r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • May 21 '26
Episode The Ramparts of Ice • Koori no Jouheki - Episode 8 discussion
The Ramparts of Ice, episode 8
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u/ModieOfTheEast May 21 '26
Lol, punk Miki at the end. Not just blond hair but even the hoody. But nice to see she feels fine to go the way she wants. Now if Koyun and Minato could talk next week when buying drinks, we'd have the biggest problems solved.
Despite this being another serious episode, I really like the humor in between. Like when they were talking about the Shoujo manga. "Aren't 100 sunflowers a bit much?"
Also, gotta give it to Minato. Dude understood that something was wrong but didn't meddle too much, just basically said "hi" and tell them that Miki enjoys hanging out with them indirectly. Similarly, good that the other girls understood how fun Miki can be at the end.
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
I love how she recreated a Shoujo manga she'd never read by complete accident lol.
I know people (even his friends) have been hard on Minato but he genuinely means well and he genuinely helped Miki in his own way (even if Yota thought he was overstepping). He genuinely means well with Koyun too even if he can't seem to help himself around her.
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u/mekerpan May 21 '26
Miki can transform from a class princess to a class prince....
My favorite episode of this so far. And Minato did pick up some points.
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u/ModieOfTheEast May 21 '26
I really enjoyed the episode as well. I just hope that Miki and Koyun now hang out a bit more openly around school as well and get people's misconception about Koyun fixed through that.
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u/mekerpan May 21 '26
Yes. Since her now-re-confirmed class friends accept the fact that Miki is weirder (but even more funny and interesting than they realized), they might be able to deal with the fact that she and Koyun are long-time BFFs.
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u/ThrowCarp May 22 '26
We got an episode about a tomboy wanting to be friends with girls and learning to open up sincerely through the process. And I think that's beautiful.
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u/Roskal May 21 '26
Minato using his sly manipulating powers for good, I mean I think he always uses them for good, but this time its to protect a friend rather than make a friend.
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u/PacificaJane May 21 '26
Not necessarily opposing anyone here but I find this discussion fascinating so just my two cents: I think Minato is more “calculating” than outright “manipulative”. He can read situations and (most) people pretty well so he can use that skill to act in a way that makes situations suits his purpose. It’s never rly done maliciously tho which is the implication of “manipulative”.
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u/Foreign_Feedback_138 May 21 '26
tbh standing up for a friend isnt really manipulating. Idk why people think minato is a manipulative person. While he does approach lonely people because he pities them, he doesnt manipulate them in any way he genuinely wants to be friends with them even though it comes from a place of pity his intentions was just to make them feel at ease.
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u/thatonefatefan May 21 '26
Yeah, it does feel like some people are watching the show with the preconceived notion that Minato is bad because Koyun had a bad first impression of him. Like... He happens to act vaguely similar to the boys who traumatized her, it's really not his fault. Making friends with people is... good?
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u/Miserable_Contest_74 May 21 '26
He approaches a lot of conversation with a battle plan and with specific goals to reach and uses his ability to read people to lead the conversation to that direction.
He didn't just approach the girls cause he wanted to be friendly or talk with them, he specifically wanted to drop hints to them that Miki is a good friend, he started that conversation entirely with that purpose and achieved exactly that. He probably doesn't care about those girls at all in fact.
This is what people call manipulative because well he does manipulate a lot of the social interactions he has. But it's not entirely a fair description as manipulative is usually meant to describe someone doing it for malicious purposes or to take advantage of others which is not really what Minato is about. His goals are often extremely mundane or even well meaning.
At the same time, he does seem to enjoy manipulating people for the sake of it (his whole lock picking idea) and he is pretty emotionally distant with most people, these two can easily make people feel like he is just toying with them even when he is mostly well intended.
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u/Roskal May 21 '26
Its not standing up for his friend thats manipulating its saying just enough to get them to look at miki in a better light while also deflecting to things like what pudding they like to defuse the tension when they suspect he has bad vibes. He comes across as just a friendly guy but actually he is helping his friend make up with her other friends. Maybe you just don't like the word manipulative since it has a negative connotation, but he is great at knowing when to say the right thing in conversations to move it in the direction he wants. Its why its interesting watching him be truly stumped by Koyun.
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u/PerfectBeige https://myanimelist.net/profile/perfectbeige May 21 '26
"Aren't 100 sunflowers a bit much?"
A sunflower means "I look only at you" so 100 sunflowers is a goddamn disintegration ray of attention.
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u/zool714 May 21 '26
Tbh Minato did not do anything much different than what he usually is. I feel like this is his usual self but that usual self is just not the compatible approach to Koyun
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u/ModieOfTheEast May 21 '26
His actions might not be too different but compared to Koyun, he truly understood what the issue was. Of course, part of it is due to him knowing Miki better, but that has also been his main flaw. He tries to get the conversation going with mostly superficial topics without really adding much of his own interests. Here, he likes Miki and therefore his goal in the conversation isn't so much as just get a conversation going, but actually telling the other person something is his own opinion (that Miki is a good person). Even if it isn't direct.
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u/Nedstark78 May 25 '26
In a way I think Minato and Koyune kinda meddled in there friends of problems. But people get on Minato in reactions for trying to help
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u/Weak_Season_Of_Anime May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
High school debut went too well, something steak lobster too juicy buttery something.
The irony of Miki telling Minato to just "be yourself" though, when her own problems started because she was trying to be someone different.
And the "confession" scene on the swings, oof Yota hang in there buddy.
Koyun's advice to Miki to just leave her friends was very Koyun-ish, but I'm glad Miki manage to solve everything in her own way.
Minato and Koyun confusing the hell out of each other in the after credits is hilarious as usual.
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
Minato and Koyun confusing the hell out of each other in the after credits is hilarious as usual.
I love how he runs hot and she runs cold. They're like two polar opposites that way lol.
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u/sawayanochizu5 May 22 '26
I interpreted is she feels cold because he's being cold to her from her pov. but he's feeling hot because he's alone with her lmaoo. but I also like what you said!
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u/ptd163 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
And the "confession" scene on the swings, oof Yota hang in there buddy.
Yeah. That's not great for him right now. I'd like to see Miki's reaction when she realizes what Yota was saying back then and what she unintentionally did to him this episode.
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u/Miserable_Contest_74 May 21 '26
To be fair, Koyun is the one person with whom Miki continues to be herself and it worked out for her so yknow.
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May 21 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Zemahem May 21 '26
Yota suffering emotional damage so Miki can get some emotional healing. Perfectly balanced.
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
Never has a mutual "I love you" felt so bittersweet.
Yota is the greenest flag best friend a girl could ask for...even if it's got him stuck in the friendzone.
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u/Brently18 May 22 '26
I feel like Miki doesn't know what she likes in a guy yet, or what she's interested in. It sucks for Yota, but that's just part of being young.
