True Tears, Episode 7
Say It Clearly, Write It Down Here
[True Tears info page ftw!]
So, anyway. I fucking heart this show. If they disappoint me I will rage. It’s beautiful, it’s well-written, it’s half-length, and by the way I uh, like it a lot. And things are moving quickly now.
Story Recap
The name of the game in the episode’s first half is denial. The big, fat unhealthy kind. Shinichiro denies Hiromi’s news because he can’t see the logic, Noe’s in denial of Shinichiro telling her to leave him alone as well as her own feelings for him, and Aiko and Nobuse are neck deep in the shit.
Shinichiro can barely look his parents (who are the biggest deniers of all) in the eyes, and his father seems to have an inkling that he knows something. He’s going through life in a bleak haze with a storm cloud overhead. And he refuses Noe’s lunch offer, which makes her sad but gives her a reason to try and kill Hiromi by force-feeding the bento to her instead. This is the girl-fight from last week’s preview. Turns out Noe’s pissed about everything: Hiromi dating her brother without telling her, Hiromi making Shinichiro sad, and no one will tell her why any of this is going on, so she lashes out with her helpless feelings. Great fucking stuff. In so many other shows, Noe would be a nearly ethereal being or wild woman of Borneo, but here she acts like a troubled girl who likes a boy.
After breaking them up, Shin confronts her: Do you like me? She bolts in a hurry after sprouting those little red anime lines on her face, making the answer pretty obvious.
And eventually, he gets it too. With the prospect of Hiromi growing more and more distant, Shin gets an idea: holy crap, I think I like her too.
This is great stuff for me, I’m sick to fucking death of anime protagonists taking so long to figure out what real people “get” instantly. Now we can move on with a real story instead of artificially drawing shit out. And move on, we do.
Shin convinces himself he’s not just doing it for Jun’s dirty little deal (are we convinced?), and he asks her out. The title of the episode comes from here, when Noe first makes Shin “say it clearly” that he likes her. After cutely growing redder, she then makes him write “I Like Noe” out in stones in the schoolyard by the chickens. She says she’s so happy she feels like crying, which is the Rubber Mallet of Remembrance about her back story.
Incidentally, Rubber Mallet of Remembrance sounds like a good Shakugan No Shana character. I’ll have to remember to pitch that to them.
The crazed look in Aiko’s eyes has been growing, and culminates at the end of the episode. While Nobuse knows what’s bothering his girlfriend (and goes as far as to say “It’s OK as long as it’s you” to Shin), Shin has no clue. Until now. A big sloppy wet surprise clue.
Predictions
Shinichiro seems to realize he’s genuinely interested in Noe, but by now the whole thing’s already resembling a house of cards. After his written confession, Shin will look like a giant douche if Noe finds out about the Deal. But she may be able to handle that. Aiko, well that might be an even worse situation. Nobuse is determined to get through it with both his best friend and girlfriend right where they are, but Aiko’s obviously not letting it drop and she could ruin everything.
At this point, it doesn’t seem to be a foregone conclusion that Shin will end up with either Noe or Hiromi, though each hinges on their own factors. Jun is the wild card here, and though it doesn’t seem like he’d purposely screw things up for his sister, he is a weird fucking dude.
Thoughts
I sometimes feel like I don’t have a lot to say about this show other than OOOO FUCK I LIKE THIS SHOW YES HA GREAT SHOW.
Anyway. Even the believability mark is still really high. Realizing you like a girl after only occasional exposure over seven episodes certainly beats ol’ Okazaki’s marathon of eighteen leading up to the tennis-smack, so I’m still on the Shinichiro wagon. That is, provided he means it, and he’s not just trying to convince himself. Obviously, love by proxy is a theme in this show.
I loved the scene right before Shin asks Noe out — when he has her by the wrist and she says she won’t run away, but tries to immediately when he lets go. Well timed, funny, and Jesus fuck, so cute.
I’m really losing my edge apparently.
Or is it that everyone has a threshold of cute that they just can’t overcome? This is apparently mine. I’m going to go make a compilation of Fuko’s Greatest Hits and watch it as a break between repeated viewings of End of Evangelion and (for good measure) Requiem For A Dream. That should bring the shiny gloss of cynical hatred back to my life. Anyway, Hiromi’s complex expression as she sees that moment really reinforces my feelings on the animation.
A decent drama with half-decent characters and “tears” in the title could easily be played out by actors (and has), but a weekly gift to your eyes such as this — that’s what animation is for. From facial expressions, to directorial moves (the chicken angle), to little details like Aiko knocking over all the chairs as she assaults Shin, it’s just great. From what I can tell, this is PA Works’ first full-fledged production work, so what’s going to happen to Kyoto’s reign? Doesn’t matter to me, really — what’s important is that True Tears has become the one anime I really wait for every week.
- otou-san out!
