上伊那ぼたん、酔へる姿は百合の花

Ok wow this ep was a vibe. I really like the more mature character designs and all the different outfits too. Akane zoning out and lost in her own world, with the band music playing in the background was nice. Seems like she might be thinking of going pro but it's going to be hard without a serious band. Yaeka, being the supportive wife that she is, notices that something is off and pulls Akane aside. Too bad Akane isn't really the communicative type, which might be a set up for future conflict. I'm a fan of their old married couple energy though, just look at her . Chin-Lan be asking the question everyone wants to know: What do you mean Botan and Ibuki still not dating yet??! Pretty sure they both know that they like each other in a very non-platonic way. Seems like Chin-Lan is trying to help Gujou in her own way. Outdoors drinking date outdoors at the place from the concept trailer . Ibuki and Botan are still stepping around the elephant in the room. That "Trust me" though, does this mean Botan will confess first? No Gujou this ep, she's still taking a bath. Chin-Lan focused ED this time, and it's yet another lesbian awakening story. Really curious about Ibuki's and Botan's EDs, they're clearly saving them for last.

I found this episode to have a strong undercurrent of sadness/melancholy. Botan is seriously worried about something. She did not really "seem herself" much of the time -- and we have no clear idea other than it involves Ibuki. And that last scene felt a bit ominous. And it's also not "alls well" with Akane. It really seems like her band is starting to crumble. But she does not want to mention this even to Yaeka apparently. Lots of songs in the background here -- and somehow the tone these set also felt unsettling to me. We ended up on the very western edge of Tokyu here. Hikawa Gorge on the Tama river. We've been nearby in a previous anime -- at the Ogouichi Dam area (I forget WHICH show, alas). Yet another great ED mini-story, In terms of sheer visual appeal this season, this show is up with Agents and Awajima. Just plain relentlessly beautiful looking. 😉

I found this episode to have a strong undercurrent of sadness/melancholy. Botan is seriously worried about something. She did not really "seem herself" much of the time -- and we have no clear idea other than it involves Ibuki. She dodged Chin-Lans question by talking about the whiskey. Specifically saying that it hits with an orange aroma and a slightly bitter aftertaste. Something this show does a lot is not say things directly. I interpret that as Botan talking about relationships. Which makes me wonder if she has been in one previously which ended on a bitter note. And now she's overly cautious about starting a new relationship. She's realizing that she's falling for Ibuki but is scared to take that step. That's my interpretation

Botan is seriously worried about something. She did not really "seem herself" much of the time -- and we have no clear idea other than it involves Ibuki. My read on it is with the whole her talking about the "orange aroma and bitter aftertaste" is that she is just afraid of changing the status quo. They are in the sweet period, and she is afraid of reaching the bitter aftertaste if that makes sense.

Awajima mention!!! 😭 And I agree this episode was just slightly unnerving. There's obviously something bothering Akane and Botan but the latter's case is the most unsettling and I'm glad they're finally shining a spotlight on it because like we know about Ibuki's trauma with her hiccups and Gujo's romantic angst and Akane's fears of the future but if you think about it what do we know about Botan? I don't think she has even gotten an ED to her past. Why's she stalling with Ibuki? Good thing it seems they are in fact going to address that this season

Chin-Lan be asking the question everyone wants to know always the foreigners with no respect for the local culture! Communication? Suggesting to maybe being forward? She almost tainted botan irreversibly, but luckily botan managed to resist just in time. Outdoors drinking date outdoors at the place from the concept trailer Also most certainly the place from the key visual . Clearly the core sequence so far.

Akane zoning out and lost in her own world, with the band music playing in the background was nice. Seems like she might be thinking of going pro but it's going to be hard without a serious band. Those moments where all deigetic sound faded to let the insert songs play really felt like putting you in Akane's headspace. She's physically there with them but in reality she's thinking of other things. I'm not a musician but I really related to that.

