Golden Time - Episode 24 (Completed)

Just as he'd expected, Banri Tada's memories are about to vanish as if they were never there, and the end of the school festival sees all of his life since his accident simply dissolve as he returns home with his mother, leaving nothing more than a distraught group of friends in his wake.

Although Banri has plenty of notes from his "other" self, upon returning home he seems more than happy not to pursue any recollection of those missing memories - after all, what's the point of trying to rebuild something you can't even remember, and what would the use of that be?  Thus, the only carry-over from that period of his life is Linda, who continues to see Banri even if she, too, seems to be stuck in time from the moment of his accident and her missed meeting with him.

If Banri isn't going to chase after his recent past though, perhaps it might just chase after him instead?  A knock on the door as the New Year approaches sees Koko paying Banri a visit under the auspices of returning a DVD.  Although Banri has no idea who she is, and makes a (mistaken) blind guess at who she might be, a certain effect upon her person seems familiar, and upon further inspection Banri's memories of his former girlfriend come flooding back.  It seems that this is the moment to make good on his promise to her, if he can only catch her before she leaves town...

Having made what seemed like such a final statement of intent in last week's episode, I have to admit that I wasn't really expecting to be served up a happy ending here, but I can't really begrudge it for going down that path rather than just shrugging off the past six month's worth of viewing as forgotten memories.  In a sense, this finale was a good representation of Golden Time as a whole - something funny, sometimes hugely emotional, sometimes a complete mess in the delivery of important elements of its plot, but somehow just about coherent and entertaining enough to remain satisfying.  Make no mistake, this is no Toradora, but it does manage to rise above its use of the tired old amnesia cliche to bring life and purpose to such a concept, and with some characters who you couldn't help but root for into the bargain.  It may not be one of the highlights of the past two seasons of anime, but Golden Time is still a worthwhile show that had plenty to offer viewers willing to forgive its moments of insanity.

Golden Time - Episode 23

To compound Banri's misery at being dumped by Koko, she's now about to walk out of the festival club too - something which he simply can't countenance.

After chasing her down, he correctly guesses the real reason for their break up, that being that Koko simply can't stand the thought of being around and in love with a Banri who disappears along with his post-accident memories.  With this all out in the open, the pair agree to remain friends, with Koko also remaining in the festival club - unfortunately, Mitsu isn't so easily placated, as he refused to talk to Banri and makes himself scarce both inside and out of classes.

In an attempt to rectify things as Banri becomes more spaced out and Koko seems more upset by the day, Satou suggests another get-together for this group of friends - once again though, this meeting is short-circuited by the loss of Banri's recent memories once more, this time right in front of Koko, leaving it to Linda to pick up the pieces again.  With things clearly getting worse, Banri realises that it's time to return home and to seek medical attention, but not before one last hurrah at the school festival before all of these memories look set to desert him forever.

As flimsy as its amnesia plot point continues to be, I can't really deny that it's used to create some harrowing drama in this week's episode in particular - the idea of both losing cherished memories or knowing that a loved one might lose them, and even worse seeing them forget who you are right in front of you is hard to countenance and equally hard to watch.  Even Banri's acceptance of his fate doesn't really help with this, and I'm now interested to see how the final episode deals with things as they're left here... it feels like this may be a closing episode that resolves nothing in terms of the relationships between characters, but we shall see.  For now though, I will certainly give Golden Time credit for running with what is on the surface a lazy narrative conceit but managing to make pretty good use of it.

Golden Time - Episode 22

Given how quickly it has come, surely Banri's life - or at least his relationship with Koko - isn't going to fall apart so quickly just like that, even in light of Banri running away from his meat party turned heart-to-heart with his friends?

Banri himself is certainly convinced that despite having irrefutably just dumped him, Koko will be back soon enough.  However, his long wait shows no signs of Kaga's return, and when someone does appear it's her father to give him a lift home and suggest that perhaps her discovery of his anti-anxiety drugs is behind her decision.  After a long chat with neighbour Nana things at least seem a little better for Banri, and by the next day Koko is running up to him to apologise for her over-the-top behaviour.  Thus, all is well in the world of Tada.

