Thursday 2 August 2012

Natsuyuki Rendezvous - Episode 5

In this week's Kokoro Connect, Hazuki and Shimao switch bodies.  Wait a second, wrong series...

Still, even though this isn't Kokoro Connect, the basic concept is the same, except on this occasion one of our two body-swappers is a ghost - this means that Hazuki finds himself trapped in a decidedly off kind of fairy tail world which I assume is lodged deep within Shimao's consciousness.  I also assume that Shimao used to watch Arrietty or The Borrowers rather a lot judging by the start of Hazuki's bizarre adventure, as a miniature and then later full-sized Rokka takes him for a tour of her husband's colourful memories.


As for Shimao himself, occupying a living body isn't quite as easy as he perhaps expects it to be, as tears of joy at getting to share some time with Rokka turns to discomfort as Hazuki's contact lenses get in the way.  Having made a pig's ear of removing them, he then needs to spend what little money Hazuki has left on glasses, which he decides to make just one part of a makeover for his host.  Although Shimao hopes that this change in Hazuki's looks will drive Rokka away, a combination of this new look and his actions seem to be having the opposite effect of bringing them closer together, which in turn leaves Shimao torn between making the most of this physical body and using this opportunity to ruin Hazuki's prospective happiness.  But just when is he planning to give Hazuki his body back anyhow?

I'm really not sure what to say about this episode of Natsuyuki Rendezvous aside from "boy, this seires sure has taken a weird turn, hasn't it?"  It was actually pretty fun watching Shimao struggling with Hazuki's body and situation throughout this episode, so kudos for that side of things, but conversely I'm not sure that Hazuki's experiences are really adding anything to the show - if anything, they actually detract from the mainstay of the story by being too far removed from reality even for a series which prominently features a ghost.  Still, at least the series is proving to be anything but predictable in the way it goes about its business, and the current twist in the tale is proving to be intriguing and amusing in equal measure.  I just hope it doesn't outstay its welcome however, as the status quo seems to be even more fascinating in emotional and dramatic terms overall.

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