Dagashi Kashi really surprised me this week. I’d expected the show to be no more than reasonably pleasant from start to finish, with some occasionally effective jokes – but this episode was actually funny, featuring confidently constructed half-episode conceits with strong fundamental ideas and consistently inventive comic flourishes. The second half’s silly race in particular was one of the better-executed comic sequences I’ve seen a while now, offering both many incidental gags and a strong fundamental absurdity that the show wisely avoided actually pointing out. Having Kokonotsu actually be willing to play along with Hotaru’s schemes pretty much instantly improved this show, and I hope they maintain a real friendship going forward.

You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below!

Opening with the sound and shot of the cicadas, once again. SUMMERRRR

Hotaru wants to set up a blind taste test. Solid physical comedy of her being silly and blindfolded

Fugashi is the snack they’re testing. It’s wheat gluten and brown sugar

Kokonotsu actually feeling kind of competitive

Of course this leads to a bondage gag

Hotaru getting competitive is pretty solid

Both of them being serious dorks about this makes it very endearing, and there’s actually a method to their deductions

And now they’re throwing in the pitching parodies too, of course

This extended joke works because it actually continues the riff, instead of being just the same beat over and over

Kokonotsu’s trump card combines the fanservice with the humor, which actually improves both

And of course his dad walks in on him tied up and blindfolded

Over-extended boob drawing gag. I’m guessing it’ll be a punchline later, but scenes like these need to justify themselves at the time as well

Yep, he left the notebook at the cafe

Glico caramels this time, as he and Hotaru run back to the cafe

It’s good to see Kokonotsu has just started totalling buying into Hotaru’s nonsense. It’s way more fun this way than having him just be the straight man making the blank responses

Kokonotsu also plotting out if he’ll make it in time. Each of these halves possessing an actual narrative arc also makes them stronger

Continuously calculating their running time versus the friggin’ caramel candies. The irrelevance of the candies is a nice unspoken joke

“Looks like his doubts are gone. He’ll be fine now.” A great sports interlude non-sequitur

He only has four caramels! DESPAIR

“You go attain your goal, Kokonotsu!” She sacrificed herself onoooo