At least, that's what Banri assumes, but no, Koko gathers all of his friends to confirm that she has in fact dumped him but decided to apologise just so that they could remain friends.  This is all news to Banri, and in the aftermath of all this it becomes clear that Koko is nowhere near as calm about this whole affair as she seems, while the duo's friends are simply at a loss for what to do.  If Chinami takes the news of this break-up badly (as it seems that the Okamera is at least partially responsible for the whole thing), then Linda's reaction is on another level entirely, and before we know it Tada's good-natured request to ensure that Koko doesn't leave the festival club leads to a full-on slanging match complete with physical violence as both Banri and Linda pour out their frank feelings in an encounter that is simply baffling to those looking on.  With Mitsuo amongst those witnessing this, it seems as if Banri might just have lost himself another friend - not that he seems to care, resigned as he is to losing his current self.

Although some of its twists and turns seem jarring at first glance, the scary part about this week's Golden Time is that it still all feels entirely believable (Banri's amnesia aside, perhaps) - Koko's shifting language from all but spitting on Banri to acting as though nothing happened to revealing her true feelings beneath it all feels like some unwanted recollections of my own, and Banri's argument with Linda also matched some of the other organic-feeling arguments that this series has delivered.  It could maybe have done with being spread out over a longer period of time to allow the impact of events to sink in, but this was nonetheless kitchen sink drama at its, well, most dramatic, and it feels like another episode that delivers on what Golden Time has always promised as a result.

Golden Time - Episode 21

Understandably, Banri is feeling pretty rough after his "attack" in the middle of the festival during last week's episode, and the fallout from that incident and its impact upon the festival club certainly isn't helping matters.

Even so, Koko isn't exactly too happy at Banri's attempts to run away from whatever ailed him that day, yet he still refuses to talk to her about it and explain exactly what happened.  He does, however, at least agree to let her help him somewhat, and more importantly he realises that it's time for him to gather his friends and explain his past and the circumstances surrounding it to them.  What better way to do that than accompanied by Kobe beef?

Having invited all of the group to his place for the slap-up meal in question, it's Oka who arrives first, in part to apologise for her recent behaviour towards Banri but also to explain the reasons behind it - reasons which aren't too hard to guess, boiling down as they do to her feelings for Mitsuo.  In the course of this discussion however, Banri once again finds himself throw back eighteen months in time to his previous self, once again leaving him frightened, confused and calling out for Linda... who, it just so happens, is next door.  After somewhat regaining his senses and pleading with those gathered not to tell Koko, Banri does a runner, stopped only by Mitsuo and Takaya, who persuade him that they'll do everything they can to ensure he never "disappears".  Is this really enough to settle Banri's nerves though, and will Koko be similarly forgiving?

This perhaps wasn't Golden Time at its best, but the series is at least putting Banri's memory loss to real use beyond simply that of a convenient plot point, and it does make for an interesting centre point for current events even if his refusal to tell everyone exactly what's happening seems a little pig-headed even by his standards.  Still, with some more romantic complexities thrown in to this episode there's no shortage of material for the final episodes of the series to get its teeth into, so I really hope it can do so in a manner befitting of some of Golden Time's.. well, golden times.

Golden Time - Episode 20

Thanks to his discussion with Linda regarding her feelings for Mitsuo, it seems that Banri has landed himself in the doghouse with Chinami for reasons that he can't quite fathom.

Still, at least all is still going well between him and Koko, even if Tada continues to be unsure of what to do about giving her his mother's ring, and of course even when he does manage to be decisive in that regard it just so happens to be the one opportunity where he's forgotten to bring it with him.  Things are certainly going better here than they are for Mitsuo however, as his efforts at the festival club still fall flat in terms of any hope of getting some kind of audience with Linda.

There isn't much time for talk of leisure of any kind however for our main couple, as another festival wings their way to demand their full attentions.  On the big day and the commencement of the event itself however, Banri finds himself assuaged by moments of sheer terror as his own memories are replaced by those immediately before his accident, leaving him confused and frightened until, slowly, his current memories return.

This week's Golden Time didn't delve instantly into some of the territory I thought it would, but it still had some enjoyable fare to offer up - having Chinami simply avoid Banri or talking about him feels a whole lot more realistic than delving into instant resolutions for their particular conflict, and Banri's confusion as to what giving Koko a ring might mean to her served as a fun and entirely believable show of his naivete.  I'm not too sure what to make of the end of this episode and Banri's memory crisis, but if it's handled well then it could make for some interesting stuff moving forward when mixed in with what is going on elsewhere, so overall even an episode such as this which was relatively quiet until its final goings-on was still enjoyable.

