Itazura na Kiss - Episode 21

What on Earth is this? An episode of Itazura na Kiss where Naoki isn't even an asshole once?! Have I just watched the wrong series or something?


Of course, we can't have an instalment of this show without someone being Satan incarnate, so this time around Naoki's place is taken by Nobuhiro, the formerly sweet but sickly child who is now sixteen, still terminally ill, but now with added bile. Once again, the script writers for this show don't seem to understand that if you make a character entirely hateful, then viewers really don't give a damn what happens to them and thus renders any plot points regarding that person useless. It's a trap this show has fallen into time and time again, and it does so again here - I suspect we're supposed to wind up feeling sorry for Nobuhiro, but between his arrogant attitude and attempting to force himself on a female patient, I couldn't help but entertain the idea that I wouldn't be entirely dissatisfied if he died on the operating table. It's a terrible thing to think, but it seems that Itazura na Kiss has made me adept at thinking terrible things after introducing me to so many detestable characters.

Still, I suppose at least we should be relieved to see Naoki acting like a normal human being by and large in this episode - Indeed, if it wasn't for Nobuhiro taking over his mantle I would have been arranging a street party to celebrate this incredible event, which must come somewhere between a virgin birth and winning the lottery jackpot three weeks in a row in the list of "things I never thought would happen". However, the switching of that token asshole role to someone else has drained any hope I had left for this series to do anything but make me angry - Let's just hope the special edition DVD box set comes with a free punching bag, complete with a selection of different covers depicting characters from thes series.