That was great apart from the middle section. I’ve gotten quite used to that with Kao ni Denai Kashiwada-san to Kao ni Deru Oota-kun, since the Tabuchi stuff usually lands itself in that spot. I don’t know why school romcons seem so insistent on having that trope represented – I can’t think of a single example that wasn’t an overall drag on the parent series. But this show is so good apart from that – and it’s not the worst example that I can think of – that it doesn’t amount to a major problem.
This series hasn’t been a catalog of holiday themes like some romcoms are, but you pretty much can’t be one without covering Valentine’s Day. And you can’t to Valentine’s Day without doing White Day. Amongst the main trio of boys things go about as you’d expect – Sata-kun gets a kei truck full of chocolate, the other two get bupkis. Well, Tadokoro does – there is some chocolate coming for Oota of course. This is an interesting scene to watch play out for a number of reasons. Oota plays the tsun card to the hilt, as you’d expect. But it’s pretty clear he’s jonesing for the stuff.
Kashiwada-san being shy about giving him choco is pretty much within expectations, I guess. What’s notable to me is the way she trolls him – at least I assume it’s intentional – with a dropped eraser and the class log. She then chickens out from giving him the chocolate altogether, and winds up hanging it on his desk. I’m guessing there was no name on that bag, but I very much doubt Oota had any difficulty figuring out the source. And the third chapter will bear that out…
The middle is Tabuchi getting pissed (what’s new) over having her planned study session in the library with Kaashiwada spoiled by the three boys (who were there first, by the way). There’s not a whole lot to report here, really. It’s not that funny but not especially awful, just kind of there. The most interesting part was the end, where I immediately noted Sata’s absence from the “wall of shame” over the latest test results. He just seems like a kid who has to be an honor student, even if he doesn’t really study.
The White Day section was the episode’s highlight, no question about it. This is Oota at his most shougakusei-poi, doing his best to fake Kashiwada out with larval grubs and a giant isopod. Of course he has no idea it worked to perfection, and reaches for his trump card. Unfortunately, he’s not learned the hard lesson I learned all too well – never, ever trust an older sister. He goes to her asking for something weird that will totally freak Kashiwada out, and when she offers something conditional on his not peeking before giving it to Kashiwada, he should have immediately run screaming from the room.
That gift did get a rise out of Kashiwada, no denying that. Did she believe his earnest denials and attempts to blame it on his sister? I would lean towards yes, but the fact that he did in fact have candy (“cider mochi”?) to give her softens the blow. He’s absolutely adorable in his abject misery at handing it over, but I think Oota kind of won this exchange – he had the balls to give Kashiwada her gift face-to-face, and she didn’t. And the surprise ending? The larva and isopod were actually sweets all along – kind of the perfect gift for a boy like him to give, actually.
The post Kao ni Denai Kashiwada-san to Kao ni Deru Oota-kun (Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota) – 07 appeared first on Lost in Anime.