Golden Time - Episode 19

Banri's back in town, which means there's little time for him to consider his strange incident involving his "ghost" at the tail end of his trip back home, as he instead finds himself surrounded by his friends.

As Tada and his group of friends head out to lunch, it's a perfect opportunity for Mitsuo to finally reveal his interest in Linda to them, ostensibly to gain a favour from Koko and Banri - an opportunity to film their festival club in action as part of his own film club activities, although this is in fact just a thinly-veiled excuse to see Linda given that she's been avoiding him.  Following this, Mitsuo also quizzes Banri on whether he's hiding anything about his own past history with Linda, although he soon backs away from this line of questioning before Tada even has a chance to spill the beans.

There are no such problems for Banri and Koko, even if the latter's attempt at a romantic evening "climbing the stairway to adulthood" goes pretty badly awry.  With this couple enjoying a solid dose of happiness, our attentions quickly return to Yana and his attempts to woo Linda, as the latter talks with Tada about how and why she feels uncomfortable about the whole thing.  Indeed, Banri finds himself assailed by a prcoession of angry girls, as Linda taking out her frustrations about Mitsuo on him is followed by some angry words from Chinami, who of course has her own agenda when it comes to Yana whether she'd admit it or not.

With "ghost Banri" back in his cage, this was another very enjoyable episode of Golden Time - its cast continue to bounce off one another in a very satisfying way, its comedy is mostly spot on and its emotional content is also easy to empathise with while also showing us some facets of both Linda and Chinami that were perhaps previously hidden.  It's more than enough to make me glad that I persevered with the series during some of its clumsy beginnings, as it continues to be fun to watch, warts and all.

Golden Time - Episode 18

Koko was never likely to cope all that well with Banri leaving her behind to return home for a spell over the summer, but even by her standards she seems to have gotten herself embroiled in some "interesting" adventures, as her decision to take a look inside Banri's apartment ultimately leaves her at the mercy of Nana and her nefarious plans.

Meanwhile, it's time for Banri himself to face up to his forgotten past thanks to the school reunion he's decided to attend with Linda - a prospect that understandably terrifies him given all of those missing memories that leaves him unable to discern who he was back then.

However, it seems that Tada's former classmates are well-prepared for their former classmates' visit, and do everything in their power to make him feel comfortable, whether it's wearing named shirts under the auspices of a game of Dodgeball or peppering with stories about his past.  Such is their dedication towards helping out Banri that the event ultimately becomes about him, and what's more it seems to work in making him feel more comfortable about himself, who he was and who he is now.  Filled with this confidence, Banri visits the bridge where all of those memories were effectively lost - an experience which in itself threatens to trigger the reemergence of some long-lost memories.

It had some fun moments, and some rather sweet ones to boot, but I'm not really too sure what to make of this week's Golden Time as a whole - Banri's final experiences within the episode were confusing in their own right, Koko's shenanigans were amusing but not sufficiently formed to be all that memorable, and the stuff in the middle worked okay in service of developing Tada's character but still left our ultimate impression of him to be decidedly scattershot.  Although this is somewhat excused by his amnesia, it's starting to feel like the show's biggest hurdle, and I hope it's one that the series can overcome as it certainly feels like there are still some twists and turns left in this tale.

Golden Time - Episode 17

Everything is just peachy again for Banri and Koko after their issues in last week's episode... the trouble is, nobody else seems to have cottoned on to that fact.

More specifically, their fellow club members are still laboring under the misgiving that the pair have broken up, and thus both Banri and Koko are treated decidedly oddly by their relieved yet creepily supportive clubmates until they managed to straighten things out.  Then again, these two aren't the only ones to suffer from the conclusions the group have jumped to, but this is soon forgotten when Linda puts in appearance, proving that things are even more relaxed here as Banri gets to talk and joke about his forgotten past with her in front of Koko without issue.

With the summer still stretching out in front of them and Banri making plans to visit home, Linda springs upon him the prospect of attending a high school reunion - something which he's unsure of, unlike Kaga who happily signs him up for it confident that he can handle it.  Although Banri's past as it relates to Linda and Koko might be comfortably resolved, it seems that there's still room for it to become an issue as it relates to Mitsuo, as he hangs around Linda and becomes decidedly inquisitive as to both her hometown and Banri's past.

