Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be diving back into Oregairu’s final season, where when we last left off, Sensei had finally stepped in to help guide our severely mixed-up protagonist. Both Hachiman and Yukino have been laboring under Haruno’s prognosis of “codependency” all season, assuming that their implicit methods of supporting each other were in some way fundamentally childish or unhealthy.
Of course, what Haruno is actually describing is “friendship” and “mutual trust,” concepts which are undoubtedly foreign to her world, but which are nonetheless healthy aspects of any developed social life. In truth, the only thing holding Hachiman and Yukino back is their own insecurity; they’ve actually discovered the sincere bonds they were seeking, they just don’t have enough faith in their feelings to believe it. Hopefully that push from Sensei will provide Hachiman with the confidence he needs, as our long-suffering service club members only have two episodes left to sort things out. Let’s get to it!
Episode 11
I wonder what word or phrase they’re translating as “codependency,” and if it has a more common or universal usage in Japan. It feels like such a specific preoccupation to build a season around that I have to wonder if this drama scans more coherently in Japanese
“To me you are the most amazing student.” I have to imagine so. For all of his insecurities, faulty assumptions, and flattering misconceptions, Hachiman is still likely her only student that she can talk frankly with about the perils of premature self-actualization, and the byzantine social codes of adolescence. Most of her students are likely too unconsciously embedded in these systems to meaningfully discuss them
At the same time, Sensei can only find him this relatable because she herself isn’t that mature yet, and still feels somewhat bound by high school’s expectations herself
This is a point where the line between Oregairu’s genuine characterization and authorial perspective gets dicey, as light novels don’t tend to contain convincing adult characters – they contain simulacrums of adults as they are understood by teenagers, without the wisdom or poise of genuine maturity. The fact that Sensei gets misty-eyed about Hachiman’s juvenile issues, or blushes when he gets serious, could theoretically be meaningful markers of her own protracted adolescence, but are more likely simply catering to this series’ intended audience of teenagers
“If you don’t think one word will do, use lots of words. If you don’t think words will suffice, pair them up with actions.” Hachiman tends to consider his emotional problems in terms of “perfect solutions,” but Sensei understands that perspective to be the foolish pretense of someone who’s too young to accept messiness as inevitable. Use your words, use your actions, use whatever it takes – there are no perfect endings, there’s only what you choose to seize with your own hands, so stop overthinking it and do something
“I’ll inflict enough damage to this bogus relationship to shatter it, and at least make one part of it genuine.” God damnit Hachiman. What do you think an “honest friendship” even is? Do you truly think sincere love and affection are incompatible with social pretense? We can’t all just go around spewing our heart’s truth every five seconds, the world’s too- goddamnit, they’ve got me My Dinner with Andre-ing this friggin’ episode
Yui once again getting all the good shots as she waits by the school gates, radiant in late-afternoon sunlight
“Are you really okay with how things are?” And before he can even finish a word, “Think about it and answer properly.” This is too important to let him escape with his usual evasions – and at this point, Yui knows just how to handle Hachiman, and when he’s trying to deflect
The music cuts out entirely for Hachiman’s response, emphasizing the stillness of the moment, like he’s offering his final answer for the show as a whole
“I’ve accepted all the reasons for the club to end. I think it’s good that it’s ending.” For a brief moment, Yui gets the emotional go-ahead to put her own feelings first, but then Hachiman interrupts her with a tragic “but there’s one thing I’m not content with”
Oh my god, amazing. Hachiman briefly slips into his self-important dark knight routine with some melodramatic “the responsibility is mine” bullshit, and then actually slaps himself out of it. We’ve come a long way from season one Hachiman!
“I don’t want to stop associating with her. That’s what I can’t accept.” Much better. Rather than couch his feelings in ten levels of “I won’t accept this philosophical defeat,” he plainly admits that he just wants to keep spending time with Yukino
And Yui’s eyes widen, as she presumably surrenders her last hopes of being with Hikki
“Come on, Hikki, the real problem here is that you’re not trying to communicate!” How does Yui put up with these two
“I think the day will come when I can communicate my feelings properly. But you don’t have to wait for that.” And Hikki lets her down in turn, leading into a showpiece sequence of character acting from Yui, as she wavers between genuine happiness for Hikki, grief at losing him, and a courageous strong front to deny her sorrow
Yui leans back into the bench in a very familiar pose – that specific relief of having passed through a disappointment you knew was coming, but were still hoping to avoid
“No tears came out, because I’d already cried so many.” Aw Yui
Meanwhile, Iroha is busy interrogating the collaborators from Hachiman’s dummy prom
He’s going to actually hold the joint prom, and use it as his method for reuniting with Yukino? Seems that way
“Even if I don’t do it properly, I should see it through to the end. Otherwise my feelings will smolder forever.” You might think I’m crazy for saying this, but I don’t think he’s talking about his burning passion for hosting a beach-themed joint prom
Haruno takes the role of her mother’s champion, attesting that the family will lose face if the prom they were against is allowed to continue
Just as Yukino’s prom seemed to be a proxy vehicle for the family accepting her ambitions, so is Hachiman’s prom turning out to be a proxy for her family accepting him, as well
And Haruno makes this explicit: “Do you really know what it means to get involved in our family matters?”
As the discussion veers towards Yukino’s own feelings about hosting or supporting this event, her old rapport with Hachiman reemerges. He baits her by talking about how impossible it is and how unequipped he is to handle the responsibility, and she responds directly with “you’re baiting me”
“Please save me.” And so he echoes her request from the second season. A crucial step, emphasizing that he wants an equal relationship with Yukino, not one where he’s “protecting” her from the responsibilities of the world
“It felt terrifying seeing my family get coaxed along like that.” After a lifetime of fearing her mother, watching Hachiman charm her within a couple PTA meetings must be a strange feeling
“Why did you say something so absurd?” “That was the only way I could stay associated with you.” Some honesty at last!
“It’s more like, I want that responsibility. Or rather, I want you to let me have it.” Oh my god these two. Well, I think that’s the closest we’ll get to a proposal out of our dude
“Allow me the privilege of distorting your life.” What a wonderfully Hachiman confession
“I’ll give you anything and everything. So please let me be involved in your life.” He’s getting better by the minute!
Gosh, they’re so cute. This season has been one long agony of totally misguided insecurity, so it’s such a joy to see them being awkwardly earnest together again
And Done
By jove, they’ve done it. It took three seasons of constant bickering and begrudging collaboration and slowly building trust, but Hachiman and Yukino have at last confessed their feelings to each other. To be honest, I could have done without almost this entire season’s injections of seemingly artificial drama, but that last scene was so endearing and so true to their characters that I’ll forgive the show anyway. These two have spent so much time feeling morose and fatalistic that I almost forgot what charming dorks they are; and with just one episode left, I’m looking forward to seeing them embarrass themselves and everyone else for one final victory lap. Bring on the finale!
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