What’s the show? Bloom Into You, Episode 8.
So how’s this episode? Surprisingly(?) the action is focused on Sayaka again—or rather she’s involved in the episodes events way more than I expected.
Is this a good thing? Absolutely! Not only does it make last weeks episode feel even more relevant but it creates a much richer and complex ~atmosphere~ around the whole show. Not only that, there’s a little pre-credit sequence where Sayaka comes face-to-face with the first girlfriend she had who dumped her over Summer break by dismissing their entire relationship as “a phase”! And the bitch ex-girlfriend gets some Japanese style shade thrown her way, that is to say still polite as heck but oh so satisfying to watch!
Okay, so what about the rest of the episode? We get a couple of really interesting scenes between Sayaka and Yuu and I didn’t expect to enjoy the sometimes sassy sometimes tense chemistry these two have together. Also one of the scenes takes place at a not-McDonalds restaurant and I know this is a weird thing to hone in on considering everything else but I feel like this is the first time I’ve ever seen someone in an anime eat a Hot Apple Pie (or Japanese seasonal equivalent) at not-McDonalds.
That is weird, you’re weird. I know. So anyway the two of them talk about Touko and the play and I do wonder whether the drama between these two–or rather the simmering ~almost~ drama will ever reach a point that Sayaka has an outburst or a confession or both! Though at the rate this show is moving I doubt it’ll happen this season, but I can hope!
You want drama between them? I want a release, that’s all. Like, I hate that Sayaka has to be stuck in this ‘holding pattern’ for the lack of a better term, she needs to confess her feelings for Touko, get rejected and move on with her life. Sayaka deserves happiness too!
Anything else happen? Of course. It’s a rainy day and Yuu’s forgotten her umbrella, after a couple of opportunities to share an umbrella fall through who comes to the rescue but her knight in shining seifuku–Touko with an umbrella built for two. The two have a cute but inconsequential walk home until they stop under some cover for a rest and then there’s an awkward moment. Yuu uncharacteristically shows some affection towards Touko which in any budding relationship would be a good thing, but as we’re reminded Touko doesn’t want Yuu to fall in love with her because of her messed up ideas about what ‘being in love’ means. It’s a bitter-sweet way to end the episode because while Yuu is clearly beginning to feel something which is good, it might end up pushing Touko away as a result, which is bad, not just for the two of them but for us watching too! Nobody needs a third act break-up arc, that shit is played out my friend!
So overall thoughts on the episode then? It’s great–more of the same–but great!
Previous Bloom Into You Reviews:
Love Takes Time – Episode 1 Review
The Flower Blooms Alone – Episode 2 Review
Strength In Vulnerability – Episode 3 Review
The Ever Watchful Gardener – Episode 4 Review
Study Buddies – Episode 5 Review
Scenic Roots – Episode 6 Review
Garden Of Secrets – Episode 7 Review
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Anime QandA 
Bloom is in… a holding pattern? But somehow it still makes it engaging.
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I think that a lot of Sayaka’s problem is that she also realizes that Touko can’t love her the way she wants. But unlike Yuu, Sayaka wants to love the Touko that Touko doesn’t want to be stuck as. So Sayaka knows that she can’t confess, because that would have severe repercussions for their relationship. I think part of it is that she feels like she’ll just stick through the rest of this year and see what happens.
These are the things that fill out a story for me. It’s like a black and white image when a sharp vanguard of color shoots across it with the main plot, but then the color fills in the rest of the image with this filling out of the other characters. And we watch and learn how doomed Sayaka is, how she comes to realize that what she wanted won’t happen, while she sees more of the picture filled in. I really like the way that Yuu acknowledges Sayaka’s feelings for Touko, although she’s not going to help her.
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Very eloquently put. I agree.
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