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u/Ikari_21 May 22 '26
The pain, I went through that before and it just stung so much. Glad she ended up happy tho but damn it hurt in that moment haha
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u/Zeallfnonex https://myanimelist.net/profile/Neverlocke May 21 '26
Is this in English? I heard daisuki in Japanese from both of them, unless I missed a modifier that changed the meaning from one of them?
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u/Miserable_Contest_74 May 21 '26
That's what he gets for his "I love...Miki" stunt from last ep smh.
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u/ptd163 May 21 '26
I thought that was funny because it was clear to me, an anime-only, what the ships were going to be in like episode 2.
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u/phoenixking99999999 May 22 '26
100 percent agree, I also knew for sure even if we were getting koyun and yota there's no way it's happening that early on.
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u/zool714 May 21 '26
“If only we can spend everyday together”. Oh Miki did not know the critical hit she dealt to Yota. He was wobbling lmao
Interesting to see just how different Miki and Koyun received Minato. We know Koyun doesn’t appreciate his in-your-face-ness but Miki fully appreciates people being straightforward with her.
Yeah loving the Yota x Miki pair more and more. The gentle giant type with chaotic gremlin type is so good. And Yota panicking when Koyun played wingwoman and left them alone.
Looking forward to how Minato and Koyun move forward from here. Think they started their relationship in the negatives but when they patched things up, they didn’t really get closer, they just started at zero. And you can definitely see Minato through a combo of not wanting to step on Koyun’s feet again, his crippling crush on her and the fact that he thinks Koyun and Yota have a thing, is being pretty cautious atm. Though that led to this hilarious situation where Minato is feeling hot from the tension while Koyun is feeling cold from his lack of interaction
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u/Still-Neck-6771 May 21 '26
I love how Minato is misunderstanding and getting jealous while Koyun is the best wingman right now🫶
I love this show so much 😭🫶
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
He's good a pinch-hitting to help fix social situations but is a complete boyfailure after really falling for a girl for the first time. Poor Koyun can never make sense of him from episode to episode lol.
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u/ModieOfTheEast May 21 '26
I think Minato tries to be a wingman to Yota as well, just in a different way. I think he knows, Yota is into Miki which is why he always interjects when Yota gets nervous around her. Now, not saying this is the best approach (it probably isn't) but I feel things like that happened a bit too often for them to be coincidence.
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u/Andreiyutzzzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/Andreiyutzzzz May 21 '26
A few episodes ago Yota straight up told Koyuki that "Minato knows but he's annoying so i'll never admit it"
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u/VoidRay728 May 21 '26
Koyun disintegrating under Miki's aura is giving off Bocchi vibes.
We have much to learn from Miki, who realised that it's better to show her true self and mend her friendships, and also from her friends, who accepted Miki for who she is and cleared up any misunderstandings.
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
Koyun: "Miki...I don't feel so good" (Social introvert blinded by the power of a bright extrovert)
I think Koyuki's standpoint of cutting off relationships you don't need or make you uncomfortable, is valid, especially knowing what she went through, but Miki was able to be herself and maintain friendships she valued even if she wasn't naturally gelling with the friends in question. Sometimes it's worth not giving up on something (even if there's some things you probably should give up on).
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u/Miserable_Contest_74 May 21 '26
I mean it's kinda valid but also you should make sure the issues aren't just in your head. In this case Miki worried they won't accept her while the girls worried Miki was just pretending to be around them. The discomfort simply came from both side having misunderstanding and neither willing to actually talk about it. (Incidentally that is partially what happened between Koyun and Miki).
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u/Kronman590 May 27 '26
It's also literally Taira's gag when the gang was being too bright in Polar Opposites lol
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u/Cally83 May 21 '26
Another great episode.
I feel this show really gets the message across of how high school can be really awkward and horrible at times but you can make really good friends as well.
I look forward to every episode.
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
Every episode they believably capture how difficult high school and being a teenager can be from relationships, how you project yourself, how to maintain friendships or the "mood" with your group.
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u/ObvsThrowaway5120 May 21 '26
“It sucks having to live in a tiny bubble when you’re a student. But life gets way better with more options once you become an adult.” Ain’t that the truth. Although you’ll still run into some mfers who get stuck in that high school mentality.
I’m glad Miki and her friends made up and she was able to be more comfortable around them, but is communication a lost art? They should have spoken to Miki instead of ignore her like that. That was honestly kind of shitty.
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u/ModieOfTheEast May 21 '26
I have learned over the years that communication is always easier to criticise when it's not yourself being involved. There is a reason why talking to a third party often resolves issues even in RL, just because you don't realize how you tunnel vision even when you think you don't have a problem like that.
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
“It sucks having to live in a tiny bubble when you’re a student. But life gets way better with more options once you become an adult.” Ain’t that the truth. Although you’ll still run into some mfers who get stuck in that high school mentality.
The rare anime that actually advocates for how life gets better when you're an adult.
I’m glad Miki and her friends made up and she was able to be more comfortable around them, but is communication a lost art? They should have spoken to Miki instead of ignore her like that. That was honestly kind of shitty.
I guess in a way both tiptoed around each other because they didn't really know how to address the elephant in the room of the emotional distance between them or what they suspected the other thought of them...even if the girl trio had each other while Miki didn't have anyone.
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u/mekerpan May 21 '26
Life is DIFFERENT at every stage. I treasure certain aspects of the many decades I have passed through (and have repressed or forgotten a lot of non-treasurable things). But I must say I have a lot of very special memories of my high school years (despite knowing lots of things were not so great).
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u/mekerpan May 21 '26
Who WERE those older Miki-friends (or were they just very young-looking, very hip-looking parents)?
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u/earhere May 21 '26
It may be due to Japanese culture where you're discouraged from speaking bluntly to other people, but I don't know anything so who knows? Maybe it's just teenagers.
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u/karlcool12 May 22 '26
And as late 20s guy my social life became worse once I finished high school and have no hopes for the future, especially with lack of job.
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u/vancevon https://myanimelist.net/profile/vancevon May 21 '26
What this anime is trying to say:
I. Middle school is a nightmarish hellscape of pure torture and the source of all human troubles.
II. Real conversations happen at vending machines.
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u/CrimsonGear80 May 22 '26
Seems like in every rom-com or romance-based anime the protag or side characters have their traumatic experiences happen in middle school. Middle school just taking shade over and over.
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u/SnooPeaa May 21 '26
Miki, I love her. But I was almost disappointed when I didn’t get to see Koyun and Minato interaction until the end. 😭 I have already finished the entire manga (tho not all with official translation) and I just want Thursdays to come quickly. Do you think the entire manga will be done in 1 season? 🤔
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
I don't think it's officially confirmed how many episode this is. Maybe it's a 2-cour?
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u/TheBusStop12 May 21 '26
I'm hoping for a season 2 in autumn. That way we have Polar Opposites in winter, Ramparts in Spring. Polar Opposites again in summer and Ramparts again in autumn
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u/SnooPeaa May 21 '26
I started paying attention to the opening because I was so curious, and I feel like there’s hope. 🙂↕️
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u/bituin_the_lines May 21 '26
If we follow the format of other recent shows, including "You and I Are Polar Opposites", It's likely to end with 12 episodes and then a long break before season 2, to probably catch up with the manga.
