When it was revealed that Atsushi could move objects, I did find myself thinking “now what?” Well, the creators answered that question brilliantly, and at this point it has become clear that the main plot of this show is all about that body takeover, and the conclusion of this series will very likely also be the point where this will get resolved, and no sooner. This episode was meant to build up for that, and what brilliant build-up it was!
Clearly something happened between Atsushi and Rokka that involves mountains. The first half focused on this from Rokka’s perspective as she tried to puzzle what on earth was going on, and what I really loved was how well her acting was when she called up Hazuki. Talk about restraint! It said so much with so little dialogue!
The second half of the episode then moved over to Hazuki as he realized that there was a slight danger that he didn’t anticipate to the body swapping: not being able to return, with as the highlight that part that had the best track of the soundtrack of this series (the one with the bass-like guitar and piano: a simple yet wonderful combination).
Rating: 5.5/8 (Excellent)
Oh, Thumblina crying on his nose got me. What a beautiful scene that was.
This episode was pleasant surprise. I was half expecting it to immediately continue on the path of anguish the last one had. The last episode had so much heart ache on my part to the point I worried about watching this one.
After watching the episode made me change my views on the show. For the longest time up till now I was convinced the main characters was really Hazuki and Atsushi. However, the more I watch this series it seems as if Rokka is the real star, as everything revolves all around her. It makes me think that her latent repressed feelings of her husband’s death manifested and tied Atsushi to the human world. It is like she willed Atsushi to be seen only by Hazuki, because a mix of his resemblance and her longing to be loved by someone. If Rokka truly moves on perhaps her husband will too. I dunno if this is what the creators are going for but this is what I feel.
Even though I personally am rooting for Atsushi and never liked Hazuki, I found myself enjoying the build up into the next episode. I liked the ending when Hazuki made a choice no longer stay idle. For the past few episodes he has mostly dormant, allowing Atsushi do whatever he wanted and even in the series in general. He was too afraid to live under a ghost, worrying about comparisons, and almost trying to become Atsushi instead of himself. Maybe Hazuki will stand out now on his own path and find his own voice.
Well said, I like your comments, you made me see the show in a different and better way.
sort of cheered me up.
Oh wow thanks! Your comment really made my day.
Nice comment. I’m not sure if this relates in any way but here’s an interesting observation. If you look back at the episode where Hazuki was ‘possessed’, the figure that entered him did not look like Atsushi at all. In fact it looked like Rokka possessed him. I’m not sure what this means but I’m sure that the scene was done deliberately.
I dont know if Hazuki really resembles Atushi in any way, other than his hands. Hazuki has emphasized multiple times how he’s different to both Atushi and Rokka, and he’s done things to showed that he’s different. From the beginning, there’s been a refusal to understand each other between them, the body snatch gave them perspective.
Ah, cant get a good grasp on the pacing. It feels like it doesnt need 3 episodes to do the rest. It’s definitely heading into the climax.
This episode was awesome, I love Rokka chan, when she looks like Thumbelina, I want see where this goes next, what’s interesting is that both this show and kokoro connect have to do with body takeovers, though their not too similar too each other in that sense, it’s enough to remind me of the correlation. Right now I agree with spellwithhaph on that the main emphasis is on Rokka. Well both Hazuki and Atsushi love Rokkka, we can from their “situations” that both of them have misunderstandings toward each other, but are brought to light through both thumbelina Rokka, and the Rokka in real life. Well we’ll see how Rokka really feels and that in turn allows us to know more of both Hazuki and Atsushi through the Rokka’s as a proxy.
Looks like a good anime. I think i`ll write a review about it when it’s finished 🙂
@spelledwithaph thanks for the great explanation!!
On the one hand, this is a beautifully-made series with beautifully portrayed, sympathetic, adult characters.
But on the other hand, we weren’t expecting this body-swapping to last so long, and certainly didn’t think it would occupy most of the series. With only three episodes left, that’s what it’s done. But for some reason, it feels like the story is spinning its wheels.
A gentle, leisurely pace is one thing, but the suspense of whether and when Hazuki will ever escape has been built up to a breaking point these last four episodes, and all his scenes stuck in the drawing have felt overly repetitive…almost like stalling the inevitable.
