Natsuyuki Rendezvous – 04

This episode really shined in how well it balanced showing what went on in the minds of the characters. For Hazuki it has two ways to show his thoughts: his long inner monologues, and his fast inner quibs in the middle of conversations. Rokka has them too, but the difference is less extreme. In contrast, we didn’t get so see into the mind of Atsushi for most of the episode, though at the end it was perfectly clear what he had been thinking throughout most of the episode.

Most of this episode was about the date in the amusement park. And it felt very awkward, but that was entirely the intention of the creators: Hazuki really wanted to use this opportunity to make his move on Rokka, forcing his way through everything. It’s interesting how the only impression he has of the past amusement park is one photo that in no way showed what was going on in the rest of the trip. At the end, this was suppored to be the catalyst to the big moment at the end of the episode: him giving up his own body in a drunk mood. This depended a lot on the right emotional portrayal of the characters, and really: the creators nailed it.

After this, it’s all going to depend on where the creators take this next. There are a ton of ways they can to after the next episode. It all depends on the meaning that they’ll give of Atsushi’s short meeting with his wife.

Also, I think that right now we’re at a historical junction: 20 years from now, people can somewhat differentiate some of the series from before 2012 and after. From today, the big landmark of Tokyo is the Sky Tree, and not the Tokyo Tower anymore. The next terror that will land upon the city will choose to smash up the Sky Tower, and from now on, the Tokyo Tower will just be seen as its small brother.
Rating: (Excellent)

13 thoughts on “Natsuyuki Rendezvous – 04

  1. What’s up with this series and it always being out subbed before I can find the raw, is this out on crunchyroll or something?

  2. I’m really tempted to read the manga but am resisting because I’m loving how this show is surprising me. I think the worst thing that Atsushi could do to Hazuki would be to actually have sex with with Rokka. You could imagine him waking up in the morning beside her and then realising that it was the ghost’s charms that ‘bedded’ her not him. I’m interested to see if the writer is going to go in that direction as that would be pretty soul crushing for Hazuki. Ultimately though Atsushi is going to have to let Rokka move on but he seems a pretty stubborn character.

    Anyway .. loving this show. The characters seem so real.

    1. So far, hasnt happen yet, and I doubt Atsushi would do it either. He’s very aware that it’s Hazuki’s body he’s occupying

  3. I’m giving this show a shot, mostly because I’m desperate for some more anime at the moment. Anyways, psgels anime is always changing, the shows back then and now have changed a bit, and with the new comes the new, but it might be a little premature to say whats what, thats rule no. 1 of geopolitics

    1. Oh thats what you meant… how dumb of me. I caught up with this series, its quite deep and provoking, but man, whats going to happen next? I always feel so much anticipation

  4. Forgive me for saying it. Psgels, but you sound a bit like you slipped out for a few beers yourself under the pretext of a smoke.

    And Rokka will know that it’s Atsushi and not Hazuki if they have sex. Such is my strong belief –

  5. This show is pretty great, one ep down now I have to catch up
    It certainly is different but its refreshing

  6. Behaving like that while drunk: only on television. Helps hacky writers a lot.

    This is a menopause fantasy.

  7. I don’t think he did a stupid thing because he got drunk, but rather he got drunk to muster the courage to do it, because he was thinking of doing it since the amusement park. And perhaps it wasn’t even to muster the courage, but to pass out, because Atsushi clearly said in previous episode that in order for him to gain control of Hazuki’s body, Hazuki has to “knock himself out”.

    What puzzles me is why there was a Rokka ghost? Was it how Hazuki saw the merge or was it something else? Hm….

  8. Oh and i thought this episode was great, it showed how you don’t really need a ghost doing its pranks for a dead person to get between two living.

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