White Album – 08



Short Synopsis: Yuki and Touya finally get to see each other again.
Episode Rating: 8/10 (Excellent)
Whoa, so many things happened in this episode, and yet it felt like a really quiet and slow-paced one. At this point, it’s pretty certain that this is one of these series that’s continuously building up for one big finale, and it’s also pretty sure that Touya and Yuki are going to break up with each other. The question is just going to be: how? And how are the two of them going to end up afterwards?

So this whole time, Touya has been trying to live his own life, I think also trying to find something to be busy with in order to forget how often he’s apart from Yuki. Most people indeed wouldn’t put that much time into the wishes of someone else like he’s doing with Misaki, but I think that he unintentionally tries to seek distraction, and with that he’s also getting more and more distanced from Yuki. I’m starting to get the points that this series is trying to make like this.

I also loved the very subtle sense of humour in this episode. The jokes around Haruka were fun, but not meant to be laughed at. Still, it was pretty cute when Touya discovered how she broke into his apartment that evening. We do need to see a bit more about Haruka, though. Something’s clearly bugging her: she’s jealous of Yuki, and probably looked up to her, since she apparently spent a lot of time with Touya since her childhood and was never really able to let this go, but I just know that the creators are still hiding something from her. That breakdown of hers isn’t just explained through simple loneliness.

My only problem is that this series the umpth one that is overplaying the “dead parents” trope a bit too much. I know that it’s a good way to evoke sympathy and all, but when it’s becoming an exception for a character’s parents to be both not missing or dead, then you know something’s going in the wrong direction.

And what the heck was up with Yayoi at the end of this episode? This really is the first episode where Touya definitely cheated on Yuki, but why Yayoi of all people?

14 thoughts on “White Album – 08

  1. Why Yayoi of all people?
    I don’t see what Touya did as cheating.
    Let me explain ……..

    From personal experience. Everyone one has a breaking point. Whereby you can only fend off unwanted advances for a while before the inevitable happens, resulting in you succumbing, as Touya did.

    More so regardless of who the other person is, the resultant factor is imminent especially when the current relationship you’re in has started to loose its core values of Respect & Honesty.

    In other words, She broke him – In this case His “Tower of Yuki”.
    I would have said if he intentionally made the first move, then He cheated.

    Though the future reflections of the act committed by Touya would be judged that he did the wrong thing, at this moment it might also been seen as right.

  2. @smurfy Wow, just wow. There’s a part of me that’s hoping you’re being facetious. If not, then you seriously need to grow a pair and stop channeling Touya. Touya made the choice, he’s not being raped here.

    Anyway, doesn’t matter if you think it’s cheating. It only matters if she thinks you are and believe me, she definitely thinks you’re cheating.

    Things are starting to heat and move forward now. I’m certainly anticipating this train wreck.

  3. So far, it’s a pretty realistic view on things. If you like drama, this is a good one. The pacing is slow and nearly no comedy but it’s true to it’s genre. Anyway, I suspect Touya is going to pull away next episode, keeping the status quo as is. There will probably be a breakup and the inevitable re-union at the end. Just my opinion if they follow countless other similar plots.

    As to the relationship, I don’t blame Touya entirely. Yuki has chosen career over relationship which is her right. Touya should just grow a set and break things off to avoid this drama. Obviously, if that happened, we wouldn’t have show and real life is rarely logical.

  4. “Why Yayoi of all people?”

    Because she’s there and she’s willing to do it, I guess. Prior to this moment at the end where he accepted her advances, I thought things might still work out despite the awkward moment between him and Yuki just a minute before. Now I am certain things will only go downhill from here on out.

  5. It’s seems there is more to Yayoi than what we are being told. She received a phone call while going over the envelopes. No real explanation and it seemed to indicate someone is either managing her or providing information. Yayoi is either trying to keep Touya preoccupied or working towards ending his relationship with Yuki. Touya is just being manipulated by everyone around him. He just feels like a very weak protagonist with no sense of self. He’s hurting himself and just about every other girl in this show with his lack of direction and commitment.

