Komi Can’t Communicate S2 – 12 (Fin) – Eraser War and Peace

It’s already March and White Day is upon him, but Tadano doesn’t know what to get Komi. Candy means you like someone, cookies mean they’re just a friend, but to him Komi is kinda-sorta both. What to do? Well, under the unconvincing guise that he’s getting a gift for Katai, he enlists the help of his sister Hitomi, who is excited about her big bro “gettin’ some”, in the parlance of our times.

White Day is actually Saturday, but everyone takes care of their business on Friday…except Tadano, who instead invites Katai to dinner. That only makes his task more difficult as he must go to Komi’s house the next day and brave her parents.

But he does make it, and delivers a very sweet and thoughtful gift of hand cream, along with a single candy. Just like she gave him the very best of the “friendship” chocolate she made, the single candy is an acknowledgement of something more than just friends, and it’s not lost on Komi.

Komi seems a little out of it to Tadano one day, but before he can ask her what’s up, Najimi goes and starts the eraser war to end all eraser wars. Much like the snowball fight with the kids, this takes an extremely mundane classroom activity to a ridiculous level of intensity that involves the entire class and ends with Komi claiming an easy, stylish victory.

Then the class clears out, leaving just Komi and Tadano together in the classroom as the rains fall outside. Komi, increasingly unafraid of speaking out loud to Tadano, tells him she feels lonely since the closing ceremony is upon them and they’ll be in a new class soon.

Tadano uses the rain as a metaphor to ensure her that things will be alright, and that they shouldn’t lament the end of one year, but celebrate how amazingly full and fun that year was, in which she made one friend, then two, then three, then, I dunno, something approaching twenty.

The first day of the new school year, there’s every indication Komi and Tadano ended up in the same class together again, and when he says good morning, she puts the notebook away and tells him she’s looking forward to another year with him. It’s Peak Sweet Komi, and a perfect way to close the curtain on the second—and most likely not final—season.

Komi Can’t Communicate S2 – 11 – Don’t Wake the Beast

Ever since telling Tadano that the chocolates she gave him were the best ones she made (which might as well be proposing) Komi has been worried about seeing him again. When she does, she drops a face Tadano is both bemused and oddly a little happy to see, seeing as how it’s been so long since he’s seen it. Then, because the show keeps trying to make an unrepentant pervert happen, Ren gets anoher segment to herself to demonstrate that there’s no redeeming her.

She seems contrite about hesitating to mention a tear in Komi’s tights, but it’s all a ruse to get Komi to remove the torn tights so Ren can wear them on her head. Komi chasing Ren through the halls is beautifully animated, but still left a bad taste. Even in the heightened reality of this show’s classroom, wearing Komi’s used tights on her head and running around he school is just a bit much.

Onigashima Akako is lot easier to love, as she’s typically a very cheerful and lively young woman until her demon meter fills up with all the myriad little daily mishaps and snafus that impede her flow…and she becomes a demon. Her old friend Ren knows to keep her distance during such times, and warns Tadano to do the same.

But while there’s no telling what Akako is capable of when she’s in Demon Mode, that doesn’t stop her friend Komi from catching her headphones before they fall into the sink and then untangling then for her. The random acts of kindness move Akako to tears, and she invites Komi (and the others) to the batting cages, where like Sachi in Cuckoos she goes to blow off steam.

The final segment introduces Satou Amami, who while cute is rather one-note as the helpful student who will never refuse any request for a favor, no matter how much it might inconvenience her. When her friend suggests she try asking someone else for a favor for once, Amami turns to Komi, who enthusiastically agrees to lend a hand with morning classroom clearning (as does Tadano).

Finally, Komi’s class trip friend Katou Mikuni hopes to use shogi problem to bring Komi and Tadano closer together, only for the two to uncharacteristically clash over the proper shogi moves, leading to silent brooding. Najimi remarks how the two have become close enough now to have quarrels, causing both to blush.

In all, it’s a perfectly okay grab-bag of a Komi outing; nothing spectacular or world-changing, but Komi does officially make a few more friends, giving her a total of 27 with 2-3 episodes left.

