Hey folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m thrilled to continue our journey through Bloom Into You, a show that’s only been impressing me more each episode. Bloom Into You has already convincingly sculpted both of its leads into flawed, multifaceted, and totally sympathetic characters, each with their own compelling sources of insecurity and reasons for relying on the other. Their relationship is based on a give and take that feels totally understandable – Touko’s support gives Yuu the confidence to accept her own nature and become a more generally expressive person, while Yuu’s trust gives Touko a place where she can admit to all her insecurities, letting down the mask she bears around everyone else. The two of them are stronger together for convincing and well-illustrated reasons, and possess a chemistry that makes them inherently fun to watch together.

Beyond that, there’s plenty else to enjoy here, from the show’s thoughtful reflections on how narratives shape our personal expectations, to its visual elegance and compassionate engagement with sexual identity. And with Touko having won her student council race, it feels like the show may just now be settling into its principle dramatic mode. Let’s see what’s in store for our hapless teens in the next episode!

Episode 4

We open with Touko getting dressed and reflecting on her conversation with Yuu. That couldn’t be less surprising – Yuu essentially told Touko exactly what she wanted to hear, and is already being the supportive partner she wants in every way except for the actual romance. Yuu might not be doing it intentionally, but her actions are almost certainly making Touko more and more infatuated with her every day

Pairing this with her morning routine is a good choice, working as a natural episode opening while also implying that reuniting with Yuu is what gets Touko motivated in the morning

The show maintains congruity of tone across its OP by echoing Touko’s specific blush from thinking about Yuu in her next appearance, reestablishing its initial setup

Looks like we’re returning to Sayaka’s feelings this week

And now Yuu’s other friend, Koyomi, hiding some piece of writing she’s working on. It seems like episode three really was the end of Bloom Into You’s first act, where nearly every dramatic variable was focused on Yuu and Touko establishing their relationship. With that concluded, characters are now introducing their own conflicts that expand the scope of the drama. It’s a bit obvious, but it’s one of those bits of artificiality that are often necessary to maintain a focused narrative, particularly when you’re not sure how long your story will go before being cancelled

One way you can avoid that sense of artificiality is by introducing secondary character conflicts early, but in a way that also reflects on the central conflict, like how Akari’s rejection earlier mirrored Yuu’s feelings. That way you can introduce threads to pick up later without drawing focus from the central plot, which avoids this “alright, first conflict concluded, time to unload three new plots at once” issue

Touko looks like a big happy puppy walking beside Yuu, it’s adorable. I appreciate that her “hidden side” isn’t some dark secret, it’s just being a disaster lesbian who wants to fluff Yuu’s pigtails

Yuu cautions Touko to not let people “misinterpret their relationship,” which Touko doesn’t take well. The two of them currently have incredibly different ideas about what their relationship actually is; Yuu should have pushed back more forcefully long before now, but she actually enjoys Touko’s attention, and so now they’re in this vaguely defined quasi-romantic space

There’s a new boy named Dojima at the student council

The first two things we learn about him is that he quit kendo “because I’m a weakling” and joined the student council to get a bonus on his grades. An introduction that screams “don’t take me seriously” so loudly that I have to assume he’ll end up being very serious indeed

Touko wants to bring back the “Student Council Stage Show”

Because the school doesn’t have a theater department, the student council members themselves used to play the parts in the festival’s stage show. This is a very long-winded way to justify Yuu and Touko playing romantic leads at some point down the line, but I suppose it wouldn’t be an anime high school romance without a stage play. Also, I totally believe that this is something Touko would be genuinely excited about

A very weird cut where Yuu leans over the table in order to… get inside of the shot? Odd

While Dojima is into the stage play idea, both Yuu and the other boy Maki seem hesitant. We learn that Maki gravitated towards student council because he’s always felt he’s more natural in a “support role,” and thus isn’t necessarily comfortable with a stage spotlight. A very reasonable concern

This is definitely a less focused episode than the first three, but that’s almost inevitable. Those three formed a concise self-contained arc focused on just two characters, while we’re now expanding the universe both in terms of characters who possess a meaningful interiority and threads being laid for future conflicts

The body language of Yuu and Touko is so damn distinct. Yuu’s all skittish jumps and silly faces, Touko has this rakish, almost tomboyish confidence in all her movements. The animation isn’t plentiful, but it’s very well used