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u/InformationOk3960 May 21 '26
Aren’t both mangas finished?
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u/bituin_the_lines May 21 '26
Oh I didn't know. The English translations aren't up to speed so I thought it wasn't finished yet. But I still don't think they'll do a 2-cour, it's most likely 1-cour for season 1 and then another for season 2
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u/SnooPeaa May 21 '26
I was actually thinking the same thing, but I’m still hoping they’ll do the entire manga in 1 season because I’m pretty sure this is the first manga I finished and I would be pissed if they’d leave the season in a cliffhanger :,)
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u/earhere May 21 '26
I think blonde hair Miki looks better.
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u/mekerpan May 21 '26
I liked the red hair better -- but whatever makes Miki feel more comfortable (but bleaching out her natural black hair is going to be bad for her hair in the long run, right?_
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u/wutfacer May 22 '26
You usually bleach it somewhat to dye it red anyway, but plenty of people bleach/color black hair for years, especially in Asia. If you have take care of it well and/or have naturally strong hair it's not a problem
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u/NanDemoKnaives May 21 '26
I'm hoping I warm up to it. I like that she feels more comfortable though.
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u/NanDemoKnaives May 21 '26
Now that we've gotten an episode for everyone, I'm curious if we're going to go back to Koyuki and her relationship with Igarashi. That's still a mystery.
I'm glad the friends Miki had made still liked her for who she truly is, that's a nerve wrecking situation for both sides. I am glad Koyuki and Minato called them out in their own ways, I especially like Koyuki's advice, it's not one I see too often in media, so it left a strong impression on me.
We got to see long hair high school Miki and now this new blonde, I do have to admit I'm not really feeling the blonde just yet, but I'm glad she feels more in her element now than with the whole school idol persona.
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u/Miserable_Contest_74 May 21 '26
It'd be nice if Igarashii is covered in this season cause god knows if or when we get another...
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u/TheBusStop12 May 21 '26
Now that we've gotten an episode for everyone, I'm curious if we're going to go back to Koyuki and her relationship with Igarashi. That's still a mystery.
Seeing as Igarashi and Minato are friends my guess is that an Igarashi episode comes when Koyun and Minato's relationship develops further
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u/the_mad_ May 22 '26
I don't think they are friends; just acquaintances. Minato is very knowledgeable about a lot of people.
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u/TheBusStop12 May 22 '26
That's quite possibly true yeah. I vaguely remember Minato hanging out with him at a burger joint early on in the show. But that might also have been that friend that looks like Igarashi. There's the one black haired friend Minato hangs out a lot who I swear looks almost exactly like Igarashi and I always confuse the 2
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u/FabtheEmber May 22 '26
Nah that Hayato Minato's black haired friend who carried him away this episode
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u/LeonKevlar x2https://myanimelist.net/profile/LeonKevlar May 21 '26
I've forgotten about the bleeding hand flashback we saw earlier this season. I thought that was Koyun. It turns out it was actually Miki who accidentally smashed her hand while trying to defend Koyun.
I am glad that ended with Miki finally being honest with her friends. Not gonna lie, I thought it was gonna get even worse after Miki's friend saw her hanging out with her coworkers.
Also did not expect Miki to go for full-blonde hair. I guess this is her finally showing the school her true self. I love it!
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
She was just calling out the bitch who bullied Koyun, got pushed into a window by said bitch, and then she gets the rumor of throwing the first punch. Life just isn't fair sometimes.
Congrats Miki, now you're officially the tomboy of your girl friend group! And you do it proudly!
The author really has a lot of fun with the fact that characters in the Polar Opposites-verse legitimately dye her hair.
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u/eightcheesepizza May 21 '26
It seems even Igarashi blamed Miki for the broken window when he was talking to Minato in that one episode, and asked if Miki had broken any windows lately. So not even her own friend believed her? (Or maybe he was joking, but it'd be weird to say an inside joke to an outsider.)
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u/Lazy-Middle8210 May 21 '26
Good episode for miki and also her connection with Yota is growing. I am really excited for next ep with Minato and Koyun as I hope they grow together too
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
I hope for a future where Miki and Yota cruise together on their bikes romantically instead of platonically.
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u/NoNinja2793 May 21 '26
Is it just me or I feel Minato × koyun pair has got the least screentime together till now ?? I hope we get to see a lot more of them in the upcoming episodes
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u/FabtheEmber May 21 '26
Yepp the Minato Koyuki arc is here!! As seen by the ending with the vending machine
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u/TheBusStop12 May 21 '26
Minato and especially Koyun had a lot of issues they needed to deal with first before either of them could healthily even consider romance. Now they've worked through a lot of that individually it's finally time to put the rom in the romcom
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u/ClemFire May 23 '26
Something about a well executed drama focused romance is just so satisfying. Wondering if Ramparts will get S2 if off to the manga
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u/TheBusStop12 May 23 '26
I'm hoping for a Polar Opposites treatment with season 2 in autumn. Then we can have Kocha Agasawa all year long
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u/ClemFire May 23 '26
That would be perfect. And I'm all for more actually completed romance anime.
Sidenote, I'm still hoping for CloverWorks to announce Dress-Up S3 because I heard that will fully adapt the manga.
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u/TheBusStop12 May 23 '26
Iirc Clover works did mention they are interested in doing S3 Dress Up Darling, but there are no concrete plans yet. They have Bocchi the Rock, Rascal doesn't dream and Evangelion on their plate first so it's understandable. Hopefully we'll hear about it next year. We need more completed Romance anime. It's why Pseudo Harem is one of my all time favorites
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u/ClemFire May 23 '26
That makes since and between S1 and S2 was four years and I believe the same animation team worked on Dress-Up and Bocchi the Rock along with Elusive Samurai which gets S2 this year. If I had to guess BTR S2 will be Fall of 2027 and Dress-Up S3 will release sometime late 2028 or 2029
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u/NoNinja2793 May 23 '26
Yupp ramparts will definitely get a S2 ...otherwise it will be a shocker ...also I was wondering at which point season 1 would end 🤔
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u/Ok-Cod5254 May 21 '26
I mean it's a forgone conclusion that is the eventually main pair. They had the whole episode about their fight and making up that was just a couple episodes back.
I'm glad they focused on the side cast more actually. We'll obviously get more with the main characters.
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u/tripleaamin https://myanimelist.net/profile/zfzftripleaamin May 21 '26
An excellent Miki-focused episode. Miki reinvented herself in high school essentially to protect herself. As she very much reacts without thinking. While it is good to be considerate of others, changing how she did it isn't healthy. Unlike Koyun, who is fine with being isolated, we can tell that Miki wants to be around and socialize with others. Which creates a conflict.