Komi Can’t Communicate S2 – 10 – Tomo-Choco

The first day back from the school trip, everyone’s got a little Komi in them, as everyone tentatively approaches the new friends they made in Kyoto in the much more familiar setting of their classroom. Tadano can tell Komi wants to go talk to Mikuni, and watches her go from normal to negative to fired up to negative again. All she needs is a little push, which he literally gives her, enabling her an Mikuni to reconnect. Ayami soon joins them when she sees them talking.

We shift to a pair of Komi’s older friends when Onemine invites her and Kaede to her house to make chocolates for Valentines Day. Her many younger siblings are bemused by Komi, so beautiful yet so quiet. Once she does say something, they praise how lovely a voice it is. The three girls and Onemine’s fam exude warmth and good vibes, and that chocolate cake looked hella delicious.

The rubber meets the road the next day at school, when Valentines is in full swing. The three lads envision how different girls in their class would give them chocolate, but those are just delusions. Ren has to make things gross and weird, but Katai makes up for it by getting chocolate from Mikuni and then giving friendship chocolate to Tadano.

Little did Tadano know it would be the only chocolate he’d get that day. Komi was going to put some in his shoe locker, but he showed up before she could do so and she scurried away and things were awkward between them the rest of the day. It isn’t until he goes out on an errand for his sister and mom that he bonks Komi with his door.

They go to a park, where Komi reveals that the thing she brought for him was a printout for when he wasn’t in class. They part ways, but thankfully Komi summons some courage and runs back to Tadano’s place, even calling out his name with the loudest voice we’ve ever heard from her!

She almost punks out again when she says it’s just “friendship” chocolate as opposed to the other kind, then makes the caveat that she made sure Tadano got the best of the batch she made. I’m not sure why Tadano would ever think this girl hates him…She yelled for him, for goshsakes!

Komi Can’t Communicate S2 – 09 – Just One of the Girls

On the second day of the school trip the groups can do what they please. The trio of Sasaki, Katou, and Komi is a little awkward at first, but once they get that Komi isn’t being rude or aloof but is simply a quiet, shy, and often adorable girl, the three girls get into a rhythm that carries them through Katou’s breathless sightseeing schedule.

Whether due to all the energy expended earlier or, more appealingly, the natural ups and downs of companionship, things get a little tense between Sasaki, who says the schedule was too brisk, and Katou, who resents being the only one who thought to make a plan and wanted to see more. Komi bridges the two clashing positions by showing them some photos she took on her phone demonstrating that they did, in fact, have a lot of fun.

Buoyed by Komi’s nice save, and relieved that she was able to repair the vibe just by being her cute guileless self, the three girls continue their tour, heading to a district where Komi gets to dress up like a Geisha, is mistaken for a princess by street performers, and gets rescued by Sasaki in a Hannya mask armed with her trusty…yo-yo?!

Sasaki and Katou came off as pleasantly dull background characters at first, but the more time we and Komi spend with them, they more they come into their own as distinct and appealing characters in their own right. In a cast chock full of sometimes absurd caricatures, their down-to-earthness almost feels exotic…it’s like having two female Tadanos around!

Yet, as we know, while relatively normal on the outside, Sasaki and Katou have super-specific passions: Sasaki for yo-yoing and Katou for shogi. Sasaki tries to hide her secret identity (she genuinely thought Komi was in danger) but Katou plays a shogi match of words. Ultimately Katou loves knowing extraordinary people, not matter what they’re extraordinary at.

That attitude convinces Katou that her talent is something to be flaunted, not embarrassed by…though she keeps the hannya mask on when she flashes her yo-yo for Sasaki and Komi in the hotel room. When the lights go out, the boy talk starts, and we learn Katou likes Katai, Sasaki is single, and the name of the boy Komi likes starts with an H (for Hitohito).

Sasaki and Katou are well aware of how close Komi and Tadano are, and would not be surprised if they’ve been dating for a while. When Komi claims not to know “what liking someone feels like”, they arrange things on the bullet train home so Tadano is sitting next to Komi while she’s sleeping, and her head eventually slides onto Tadano’s shoulder.

