Playing The Part – ‘Bloom Into You’ Episode 10 Review

What’s the show? Bloom Into You, Episode 10.

So how’s this episode? So this episode addresses something so intrinsically human about relationships that a lot of anime of its ilk (i.e. romance anime) fail to properly address that I couldn’t help but be impressed by it.

And what’s that then? Selfishness. And I’m not talking the kind of over-dramatic, relationship-ending selfishness that a lot of shows might indulge in, no i’m talking about ~comfortable selfishness~.

I’m not sure I know what that is? Oh of course you do, you know that feeling when you become so complacent of something that you begin to subconsciously test how far you can push someone, be it your parent, or sibling or teacher or friend or lover. A lot of the time I don’t think it’s born of a particular malice, rather just boredom of the routine or even something of a power-struggle. Everybody likes to think they are the top dog in whatever respective partnership they are perceiving and being ~comfortably selfish~ with someone is often a great way to test the proverbial waters.

This reminded me of DAKAICHI so damn much lol.

Okay. So is that all this episode is about? Of course not, it’d be a dull affair if it were limited to just so. A considerable chunk is afforded to ‘the play’ which is rapidly becoming the focus of this anime. Koyomi has finished her script for the play and is reluctant to let it be seen by others, she does inevitably and we get a quick rundown of the plot and characters–it’s a far more deep and sophisticated story than I’d expect from a high-schooler but then again a high-schooler’s mind is free to run away moreso than an adults. Also Koyomi is smart and incredibly perceptive too so I shouldn’t have been too surprised…

What’s the play about? It’s about an amnesiac who’s in the hospital and visited by three people, her younger brother, her classmate and her lover. Hearing about herself from these other people gives her three distinctly different interpretations of herself and by the end of the play with her memories still not returning, she has to decide which version of herself to be in order to get on with the rest of her life.

Yeah that is pretty deep for a high school play. And who’s playing the roles? Well Touko is obviously playing the lead role as the amnesiac, the two boys on the student council are playing brother and classmate, while Yuu is relegated to a minor part of the hospital nurse. Its Sayaka who is taking on the juicy part of Touko’s lover which is bound to cause some stirrings from a lot of people involved!

I asked for more of teacher x cafe owner and the gay anime gods were listening!

So overall thoughts on the episode? Even though this is something of an in-between episode there’s still a considerable amount of depth to the events. The moment with the wishing tree stands out, its a small and subtle scene but carries such emotional weight and its devastating that Yuu is unable to even bring himself to admit that she wants to be able to initiate things with Touko, let alone even write it as a wish on a damned tree. As always, Bloom Into You is an exercise in restrained, understated brilliance.