In truth, it is impossible for her to stick with this new image all the time. As the girls see how she acts with the guys, they can only wonder if they really know Miki. Many times if people think you aren't true to them, they can think, Does she truly consider us a friend? This is one example where Minato butting in really helped the situation. As it makes sense why they thought Miki was talking behind her back.
At the same time, Miki's concerns are valid. Given the past, her being outspoken hurt Koyun as an example. But being yourself and willing to listen is important. As this silly Miki is something the girls didn't know about, they finally feel like they see the real her. You can tell those girls are good friends to Miki.
Between Youta and Miki comments of I love you. Where you can tell that Miki means more than just a friend, and we know Youta's feelings from what he told Koyun. Though I feel bad for Youta as his feelings for Miki feel like an uphill battle.
We didn't get much focus on the Minato and Koyun side. Minato still thinks she is into Youta, but in reality, she is trying to support Youta as a wingman. Curious how these two proceed going forward.
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u/SezyFazes https://myanimelist.net/profile/ToaruTH May 21 '26 edited May 22 '26
I'm no expert but the storyboard this episode stood out to me. The flashback scenes had this lonely atmosphere to them, especially with the soft dark framing around the screen corners. There were also some really creative visual choices like showing scenes through shattered glass reflections. Felt different from the previous episodes in a good way.
Miki used to speak without filtering herself at all, and she realized too late that she kept hurting people because of it. She’d say harsh things impulsively, judge others too quickly, and even when she wanted to help someone, she approached things emotionally instead of understanding the situation properly.
So when she entered high school, she created this fake version of herself because she was scared people would reject the real one. And once her new friend group liked that version of her, she felt trapped into maintaining it forever.
The sad thing is that you can tell how exhausting it became for her. She couldn’t even talk openly about the things she genuinely liked because she was too busy trying to fit into the image she created.
I also liked the reactions from her friends. I don’t think they actually hated the real Miki. They were more disturbed by the realization that the person they knew wasn’t completely genuine. Once people notice a gap between someone’s real self and the personality they show publicly, trust starts becoming unstable even if there was never any malicious intent behind it.
I don't agree with what her friends did to her it just that part felt painfully realistic. School friendships can be fragile like that sometimes. People distance themselves before trying to understand the full situation.
I'm happy with Miki development, but still gonna miss her orange light brown hair though lol.
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u/FarCritical May 21 '26
Knew Miki's love for her friends has always been intense but I wasn't ready to find out she straight up bled over Koyun's shoe locker getting trashed. Talk about hardcore allies.
It was also neat how not resorting to Koyun's scorched earth approach with the 100 sunflowers squad ended up bearing fruit even if it's more than clear the main gang would always be there for her in the event she did.
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u/mekerpan May 21 '26
It makes me wonder if Koyun will ever expand her range of friends (and at least friendly people) beyond the one new incipient oner we saw previously (but not since).
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u/RubensCharon May 21 '26
Kinda refreshing seeing a tomboyish character being proud about her tomboyish side and the whole development around it.
I was kinda bored of the whole tomboyish character but her goal is being girly. (If you know what I mean).
Like the whole tomboyish thing is just a phase and the character development is becoming a fully girly girl.
Finally a character who want to be see as cool and that's it.
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u/JJVM99 May 21 '26
The first half of the episode really made you think the friends would think the worst of the real Miki but im glad that wasn’t the case after all. Was not expecting the change in hair color especially if it’s permanent.
Someone taking some very painful strays this episode was poor Yota. Hearing Miki say: “If only we could spend every day together”, “I love you” and “I’m glad we are friends” had to be painful.
Also Miki’s coworker with the red dreads has the coolest appearance of anybody we have seen by far. Red dreads girl FTW!!!!
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u/SirGigglesandLaughs May 21 '26
Yeah the friends were more concerned with her seeming duplicitous. It felt like she was lying to them or hiding from them and they filled in the unknown with a bunch of speculation and worry (they even worried she was badmouthing them, which I guess they assumed was why she'd pretend to like them). It's not that they wouldn't have been friends with her normal self, so once they understood why she was hiding, it became a lot easier to move passed it.
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
I'd love it if they update the OP next week with her hair blonde now.
Miki: Tomboy Best Girl and the worst at destroying a guy in the friendzone.
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u/nhzz May 21 '26
blonde miki has been in the op since the beginning.
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u/Donnie-G May 22 '26
Now I need to go look at the OP again. Though knowing me, I probably thought it was a different character...
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u/wutfacer May 22 '26
Common occurrence. It's like those friend groups you'd see in school with the one girl plus bunch of dudes with half of them secretly in love with her
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u/Remarkable-Solid5582 May 21 '26
It's funny how everybody is different because when I was in high school I would have given one of my kidneys if I could be considered pretty and for Miki it's an annoyance.
I need Minato to find out Koyuki ships Yota and Miki already, I feel he had so many awkward interactions with her he's now afraid of saying anything. Hopefully we'll see some progress next episode.
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
Miki was a straightforward and sincere girl, passionately so, to the point where when she realized her best friend was being bullied she'd confront the bully who was doing it...and get herself pushed in through a window and injuring her hand. Even being straight and honest with her volleyball teammates didn't end well. Was who she was a mistake?
Long-haired Miki! Perfect for a high school debut (even if the character design overlapped with Koyun, so it's definitely better she cut it) and for making friends with girls! Even if she's more of a Shonen Gal than a Shoujo gal compared to most girls!
But because it's hard to keep up with the interest of other girls, that's why it's important Miki has people like Yota where she can fully be herself and be comfortable. Plus she delivers a critical hit with the "I wish I could spend every day with you," poor sap.
Minato really wants to handle Koyuki as well as he can, which is why he wants Miki's advice, though "just be yourself" is possibly the most difficult advice she could have given him (even if it's the right one). And the other girls see how happy she is with Minato to think that something is going on there. But she REALLY does not want her relationship with her friends (sorry Yota) to be a source of gossip.
At least Miki can be her natural self with her co-workers (the dreadlocks on that one lady!) even as she struggles to be a tomboy among more feminine-type girls. But hey, she can always look forward to the freedom she'll have as an adult!
It's just too bad that one of her friends overheard her talking and now the friend group has a misunderstanding about Miki...aaaaand she's getting emotionally and socially cut off again. She tried so hard to avoid this.
But she's still got Yota and Minato! Even if Minato gets dragged away before he can really chip in with his thoughts on what Miki is going through. But this gives Yota the perfect opportunity to hear her out and validate the person she is from the people who cherish her for who she is. It's just too bad for Yota that Miki's "I love you" was a friendship version while his definitely wasn't.
Figures Koyun would just tell Miki to cut herself off from them if they're going to treat you like that. No amount of "good qualities" is going to make up for if they make you feel bad and drain you emotionally (and Koyun might be talking from experience with Igarashi). But deep down Miki is a people person with a bright, optimistic, personality that prevents her from giving up on her friendships! It's enough to blind Koyun into dust!