This was a lovely outing, with Komi making two new friends, and those friends seeing Komi in a new light not as someone to simply venerate, but someone you can have fun hanging out with. She even sleeps!

Komi Can’t Communicate S2 – 08 – Kyoto Nice

The class is off to Kyoto, with Tadano is tasked with getting a head count… which is odd as you’d think the teacher would do that before the shinkansen sets off! At any rate, it’s a perfect opportunity to see how the class was split up into groups for the class trip. Among the highlights: Ren, Nakanaka and Agari, Tadano, Katai and Naruse, and an initially very awkward Komi, Sasaki, and Katou. I don’t believe we’ve met those last two yet, but they’re determined to make sure Komi has a good time.

The episode largely unfolds as expected, bringing the chaotic energy of this motley class to all of the classic Kyoto sights. The Straight Woman of the episode is the bus guide, Ryouko, who believes hers is the most noble calling a person can have and was inspired by another guide into entering the industry. However, getting these kids to proves to be no mean feat.

Ultimately, Ryouko remembers that her job isn’t about getting everyone to pay attention to her, but if she can reach just one or two people—in this case Komi and Tadano—then she did her job and can be proud. After watching the pair interact, she also wonders why they don’t simply get married already. I know, right?!

After the sightseeing, it’s off to the inn, which of course means communal bath time. Some, like Agari and Komi, are embarrassed to undress in front of others; Agari because she was teased in the past for her physique, Komi because she’s simply never done it. It can’t help to feel Ren’s perverted gaze on her, though it only takes a little bit of Komi’s skin for Ren to be “purified” of all malice. She still asks if she can grope Komi, and Komi thankfully refuses.

Tadano’s eclectic group of the narcissistic Naruse and the anti-narcisssistic Katai proves entertaining, as both the two of them and the three class delinquents they share their room with come together over their love of muscles and cool poses. Tadano ends up being their photographer, and Komi walks in at just the right time for another crucial misunderstanding.

Still, Komi likely understands why Tadano is getting so into everything; it’s super exciting for her to be experiencing so many firsts in one night. From her first pillow fight with friends to her first time sleeping with the girls in her class, Komi is having a blast; so much so she can’t sleep even though it’s been a breathless day. Instead, she pulls her covers up to her face and simply listens to the calming sounds of others sleeping, basking in the togetherness and belonging.

Komi Can’t Communicate S2 – 07 – …But Sometimes She Can

Komi is haunted by the possibility Najimi saw her holding Tadano’s hand as he slept. She spends all night trying to word a letter of explanation, but because she’s not 100% sure Najimi did see it, she doesn’t want to write anything to make Najimi suspicious. Meanwhile, Tadano wants to thank Komi for coming by, but isn’t 100% sure whether she was actually there or if she was just part of his fever dreams.

In their efforts to not say something that will give the other party the wrong idea, the misunderstandings only mount. Ironically, this is a sign that Komi is indeed becoming better at communicating. She is not just thinking internally and freezing up like the past, but trying to figure out what someone else is thinking or intended. That said, Komi was most certainly not just “checking his pulse!”

The last few episodes have shown an incremental uptick in the Komi x Tadano romance angle, but there are always new weirdo friends to meet, and this week’s is Naruse, whom I honestly can’t remember even in the background of previous episodes, but maybe that’s the point. As invisible as he’s been to me (and the rest of the gang), he is absolutely in love with himself.

Nine months into the school year, Naruse finally decides now is the time to approach Komi. One interesting bit of possibly accidental perceptiveness on his part? He assumes Komi has never spoken to him due to a communication disorder, for which he doesn’t judge her. But he clearly has a blind spot when it comes to the protective wall of secondary friends surrounding Komi, Tadano, and Najimi; he assumes they’re all his fans even if that’s a very big delusional reach.

When Komi returns his hanky that he saw him drop, he assumes it’s a sign she’s in love with him. Because of this, he’s a bit too forward in asking for her contact info, and gets Tadano’s instead. Naruse also has a constant deadpan translator/commentator in Chuushaku Kometani, who I wished would have gotten in a narration fight with the usual female narrator; to no avail.

