Yesterday wo Utatte | Episode 8 and 9 Review

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Episode Eight and Nine Thoughts

At this point, you cannot convince me otherwise that Shinako is the character whose purpose is to upend and to cause distribution through her own indecision. Episode eight, in my opinion, is probably the worst episode of the anime. I’ve gotten to the point where I couldn’t care less about Shinako’s indecision. It’s actually frustrating that she’s unable to sort herself out in large part because she doesn’t want to, it seems. That’s probably what’s most frustrating about the whole thing because she’s just causing all these problems, and she’s causing all these awkward moments. It got very hard to watch. Not to mention, when she’s offered the opportunity to talk to Rikuo a second time, she doesn’t take it up. Like she works herself up, wanting to speak to Rikuo, not wanting there to be any awkwardness between the two, but she’s literally forcing it onto the two of them. It honestly feels likes Shinako is fine with letting it all happen.

After watching both episodes, seeing Shinako interfere in partially everything, whether that be directly or indirectly, also seeing her indirectly play with everyone’s emotions causing everyone to doubt themselves and their feelings, all at the expense of her trying to figure out her own. Does not make for good episodes. If the remaining three episodes are going to be about Shinako and her quest to sort out her own feelings by distributing everyone else, then I do not see myself enjoying them. I do not know why I’m so irritated. It’s probably because of how Shinako’s character is constructed and her role in this story. I think it also has something to do with how both episodes played out because there are several minutes allocated in each episode, showing all our characters going through life with ease. It would then cut to Shinako being sad, mulling over her indecision. Like come on now, you’ve rejected both Rou and Rikuo; let’s get a move on now, no need to dwell on whether or not you like them or not.

Having two episodes dedicated to that topic alone was extremely disappointing, to say the least. If I were to give a letter grade for both episodes eight and nine of Yesterday wo Utatte, it would be an F. I’m extremely disappointed.