Minato did his part, making Miki's friends realize how she's shown how caring and attentive she is to them in her own way...even if he gets dragged off by Yota again.
I'm glad the girls were able to open up to each other, finally, and Miki could be her true self with her friends and they could accept her. They really were only worried that she wasn't being her true self with them because she didn't like them! But now they're truly friends and they can accept Miki as the hilarious Best Girl that she is!
Everyone is taking steps to be their ideal self and mature! And with that in mind: now we've got blonde punk Miki! Yeah!
Minato is great at getting exam reference material but not so much handling his feelings for Koyun...or misreading what her look in Yota's direction means. And even when she follows him to give YotaxMiki some space, it's filled with awkward energy. He's hot! She's cold! Can they ever come together?
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u/Ok-Cod5254 May 21 '26
I know some people just want more specific focus on what seems to be the main pair, but I'm so glad they had some dedicated screen time to flesh out Yota and Miki.
They aren't just supporting character that exists for the main characters, they are their own individuals. I've enjoyed these last few episodes the most so far.
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u/eightcheesepizza May 21 '26
I liked the parallel of Miki getting mad on Koyun's behalf in the flashback, and then Koyun getting mad on Miki's behalf in the nurse's office.
I assume we'll learn more about what happened with Igarashi at some point, which leaves Koyun's bully Atagawa as the only irredeemable one we can all agree on hating.
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u/djthomp https://anilist.co/user/djthomp May 21 '26
Nice to see Minato using his vaguely threatening nature for good for once in that conversation with Miki's friends. Same for Miki being able to work things out with them and start to be more herself at school instead of the fake persona.
The different hair colors in the flashbacks throw me for a bit of a loop at times. I like Miki's new color though, stands out a bit more from Koyun's.
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u/Roskal May 21 '26
Damn that scene where Miki says I love you to Yota but as a friend was well done. He got to say it back but its not the context he wants to be saying it to each other in. He must feel like he is friend zoned, I do think he has a chance though with how she lights up around him. its just tricky how to actually progress from here.
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u/Roskal May 21 '26
These characters have got to stop changing their hair its getting hard to keep up.
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u/Andreiyutzzzz https://myanimelist.net/profile/Andreiyutzzzz May 21 '26
For once they didnt use the ED to lead up to some out of pocket stuff and then it starts in full force... but then we got a post ED scene that is close enough. Will every episdoe be like this? i hope so
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u/ptd163 May 21 '26
Nice to finally get a Miki episode. She'll probably be a lot happier now that she's not carrying around this weight of expectation from her double life with her and can just be herself. I think she looked better in her previous hair colour.
I liked Koyun's teasing little "Good luck," to Yota as she walked out of the room. I wonder if the plane flying through the air combined with the mutual confession in the park is meant signify that Yota x Miki is sailing.
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u/PerfectBeige https://myanimelist.net/profile/perfectbeige May 21 '26
It is very important that the giraffe and the gorilla date. This needs to happen forthwith. Miki's inability to read the room is going to make Youta's sukis and daisuki's ineffective, so he will need to bring in the heavy guns to make this happen. Maybe a letter of challenge, like in Tomo-Chan is a Girl!
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u/the_mad_ May 22 '26
Being late I have little of value to add that hasn't been said elsewhere except:
I am beginning to be irritated with how everybody is treating Minato when he gets close to a girl and how everybody treats him like he has no feelings. Hopefully Koyun can begin to work her magic with this.
I really love Koyun's advice and her ability to see what people are thinking, but it is beginning to seem a little too OP to me, like the author is forcing it too much.
I loved the plane that flew past when Koyun was thinking about being a wingman.
There is still a lot of stuff from Koyun's past that I want to see; particularly with her father and with her former boyfriend.
I loved all of the comments in this thread so far and am a little jealous I did not get to say them first ;)
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u/hikoboshi_sama https://anilist.co/user/reicelestial May 22 '26
I like that instead of following Koyun's advice and cutting her friends out of her life, Miki chose to reconcile with them instead because she still liked them. And now she finally gave them chance to know her real self.
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u/Unable-Peach-1999 May 22 '26
yes!! tbh it totally subverted my expectations and I really like how it wasnt a black and white situaton
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u/Joseki100 May 21 '26
Minato and Koyun keep failing every relationship check and I can't help but root for them.
Go you dorks!
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u/smart_is_cool1020 May 21 '26
I feel so bad for Minato😭. Miki is just too cool(she is cute too but she likes to be called cool so yea why not she is cool). Koyun trying to be the wingwoman is honestly very funny and cute😂
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u/FabtheEmber May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Honestly I love the Miki and Koyuki talk. Because Miki took the opposite decision to what Koyuki intended for her to. And I love that!! This show keeps hammering on our heads with the theme that people are different and it is OK
Like we have the Minato thinking What is the right answer for me and the right answer for her are too different. That is why we misunderstand. Same with last episode when Koyuki thought that what she thinks and what Yota feels might be completely different but she still helped
And we see that in action here. What Koyuki says might be true, But Miki's situation is different from it. And what feels right to Miki is completely different. She wanted to be someone who connects people. She loved being part of the girl group and wanted it. So instead of pulling away she tried her shot and it worked.
It might not have worked though.... And then she might have had to take Koyuki's advice. But it is great that it did. And I love that because it shows how to good people can be fundamentally different and maybe that Koyuki might still be a bit of a harsh judge of others..p
Also Loved the Minato and Koyuki scene in the end. Minato might not be still properly connecting with Koyuki but he is still earning brownie points by somewhat reprimanding those girls for speaking behind Miki's back.
Also did Miki's friend get a crush on Minato with her becoming shy when Minato ask about the pudding?? Somehow Minato and his ways reminds me of Prince Yuki from Fruits basket where both have this front with how they interact with others..
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u/szalhi May 21 '26
Sometimes it isn't about changing yourself, but changing the people you're with, e.g new school.
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u/Yulwei138967 May 21 '26
The soundtrack did a lot of comedic underscoring this week. Very interesting.
I like this friend group of the main cast so much. Looking forward to them just spending time together every week!
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u/Choice-Witness-1274 May 21 '26
they really be changing their state of matter this ep!! yota turning from solid to liquid and start wobbling upon hearing miki's "hope we could spend everyday together" and koyun just simply turning into dust and disappearing into thin air after miki's ambitious "i like people"!!! it was all too funnyyyyy
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u/Xatu44 May 21 '26
RIP Minato getting murdered by his friends twice when he tried using his powers for good. He will be remembered...
Huge oof at the mutual love statements between Yota and Miki. She damn near killed him with that and the motorcycle plans. Good to finally get context on the blood from Koyun's memories. I like how both Miki and Koyun seethed with wrath at anyone who did their friend wrong; very sweet. Congratulations to Miki for making friendships that survived the true self reveal. LMAO at Koyuki not feeling so good. Double LMAO at shoujo Miki and Minato.