The third and final segment returns us to the central romance as groups are to be formed for the upcoming class trip to Kyoto. When Tadano asks where she went for middle school, she says Kyoto, but after that she starts acting squirrelly even for her. Tadano correctly assumes she’s not feeling okay. After what may be the first instance I can recall of Najimi getting the eff out of the way, Tadano asks her about it, and she initially says it’s nothing, she’s fine, and they part ways.

But then, when they’re still only about ten feet away, she calls him, and tells him what’s been eating her: she lied about going to Kyoto. Her class went to Kyoto, but she was the last person chosen for a group, which picked her by playing jankenpon. She’ll never know whether the other members of her group welcomed her with a smile, were offended by her presence, or didn’t care one way or another…because she couldn’t raise her head.

It’s Komi’s most extensive and most heartbreaking sharing of her bad old days before she met Tadano (and Najimi), and Koga Aoi does the lord’s work infusing Komi’s tiny voice with meloncholy and longing. It’s also probably the most she’s spoken continuously yet; another sign that things aren’t the same as they were then, and never will be.

Tadano tells her she has friends now. Even if some of the others would “rather be with someone else” (highly arguable), Tadano would rather be with her than anyone else. He adds Najimi in there in case he sounds too forward, but I think Komi gets the idea as she hangs up and finishes their talk in person.

After talking with Tadano, Komi feels a lot better and is actually looking forward to the trip. The next day, in a complete inversion of her traumatic middle school experience, every single girl in the class wants to be in the same group as Komi, so the teacher has to employ a lottery system. To them, being able to spend time with her isn’t a burden; it’s a prize.

Komi Can’t Communicate S2 – 06 – Tadano’s Dizzy Fever Day

While Komi spent New Year’s Eve with her extended family, Tadano spends it at home playing video games until midnight with Najimi. The next morning Najimi is still there, and suggests they call as many friends as they can to go on their first shrine visit. But between Komi not picking up, Ren in Hawaii, Agari almost choking on mochi, Inaka not in cell range, Nakanaka playing a crucial mobile game, Yadano playing battledore, and Katai doing pushups, it seems like it might be a bust.

However, they still manage to organize a huge group, including Komi, who calls Najimi back after the initial missed call. Najimi leads the charge up the steps to the shrine, leaving her and Tadano in the dust. As we know, this is Komi’s second shrine visit of the day, but it doesn’t matter, because she’s happy to be invited and to spend time with her friends…and Tadano. She also flashes a cheeky streak by withholding her fortune from him (which is excellent).

In the middle segment Katai continues his elaborate plan to make Tadano his best friend (or possibly boyfriend?) by inviting him ice skating. Tadano asks if he can invite someone else, and to my delight Najimi wasn’t his first call and isn’t around to suck up all the oxygen. Instead, Katai sees Komi’s presence as a sign she’s worried about her “student”; in reality, Komi is still weary of Kati, but also isn’t opposed to trying to bond as friends some more.

Turns out Tadano is the only one of the trio who know how to ice skate, which means he gets to teach them both, starting with Komi. Before you know it the two are skating together hand in hand, but because Komi over-corrects on her braking step, she spins around to face Tadano, and they both realize how this must look. Katai also eventually lets go of the fence and, with Tadano taking his hand and eventually letting go, the big guy is able to get the hang of it as well.

Possibly due to being out in the cold, Tadano comes down with a fever. He stays home alone, promising his little sis he won’t die, but in an extended scene, this cold gets worse and worse and he starts to get delirious and worry about actually dying. It doesn’t help that his bottle of sports drink is empty and he doesn’t have the strength to get out of bed. What he does have is a charged phone, which he uses to call Najimi…or at least he thought he called them, but ends up calling Komi instead.

The doorbell rings, and who should be at the door but Nurse Komi to the rescue. She bears hot ginger tea and ingredients for rice porridge, which she expertly and lovingly prepares in the Tadano kitchen. While I’m sure she’s upset that Tadano isn’t feeling so swell, you can tell she’s absolutely reveling in the opportunity to take care of the boy she cares for, especially after all that he’s done for her. That said, her enthusiasm for the job of nursing him to health results in her trying to feed him, perhaps out of habit from doing the same for, say, her brother.

