After Rintaro apologized in Kaoruko for applying his own assumptions on her for being an elitist snobby Kikyo Private student, this episode continues to remove the veil of the social divide begrudgingly placed on them. Also, a SILVER-HAIRED WAIFU gets introduced!
Video Review
What Stands Out About This Episode?
Pushing the Boundaries and Bringing it Back Home with Captivating Romance
In episode 1, we are introduced to the class divide between the elitist rich girl school in the Kikyo Private Academy vs the lowly dummies that reek of the bottom of the barrel smelly expired disgust of those that attend Chidori Public High School. Within that framework, it is our two MCs that meet and start falling in love with that attend both of the schools. In episode 2, we start to learn that while Rintaro has been a victim of everyone’s prejudice that he just looks like a future Yakuza member, he applied that same stereotype to Kaoruko as a Kikyo student. However, he eventually realized he did to her what others did to him. With the help of MOMMY CAKES, he was able to go beyond the ‘dense’ and Chidori stereotypes to apologize to Kaoruko.
Although, Kaoruko recognized that she may have overreacted to Rintaro automatically applying those prejudices to her—she recognizes that it is his genuine kind heart that makes her respect him so much. Besides the physical attraction between the two, we have a mutual respect and admiration for each other that is growing more and more into what we would expect out of a romance.
In this episode, one of the biggest reveals is that Kaoruko isn’t actually a “rich Kikyo” girl. In fact, she has a part-time job and attends on a scholarship. Not only that, it looks like she has maintained being a TOP STUDENT in her class for quite some time. This continues to diminish that societal veil that even we, as an audience already built our assumption based on the story’s premise.
True Friends Go Beyond!
Now, we are at the point in the story where this growing relationship between Kaoruko and Rintaro starts affecting all of their friends and how they perceive each other. Episode 2 already started to shatter what people may think of Chidori students because guys like Shohei are actually decent people that just end up being on the other side of the Kikyo girls’ anger for no reason. He even apologized to Kaoruko for how he acted.
This episode displayed that characters like Shohei are the ones that continues to clap back at these girls always looking down on them. However, we can already see how Rintaro and the others’ influences will eventually get him to recognize his hurtful actions as well.
On the flipside, we have the introduction of the “silver-haired” close friend of Kaoruko’s. From the jump, we can already recognize that she continues to feed into the Kikyo vs Chidori stereotypes. However, we already see by the actions of both Rintaro and Kaoruko, that her worldview has been challenged. One of the key components of her character is what Saku pointed out in attacking her hair color, as this will soon become a significant insight into her character and how she is a lot meeker than her ‘vixen-like’ attitude would suggest.
Don’t Deny the Kaoruko x Rintaro Ship!
On the romance side, how can you not be charmed by the growing dynamics between Kaoruko and Rintaro? Anya Forger of Spy x Family may have the troll meme faces down, but Miss Waguri has captivated everyone with the cutest emotes! Three episodes in, there is already a mutual respect.
What makes this relationship advancing further is Kaoruko slyly hinting that she should be using “keigo” (敬語, polite speech), more so than “tameguchi” (タメ口, casual speech). This is a girl working her reverse-psychology on you. Also, this is one of those Japanese cultural elements that may not exactly translate the best for the western world. By Rintaro asking Kaoruko to just speak casually to him—this is basically admitting he wants to be friends or potentially even closer. Other than that, a study date has been achieved!
OTAKU SINH 