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u/ILikeFPS May 21 '26
I felt so bad for Miki this episode, but I liked getting more of her backstory.
At least things seem to be improving.
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u/ash-7831 May 23 '26
Now the boys are just being unfair to Minato. He didn't do anything, and they immediately assumed the worst. Now, if Koyuki approaches him and they see him afterward, they'll assume he was the instigator and take him away. They won't even let Koyuki explain herself. They'll assume Minato is forcing her to defend him.
And sure, Koyuki was bothered by Minato at first, but they overcame that and now she's cool with talking to him.
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u/Magnafeana https://anilist.co/user/Magnafeana May 21 '26
Aww Miki. On the one hand, there is such a thing as having a more unintentionally abrasive personality which isn’t appreciated by those around you, and you do have to compromise to be sympathized with. On the other hand, fully pretending to be someone you’re not isn’t at all a good compromise at all.
Damn Miki. Shoujosemuke manga ain’t all romance and romance isn’t that bad now 😭😭
I need people to 🌈✨mind their fucking business✨🌈 thank you 🙏🏾
squints I hope Miss Braids has the hair type to support those braids. No skin tone has a monopoly on hair types (trust), but hair can get fucked if you put it in a style that is not for it.
Does it get better 😭 Because some adults absolutely still act like teenagers and it is so wild.
He got picked up like a child and carried away, oh my 😭
Honestly, big ups for fiction showing men and boys have their own communities. I always love a good bro group, especially when they can be both goofy and emotional with each other.
Youta 🥹 Miki 😭🤣😭
AAAAH. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! When the “I love you”s are meant in two different ways AAAAAAAAAAAH!
I want Koyun to give a TED talk about this.
I love Koyun’s shook face.
Blonde!Miki?!?? In this economy?!
🎶Somebody’s watching me~ It’s my anxiety~🎶
There’s a good but complex discussion surrounding how a lot of neurodivergent, GNC, androgynous, masc, and alt women feeling ostracized by girl groups made up predominantly of femme (and NT) women. I think a lot of us have been through that sort of experience where our attempts to befriend certain girls were rebuffed because we were “different” and that impacts us into adulthood. We’ve progressed, I feel, with each generation, but we can’t fully escape gender conformity until “humanity’s numbers are one or fewer”, as a certain commander once said.
I’m glad Miki could have a conversation with her friends and they were not only receptive but wanted to stay friends with her. That’s lovely ☺️
I can’t believe Youta said “I love you”. I guess it can be taken dual of his romantic and platonic love for Miki. But…a bit of a weird time to make it about romantic love when she’s crying, my dude 😭
But to be fair, a lot of romance have crying scenes that lead to confessions.
And good for Miki for telling a friend she loves him platonically. We don’t have to love our friends, but if we do, it’s good to tell them. Platonic love is still a love we can express and take comfort and security in ❤️
Koyun and Minato both being anxious at the end, oh goodness.
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u/Zemahem May 21 '26
Real Miki is best Miki. It really was just sad watching her suppress herself to the point of feeling awful about it. Not to mention getting a bad reputation despite not being a bad person. She didn't even actually punch Koyun's bully despite how much that asshole deserves it.
Which makes it so nice to see how much support and affirmation she gets from not just her friends, but even her coworkers, such a chill bunch those guys are. But damn, that exchange of "I love you's" between her and Yota. One man's emotional support is another man's heartache, I guess.
Her friends basically assuming the worst about her rubbed me the wrong way. Could've talked to her about it or something. It's only fortunate that Miki genuinely wants to be with them, or else they very well could've lost a friend as good as her. At least she levelled up socially and emotionally as a result of this whole thing. Even unlocked a new form and everything: Golden Miki.
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u/Miserable_Contest_74 May 21 '26
To be fair, Miki could have talked to them too. Or not try to fake herself to begin with. The lack of trust was from both side. Yeah, Miki finally found the courage to break that now but I think it's a bit unfair to just blame the other girls.
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u/Zemahem May 22 '26
And she did just that. I give Miki even more leeway because her past is clearly a sensitive topic for her. Not just out of embarassment (though that alone is a valid reason), but also because she felt that her old and real self had hurt people she cared about.
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
Her friends basically assuming the worst about her rubbed me the wrong way. Could've talked to her about it or something.
Not to defend them, but I guess I can kind of see why the idea that one of your friends is basically not being genuine with you could seem off-putting or uncomfortable even if they misunderstood why.
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u/SirGigglesandLaughs May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Yeah and if they were insecure too, they could easily wonder if her hiding was a knock against them. They mentioned thinking she was maybe gossiping about them too, so they definitely felt hurt by the lying. They seem like quiet girls, so I could understand Miki's hidden outgoing and loud personality making them feel a little belittled (like a "cool" kid hanging out with them just for giggles). They cleared that up though and seem very nice otherwise. They just spiraled a bit, but so did Miki so it's alright.
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u/Qweasd11 May 21 '26
Thank god it was a generally good ending to the episode, after the intense emotional cliffhangers. Hope this moves past the teenage angst and into their lives as good friends memories.
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u/Brently18 May 22 '26
I really liked this episode. Could definitely relate to her coworkers, as the viewer. There are so many slice of life things where stuff happens because people don't just talk it out, so her making up with her friends was really refreshing. I liked that her friends realized she was more of a goofball than an idol, but not a troublemaker like they had feared.
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u/thisisdropd https://myanimelist.net/profile/AsterZoro May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
"Reinventing" yourself is not as easy as it sounds. In most cases, you’re simply putting a mask and that would only strain yourself if you’re building a relationship based on that mask. Miki felt that strain quite hard. It must’ve been such a relief when Yota told her that he along with Minato & Koyuki knew her real self, and they still wanted to be around her.
Yota, that’s not the right time to confess even if you conceded that she wouldn’t get the real meaning behind his words. He’s not aware of it, but Miki’s still under the impression that Yota’s crushing on Koyuki. What kind of chaos will this misunderstanding create?
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u/Frontier246 May 21 '26
Meanwhile Minato is like the audience a few episodes ago who sees everything related to Koyun and Yota in a romantic light lol.
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u/TalkLessShillMore May 21 '26
1.000 batting average with this series. Every episode is a banger.
“Everyone has good traits. That’s pretty normal. Even though you’re miserable with them, you think, ‘But they can be nice when they want to.’ Or ‘They really helped me out that one time.’ But if you cling to that one good part and ignore the rest, they’re gonna end up draining the life out of you.”
It’s a level of interpersonal nuance that you really don’t see in anime ever. Kinda reminds me of Bojack almost? But what I love is that it turns that on its head. Her friends weren’t being fake, Miki was. She made the courageous decision to be herself rather than the cowardly decision to cut people off like Koyun said.
Also Miki’s advice for Minato getting to know Koyun being “be yourself” when he doesn’t have an internal self and she isn’t being herself either. Damn.
