This week it was Ougai’s turn to be feeling in the dumps. He was feeling crushed with being unable to finish his story due to being unable to confront his past. He was also feeling depressed because had actually figured out (on his own) that Mei was supposed to disappear on the next full moon (not realizing she has been granted permission to stay). But as it turns out, the woman (Elise) who haunts him is in fact not a ghost, but a manifestation of his regrets.
The story he is writing tells the heartbreaking tale of a woman he fell in love with while he had studied abroad, and had considered spending the rest of their lives together. However people were against it, and he broke it off with her and returned home, alone. While meeting Mei has opened up his heart once more, he is still haunted by his regrets, making it difficult for him to write. But with Mei’s support, assuring him she will read it no matter what kind of story it is, and won’t be mad if can’t finish it, she was able to help lift his heavy heart.
I have to say, although it wasn’t perfect, this episode was certainly one of the more solid ones we have seen. But I still believe this episode could have been a lot more heart-wrenching for me to watch had I actually been invested in Ougai’s character. And it is a shame, because for the first time, I actually cared and was interested in his story. I liked the premise of it, and sympathized with his regrets and heartache, but unfortunately it just wasn’t enough. Had they actually dedicated some time fleshing out his character, I am sure Ougai would have grown on me, especially since I really liked seeing his more vulnerable and softer side we got to see this week too. In fact, I would say this is the most “human” we have seen him of the entire series. And what makes it more frustrating about this, is that somehow, Syunso is more fleshed out than him! We have seen a variety of sides from him, where as Ougai has been more or less the same until this week’s episode. This is a perfect example of too little, too late.
But Ougai wasn’t the only one who suffered this episode. Syunso experienced his own heartbreak too, and it’s about to get even worse. For the lot of us who are all suffering from second-lead syndrome, gosh we are in for a world of pain. Not only did we see Syunso acknowledges that Mei loves Ougai, and selflessly assist Mei in finding Ougai, and even tried to comfort her (WHO ELSE CHEERED WHEN HE HUGGED HER?!), but we also learn that he is losing his eyesight. DARN IT ALL! It was just when he thought he could paint the Black Cat again too, but when his vision when south, that darn cat was prancing around just outside of his room. JUSTICE FOR SYUNSO STOP MAKING HIM SUFFER! Q____Q That being said, I am really happy to see that Syunso will be in the spotlight next week, but man it’s gonna hurt like a bitch isn’t it! Regardless, I am looking forward to it!
Random Note of the Week: Ougai’s reaction when Mei asked him how his novel is coming along, is the exact face of every writer who is asked the same.
I agree with you. This episode was a step up from last week for sure but being that honestly I am not invested much into Ougai to really care about him much.They just waited too long to really give him any depth for me to be super excited about him getting out of funk.
But let’s be real here. The reaI star and MVP of this episode is Syunso (or the whole series I guess). I SCREAMED when he hugged Mei and when he called out her name to let her know where Ougai was. (although I wasn’t sure how to feel about him declaring that he cant stand to see Mei like that, not that I thought it was bad just a bit out of nowhere) Still though SOOOOO HAPPY he gets to be the center of next week’s episode. My boy deserves his time to shine and some love.
But something sort of hit after I watched the end of this episode. I got the feeling that Syunso reminded me of another character. And then it hit me that he in some way reminds me of Ginji from Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi (I saw that its been reviewed here but haven’t had the time to read those posts) at least in the sense of the positions they both find themselves in toward the end of their specific series. Both Syunso and Ginji both start out their relationship with heroine out of sense of obligation and respect toward the main male lead. Their respective heroines also spend significant amounts of quality time with them that it develops a relationship where she confides her insecurities and worries to them more so than their main love interest. Syunso and Ginji also both seem to really develop more significant feelings for their respective heroines more toward the ends of their series whether they subconsciously recognize it or not. But they hold back on those feeling I am guessing out of respect of the main man of the series. Which is a shame because I feel both just had a better chemistry with the heroine. (Although for Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi, Odanna did grow on me and the gap between him and Ginji shortened). Obviously for MTR Syunso having feeling for Mei isn’t anything surprising seeing that the anime is based on an otome game but still the similarities between him and Ginji were just rolling around my head. Sigh I guess this means if I decide your my favorite male character you ain’t getting the girl.
Anyway…moral of the story I am unashamedly Team Syunso and so glad the last episode before the finale is dedicated to him. It was nice to sorta get know you Ougai but the real main man is going to take the stage.
Shunso gets with Mei in the first musical so you can watch that if the anime fails to satisfy you
The real-life Ougai did study abroad in Germany and date a girl named Elise; as a German-based writer discovered.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/12/03/national/writer-probes-mystery-of-ogais-german-lover/#.XIsqnygzY2x
Also, the real Shunsou suffered from kidney disease in his final years, and worried the illness would turn him blind.
One bachelor the anime didn’t exactly flesh out was Iwasaki Tousuke, although that’s likely because the 2 Renka movies covered his backstory in detail + his story’s pretty separated from the other love interests.
Japan will be releasing a Renka live-action series, although I can never figure out why the majority of these productions end up looking so…visually cheap.
okay know this is late but I rewatched this episode and I just realized the ending theme for this episode just has Ougai’s voice actor singing instead of the usual Ougai/Syunso version.