And we’re right back into the dramatic thick of it this week, with Hachiman finally grappling with his own identity issues only to be demolished by Yukino. There were a lot of individual excellent scenes this week, and the show is continuing to use framing and body language to elevate its stellar conversations. I particularly liked the two long, silent cuts – the first with Hikki and Iroha as they’re crossing the street, and the second when Rumi gave Hikki the silent treatment. Yui also got another great scene this week, and the banter between Hikki and Iroha is really growing on me. They actually seem more comfortable together than either of them do with many of their other friends, since they don’t have anything to prove to each other. As Hayama sadly notes, she feels more comfortable relying on him than the friends she refuses to be more honest with.

Here’s my full episode post. Lotsa notes below!

The club is quiet again. A silly letter from Komachi, a nice smile from Hikki

Hikki is so, so much more comfortable with Komachi than anyone else. Idly scolding her, their easy conversation, the way he can actually apologize. There’s no ego here

“Well, when you put it like that…” “Sorry, I couldn’t think of another way to put it”

Yui asking why Hikki left first again. She wants to leave the room with him. His “concern” ends up being selfish – he expects the worst of people, and so doesn’t let them push forward in the ways they either want to or should. Like covering for Yukino, and like refusing to acknowledge Yui’s feelings

Yui just casually asks Hikki if the reason he’ll be leaving early is because he’s helping Iroha. And she smiles at that, but we already saw how she steels herself to smile. And she asks “are you going to be doing this alone again?”

“You don’t have to worry about it.” “I will worry.” “You have bigger things to worry about than me, right?” “Yep.” The most forced smile

“Do you think Yukinon wanted to be student council president?”

Yui thinks they should have accepted the request

“I think trying to overcome stuff like that is what Yukinon likes to do.”

Yukino just being neutral and polite, even smiling

Iroha isn’t at the meeting. Hikki goes to meet Hayama, looking for her

Hayama says Hikki is the one she relies on. “She’s just using me because she can. And I don’t have any reason to refuse.” “Is that all it is?”

“You never refuse her either, right?” “I don’t know about that. I’m not the good guy you think I am.” Hayama’s kinda struggling with his own image now

“Aren’t you supposed to say ‘not at all, I just got here myself’?” Iroha always messing with the routines and pouting. Friggin’ Iroha

“It’s not heavy today, so I’m good”

I love this long shot from behind, as Hikki runs to catch up with her, they share some words we can’t see, and he eventually takes her bag. A very real-feeling moment

The kids the two schools will be working with have shown up, and they include Tsurumi Rumi, the girl from the summer camp

“You’ll never decide anything just saying vague stuff back and forth.” Hikki finally trying to actually talk to the other school’s representative

And he fails

Oh nooo he’s still doing his hand thing

Goddamnit the middle school crush just keeps yelling encouragement

Hikki is way out of his depth. He needs support

Totsuka shows up

“Even if it’s tough, you work hard on your own, without complaining.”

“I’m just being stubborn so I won’t betray the image that I’ve decided I should have.” Yep. This arc is really pushing Hikki to look at himself. This is the dead-end of sticking to his bad convictions

Looking back on how all his friends and associates are suffering. “Am I really doing the right thing?” Yui and Iroha are unhappy, Yukino’s basically given up

Both Yui and Totsuka have now asked him to rely on them if he needs to

“No meeting today. Too bad for you, huh? You don’t get to win points with me.” Iroha can be pretty good

Then they run into middle school crush, who actually seems awkward in this situation, with Hikki supported by Iroha

And another great silent scene, where Hikki walks up to Rumi as she’s making stars, says the obvious “you’re making decorations by yourself, huh?”, and then she pointedly ignores him while continuing to make stars

So he helps with the stars. It’s something he can do

Hikki and Iroha have an actual chemistry now, which is weird to see

“I know I’ve saved people with the way I used to do things. But I’m sure that alone isn’t enough.”

“My responsibility… the answer I need… I still don’t know what it is.” Admitting he doesn’t know. Another important step

And then he runs into Yukino. Great pacing into this, great shots setting it up

“You’re helping with Isshiki-san’s request, aren’t you?”

“Sorry.” “Do you need my permission?”

This scene is really good. Awkward, but they can still talk

“I’m only doing this alone because I am alone. The same goes for you, right?”

“Maybe I only thought I had it all together, that I understood everything.” Yukino’s reaching the same point as Hachiman

A piano version of the OP. “Why don’t you take a break from the club? If you’re only staying out of consideration for us, it’s not necessary.” Nooo the wooorst suggestion. Consideration for his friends is exactly what Hikki needs to realize

“You don’t have to force yourself to attend anymore.”