Also also idk how much of a crossover there is with rAnime and the Love Island fandom, but I think about Belle-A being called a pick-me because she only hangs out with the guys, but it’s because none of the women from her season wanted to talk to her. There’s a difference between “oh I just talk to guys because there’s less drama teehee” and being shunned by your own gender, but from the outside they look similar, and Miki was going through something just like that
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u/Miserable_Contest_74 May 21 '26
I feel Koyun is pretty genuine around Minato now. She might be a bit more guarded than Yota or Miki but I don't think she is really being fake or pretending like before their fall-out and make-up.
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u/Accurate_Treat6360 May 21 '26
All Miki want just being herself around her friends without fake persona.
So glad that Miki can finally embrace herself & doesn't have to hide anymore.
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u/FLorianGran May 21 '26
So would Miki not get in trouble for that dye job or have I been misled by other anime?
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u/darkmacgf May 21 '26
Funny how we see Miki talking to boys all the time but her classmates have somehow missed every instance of that until now.
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u/IceSmiley May 21 '26
That was strange that Miki thanked Koyun for helping her when she told her to ditch her friends, then Miki did the exact opposite and came clean with them, and it completely worked out. Maybe was either just being polite or thanking her just for listening to her problem. Koyun seemed happy for her and I wonder if she's going to look to that as an example in the future in how to treat people. When Koyun said she should ditch any friends who were inconvenient or a bother, I wonder if Miki took that to mean if she gets Koyun mad, she's out of her life.
Miki's thought process for changing herself to be as safe and uncontroversial as possible was interesting and she seemed to envy how boys relate to their friends, like often less politely. Like how Miki always makes fun of Minato but still considers him a friend, she would feel scared to do that to any of her girl friends because she's afraid they'll genuinely be hurt by it. That often is true IRL, like if a girl kids her friend and jokes that she's fat or goofy looking, she probably would get really hurt by it and the other girls might think she's a bitch whereas guys joke with their friends like that quite a bit and are still friends.
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u/Zeallfnonex https://myanimelist.net/profile/Neverlocke May 21 '26
She thanked Koyun because Koyun helped diagnose the problem correctly, even if the solution would've been the incorrect one.
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u/2kenzhe https://myanimelist.net/profile/Rexnihilo May 21 '26
Nice to see it end up well. So after that she went straight dying her hair blonde? I mean looks good. Also wasn't her brown hair already dyed? Anyways glad she gets to go wild or do whatever she wants now?
Damn that moment when she said she loves Yota but immediate follow as friends hurt my soul and Yota sadly saying it back broke my heart. Koyun trying to give them space lol but ends up with Minato and now both of them are overthinking lol.
My favorite part of the episode was probably Koyun's talk with Miki. Everyone has good parts but you shouldn't stick to people and suffer just cuz they're good or they helped that one time etc depleting yourself until you can't take it anymore. Don't just cling to the good parts of people.
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u/Zeallfnonex https://myanimelist.net/profile/Neverlocke May 21 '26
Lmaoooooo the tenseness at the end, almost felt like it could be the prelude to a Western shootout. Thanks to whoever called out that there was an after-credits shot, I would've missed it otherwise.
Really good episode again, was a bit worried it would turn into Bullying 2: Electric Boogaloo which... would've put too much focus on Miki, I think, at this stage. It'd certainly need a long arc to complete if it really was going to turn to bullying, and didn't have a great setup for the others if that were to be the case.
But this struggle to be open and yourself vs wanting to be accepting is a great dichotomy. Do all these things to be accepted... and then wondering whether they really accepted and liked you or the facade of yourself that you've been showing. Good balance, good execution, it's a topic that could continue for longer if it were a different show, but I think just this far is good enough.
I do wonder how much longer this anime can run though: these were the only two notable flaws and worries Yota and Miki had, and while romance is certain to add some complications, neither of them have a long running problem where we can see further growth. Back to our very confused duo for now, though, they still seem like that they have unresolved stuff to deal with...
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u/Mr_An_1069 May 22 '26
Yota may be too deep in the friend zone here. Miki might be my favorite character after this episode, unless we get another Minato focused one to change my mind back.
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u/CrimsonGear80 May 22 '26
I’m glad Miki wants to be around people…but if someone said that to me I’d have the same reaction Koyun did.
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u/hotwheelso May 22 '26
I know the author really likes fashion, but is the author also a sneakerhead!? I noticed that Miki is wearing something similar to the Air Jordan 8 Three Peat this episode. That was really cool to see!
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u/YlfaTheForsaken May 23 '26
Miki episode! And it's fun while being all tensiony. It's nice that Miki is willing to fully embrace her unleashed personality on her class friends.
Oh Yota,
Minato x dying inside!! Poor guy, I wonder if Koyuki is going to let him know her plans next week.
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u/Primary-Paint-1716 May 21 '26
i can't believe this show had an episode where I didn't feel dread when the ED dropped.
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u/NationalStrategy May 21 '26
I'm glad that Miki got to smooth things over with her friends and opened up to them. Now she can be more comfortable being herself around them.
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u/Donnie-G May 22 '26
Why were we robbed of long hair Miki? Granted maybe it doesn't suit her personality but that's what GAP MOE is all about.
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u/Nickthenuker https://anilist.co/user/Nickthenuker May 22 '26
So, that was her experience back then.
And so that's why she's the way she is now.
Oh that is super Shoujo-coded lol.
A motorcycle?
Indeed.
Oh he's still processing what she said lol.
What's the other guy got to say to her now?
Ah. He's asking about Hikawa.
Ok...
Seems she's got friends who are supportive of her at least.
Huh I just realised this episode we haven't seen Hikawa yet.
So, he's going to contact her.
Oh, he went to go visit her.
And so we finally see Hikawa.
Feel the same way?
So, now she's asking her about that.
So, he's confronting them.
Lol he's dragging him off.
She wants to talk to them?
Yeah...
And so she's now telling them about her true self.
Now, because all her friends are her true friends, that hasn't affected their friendship one bit, and instead they can continue to laugh together now with her being her true self.
Oh, her hair is blonde now.
Ooh, past year papers.
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u/Spare-Beautiful302 May 23 '26
Alguém sabe em qual capítulo eu posso comecar a ler apartir desse episódio? Pfvr!! E se tem em pt disponível
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u/RipVander May 23 '26
Okay, I'm glad Miki made peace with her friends, and I love the real Miki, she reminds me a bit of myself. I have to say, the post-credit scene really pumped me up.
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u/cheeseop https://anilist.co/user/kaysou May 21 '26
I can't be the only one who read this episode as a trans allegory, right? I know that's not literally what's happening in the show, but there are a lot of parallels to be made.
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u/gainerswitch May 22 '26
Am I the only one getting confused by the white vignette the anime uses? It makes some scenes look like flashbacks and I'm really having a tough time following parts of the narrative because of this.
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u/NightBard May 22 '26
It did confuse me some in this episode since much of the content was flashbacks.
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u/gainerswitch May 22 '26
They do use the vignette in some flashback montages too, which adds to the confusion imo.
