Aharen-san wa Hakarenai – 12 (Fin) – You Bring Me Peace

Aharen can tell that Ooshiro is shadowing her more than usual of late, so when Raidou parts ways with her after school, Aharen tells Ooshiro the score: she and Raidou aren’t going out. After training her mind and body to kill him, Ooshiro issues an official challenge…in Reversi. Ever since they were younger, Ooshiro has always treasured Aharen as a friend and the only person who told her she was cute. She isn’t about to let anyone hurt her.

The thing is, while Aharen isn’t going out with Raidou, it’s not because he rejected her. Turns out, her tears were only a result of her not being able to tell him her feelings. As soon as Raidou figures out what this Reversi challenge is really about, he rallies from behind to beat Ooshiro, then very publically declare that he likes Aharen…just as Aharen appears. Buoyed by his words, she finally declares that she likes him too, and Ishikawa and Satou spring forth from the bushes to join the celebration.

Aharen and Raidou confessing to one another and becoming an official couple is the best gift this cozy little show could give us, and it’s that much more gratifying how little the dynamic of the two changes now that the mystery of Aharen’s camping tears have been solved. Raidou still jumps to the strangest conclusions (mistaking Lupinus for Cassava), while Toubaru-sensei happens to witness their confessions and suffers an “eruption of esteem”.

Raidou’s worries about their relationship hitting a “cold spell” and needing spicing up turns out to be nothing, as Aharen invites him, Ooshiro, Ishikawa, Satou, Toubaru-sensei and Miyahara-sensei to a little tea party. She never imagined that her high school life would be so full of fun and happiness, and she wanted to show her gratitude.

She’s also anxious about second year and whether she’ll be alone in her new class, but Raidou assures her that both he and the others will always be there for her regardless. There’s no amount of “messing up” she can do to change that. While this was pretty much a pitch-perfect finale, I certainly wouldn’t mind a second cour of these two esteemed weirdoes down the road.

Aharen-san wa Hakarenai – 11 – What Does Normal Mean?

Ever since that camp kiss I’ve been itching for some kind of confirmation of what was said between Aharen and Raidou, and why she ran to her tent in tears after kissing him. Unfortunately the show has zero interest in elucidating those matters, so the key to enjoying the episodes that follow has been tabling that curiosity and not letting it curdle into frustration.

Once that’s done, one can enjoy the first fallen snow of the season, which Aharen uses to build a giant Shirorin igloo where she dresses up as a maid and lovingly prepares a fancy marinated steak for Raidou’s breakfast. “Official” or not, it’s clear Aharen cares enough about this galoot to go to these lengths.

When she invites him back to the Café Aharen after school, they find it has collapsed, probably due to the heat of that day’s sun. Raidou comforts Aharen by waxing philosphical on the impermanence of all things and offers to help her rebuild. This results in the construction of a Godzilla igloo…for some reason.

After their efforts, Raidou notices Aharen’s hands are red and shivering, so he takes them into his and warms them up. Lest there be any doubt about Aharen’s feelings for Raidou, she warms up extremely quickly while the redness becomes localized in the facial area.

The next day Aharen greets and walks so stiffly, Raidou wonders if she’s turned into some kind of Mega Man. They go to the nurse’s office, but neither the nurse nor Ooshiro are there, so Raidou volunteers to help her stretch. Turns out she can take quite a bit more force than he expected, as his efforts to go easy on her only lead to her wanting more.

When Aharen notices Raidou is also stiff in the back and shoulders, she agrees to walk on his back. She’s worried she’s “too heavy”, but he says he’s not that delicate, and indeed she’s the perfect weight an her steps the perfect rhythm to lull him to sleep. Aharen tries to use this to steal another kiss, but the nurse arrives at just the wrong moment.

It’s comforting to know I am not the only one curious about what happened at the camping trip; audience surrogates and “normal kids” Satou and Ishikawa are trying to determine the same thing.

In the process, Satou and Ishikawa have a nice little one-on-one chat where she notes that everyone around them is so weird she wonders if she’s not normal for being normal, while Ishikawa, her childhood friend, tells her he likes the variety, and also thinks she’s interesting too. Maybe these two normies should be looking in a mirror as to who is dating whom!

The next day is the weekend, and without explanation we see Raidou in street clothes waiting for Aharen, who was up late deciding what to wear. This is clearly date stuff, but neither of them comments on it, because they probably aren’t aware.