When Komi comes back from washing the dishes, Tadano is out like a light, and she can’t help but draw near to him, watch his sleeping face, tuck him in so he doesn’t get a chill, and in perhaps one of the most touching moments of the entire series, slides her hand into his. Unfortunately Najimi mucks up the moment by bursting in unannounced, but it was still a beautiful moment. Her increasing number of colorful friends are fun, but her quiet little interactions with Tadano—ones she’d never have with anyone else—will always be my favorite part of this series.

Komi Can’t Communicate S2 – 05 – Hanafuda Komi-Komi

Our cold open is also a silent one, as the first 3+ minutes of the episode progress with neary a line of dialogue, only the cozy soundtrack and a number of the series’ trademark signs. Najimi has gotten both Tadano and Komi up at the break of dawn because it snowed overnight. After admiring the pristine unblemished whiteness, the thre build a gigantic snowman, while Komi makes a tiny one to match with Tadano’s.

After that, Ren, Yadano, and Agari join Tadano and Najimi on one team in a grand snowball fight. The elementary school team is short one person, so Komi joins them. There’s a great sight gag of her four teammates looking as tall as her, but she’s actually standing far behind them. A furious and dramatic battle ensues, eventually leaving Komi the only one on her team left standing. Ren, who has her best (and least problematic) appearance thus far this season, takes Yadano and Najimi out, leaving Komi to take her out and claim victory…as it should be.

When Komi visits her extended family over the New Year’s holiday, she reunites with her initially timid Akira, who slowly warms up to her older cousin and invites her to join her in a game of Hanafuda Koi-Koi. Komi sits out the first game where her granny eviscerates Akira, but Komi ends up getting one of the best combos in the game to erase her cousin’s debt.

No doubt impressed and proud of her granddaughter’s performance, Komi’s Gran lends her an absolutely stunning kimono for their first shrine visit of the year. Gran notes how “convenient” Komi is to have around as she literally parts the waves of people, and after making her offering and New Year’s wish, the amassed crowds feel like a goddess is in their midst.

The last segment throws Komi into the frying pan, as she’s put to work as a substitute shrine maiden making transactions for visitors. While initially overwhelmed, her colleague Inaka helps calm her down and reminds her that instead of talking she need only write everything down. Komi does a bang-up job, and then reveals she knew Inaka was Inaka all along in a sweet note hoping they’ll have a fun new year together. Needless to say, Komi doesn’t mind in the least that Inaka is a country girl!

Komi Can’t Communicate S2 – 04 – The Kings of Christmas

It’s Christmas Eve, and Komi has been informed by Najimi that she’s going to host a party (nearly) everyone is attending. Komi races to the mall with her similarly barely verbal little brother Shousuke (though we learn after the credits he simply chooses to rarely speak). Komi in Big Sis Mode is a welcome and rare treat, and even though Shousuke acts like this is all a big hassle, even he isn’t immune to her austere expressions of pure joy.

When the gang arrives—along with several tertiary classmates whose names I’ve yet to remember—they greet Komi with a Merry Christmas and a Happy Birthday…though her birthday is actually the 26th. Oddly, both Tadano and Ren made the same mistake despite acquiring their information from vastly different means.

The enormous group means there’s potential for a lot of back and forth, and back and forth there is, but it all feels a bit…scattered? Leaving aside the fact I’m not 100% sure Komi actually ever agreed to host the party and was given less than 24 hours to prepare which seems rude considering how many people came. That said, the group does pick out the perfect gift for Komi: a giant plush black kitty she later uses as a body pillow.

Another point against this episode is that for a show with such a large cast there is simply too much screen time for Ren, whom it’s already been established is an unrepentant pervert who should be in juvenile detention. I know this show embraces a stylized form of reality where every character’s personality tics are amplified, but her schtick in particular feels outdated and icky.

