Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d stop back in with Scum’s Wish, wherein Hana continues her death march of causing problems on purpose for basically everyone. “Inspired” by Akane’s gleeful selfishness, Hana has decided that she too will claim anything and everything she wants to, which so far has included Mugi (unfortunately), Ecchan (unwillingly and mostly by accident), and Some Random Dude Akane Fucked (a source of instant regret and immediate take-backs). And what does she have to show for this new venture? You guessed it, a whole bunch of sadness and self-loathing. Who could have guessed!?
From the outside, it is excruciatingly clear that Hana’s current project was misguided from the start. Akane is some kind of sociopathic joy-vulture, finding happiness only in the denial of happiness to others, whereas Hana is simply a mixed-up teenager who doesn’t like herself very much, and thus feels desperate for validation from external sources. Acting like Akane was never going to offer Hana the satisfaction it provides her monstrous instructor, but Hana simply lacks the experience to know that. From her perspective, the only relevant data points are “Akane succeeded in gaining what I desired” and “I believe I am a monster, so I might as well act like one.” She’s conflating the natural insecurity of growing beyond your childhood with whatever unholy motivation fuels Akane, and making some seriously misguided conclusions as a result.
What has become abundantly clear so far is that Hana is unlikely to simply reason her way out of this emotional malaise. She needs a friend who’s not just willing to comfort her, but to actually challenge her; but with all of this show’s other characters wrapped up in their own drama, it’s hard to see any of them playing that role. And in that case, perhaps the right enemy will do in a pinch – so let’s get Moca out here, and maybe have her smack some sense into our poor foolish protagonist. It’s time for Scum’s Wish!