Following a dull and slightly forced first half to this week's episode, the second segment of this latest episode did a reasonable job of shaking things up again, bringing Mitsuo back into the tangled web of relationships as we gain a little more insight into his association with Linda, which in turn is clearly still an issue to some degree for Oka.  I'm decidedly interest to see how all of this pans out, especially coupled with both Linda and Banri returning home at the same time, which seems like a chain of events which could see more dramatic sparks flying as a result.

Golden Time - Episode 16

Things early take a fatal turn, as a tiring day at the beach turns into Koko falling asleep at the wheel, only to be saved from major disaster by Banri... or, perhaps more importantly, his ghostly subconscious.

Although the physical damage is limited to a dented bumper, a bent crash barrier and a cut lip for Chinami, the psychological fallout of this accident is far greater.  While all of the group are shaken up for a spell in the aftermath of the incident, Koko shuts herself away from both Banri and all of her other friends, becoming uncontactable as they find themselves increasingly worried.

It's clear that some kind of intervention is needed, and thanks to Mitsuo her address is passed to Banri to pay her a visit.  Unsurprisingly she's in quite a bad way mentally, not only blaming herself for the accident but also seeing it as evidence of her immaturity in spite of her no longer being a high school student.  Worries soon turn to accusations and a full-blown argument between Koko and Banri as we get to the real crux of the issue however - Koko is terrified of losing him, and particularly scared by the prospect that another accident could erase his memory and see him up sticks and leave as he did with Linda previously.  A mixture of home truths and over-bearing misgivings combine as everything comes to the surface - probably for the best, as it allows for reconciliation and the chance to move forward.

Although "ghost Banri" saving the day irked me in last week's episode, I will give this week's Golden Time full credit for how it handled the fallout of the accident - from Banri's shaking hands through to Koko's realisation that, university student or not, she's still a kid in a lot of ways, there were plenty of moments that rang true, sullied only by Koko's father who went from horrific villain who slaps his own daughter to the ground to "generic comedy Dad" in a single episode.  The row that underpinned the second half of the episode was also fantastically well-written and framed, with simple words of comfort being misconstrued and turning into an ever-escalating to and fro of accusations and uncomfortable statements that ultimately cleared the air.  This is the kind of thing that I originally turned to Golden Time for, and even if it doesn't always deliver I'm certainly glad I stuck with it for those moments where it does get everything right and deliver a strong and interesting take on human relationships.

Golden Time - Episode 15

At long last it's time to hit the beach for Banri, Koko and friends!

Of course, holidays do have a tendency for swapping any idyllic fantasies of how things will pan out for the col, harsh truths of reality, and that's certainly how this journey pans out for the group.  While Banri and Koko opting to meet Takaya in the wrong place is a minor error and the car's malfunctioning air conditioning is little more than an irritation, delays in both reaching and then finding Oka before collecting Mitsuo and setting off are further built upon by vast traffic jams as far as the eye can see.  Add a downpour of rain and it looks like the entire trip is about to be rained off.

Still, at times like this Tada can always be relied upon to look on the bright side and make the best of the situation, and he duly does this here, dragging Koko out to goof around in the rain until the rest of the party join them.  Suitably soaked, the group heads off for food, and by the time they're done the sun is shining once again, allowing for the fun and frolics they originally made the trip for, playing on the beach, letting off fireworks and all.  By the end of the day all and sundry are exhausted, and with Koko taking up the driver's seat she's reliant upon Banri to keep talking and keep her awake.  Easier said than done, as the group's fatigue threatens to prove lethal...

For the most part I really enjoyed this week's Golden Time - having followed this group of characters for so long now, it was satisfying to see them get together and take a trip, and equally satisfying to be presented with a trip that is a far cry from the perfect blend of distilled fun that makes for the average beach episode in anime.  On the flip side of this, I'm a little wary of the show's reliance on "ghost Banri" at this point, who seems to have gone from a portion of Tada's subconscious to something being hinted at as a deity of Haruhi-esque proportions.  I really hope this gets ironed out and explained away as coincidence as it doesn't do Golden Time any favours - the events depicted in this episode would have worked perfectly well without his pseudo-supernatural presence, whereas his appearance threatens to derail any sense of the narrative being believable.  Putting that aside though, it does feel as if Golden Time has found its stride, so I really hope it doesn't slip over the coming weeks.

Golden Time - Episode 14

We're fourteen episodes into Golden Time now, and Koko remains as paranoid as ever, although for once this paranoia actually results in some desirable results.

