What is an adult? What does it mean to grow up?
I guess the reason why I find this episode painfully boring is the fact that the characters stopped appreciating the simply joys of life. I guess that is one of the perks of being a chuni. The fact that they see the world in vivid imagery, giving meaning to every bit of existence, no matter how small it is.
What doesn’t exist, does not exist.
Truly, Yuuta couldn’t have said it better. And truthfully, I agree. However, this episode just shows how hard Yuuta is in trying to reinforce his beliefs about reality to the point that his logic is flawed. Concepts and ideals are metaphysical existences yet humanity cannot exist without them. Even the vision of an “adult” can be no different from someone suffering an 8th grader syndrome. For instance, people cling and believe on the existence of a God. The existence of religion may even be called an adult’s 8th grader syndrome.
The same with hopes and dreams. Ambition. I find it hard to imagine an individual working his/her ass off without even a goal in life. For instance, does Touka see herself as an established chef after her training overseas? How does that differ from an individual who believes that he/she controls the power of darkness? How different is this from a teenager believing that common marbles are magical stones or that wearing an eye-patch suppresses one’s power?
In the end, how does one know what is right from wrong? What is it that we should be doing? Or better yet, who decides what is good for us?
I remembered a dilemma of my friend asking if he should drop his optimism in order to face his reality. In that, I wonder, is he asking this because this is what he wants to do or is this something that his situation called for?
I’m not saying this episode sucked. While I admit that the pacing was boring (I’m not too fond of dramas), the message that the episode conveyed hit home. It was a well-thought development; The realization of characters, the clash of ideals and beliefs, the truth that we have to face. And amidst all that, the child that hopes. The child that exists in everyone of us who hopes that someday, we realize the beauty that we experience every day.
As with the rest who awes at KyoAni, let’s be biased, why the fuck do they execute dramatic moments so well? They pick a good seiyuu cast, delivers good animation quality, and executes these elements flawlessly. Though yeah, that shit called Endless Eight is still there, I just can’t ignore how damn powerful these guys are if they decide to get serious.
And like with the rest of the bloggers, I too wish they don’t fuck up this series with a bad ending or a sad one. Honestly, Christmas is just around the corner! I want to celebrate it by being reminded of a good ending with this series!
BLOG: Where stupid ideas run wild! 
Dec 14, 2012 @ 06:36:30
Well, as someone who has seen this kind of drama played out badly in real life, I do hope they don’t make this a sad or bad ending either. Well, next episode is the end (OVA extra material notwithstanding). Fingers crossed, I think it will be a happy one :p.
Dec 15, 2012 @ 22:47:57
It’s a bit sad to know that reality is cruel. Everyone has dreams. Everyone had dreams. But almost none of those dreams could ever be fulfilled. Life comes in and steals the show, and what can we even do about it?
Dec 16, 2012 @ 16:06:06
Slice of life anime have always been a reflection of reality. That there are things that won’t always go along your way. But even so, I bet some of us, who struggles to keep our own realities in check, would wish to see a happy end. We may be pessimistic or hopeless irl but perhaps, deep inside, we still crave for hope. A reality where things would go well, if not for us then for others. Even if such existences are fictional.