Poor, poor Chitose. This episode really did make me feel for her – she may be a brat, but the things she’s going through are just too real for me to help but sympathize with her. Girlish Number’s articulation of the fear of being left behind, and the ways we’re forced to act publicly even when we think we’re losing everything, made this a tough episode to sit through. Chitose’s burned a lot of bridges at this point, but I hope she makes it out of this okay.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below!
Her competition is just earnest and nice and trying really hard. It’s tough
The surprise is actually Nanami’s CD debut. And the worst part is, they didn’t forget her birthday. They actually care about her. But they can’t fix this for her
Oh my god, this scene is heartbreaking
This show singularly demonstrates the power of making all your characters good ones. If Chitose had a villain to rage against, it’d be so much easier
Oh my god, this scene with the fans outside. Way too fucking true
Having to “perform happiness” for your fans. Jeez
Oh my god, she only gets encouragement from the old tapes of Gojo as a voice actor
“If I could become who I wanted to be, I wouldn’t be who I am right now”
Matsuoka, or Mattsu, Chitose’s new manager
Gojo isn’t stepping down quite yet
Nanami, the new girl, arrives after Chitose’s done doing yet another mob role
Chitose just wants to be praised. Nanami knows she’s got a huge weight of responsibility to live up to
Mattsu is great
He’s not humoring her – he’s telling her she needs to work harder than anyone else
“A manager is neither a parent nor a teacher. This is strictly business.” The corporate representative is ready to cut Chitose off
“If someone shows no promise, I have to cut them”
I love this little moment between the head manager and the bartender
Chitose’s starting to understand the meaningful, dangerous difference between her and Nanami
Chitose can’t keep her bitterness out anymore. She’s just sad all the time
Her competition is just earnest and nice and trying really hard. It’s tough
The surprise is actually Nanami’s CD debut. And the worst part is, they didn’t forget her birthday. They actually care about her. But they can’t fix this for her
Oh my god, this scene is heartbreaking
This show singularly demonstrates the power of making all your characters good ones. If Chitose had a villain to rage against, it’d be so much easier
Oh my god, this scene with the fans outside. Way too fucking true
Having to “perform happiness” for your fans. Jeez
Oh my god, she only gets encouragement from the old tapes of Gojo as a voice actor
“If I could become who I wanted to be, I wouldn’t be who I am right now”
Chitose is not an endearing type of character, but a fully fleshed out one — a young clueless girl who’s trying to find her way out of a confusing maze. And she reminds me too much of myself when I’m at my most willfully stubborn mode. She has my sympathy.
Her “awakening” is a painful one, but if she uses this opportunity to learn from her mistakes and become a better talent, then I wouldn’t consider this a total loss. Sometimes you need to hit rock bottom before you begin to appreciate what you have. The worst thing she can do now is to chicken out, by taking the easy route (give up) and retreat to her shell. What most people tend to forget is that she’s young and she still has a lot of growing up to do, and all the time in the world to make up for the ground she lost.
In prior episodes it has been tough to like Chitose, beacause… well obviously because she isn’t likable. Without any real context to relate to, she’s just a prick. Compared to a lead like Hikigaya, she isn’t very compelling.
But this episode managed to make me care, despite what I would have thought 30 minutes ago. That last note is a piercing one for me. Having to face that what you are now isn’t what you want to be, and the self-hatred and self-defeat that follows. That, I can relate too. Good job Girlish Number.
Also, the discussion at her birthday party about how busy everyone else is was brutal.