Monday 22 November 2010

Amagami SS - Episode 20

Wow, time flies when you're watching a girl eat constantly.  Here we are, already at the end of Rihoko's story arc - but is it going to be a happy ending for this sweet yet food obsessed girl.

To be honest, and in keeping with the rest of this arc so far, there's barely a hint of romance in this episode, as it spends most of its time concerned with the future of the school tea club with Tachibana still unsure about whether he should join as graduation for the senior members nears, leaving poor Rihocchi as the sole member of the club.


It truly seems as though nothing will wake Junichi up to the deeper feelings held by his childhood friend, and even the possibility of Valentine's Day love blossoming over some cream buns fails to materialise - perhaps these two are simply too comfortable around one another, and without any awkwardness there's no room for any realisations of love to develop?  Or perhaps I'm just trying to make excuses for this series leaving Rihoko hung out to dry as the sole member of the cast of female leads not to get her man come the end of her story arc?

Yes, that's right, after decidedly conclusive endings to every other girl's story, Rihoko pretty much gets lumbered with the "childhood friends forever" tag - very much a "bad end" if ever I saw one.  Considering how likeable she was throughout, with no real emotional baggage or penchant for drama to speak of, and given her relaxed and entirely compatible demeanour with Junichi it seems almost criminal to leave things as they are - as a result, I can't help but feel dissatisfied with the climax to this story arc, and without that feel-good ending somehow the rest of these past few episodes suddenly feels so much more mundane.  There's simply no justice in this world sometimes... now, if you don't mind I'm going to go and comfort eat some cream buns as mark of solidarity with poor, poor Rihoko Sakura.

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