We arrive at the golden hour with just our leads, and the direction immediately gets more intimate and purposeful. It’s kinda funny how the default mid-distance shots of prior scenes essentially conveyed “take no emotional baggage from this shot,” and now we’re in closeups of Yuu marveling at Touko’s hair as she passes by

The camera naturally conveys Yuu’s hyper-awareness of all of Touko’s movements. It’s not necessarily a loving gaze, though – the focus on Touko entering Yuu’s personal space also carries a sense of apprehension

Touko’s hair feels like a general symbol for her encroachment – it repeatedly hangs into these shots, implying her aggression and overwhelming presence

“I want to kiss you.” “Although you said it’s okay if I don’t love you back, I see you’re still hitting on me.” Damn

This show is treading a delicate line when it comes to Touko’s actions; she’s obviously overstepping her boundaries, but Yuu is also consistently inviting her to do that. The base issue is that both of them agreed to an arrangement that’s totally unrealistic (though of course, each of them had convincing reasons for doing so). People are complicated

“Do you really think it’s acceptable for the Student Council President to be so fickle with her words?” See, instead of saying “that makes me uncomfortable, I need you to stop,” Yuu essentially turns her denial into another kind of flirting. Yuu obviously isn’t obligated to frame her rebuffs in some specifically definitive way, but I can see why Touko still thinks there’s hope

“You’re always willing to tolerate my feelings, and it just makes me want you more.” Exactly

And Yuu acquiesces, even saying that she’s also curious about kissing. She’s not actually threatened by Touko, and though she may not feel for her romantically, she still seems happy to have this affection and closeness

Aw shit, one of the boys saw them, time for some bullshit

Maki what the hell are you trying to do

Yuu wonders why Touko would want to do this play, considering she secretly gets very nervous in front of crowds. Yuu still doesn’t really grasp Touko’s drive to push herself; she’s personally just looking for a place she can feel comfortable, not trying to reinvent herself like Touko is

Maki just sitting there with a creepy grin on his face watching these two bicker

And now Dojima is asking which of the other student council members Maki is into. Why must boys be

Alone with Sayaka, Maki says “Nanami sure has taken a liking to Touko, hasn’t she?” Apparently he is truly dedicated to stirring the shit

“Are you two dating?” Maki actually asks Yuu the question. We immediately shift to idyllic soft focus shots of the environment around them, which is an interesting choice. Normally this mode is reserved for the times when Touko engages Yuu in some dramatic and classically romantic scenario, but now simply the idea of romance with Touko is sending Yuu into this fanciful territory

But when she learns Maki saw them, the color immediately drains around her, and she’s beset by anxieties. Her greatest concern isn’t her own social life, but making sure Touko is safe

“She’s the first thing you’re worried about, huh? Interesting!” Maki is too damn perceptive for his own good. I like how he’s a demonstration that emotional intelligence isn’t always a positive thing – he’s basically using his solid understanding of emotions to toy with the people around him

“People in love are fascinating!” A line accompanied by a shot of two butterflies, implying the fragility of this situation and the clinical manner in which Maki is approaching it. He wants to capture and study them like bugs

“I was often the boy girls confessed their problems to. That’s why I found myself following so many real-life romance stories.” Maki is a very intriguing character

So he’s basically a romance voyeur. This sequence in his private theater makes the butterfly metaphor explicit

“Now I can tell that you like Nanami as well.” Maki is certainly far more emotionally intelligent than Yuu. It remains to be seen whether he’ll use this skill for good or evil

And Done

Well, that was an unexpected development! Who would have guessed the one to push Yuu into engaging more honestly with her feelings would be this kinda creepy dude who sees romance as a spectator sport. Maki is a strange and interesting character, and I look forward to seeing how he influences the plot – to be honest, I’m not sure Yuu by herself would ever get anywhere, so it’s probably a good thing she now has someone with a little more emotional acuity in her corner. Aside from that, this episode was definitely more workmanly than the first three, as it had to concern itself with a whole bunch of dramatically neutral setup for future conflicts. It wasn’t a highlight, but it laid plenty of necessary groundwork, establishing potential conflicts for over half of the cast. Bring on the next episode!

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