“When you love someone, it makes you happy… but it’s hard in some ways too, isn’t it?” – Yuuri Makita
It happens a lot in the summer that I just end up craving shoujo anime because of how lazy and mindless summer holidays can seem. Ao Haru Ride is just the thing to watch if you’re looking for the perfect shoujo to check out, especially if you’re a fan of that warm pastel animation from Production I.G. that also made Kimi ni Todoke. This week’s episode of Blue Spring Ride takes us right into the love triangle that is budding between Makita, Futaba and Kou.
Rating: 4/5 happy clouds 
You and I both can probably already tell Futaba is in love with Kou (as much as she denies it). Io Sakisaka has a really great way of resolving friendship triangles. Even with the expected drama of shoujo shows, Sakisaka never ceases to amaze me with how well she balances the heart with the comedy. Like I said, don’t worry about it. Makita will get over it. LOL To be honest I can’t figure out why Makita would even like Kou because Kou looks pretty hazed and out of it most of the time. Makita needs more of a clean-cut go-getter student who will be attentive to her cutie-pie needs. Makita needs someone with a lot more pep and a lot less baggage. Kou would just take away her sparkle.
It’s also pretty hard for anyone to wedge themselves between Futaba and Kou because they have a really weird dynamic even as friends/not-friends/couple/not-a-couple. Kominato’s character is voiced by a seiyuu named KENN and it’s pretty amusing how Kominato looks exactly like Akihito from Kyoukai no Kanata, another of KENN’s roles.
Futaba and Kou end up staying behind to write up the report on the leadership training camp. I really love Maaya Uchida’s voice acting when it comes to bringing out Futaba’s innocent emotions and uncertainties regarding Kou. It’s pretty funny and awkward when Kou picks up the fact that Futaba has a habit of trying to smell him LOL how perceptive of him. Kou will just casually DROP these remarks and then act like nothing’s happened which makes it all the more confusing for Futaba in my opinion because she’s conflicted about her feelings and her desire to be a good friend to Makita.
HAVE YOU HEARD THAT SCORE MUSIC behind the emotional scenes? DAYUM they went ABOVE AND BEYOND with the music.
Futaba ends up deciding to test Kou. She tells him she forgot something. If he gets off the train to go back with her to the school, she’ll love him. If he stays on the train, she’ll give up. WAY TO LEAVE IT TO CHANCE cause in the last minute she hopes he gets off with her… AND HE DOES. To her shock and surprise and delight and panic. She TOTALLY derps him with the “forgetting something” thing but she gets to see just how much he cares for her and how much she actually feels for him. HURRAY FOR SUDDEN REALIZATION OF FEELINGS!!
At least now there’s no beating around the bush. Each episode of Ao Haru Ride always leaves you hanging and waiting for the next episode because it leaves off on such a dramatic and emotional climax. I’m really enjoying Ao Haru Ride in more aspects than one despite how passive Kou comes off as. Hopefully things spark up between the main couple too… oh, and we can’t forget all the supporting couple romances as well!
- Cloudy
What are you pondering today?