  6. Lol this show is sort of funny. By funny I mean the seriousness of this show which hasn’t gotten to me yet, but from where I stand the character hasn’t really mature to where I would say adult. Anyway everything is going where the author has all the control (always has) and character is more like a mannequin than a realistic one. If you watch from my point of view you’ll think this is funny.

  7. While I agree somewhat with the above posts, we still have to remember that Touya is just out of his teens, probably still trying to find his path in life. We also know he doesn’t really undertake things he just lets them happen. I do see a little bit of myself in there and I think a lot of guys were that way. He’s so insecure and unsure that whatever’s happening to him he just lets it slide. Like the first poster said, he just finally broke down. Not that he had much resistence but still…

  8. But still what? At what point is it alright for him to learn his lesson? He’s an adult now, he needs to start learning to take responsibility for his actions. If he truly loved her he should have tried harder to contact her and make his relationship work.

    Of course for the sake of anime drama, his irresponsible nature is needed and the people around him are certainly getting in his way. I do look forward to the mess that he and his harem are creating. Let’s see if he can redeem himself by breaking things off. If he continues to do nothing can you really continue to feel sorry for him?

  9. Why is it the mans job to contact her? You are doing nothing but looking at it through your biased female goggles . SHE is the one who decided to become famous . If she wanted it to work she wouldn’t of become an idol , or at least made a lot of effort to see him .

    In reality the story is pretty realistic in some area so far . I don’t know too many guys who would take a relationship with Yuki serious . I know a lot of guys who would probably initiate a relationship with sex as the end goal .

    While the average male probably wants more alone time than the average female , we also want to be in a relationship with someone we can see regularly , or at least semi-regularly .

  10. I don’t recall saying it was the man’s job to contact her. Obviously she is as much to blame for the collapse of their relationship. However, I don’t see what her deciding to become famous has anything to do with him locking lips with Yayoi without ending their relationship first. I’d be saying the same thing about Yuki if she decided to fool around with Eiji because she was lonely.

    I also think the situation is realistic, unfortunately. I don’t know why Touya wouldn’t be serious about his relationship with Yuki. It’s not as if he started going out with her while she was an idol and sex didn’t appear to be his primary goal. Right now he seems lonely and confused.

    Not quite sure what you mean by that last statement. I must be one of those rare females that likes to be alone more than she likes to be social. I think the type of relationship guys are in at Touya’s age would vary across a wide spectrum. At 20 years old there are playboys and there are husbands.

  11. Of course his adultery is wrong on the moral scale but not at the end of it. Probably more just off the middle. Maybe I am biased as a male in his early twenties. Obviously Touya is not a playboy but imagine this introvert geek suddenly surrounded by girls that want him while his actual girlfriend (although IMHO not a really serious one yet) somewhat neglects him. I’d certainly be tempted. I’m not saying it was justified what he did, that’s definately not ok I’m just saying I understand his position and If I were in his shoes I’d probably do the same. I mean you see Yuki calling and calling but when really do you actucally see her checking up on Touya. She should’ve asked around much earlier, or at least have someone else do it for her.

  12. I Can’t really debate this with you. I just don’t think it would go anywhere because you are thinking about things from a females perspective , and trying to apply those thoughts to a male character.

    I will say that i obviously don’t only blame Yuki.She is just not a sympathetic character , so i have trouble feeling bad for her. If she really cared about the relationship then her idol life wouldn’t consume 90% of her life like it does. She is obviously too dumb to realize the relationship has no chance unless a miracle occurs , so Touya should just break it off before he becomes a total cheating pig.

  13. One of the nice things on this episode is that we finally get to understand Rina’s motivations. Not too early considering she’s a major character and we’re already at episode 8. Now they just need to set up Haruka and the fireworks can start ^_^)

    As for the morality issues, I don’t have any case to argue for. As far as I see, it’s too early to condemn anyone.

  14. I hope Rina “wins”… although to be fair, getting the boy in this anime definitely doesn’t seem to equal “winning” >_> what a loser he is.

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