If it sounds like I hated this episode…that’s not quite it. It’s just that it bothered me that Tadano totally chickened out on spending time with just Komi over winter break because he assumed, without evidence, she was…sigh…”just being nice.” Dude: first of all, she’s always nice; second, she definitely wants to hang out with you one-on-one! I’m sure having all her friends under her roof for Chrismas was super fun for Komi, but I can’t help but feel a part of her also felt…disappointed.

Also, not to bury the lede here…but where the f*** is one of Komi’s newest friends, Katai Makoto? Whether he couldn’t come or no one invited him, his absence, combined with the fact this is a Christmas episode in May, makes it feel like the episodes are airing out of chronological order, with this one taking place before Katai joined the cast. In any case, the episode ends on a sweet note with Komi making sure everyone understands her feelings. If only Tadano would grow a pair and try to do the same!

Komi Can’t Communicate S2 – 03 – Tadano’s Translation Tutelage

Can Tadano actually read minds? He certainly seems to be able to read Nakanaka’s pretty well (laid out as they are manga-style), but one can chalk that up to the fact he was once a chuunibyou like her. Nakanaka and Ren, the Yin and Yang of Komi’s girl friends, are united in their desire to interpret her better.

Tadano observes Komi with them and they produce their own whiteboards to write what they think she’s thinking. More often then not, it’s wishful thinking or their own personal opinions. But when Komi notices she’s been watching them, they assume she’s mad, but she actually wants to join them in whatever fun they’re having.

The next segment is a reprise of the three boys’ “which girl would you date” exchange, and this week we get scenarios with the very cozy and big sister-y Onemine, and the very comforting mom-like Kaede. As for Komi, they’re such at a loss of how to envision her, they have to resort to a boilerplate historical drama, in which Komi wields a blade for her beloved—and Koga Aoi speaks in a normal tone for I believe the first time in the series.

After that, it’s lunchtime, and Katai Makoto wants to make Komi, his Master of Communication, proud of him for his initiative. While his execution is a bit shaky, Tadano is still observant (and emotionally intelligent) enough to understand the big guy wants lunch.

Komi hides behind a column, and while Makoto thinks it’s so she can watch her pupil’s progress, she’s just worried for Tadano’s safety. But Tadano soon formally introduces the two and show them that there’s nothing to fear, even if they still don’t have quite the right idea about one another.

The final segment finally returns to the core relationship of Komi and Tadano, as the former runs out to buy some roasted potatoes (after accidentally playing red light-green light with him for a bit) and the latter goes out for a nighttime bike ride to clear his head. He’s thinking a lot about Komi, and how he should and actually does feel about her. How serendipitous, then, that they should cross paths.

Tadano chickens out and bids her good night, but she tugs at his coat and offers him a potato for the road. The warmth of the gesture (and the potato) and the fact that Komi is just so gosh-darned cute and fun to be around, gives Tadano the courage he needs to come out and say, if not how he feels, what he wants to do, which is to hang out with Komi during their Winter Break. Komi, clearly overjoyed, agrees. None of the lads’ dating fantasies can touch the surpassing sweetness and good vibes of real-life Komi and Tadano.

Komi Can’t Communicate S2 – 02 – Komi Cuddles a Kitty

The second episode of Komi’s second season is a big of a mixed bag, but it’s strongest at its extremities. The first segment is short but sweet, as we watch Komi’s detailed morning prep before opening the front door to find there is a typhoon. The power goes out and there’s scary lightning, but a call from Tadano calms her down, and her mom dare not interrupt.

The segment in which Komi speaks the most by far is followed by a rather meh Ren segment in which she desperately wants to see Komi’s underwear through her black stockings. When the reflections don’t work out, she literally jumps into a puddle to snap some pics, only to be thwarted by spatters of mud on her lens. Thankfully, Ren is “purified” not only by a sudden rainbow, but Komi’s innocent reaction to it.

The third segment involves three of the more rarely seen boys exchanging hypothetical visions of dates with the various girls in the class. If nothing else, this segment has variety, placing Najimi, Agari, Ren, Nakanaka, Agari, Inaka, and Yadano a chance to shine in idyllic date scenarios. But the best one comes from Tadano, who envisions nothing more elaborate than washing dishes beside Komi.