Raidou assumed Aharen wanted to participate in the blade spinner tournament at the mall, but for much of their date she seems to be surveying all the available food, leading him to wonder if she’s secretly a hotel tycoon. Aharen clears things up; she’s going all-out for her family’s New Years dinner.

Just when Raidou is starting to realize this might be, if not a date, a very good day, Futaba and Akkun show up. Akkun sees Aharen clinging to Raidou and challenges the “junior apprentice” to a blade spinner duel at the tournament. Both lose in the first round, while Aharen wins her fifth straight Ultimate Division belt. Turns out she stayed up late customizing her spinner after choosing what to wear!

Finally, the definition of their day comes down to the mouths of babes, specifically Futaba. When Raidou describes what he and Aharen have done, she informs them that that’s, like…a damn date. With that realization, Aharen once again turns red and starts steaming.

Even if we’re not getting any straight or normal answers, it’s pretty clear these two are an inseparable pair, and actions matter more than definitions. As for why Ooshiro was absent this entire episode? She’s been training her mind and body for what seems to be a final challenge to Raidou.

Joukamachi no Dandelion – 12 (Fin)

Election day is finally upon us, and the Sakurada siblings are all scraping together their final speeches before the votes are tallied. The leader of Akane’s fan club notices she’s changed in the last eleven episodes, but while she’s not as shy or prone to flash people, he remains as strong a fan as ever. Hana’s friends are thinking of voting for her boyfriend Shuu, though they worry they’ll see less of her if he wins.

Aoi, the expected victor in the election, informs her parents she’s backing out, and neither of them are disappointed. The whole reason they had so many kids—and have an election to begin with—is so they can all choose their own paths in life, which may not include ruling the country.

On election day, with the gathered masses in attendance, Aoi announces she’s withdrawing her candidacy and explains why (Absolute Obedience will give her more power than she wants or should have). Her siblings’ speeches are interrupted by a runaway airship headed straight for the castle and the crowd below, but thanks to quick thinking and teleporting by Shuu, Shiori’s ability to talk to the airship, and Akane’s ability to manipulate gravity, the siblings end up preventing a calamity of Hindenburg-like proportions.

In fact, it’s another all-sibling effort, with Haruka determining the proper landing spot for the airship, Kanade creating a barricade, and Teru pulling the ship to a stop, while Misaki, Hikari, and Aoi keep the crowd calm and safe. But it’s Shuu, who is able to give a speech as this is all going on, who ends up winning the election and becoming king, by taking the lead in averting disaster and promising both to Hana, and everyone else present that he will strive to protect everyone and help them to thrive and live happy, fulfilling lives.

With Shuu crowned, Aoi is off to college, Kanade studies for medical school, Misaki becomes class president, Hikari reveals her identity but remains an idol, Shiori and Teru continue their studies, and Akane pretty much continues on as she has, only now that she’s been through the rigors of an election she’s come out with a thicker skin and more confidence. And she still has time to stop and admire the dandelions.

Joukamachi no Dandelion – 11

With only a month to go before the election, the Sakurada siblings watch the latest polls, and the question of why Akane is so scared of crowds and attention comes up. Her older siblings recall that she wasn’t always so shy in public; quite the opposite, and thus we enter a flashback with that bold, courageous Lil’ Akane, obsessed with spreading justice throughout the land (perhaps influenced by comic books).

Her confidence in and ease with which she wields her powers leads to her ditching her guards in order to hang out at her best bud Karen’s house, only to encounter two burglars tossing the place. The two girls are paralyzed at first, but Akane gathers her courage and uses her powers to foil the bad guys in a Home Alone-style action scene.

Then the bad guys take the kid gloves off and threaten to hurt the girls, at which point Akane has no choice but to go a little overboard, scaring the burglars into submission, but destorying Karen’s house in the process. The gathering crowds around the site, with all the opinions and judgements flying as Akane stands holding a thankful Karen’s hand tight, gradually overwhelm her. It’s an ordeal that informs how she reacts to being in the spotlight to this day. But as Kanade said early in the episode, she had some stuff in the past that she managed to deal with; so can Akane.

Her story is carried into the second segment as she gets the opportunity to overcome her shyness once and for all (or, at least, partially). That’s because their dad the king is in bed with a strained back (much to their mom’s chagrin), and the Sakurada princes and princesses must work together to accomplish all the official duties he’s unable to.

