A little bit of note that Tsuki ga Kirei was delayed a fair bit this week. Apparently, the Japan broadcast was still on schedule but Crunchyroll experienced a bit of extra time subbing it, which my guess is that the production cut a bit too close this time prior to airing, which also mean we might have a rushed, unpolished production just like last week. My worrying thought didn’t come out true, thankfully, because Tsuki ga Kirei again excels this week, producing one of their most solid episode. There are plenty of moments to love this week, ranged from their well-earned LINE messages (gosh, made me realized that we hardly see any real conversations through messaging device in other anime, even in films), their uncertainty about which school to choose, to Akane’s last competitive track to Takumi and Chinatsu’s mutual moments. Tsuki ga Kirei is simply at its top form this week.
The time for graduation is getting near and our kids have to pick their future high schools. Both Kotarou and Akane have little idea where they end up with, Kotarou largely due to whether or not he’d pursue his writing. The publisher few episodes back suggested him to try writing light novels, but he’s unfamiliar and even uncomfortable with light novel format, thus he asks his senpai about the medium and tries to read some. His parents both care about his future choice, but each of them have different idea on how to push him on the “right” track. His mother increasingly concerns about him getting in good school with good grade (typically Asian mom). His father, in his very timid fatherly way, suggests him to do whatever he likes to do (I love the way he even doesn’t look straight to his eyes when he discusses with Kotarou – Again, a very Asian style of communicating between Dad and son – you know, we don’t really fond of expressing our thoughts to each other). I could sense his wise advice coming from a guy who regret not following what he loved when he was his son’s age, and now he doesn’t want his son to follow his footstep.
Akane’s issue is more apparent, though. Her father might relocate again with his new position, it’s the biggest, most obvious obstacle they could’ve have in their age: won’t be able to meet each other due to long distance. Akane doesn’t like moving away from Kotarou and the environment she has grown accustomed with. But first, she has other things she needs to focus on: her last track competition. After last week when the two of them spend almost all the time together, this week they spend most of their time doing their own things (which is good) and keep in touch through LINE. Those LINE exchanges are adorable and I really appreciate the show for not only showing their reactions when receiving and texting, but the detail of their conversations as well. She has a big day coming up, but she doesn’t wish Kotarou to come because she would get embarrassed and distracted from it, as a result Kotarou still comes… in secret. It’s a charming action since the reason he comes isn’t about getting her attention, but because he just wanted to see her running. While she succeeds in her last race, beating her personal record and coming first in a race, we can’t help but feel sadness. The way she looks at the track one last time (she might not do running again in her high school), and her last bento with sincere clubmates who were together for 3 years- are powerful and intimate. Once again Tsuki ga Kirei shows us that the show isn’t strictly about romance, but about the coming of age tales from those kids.
Takumi and Chinatsu have some time to shine in this episode too. Takumi (now I just realized that he was the same age with Akane and Chinatsu, despite his more mature look) realizes that Akane might move to other city, so he works up the courage to ask the track girls to the coming festival. Chinatsu, once again despite her carefree appearance, is way more observant than the rest of the cast, noticing that Kotarou sneaked up to the competition to watch Akane, and Takumi’s deeper thoughts. They, in a very “Scum Wish” way, share the same sadness feeling of seeing the one they like be happy with other people; in other words, they share empathy. Takumi might try to express his feeling to Akane, since he “hasn’t even taken a shot yet”. Chinatsu also remark that they can’t change how they feel – but girl, remember that the feeling can indeed change as time goes by. As she grows older that melancholy feeling might become something that she’d be fond of when looking back.