It’s a warm and fuzzy way to segue to the warmest and fuzziest segment—when the kitty-crazed Komi goes to a new cat café. Najimi can’t go due to their cat allergy, while Tadano bows out as well simply because he wants Komi to be more comfortable inviting others like Onemine and Kaede. None of the cats like Komi’s aura until the chonky, normally aloof “Boss Cat” Chocolat approaches her and curls up in her lap, thus filling Komi’s heart.

Chocolat counds as Komi’s 15th friend, so there are now “just” 85 to go (methinks she’ll have to befriend an entire sports team at some point).  The final segment involves a game spearheaded by Ren simply so she can get Komi to tell her “I love you.” It’s a game where the person being told those words loses if they blush or otherwise strongly react.

When it comes time for Tadano to say them to Komi, he can’t get half a word out before being DSQ’d for blushing. Komi is able to keep her composure, but excuses herself to the hallway to release some steam. Just as Tadano wishes he’d gone to the cat café with Komi, she wishes she could hear those three words for him—if only in the context of a game!

Komi Can’t Communicate S2 – 01 – Eighty Seven

Komi Can’t Communicate picks up where it left off: with Komi in her room, this time greeting the morning after bonking her head groggily reaching for her phone. On her window sill are three treasured photos that demonstrate how much progress she’s made making friends.

After a brief but lovely prelude of Komi making her way to school, Najimi surprises her at the shoe lockers by touching her face with her cold hand (it’s winter). Komi then does the same thing to Tadano.

After Najimi breaks the fourth wall for a bit, she has Komi ask all of her friends to write their names down in a small notepad. Out of the 100 friends she wants to make, she currently has…thirteen. That means she needs to make 87 more in just one semester!

I wonder whether this will ultimately be a matter of the final number not mattering because, well, thirteen is a lot of friends, especially when some of them haven’t gotten a segment in the anime yet!

But this season will certainly introduce more oddballs, starting with Katai Makoto, the mild mannered fellow who missed the start of school with an illness, got anxiety about going back, and bulked up and dyed his hair so now everyone assumes he’s a violent delinquent. It doesn’t help that his attempt at a friendly smile comes off as an evil smirk.

Katai’s inner monologue is completely at odds with how the rest of the class sees him, and they form a human wall arounf Komi to protect her from his delinquentness. Even so, he manages to sit down beside Komi, and the two of them, too scared to be the first to talk, simply stare each other down.

Enter Tadano, who is nice to Katai (of course) and give him a tour to refamiliarize himself with the school. But Katai thanks Komi for her silent advice, even calling her a “master of communication”.

The next segment involves a study session for upcoming exams, spearheaded by Najimi, who insists take place at Nakanaka’s, ostensibly so they can play video games. While Najimi jumps into bed and sleeps, Nakanaka and Ren get into it, aiming to determine who likes Komi more. A kind of heated RPG battle between them unfolds, with Tadano wisely staying out of it as the increasingly elaborate insults fly.

When the two girls finally turn to Komi and ask her straight-up who she values more as a friend, she writes a response that leaves no room for doubt: Both of you are important friends to me. Briefly chastened by her heartfelt sentiment, Ren and Nakanaka still decide to determine who is the better friend…through video games. Najimi, fresh off their nap, beats them both and makes sure to gloat about it plenty.

The final segment is the simplest and quietest, but also the sweetest, as the exams are underway. Komi, who only took out two pencils, drops one on the floor and breaks the tip of the other. She’s too scared to ask the teacher to pick them up (students can’t leave their desks), but Tadano picks up on her little dilemma and drops his own pencil so he can call the teacher over.

When Tadano realizes he has no eraser, Komi returns the favor by breaking hers in two and dropping half on the ground so Tadano can ask the teacher to retrieve it for him. The two are so tickled pink by their concern for one another, it makes concentrating on the exams hard, while Tadano will go on to treasure that half of Komi’s eraser like a precious gem.

If you’re like me and were itching for more Komi, you weren’t disappointed: the second season opens with more of the same characters in slightly different scenarios, combined with a new quirky character for Komi to befriend on the long and probably over-ambitious path to 100.