Having heard on the grapevine that Mitsuo might have himself a girlfriend, it seems safe to assume that the girl in question might be Chinami - a prospect that leads to Koko, Tada and Takaya heading off to do a little spying on Chinami's house to get to the bottom of things.  The trouble is, Mitsuo is nowhere to be found and Oka herself is simply having a lazy day, proving that Kaga's predictions were way off base.

The good that comes out of this series of events is that Oka has been left alone in her house as her parents have moved out, and rather than endure a lonely summer it seems perfect to invite her on the beach trip that the others thought was off the cards.  The bright mood which ensues from this threatens to be destroyed when the group spots Mitsuo and Linda out together, causing some conflicted emotions for both Banri and Oka.  Following this, and as the beach trip draws closer, it's time for Oka and Koko to get together for some all-important strategic planning around choices of swimsuit - a decision-making process that leads to some in-depth discussion about the state of Koko and Tada's relationship, and more importantly the former's concerns about the latter's feelings for her.

This heart-to-heart discussion between Chinami and Kaga actually made for a really great episode - for all of their earlier differences the two characters have a great rapport that is enjoyable to watch, and it's actually nice to see two female characters in a romantic comedy being friends rather than constantly being at each other's throats as is normally the case (even for earlier episodes in this very same serious!).  The series as a whole still doesn't have the kind of week to week impact that I'd like it to, but it continues to serve up enough interesting fare to make for a worthwhile watch each week even if it's stumbling in its attempts to reach any dramatic heights.

Golden Time - Episode 13

Any romantic prospects between Banri and Linda seem to have been extinguished, but regardless of this thoughts of her simply won't leave Tada's sleeping brain as she appears over and over in his recurring dreams.

With the summer well underway, such thoughts are quickly relegated during the daytime, not least when it comes to the festival and Banri and Koko's first big moment in the spotlight as part of the festival club.  Perhaps understandably, Koko is beyond nervous about the thought of dancing in public (not helped by everyone calling her RoboGirl, I would wager), and it takes some determined - and rather bizarre - tactics to coax her out of her shell and towards her dance with destiny.

Once this obstacle is cleared, it's onwards to a summer of fun... or at least that's the plan, but it seems as if fate has other ideas, with the post-festival fireworks rained off, a trip away with Mitsuo and the gang cancelled at the last minute, and even an attempt by Koko to do a little home cooking for Banri not going quite to plan.  Above all else though, Banri still seems to be reticent about his romantic relationship with Kaga - is it that Linda is still playing on his mind, or is he convinced that Koko will leave him for someone better in spite of her devotion to him?  Either way, it seems as if the hidden side of his subconscious isn't done with seeding Tada with self-doubt just yet.

After the Christmas break, this week's episode of Golden Time exhibited both the best and worst of this series (and I don't just mean Crunchyroll's incompetent audio mixing) - some of its vignettes were entertaining or downright funny, and the show's cast is still pretty charming for the most part.  However, some of these moments of comedy or drama feel clumsy and forced to the point where they're too stilted and unnatural to feel believable, and these occasions jar when set against scenes where characters bounce off of one another in a far more pleasing way.  It's stronger moments still outweigh its weaker ones enough to work as a whole, but it's not by as clear a margin as I'd like by a long way.

Golden Time - Episode 12

Trying to work, especially under the auspices of studying hard at home, was never likely to end well for Banri when it comes to pulling the wool over Koko's eyes, and of course it isn't long before she realises that something is up.

Not that Tada is aware of this as he continues his cross-dressing turn working a birthday party - although Mitsuo might be the one getting most of the attention, some of the party-goers soon turn their minds (and cameras) to Linda and Banri in the search for memorable photos.  In the alluring atmosphere of this party, things between the two of them seem like they could get out of hand at any moment... and in a sense they do, as this also happens to be the moment where Koko somehow manages to find her way onto the scene.

If hitting Banri with the one-two punch of a drink followed by a slap to the face has made Kaga feel better, it certainly doesn't show, leaving Banri to lean up the mess by ushering her back to his apartment while he finishes his job; something which she does without a word of argument.  Upon returning, it's time for the truth about Tada's work and the reason why things ended up as they did... of course, this arguably isn't the real issue, and the argument soon turns towards Banri's past with Linda.  There's nothing for it here but for Tada to come clean - but is that even what Koko really wants?  Regardless, it does have the effect of clearing the air, although in turn Banri has to face up to the need to make a clean break from both Linda and his pre-accident past.