Akane initially helps out saving various people at a town that was hit by a landslide with her powers under the bespectacled guise of Scarlet Bloom, but she gets so into her good deeds, she doesn’t realize she loses her “Jamming Glasses” (which we know don’t really do anything) and is recognizable to all as Princess Akane.

She then remembers Karen remarking on that day she saved her from the burglars. Sure, there was some collateral damage, but that didn’t mean anything to Karen or presumably her folks, because Karen was alive and okay thanks to Akane’s heroism. So she can hold her head high—as herself, not Scarlet Bloom—as the election approaches. Because far more people like her than don’t.

Joukamachi no Dandelion – 10

Hikari remains not-my-favorite Sakurada, but her half of the episode benefits not only from Sacchy, who has some hot takes on royalty (they don’t understand true hardship; they’re set for life no matter what), unaware her fellow idol is in fact a princess. Akane is also cleverly brought into the storyline, since she’s such a huge Sacchy fan and is (slightly) aged up by Hikari to serve as a substitute assistant. Then Sacchy learns the truth—accidentally, creating fresh tension.

Hikari’s manager wants her to reveal her true identity after the next joint concert with Sacchy, but Hikari decides not to do so. Now, in the past, this might seem like backtracking on the original plan to increase her exposure to the voters through idolling. But she feels to do so now would be unfair to “Raito”, and more importantly Sacchy and her fans. Still, she wants to tell Sacchy the truth before they take the stage, and she does.

Sacchy doesn’t care which identity Hikari chooses; she knows she’s a hard worker and someone she wants to keep performing with. Akane is inspired to see how much her little sis has grown, and a little envious she knows what she wants to do (outside of becoming king) and is going for it with everything she’s got.

The second half is arguably a far simpler story, focusing on the twin siblings Shuu and Kanade. Just as the first half was a callback to a previous Hikari-Sacchy segment, the second is a callback to Kanade’s feelings of grief, regret, and idebtedness for injuring her brother by recklessly using her powers as a youth. When she sees him on the street with his girlfriend, she re-resolves to become king so she can heal his legs.

Then, all of a sudden Shuu teleports before her, knows she’s troubled by something (they are twins after all) and tells her…he doesn’t want her to become kind just to heal his legs. He’s happy with his life, and Kanade doesn’t own him anything. Kanade’s personality is much like her power: transactional, so she can’t easily accept Shuu’s position. It just doesn’t make sense to her. Frustrated, she runs off, and nearly falls victim to an anime classic: the Bundle of Heavy Pipes Precariously hanging over the street above her.

It’s almost history repeating itself: Shuu getting hurt because of her, but both of them are fine, as he teleports the two of them to safety. Kanade, in Shuu’s arms, is still frustrated, but Shuu reiterates, thirty seconds or no, he’s her BIG BRO, and it’s his goddamn job to protect her, no matter what happens to her. It’s her job, as his little sister, to shut up and let herself be protected. Kanade lets Shuu carry her home, and tells him she’ll no longer try to become king just for his sake, but for hers…so she can build a despotic state she’ll rule, like, well, a king!

Joukamachi no Dandelion – 09

This week Aoi discovers the perfect way for Akane to be able to be more assertive and comfortable with helping people without being crippled by her shyness: become someone else. Kanade supposedly creates a set of “jamming glasses”, but as the cold open indicated, they don’t actually work; rather, both Akane’s siblings and the general public are well aware she’s Akane, they just don’t want to let on that they know, lest she revert to her painfully shy state. A nice case of mind over matter.

Even when Akane saves someone without her glasses or cosplay, she simply concludes it’s because “Scarlet Bloom” has become so popular, they’re mistaking her for Akane. Meanwhile, the superhero act works wonders, propelling her from fifth place to second, even beating out Kanade, who along with Aoi perpetuated the tapestry of lies that facilitated their younger sister’s rise.

Meanwhile, Sad, Insecure Misaki is sad and insecure again, and needs Haruka to cheer her up and tell her she’s the best sibling to be king, because she has the perspective of the masses, what with being average and all. That only holds water, if you set aside the fact she can make highly-talented clones of herself, and that’s not something so easily set aside!

Finally, Aoi, architect of Akane’s rise, feels bad about the way her friends are mistaken as her entourage of attendants by onlookers. They also mysteriously abandon her one after the other, with flimsy excuses. Alone, Aoi starts to rethink socializing with her friends so much, since she’ll only become more of a burden to them as King, or something.

