©くずしろ・講談社／「笑顔のたえない職場です。」製作委員会

I think this episode is a perfect example of my small frustrations with the show. There was nothing wrong with the things discussed or showcased here. Technically there was some solid character progression. Mari and Tsunagu made another step in their relationship where they affirmed their feelings for each other and made it very clear that it goes beyond just the primal physical attraction. I like that the show is building off of the resistance training that we’ve been setting up for the past couple episodes and used that as a way to feed into Mari’s potential insecurities. You could argue it’s a bit weird for her to hyper fixate on whether or not Tsunagu likes her outside of her smell since the two have affirmed their relationship numerous times before this point. But then again, I also have to remember that we’re dealing with insecure teenagers who have emotions that are constantly in flux. I have no room to talk, as I am in my 30s and still need constant reassurance that the people close to me are still interested in me.

The second half of this episode feels like it was going for a combination of character growth on Yukihiro’s part and some social commentary with regards to how the rest of the students view him. I like that speech he gives at the end about how people are starting to use his name more and he’s starting to let his guard down. The show always hinted at the fact that he was trying to be more reserved because he didn’t want to give into any social preconceptions about how beast folk were already seen. People are still talking about beast folk as a distinctly separate class from people and I think there’s a lot of weight to Tsunagu saying he is feeling less like a beast folk lately. I’m not sure what the show is saying about that, but I like that there are multiple interpretations that could be read into it.

The problem is that a lot of this is told to us, not really shown. I like the idea of someone trying to interview Yukihiro and trying to get a rise out of him. That would’ve been a great way of showcasing his shortcomings as well as how far he’s come. But we don’t get to see that actual interview until the end and Tsunagu explains what happens during the interview after the fact. Why couldn’t I have just seen that and have Mari show up at the last minute to help him find his center? There’s a lot of talking about how characters feel without really showcasing how they’re displaying those feelings or how it relates to how other people see them. That’s a problem when you’re dealing with a show that is all about prejudice and putting on appearances for the sake of other people. That is an explicit theme of the show and everybody is doing it so why doesn’t the show give an opportunity to let the presentation showcase that instead of constantly explaining to me how everybody is feeling after the fact?

It still feels like the show is playing around with a lot of set up for things in the future but the problem is we are almost done with this season and I’m not sure what definitive idea it’s going to lean into by the end. You could argue that it doesn’t have to, but that’ll lead to an overall unsatisfying season. I mean, just look at Yukihiro’s place in this entire show. He is pining for Mari so hard and trying to find that balance between looking out for everybody and satisfying his own desires. I like that a lot, but when you consider the fact that he has already lost the battle, I feel like I’m just waiting for someone to get into a car accident at this point. Maybe the show is planning to make a really interesting and definitive point with that, especially with that line from Mari about feeling guilty. But for right now, I’m just not sure.

**Rating: **

Bolts also streams regularly on Twitch as an indie Vtuber called Bolts The Mechanic where they talk about and play retro media!

• With You, Our Love Will Make it Through is currently streaming on Crunchyroll. *