Itazura na Kiss - Episode 25 (Completed)

Of all the series I've watched over the past couple of seasons, I think Itazura na Kiss would have been my least likely candidate for a show I'd hope for a bonus episode of. Yet, after the series proper finished last week, here I am with episode twenty-five to watch. All in all, it's a bit like receiving a card in the post from an old friend, only to find out that it's to tell you that he ran over your dog.


This bonus episode takes us on a holiday organised by Naoki, before Kotoko got pregnant and all that. While she imagines a fantastic two weeks of just the two of them together, he clearly has other ideas, taking her to meet the rest of his family out in the countryside. Given the history of this series it's no real surprise that each and every member of this family is a complete an utter asshole, who I ended up hating within minutes of their introduction. So, for most of the episode we have said family going all out to destroy Kotoko's resolve, with Naoki's grandfather in particular beating her (I'm not kidding) and making her work all hours of the day, before sending her out on an impossible task in order for him to approve her marriage to Naoki. When the episode turned into a pathetic ghost story towards the very end, I was hoping that this meant the grandfather have tied, but sadly he was still alive and kicking.

Episode twenty-four actually found me going easy on this series for a relatively sweet and happy ending, but after that surprise it's almost as though this final instalment was tacked on to remind me that no, Itazura na Kiss is a terrible, hateful series, full of characters that you'll loathe for every single minute they're on-screen until your blood pressure goes through the ceiling. I really can't overstate how much I absolutely, completely and without any doubt hate every single character in this series apart from Kotoko (who has had her moments too). Not just some of the characters... Every. Single. One. If that isn't a huge misjudgement by the writers of this series, I don't know what is, but all I can tell you is that the world they managed to create with Itazura na Kiss is vile and loathsome, and I'm glad to be rid of it with the end of this series.