And it SHOULD be inevitable that Hazuki escapes. We’re not enamored with the idea of him being stuck in a drawing while a ghost steals his body. Metaphysics aside, it’s not fair to the character to cheat him out of his existence.
We’ve always thought there’s a fundamental limit to Atsushi’s manipulations – that despite this body-swapping, he cannot be with Rokka anymore. Right now the series is waffling on that point.
But we can’t stop thinking about the undeniable fact that he is NOT SUPPOSED to be in Hazuki’s body. It isn’t morally right. He NEEDS to leave, and he needs to let Hazuki have Rokka.
Whatever you think about Hazuki, he’s been in the right all this time. His only error was getting drunk enough to give Atsushi permission to body swap in the first place.
Don’t get us wrong, I’m sure the series knows exactly what it’s doing and how it’s going to end things three episodes hence. We just weren’t expecting this direction. At this point, if the titular “rendezvous” is one between Rokka and Atsushi, it just won’t feel right.
This show would be foolish to ignore this possibility, the idea of stealing a living body, did no one really see that coming? I wasn’t expecting it to be used to move the story forward with so much meaning. The writing for this is utter perfection as of late, it’s rare to see such smooth story telling.
Personally I really like Hazuki, he is a nice guy, on the other hand Atsushi seems bitter, however, I’d have to side with Atsushi, he has a right to be bitter, especially when the world abandoned him, gave him failing body and let what he loved more than anything be taken from him. All that being said, this story could never do something like that, nor would I want it too.
There is a good amount of sadness in this show, though I’m mostly just enjoying the drama. Life is pretty messed up, is probably one of my few latent reactions to the story, the other would be “what great story telling”.
I am actually concerned about Hazuki. Since there is only 3 episodes left, there is not much time. At the pace they are going I am not sure Hazuki will have much air time in the real world. I fear that Atsushi will still be in his body right up till the last episode. Seeing how the climax seems to be in the mountains, it saddens me that they might not have more story back at the shop.
Even though these two series are very different from another, this whole going to the mountain thing and a ghost is starting to remind me of last year’s Ano Hi Mita Hana ending, with everyone being able to see Menma at the very end. I hope they do not do that as it would be too cliche and cheesy, with a vague open-ended ending during final credits.
actually 3 episodes should be plenty for what’s left of the plot, then there’s a nice little afterward set in the near future and the shop, so if that’s any consultation. Rokka’s pretty much guaranteed happy end, the guys, it’s up to interpretation.
I’m thinking we are going to get a flash forward to the future in the end as well.
If we take a look at the opening, there is a small child with light brown hair who wears a white hat. He digs a whole in the ground, we are shown a flash of other kids holding plants and whatnot, and then he is shown to be a pre-teen/young teen, by his side is a Snow-in-Summer potted plant. This is obviously Atsushi.
The opening then goes on to show a variety of things, but the important part comes at the very end. In the same spot, underneath the tree where Atsushi dug a hole to plant the Snow-in-Summer, a new little boy in a yellow shirt with brown hair and Rokka’s face is shown patting down the newly planted Snow-in-Summer (it has not bloomed yet, though). I’m thinking that this child is Rokka and Hazuki’s and signifies that Rokka has finally moved on and Atsushi is now resting in peace.
I noticed this a while ago, and each new episode seems to be confirming this bit of foreshadowing.
Anyway, I’ve really been enjoying this series. It has been well executed, well written, nice characters, great storytelling, the romance is well done, and the emotions always get to me.
I agree that three episodes should be enough to give this series a complete and satisfying ending.
If this was tumblr, and I was that type of person, I would be all
FEEELINGSS!
and multiple animated gifs
This show is quite leisurely if compared to action packed anime, however the acting is so great, and even Hazuki’s adventures in the dream world are kind of interesting in the insight it gives to Atsushi, and because it’s so bittersweet for Shimao, that I do enjoy this show a lot.
On the one hand Atsushi is behaving absolutely selfishly, and he’s doing all he can to remind his wife of him, but on the other hand, who could be so magnanimous if they were in that position? He’s really struggling.
Still I love his little childish snickers whenever he thinks of the trouble that he is causing Hazuki, and also he’s voiced by Jun Fukuyama and so I can forgive his character for their flaws.