Of course, she’s quite mistaken; her friends only went off to set up a surprise birthday party for her, confirming the value they place in their friendship with her. While still leading in the polls, Aoi still doesn’t want to be king. She’d rather help her siblings reach that goal, while in the meantime enjoying the friendships she forged on her own, without any mind control.

Joukamachi no Dandelion – 08

JnD may be based on a 4-koma, but that doesn’t mean it can’t carry on compelling, moving serialized stories, including in the romance department.

It’s even a bit coy about it, starting off with all the Sakurada siblings’ powers going berserk in an occasional phase called “Break Out.” I’m assuming this only happens in adolescence, as it would be pretty inconvenient for the king to be so compromised at regular intervals. That being said, seeing everyone’s  power going haywire in one place makes for some good visual comedy.

Shuu isn’t immune to Break Out, and inadvertently teleports away as he’s walking Satou Hana (the girl who confessed to him a few eps back) home. Hana panics—not unreasonably—and calls Akane for help. Akane uses this as an excuse to practice hanging out in big crowds, and promptly assuages Hana’s fears about Shuu teleporting away intentionally.

Hana and Akane have some great comedic exchanges in which one is weirding out the other, and the balance is pretty good. Akane completing her inner monologue by yelling “I’ll do it”, or Hana loudly ruling out marriage without context to the crowds around them. I also like Akane’s two-birds-with-one-stone plan to offer advice to Hana while enduring crowds.

But her Break Out isn’t gone, and crazy, scary things start happening, Hana doesn’t panic, but covers Akane up just as her clothes are being torn up by berserk gravity manipulation (the show avoids fanservice, since this is a serious moment). Hana then goes the extra mile, covering Akane’s escape indoors by loudly, proudly confessing her love for Shuu and her intention to go out with him with marriage in mind for the future, to great applause.

Shuu seems pretty okay with Hana’s announcement when he sees it on TV (and would probably be even more okay if he knew she was making the announcement to save his sister undue embarrassment), but Kanade is concerned about his indifference, both about how Hana is taking charge of their relationship and, perhaps, also how little he seems to be interested in becoming king.

That’s a perfect segue to a flashback segment that serves as a How I Met Your Mother for the Sakurada parents, King Souichirou and his consort Satsuki. Unlike his kids, Sou spend much of his school years alone, constantly accompanied by his guardian/maid Sowa. He could see the discomfort in people, because reading auras is his superpower.

One day, while escaping from Sowa’s gaze for the seventeenth time, he explores the roof of the school and finds a coral-haired girl sleeping in the sun like a cat, with a petal on her nose. He gets close enough to make her think he’s up to no good (and she tells him it could be construed as an insult if he wasn’t, demonstrating the complicated nature of girls) and conscripts him as her pack-horse for grocery shopping (blowing off class in the process).

After his face is called dull by the grocer, he and the girl head to her home, where four hungry mouths are waiting for her to make dinner (her parents are working late, not deceased). She makes dinner and Sou joins them, and it’s a transformative experience for him, whose parents have both passed and has no siblings.

The warmth and happiness exuding from the girl’s family puts a kind of spell on him. This girl, Satsuki, will be the girl he ends up marrying. Someone who makes him a better person; brings out new parts of him he didn’t know he had. She helped him become a better king, who can connect with the people in spite of his dull face It’s a lovely, funny, and incredibly efficient love story.

Fast-forward to the present, and Satsuki remains a strong force, not letting the fact her husband is king let him get away with slacking around the house. When Shuu, presently considering a relationship of his own, seeks advice from his dad, Sou tells him the duty of a king is to make sure his family is living happily. In other words, a king must “rule” his house first, otherwise, why should he be fit to rule anything else?

Shuu takes that advice to heart when meeting with Hana on the same rooftop where Sou met Satsuki (a nice touch there!), but Hana is worried her antics at the cafe crossed the line, and Shuu is about to dump her. She maintains that fear when he accidentally teleports them both to an arctic range, even going so far as to fear he’s going to leave her there after dumping her!

Of course, she’s got it all wrong: Shuu was glad and inspired by her courageous, confident announcement, and far from thinking she’s not a good match for her, he was worried he wasn’t a good enough match for her. But he wants to be, and he’s going to work to become just that, if Hana would stay by his side even after the elections.

It’s a lovely romantic moment and a happy ending that’s about to be punctuated by a kiss…but the episode reminds us they are in Antarctica (or Nepal)…and Shuu need to get them somewhere warmer pronto!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, completes and episode full of wit and heart; funny images and touching moments and connections. In other words, the best JnD yet.