While Nadeshiko, Rin, and Ayano were on their tour of trains, bridges, and dams, the OutClub “Leftovers” went on their own adventure. This week while splitting a huge number of logs into firewood, Chiaki, Aoi, and Ena regale their own camping trip to Nadeshiko. It does so by getting experimental and zany with the narrative structure, and … I’d call it hit-and-miss.
The idea of presenting us (and Nadeshiko) with not-100%-reliable memories of the three other campers results in embellishments like there being two dogs along for the ride (Chikuwa and a “WeTube” famous Samoyed named Hanpen), along with Nadeshiko always chiming in in a picture-in-picture like a Japanese variety show.
While Chiaki and Aoi are the two goofy comics to Ena’s straight girl, the fact remains I’m just not as invested in these three as I am Nadeshiko and Rin, or even Ayano, who is infinitely cooler. Chiaki, with her overly dramatic affectation, starts to grate when she’s in the spotlight, Aoi is a glorified comeback generator to Chiaki’s japes, and Ena is little more than “the girl with the dog.”
There is a measure of fun in watching their comparatively chaotic camping trip unfold, as it involved way more walking up steep hills in cold environs than they planned, and by far the shortest bathing session in Yuru Camp history (under 10 minutes!). Could they have upped the chaos and told the whole story of their trip in one episode? I think so. Alas, the Leftovers’ tale ends abruptly in the middle.
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