certainly shows Kabo something though. The difference between them is stark, even if understandable given the gap in experience. Iori is also a totally different style of dancer (even I can tell) from Kabo or anyone else he sees in the club, which is yet another reason he could emerge as a very important influence.
It’s partly through this experience that Kabo is able to connect his dance to his stutter as a form of expression. It’s painful to get showed up like that (and Iori’s “you did good” is a killing blow). But Kabo is self-aware enough to realize that he showed Iori something, too, before he lost the plot (and the beat). The feeling when he’s effortlessly in synch with the music is like when he forgets about his stutter and can express himself freely. It’s elusive, but he knows that state exists – and that he can find it.
Kabo also realizes that he can only dance at this best when he’s imagining Wanda (or actually dancing with her). He seek’s out On’s advice – in her third-year classroom, which leads to a rather excruciating interaction. It’s natural, she says, for a new dancer to glom onto someone and pattern themselves on them. For her it was Ne-Yo, the R&B/hip hop singer who was pretty huge in the noughties but never made much of an impression on my consciousness. Eventually Kabo asks Wanda who that person was with her, and she says “Michael” – which in Japan can only mean one person. And if anything he’s even more popular here than back in the States.
Between Kashiwada-Oota and Wanda-Kabo it’s a banner season for adorable anime couples. These two head off to the konbini where Wanda worked part-time during the break under an aiaigasa, where the manager (it’s nice to see Sakurai Takahiro’s ridiculous exile seems to be over, even if this is a bit part) is a huge Michael fan and loans them his DVD. Then they head out into the rain, except it’s letting up so Kabo sticks his hand out to check. Wanda misinterprets this (I’m pretty sure an honest mistake, though she later caught it) and bingo, their relationship takes a step forward. I’ve never seen that move before I don’t think, and I have to say, it was pretty damn cute.
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