Akane zoning out and lost in her own world, with the band music playing in the background was nice. Seems like she might be thinking of going pro but it's going to be hard without a serious band. Yaeka, being the supportive wife that she is, notices that something is off and pulls Akane aside. Too bad Akane isn't really the communicative type, which might be a set up for future conflict. I'm a fan of their old married couple energy though, just look at her. I love how supportive Yaeka is and how hard she notices. Still, this was a "m*le on stream" moment wasn't it? She was the only girl in that band which is a bit weird for this anime's genre.

This artstyle makes some of the facial expressions seem a bit more suggestive or sultry at times, like it made certain looks seem to have more meaning or something. Like with Chin-Lan and Botan's interactions, and the way Chin-Lan asking Botan out to go drinking, I think the way their scenes and the whole sort of secretive nature about the arrangement with Botan texting Akane, the directing had this naughtiness to it for a lack of a better word, maybe suggestive is still the more fitting word lol.  Chin-Lan asking Ibuki plainly was interesting, and I'm glad Botan decided to open up. I was trying to read Chin-Lan, but I'm guessing she was thinking more about Gujou, rather than her own interest in Botan.  I'm glad we got more of a look into Akane, I feel like I understood Chin-Lan's character more than I did hers, so I appreciated the first half being more of her. It sucks her bandmates aren't into it as much as she is.  The ED was cute, I like how Chin-Lan was jealous of her sister's girlfriend, but in the end they were able to get close with their mutual interest being their love for her sister.

I swear every episode makes me feel like I'm watching something really special.. It makes me feel like I'm watching certain movies from the 90s. The characters are so multi faceted with how it shows they actually have lives and things they dealing with outside of the main plot of the story. Stuff you normally just don't see in a anime. Chin is cute but really need to move her focus. Could very easily make things more complicated for Boton and Ibuki. I feel like there is more I want to say about this series but just can't put into woods. I will say it does put me in a weird mood depending on the episode. Really something amazing that it can reach past just being another random anime series you watch. For a moment there I thought Akane was going ask her to go to a hotel. I've never read the manga so no clue what it is like so dunno how much this is all the manga and how much it is how the anime is being done itself. Btw don't they get drunk way to fast? Like one sip and they are already buzzed/drunk. I also really like how it uses music in the show.

It feels like I'm watching art, which feels super pretentious to say, but what else could it be? Every episode It feels like everyone from the writer to the director to the composers are amazing at what they do, it makes me feel incredibly grateful. Then the episode is over and like, who do I recommend this to? How? "Hey, you see, this show is about lesbians being vague to eachother, but you should really watch it because everyone who made it really loves you" , its unbearable.

the direction this episode is super understated and chill yeah, i think there's a lot of more subtle "reading between the lines" on this episode rather than the impressionistic almost dream-like stuff we've seen earlier ( which peaked in the absinthe episode ) like, a lot about Akane's headspace is shown without much internal monologue; we get what she's concerned about (her shiftless bandmates, her career prospects, how this has happened before, etc.) with relevant dialogue, facial expressions, knowing glances, and text messages

Eyecatch 1 | Eyecatch 2 When Chin-Lan asked Botan if she was dating Ibuku , and then later asked if they could be alone , I was really hoping she was gonna ask Botan some advice about Kanade. I guess nothing happened after that tense scene last week since Chin-Lan was more worried about Botan and Ibuki's relationship. While I do love the scene between Botan and Ibuki by the river , and how amazing the vibes were of that final scene. I was worried about Botan walking towards the water while buzzed. That's how people suddenly go missing, you know!

I was really hoping she was gonna ask Botan some advice about Kanade. I guess nothing happened after that tense scene last week since Chin-Lan was more worried about Botan and Ibuki's relationship. Nah, after saying this, she had a flashback to what Gujo said last episode. She is more worried about Gujo and want Botan and Ibuki to get together to basically free her from her suffering. At least that how I read it.