It's taken a while and it's been a bit of a rocky ride, but this week's Golden Time feels like the series finally reaching something close to Toradora at the peak of its powers - for all of my concern about the contrived nature of Banri's amnesia I'll be the first to admit that it's being used really well at this point in the show, and the same can be said of Koko's over-bearing personality.  As a result, the fallout from the party in this episode provided lots of really strong drama that left me both loving and loathing Koko and Banri in various ways as they both exhibit how well fleshed out their characters have become.  Add Linda into that mix, and you have plenty of possibilities for the second half of the series.

Golden Time - Episode 11

Banri has more or less recovered from his recent exertions and the accident that resulted from them - probably a good job with a high maintenance girlfriend like Koko.

Although the pair's immediate thoughts are turned towards the festival their club are partaking in (which is particularly tricky for Kaga, who has now been labelled "RoboGirl" on account of her dancing technique, or lack thereof), both Banri and Kaga are really looking forward to the beach trip they've decided upon.  Being the man in this relationship, Tada feels that it's up to him to organise everything, and after asking some seniors it quickly becomes clear that he's missing some important things to make this a trip to remember, chiefly among them some hard cash.

The obvious answer to this is to find a part-time job, but this option is quickly vetoed by Koko, who doesn't want anything to detract from the time she wants to spend with Banri.  Although Koko is from a family rich enough to make money worries redundant, Banri remains determined that he doesn't want to let his girlfriend pay for everything, and so when neighbour Nana offers him a job opportunity that pays well and will only take up a single night he jumps at the chance, roping Mitsuo into the deal as well.  Needless to say, this job is a decidedly unconventional one, which leaves Banri working as a cross-dressing maid while Mitsuo wanders around in some budgie smugglers as they both work as waiters for a private party.  Given that Linda is also on hand in a similar role, and with Koko knowing nothing about this gig, you can probably see where all of this is headed.

Every week, I feel like I have to concede the fact that Golden Time really isn't all that great, yet I can't help myself but continue to be a little charmed by it - there's something about its characters and the crazy (yet half-way believable given that they're university students) scrapes that they get into that works better than it really should, and the cast is broadly likeable even when Banri is being a bit of a dick by working behind his girlfriend's back.  Still, it seems that chicken is about to come home to roost, which promises some interesting times ahead for a show that is still a long way from knocking it out the park but still refuses to be discounted completely in the entertainment stakes.

Golden Time - Episode 10

It might just be for a moment, but the invasion of Banri's "ghost" into his current consciousness is a jarring one that shocks him to his core, and although any memories of his past leave him as quickly as they arrived, what lingers is a sense of longing for Linda.

What follows this strange moment is a rather more mundane occurrence - illness, which leaves Banri with a sky high temperature, to the point where he needs to call upon neighbour Nana for help to get him to the hospital for a check-up.  With any emergency quickly abated, Nana calls upon Linda to come and look after this helpless sap of a next-door neighbour; something which she dutifully does with her usual kindness and smiles.

The same can't be said for Koko's arrival on the scene, bringing reminiscences of our first encounter with her as she accuses Banri of cheating on her.  On this occasion however, Koko is quick to claim that she's merely joking, although Mitsuo's presence and his take on their story suggests otherwise.  Nonetheless, such serious talk soon moves onwards to discussions of what to do for the summer holidays, meaning that thoughts invariably turn to the beach.  While a group trip sounds great, Koko has designs to visit the beach with nothing but Banri for company - with his fever fading away, perhaps his desires for Linda are dissolving again too?

I might as well admit it - I'm still enjoying Golden Time more than I feel like it deserves to be enjoyed.  Looking at it from a reasonable perspective, it's still meandering along, occasionally making good use of the ideas at its core but more often than not just presenting new twists in Banri's relationships in an almost tone-deaf fashion; something that every aspect of the series seems to suffer from to some degree.  In spite of all this, I can't help but feel warmth towards the show's characters - Banri can be bland but he's likeable enough, Koko's over-bearing devotion makes her interesting, and Linda's poker face ensures that she's intriguing.  These characters deserve better in all honesty, but for now I'm happy to follow them along with the story and treatment that they've been given.

Golden Time - Episode 9

Banri's subconscious outburst at the end of last week's episode of Golden Time certainly made his feelings clear, if only to us as onlookers (and most likely to Linda as well) - but were we the only ones to hear those words?

As night turns to morning and a sluggish Banri sleeps in as the other party-goers in his room leave, Koko seems to be far from her usual ebullient self, and when classes start up again she's nowhere to be found having stayed home with a cold.  As minor ailments go it seems to be a long-lasting one, and even when she does return to the college she's still a shadow of her usual self - quiet, unsure and easily distracted.  When a festival club meeting brings Linda into the picture, it soon becomes clear what is really paining Koko, and after an awkward practice session the walk home with Banri leads to Kaga pouring her heart out about her worries without ever directly touching on the obvious fact that she overheard Banri and Linda's prior conversation.

It's thoughts of Linda that we stick with for much of the remainder of the episode however, as we slip back into Banri's past and another pivotal occasion in his prior relationship to her.  This particular story concerns her brother, and more importantly his fiancee - when Linda suspects that she's cheating on her brother, Banri offers to help obtain the evidence required to out her, before Linda changes her mind and instead opts for a more "grown-up" approach to handling the situation.  The aftermath of this puts Linda and Banri closer together than ever, and it seems as if these deeply held memories are about to come flooding to the surface, from Banri's "ghost" into the young man himself.

Although I still like quite a lot of what Golden Time is doing in isolation - even the memory loss stuff is at least working reasonably well within the show's wider framework - its presentation still feels lacking in ways that I can't quite put a finger on.  It's almost as if it shies away from really grappling with the full emotional range of its characters - just as we get another glimpse into Koko's psyche we're whisked away elsewhere, and the rest of the cast keep their cards close enough to their chest that we're rarely even granted that.  Luckily I like most of the main cast of characters enough to persevere and still gain some enjoyment from watching how things pan out, but the nagging sensation that Golden Time should simply be better at what it's attempting persists like a ghost in the back of my own mind.

Golden Time - Episode 8

This week's episode of Golden Time begins with some further dipping into Banri and Linda's past to fill in more of the blanks in their prior relationship (if there were any such blanks still to be filled in).

Any such musings are interrupted by Koko's report that Mitsuo is in trouble, sending Banri to his rescue in her stead - a smart move perhaps, as his ability to improvise and overact on the spot saves his friend from a particularly busty problem.  With that dilemma out of the way, it's clear that Mitsuo is still in rather a mess - a mental state reflected by his apartment as he continues to beat himself up about how things have gone with Chinami; a situation he's managed to make worse by telling her never to speak to him again.

Of course, times like this are exactly what friends are for, and thus Banri instigates a plan to cheer Mitsuo up by inviting him out to have some fun with Satou... a plan which seems to be going more and more awry as first Koko invites herself along, and then she in turn invites Chinami to join them, which leaves Mitsuo mortified.  When push comes to shove however this proves to be a stroke of genius, and a day at an amusement park followed by a night of drink eases any tensions within the group, restoring their friendships as if by magic.  While everyone sleeps off the day's exertions, Banri and Linda find some time to catch up, and it becomes clear that Tada's feelings aren't entirely devoted to Koko, if only when it comes to the "ghost" of his past self at this point.

As we move towards the half-way point of this series, I'm becoming increasingly torn in my feelings for Golden Time - it manages to amuse me from time to time, and I'm really intriguing to see how some of its relationships develop and shift moving forward, but on the other hand Koko's over-bearing character has a tendency to scrawl over a lot of the more subtle moments of the series with a permanent marker, and the use of Tada's amnesia still feels lazy even when it's been used in some quite interesting ways.  At this juncture I'd probably tend towards the position in terms of my feelings towards the show, but it's a close-run thing, and probably a tougher call to make than it really should be.

Golden Time - Episode 7

Nothing punctuates a confession of love quite like being arrested for theft immediately after - well, it certainly makes for a memorable event if nothing else...

So it goes that Koko's confession to Banri is quickly followed by her arrest for the bicycle she stole to chase after Banri, leading to some time in questioning followed by the rite of passage that is having your father come to collect you from the police station.  Still, Koko isn't too worried about all of this - after all, she has herself a wonderful boyfriend now!  As you might expect given her previous behaviour around Mitsuo, Koko is a very.... dedicated girlfriend, wanting to spend every possible waking second with Banri, who somehow manages to be passive enough to deal with that, even if Koko still loses her cool when Mitsuo is around.

Such is Koko's reaction to the former apple of her eye that is begins to seem like all of the major characters are still running away from something (or rather, someone) - Koko is still trying to gloss over her previous feelings for Mitsuo, who for his part is avoiding Chinami after his botched confession.  That brings us to Banri, who is still avoiding Linda like the plague despite her constant attempts to contact him.  When these all fail, a friend who just so happens to live next to Tada forces both of their hands, bringing them together into a tearful reconciliation - not that we have much time to consider the ramifications of this, as Kaga reports that Mitsuo is in trouble.

Following some of the strong dramatic moments in last week's episode it was always going to be tough to follow it up, and as a result this seventh instalment of Golden Time doesn't quite hit the mark with its most emotional moment - it still holds some ability to tug at the heartstrings once Banri and Linda are forced to talk to one another again, but perhaps not quite as much as it should.  That aside, this episode does at least do a good job of making the relationship between Koko and Banri, and their feelings for one another, feel natural - it has all of the awkwardness inherent in the change of their relationship status, but the two normally rather different characters fit together pretty well as they bounce off of one another.  Taken as a whole though, this was another satisfying episode that at least keeps up some of the momentum brought to bear by last week's instalment.

Golden Time - Episode 6

This week's Golden Time begins by allowing us to dig a little deeper into Banri's pre-accident memories, giving us a view into the life of a far weaker boy than the one we now see before us, and also one besotted with Linda, only to find his confession to her put on hold until the following day.  A day which effectively never came.

Of course, moving back to the present day Linda is continuing to act as though she's never known Banri, even though she just so happens to own a pair of trainers in exactly his size as he learns during his time at the festival club.  As if this isn't headache enough for the poor fellow, a party thrown by Chinami only puts Koko and Mitsuo at loggerheads once again, with the latter confessing to Chinami right in front of Kaka pretty much ruining the whole party for everyone.

Understandably, this whole chain of events has taken Banri to breaking point, and to put it bluntly he's sick of it all - thus, he tells a drunken Koko that he doesn't want to be friends with her any more before walking away and leaving her, and come the next day he blows up at Linda while finally revealing that he remembers enough to at least know that she's been lying to him about their past all along.  For Linda's part, she has some pretty valid reasons for acting the way she has been, but all of this falls on deaf ears as Banri seriously contemplates whether another blow to the head will let him forget bit all and start over from scratch yet again.  Koko, however, is having none of this, as she's perhaps finally realised what Banri means to her...

For all of its silly, cliched and convoluted moments so far, this finally felt like the episode where all of Golden Time's stilted attempts to set up a strong cast and story have paid off - seeing Banri's self-destructive warpath was gripping stuff helped along by a character that it's easy to empathise with given the situations confronting him, while both Linda and Koko also feel like reasonably well-rounded individuals at this point even if the latter tends a little too far towards being tough to like.  It's the kind of romantic drama that I came to this series for, and it's almost a relief to see it finally delivering - hopefully now it's built up a head of steam we can find more of the same over the coming weeks.

Golden Time - Episode 5

Banri's return home has proved to be rather a confusing one for him - spurred on by a seemingly random comment from Linda, a hunt through his old possessions seems to suggest beyond all doubt that she knew him - and was very close to him in fact - before amnesia struck him and his memories.

Not that there's all that much time to digest this possibility, as Koko is as ebullient as ever - indeed, she seems to have struck upon a new vein of positivity as she works hard to get her university life together.  Unfortunately for Banri, that also means unequivocally shooting down his confession with an over-bearing instance that they're simply best friends - a new-found status that she also uses as a stick to beat Mitsuo with at the first available opportunity.

While both Banri and Koko finally join the festival club and go through the motions of enjoying life, underneath it all it's clear that this is a facade for both of them - Koko is still a mass of uncertainty and regret in light of how her relationship with Mitsuo has panned out, while Banri can't shake the constant, nagging worries about why Linda is hiding what she really knows about him as he comes to remember that she is in fact the whole reason he's currently in Tokyo in the first place.

It's taken a little while, but it's finally feeling like we're starting to dig in and explore the depths of some of Golden Time's main characters - yes, Koko's still pretty annoying and decidedly high maintenance for the most part, and Banri's amnesia still feels like a lazy plot device, but both characters seem to be headed in interesting directions in their own right and as a "couple".  If this trend continues, then perhaps we'll start to see the kind of emotionally resonant drama I was hoping for from this series after all.