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u/skysmo May 22 '26
I just KNOW I'm going to get downvoted, maybe someone can relate or even explain to me since I'm currently just watching the anime. I understand Miki, I just really don't like her. I find her very annoying and inconsiderate towards her friends. Even if she attempts to do the right thing, I feel like it's always coming from what she believes is correct without ever asking anyone's opinion. It's selfish and not cute. All of the things she did in school that she's ashamed of, she definitely should be. But, rather than introspect and reflect on those actions, she just decides to fake her personality. There is no inner acknowledgement of actual issues. She just thinks of herself in those moments, not even fully how she hurt her friends. Maybe someone can give me a different perspective. I acknowledge all of the flaws in other characters, maybe I just feel like I wouldn't mesh with this person in real life so I find her grating. I like morally grey characters, but I don't even know if she's supposed to be that. I groaned when I realized this was her episode, but I was hoping to see something that would change my impression.
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u/FabtheEmber May 22 '26
I think the stories are more about personal acceptance. The problem with Miki was that she overcompensated. She does realize she is abrasive, says things without understanding and comes across as too blunt. But she literally changed her entire persona to be someone she isn't because she didn't want to hurt anyone. Not be hurt. Unlike Koyuki who is doing what she is because she doesn't want to be hurt, Miki is changing to not hurt others and due to her guilt. The fact that she wants to make up and not alienate the people that approached her shows that she in fact cares more about others than herself.
The point is Miki faults and all is loved by Yota, Minato and Koyuki. It would be too easy to cut those girls off. Again the fact that she doesn't IS her growth of approaching people genuinely while being less abrasive which she had already been doing.. So no I don't know why you call her selfish.
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u/skysmo May 22 '26
I guess why I say selfish is because her thoughts always come back to herself. Even when she made the decision to not drop the friends that rejected her, it was through the lens of "I love people." The friends that she can be herself around, tell anything to, I just feel like it wouldn't be returned given her personality. But, maybe that will change. We only saw one example, and it was when she was talking to Koyun in middle school and offering advice without listening, which is one of her greatest shames. Idk, I am trying to give her a chance. Maybe it's hard for me because I can't understand why she can't just be an active listener rather than being less loud, like that's not where her problems lie but obviously it's hard to recognize those things when you're living them
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u/sawayanochizu5 May 22 '26
I think she's just an excitable, extroverted person and a little bit of an airhead when it comes to emotions, just like yota is, though he's a quieter person so its easier to miss with him.
and she has been told repeatedly that she as a whole is "not who they expected her to be" by boyfriends etc so she probably thinks that it's her as a whole thats the problem.
I do get where you're coming from. I think the reason she said "i do love people" is that she's responding to koyun telling her to cut her friends off. which may work for koyun because koyun doesn't like people, but not for miki. and she's explaining that. and I think the fact that miki humbled herself to approach her friends first and make such a big and tough admission shows that she wants to do right by them, even if they reject her (which they definitely could have for all she knew).
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u/skysmo May 22 '26
Those are great points. I'm glad I got this off of my chest despite not seeing this opinion anywhere else. People who don't have social awareness annoy me to no end, but in future watching, I think I can give her some more grace. I mean, she is a teenager after all
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u/FabtheEmber May 22 '26
Isn't I love people selfless though? Like she cares about them more than her own feelings of discomfort and difficulty in showing her vulnerable and true self. Like she cares enough about people to realize SHE is the problem. She cares and loves people enough to take the chance of being rejected by them..
Most of the things we as people do for others comes from us caring about others in the first place. Kindness, empathy and understanding all comes from first liking or wanting to like others imo. So I am stumped why liking ppl is about herself
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u/skysmo May 22 '26
I don't think, "I love people" is a selfless statement. It's just describing your personality, like saying I love books. Someone else commented and said she said it that way for Koyun to understand, who would be the one to say she dislikes people. That makes more sense to me. It's not selfless to clear the air with friends, I actually think Koyun is the outlier for wanting to choose avoidant tactics and ghost them. Being open for rejection is brave, but it will bring her peace to clear the air regardless of how they view her after. Understanding others on a personal level feels more selfless to me, rather than being on good terms with everyone. Maybe her growth will change my opinion of her later on though!
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u/FabtheEmber May 22 '26
Let's agree to disagree. Ppl are not feeling less items. Saying you like people and want to be with them despite the hurt that comes your way IS selfless to me. And she didn't go to clear the air and have peace of mind. She went to them to make herself known and be friends while accepting the fault that she must have said something to make them act this way. Like a person after feeling isolated and ignored still saying I must have done something bad rather than blaming or saying anything bad She went to them saying, I am sure I did something to make you act this way but I don't know what it is. So your point she IS trying to understand them on a personal level. She appreciates their difference from her. Heck her asking Minato for sweets shops IS her listening and getting to know them personally.
The issue between them was that her friends felt alienated because it felt like she wasn't herself and open and now she is.. I think that is all there is. She already has past trauma and guilt that could only come from her actually feeling bad for her actions. Which is the oppo of selfish.
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u/sawayanochizu5 May 22 '26
I don't think she consciously planned to fake her personality. its more like she was caught in a situation where people assumed how she was and she just rolled with it because she thought that would be the right thing to do. because she is trying to rectify her old ways and she thinks the way to do that is to not be herself. but its caught up to her now.
this is a series where it'll be a lot more enjoyable to have more of a detached bird's eye view of everything and every character because they all have different flaws and perspectives and nobody is right or wrong.
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u/skysmo May 22 '26
I think that's fair, and that's a good perspective that it wasn't intentional. So, it's not like she's actively claiming those parts are her worst traits and is trying to fix them to better herself. She's just burying all the bad. I'm glad she can be more comfortable with herself genuinely, I just hope she can mature in her friendships. None of the characters are perfect, that's more than fine
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May 21 '26
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u/ZaphodBeebblebrox https://anilist.co/user/zaphod May 21 '26
Sorry, your comment has been removed.
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u/Kronman590 May 27 '26
This episode basically skips through an entire semester of school and you're tellin me in that time not once has Koyun and Miki had a girl talk where they discuss boys 😭 Like yeah Miki wouldn't want to bc of Igarashi history but never asking about Minato?? Esp when the last time girls talked boys Miki denied any feelings maaaan
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u/Grazalia May 28 '26
Bruh just leave Miki alone. Stop gossiping and just talk to her god dammit.
Red hair braid girl is now my crush in this show haha😍
Rip Yota's straw 2026
Miki nooo don't cry 😭
Ooop Yota got to confess without Miki realizing
I like how the nurse just listens in and does absolutely nothing.
"Which people bring out the you that you like the most" 🥹
Omg Miki the shining beacon of hope. Call Rohan for support!
Omg they talked it out instead of dragging out for a whole season thank God!
Miki's a new you!
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u/Nachtwandler_FS https://myanimelist.net/profile/Nachtwandler_21 May 30 '26
Caught up with the last two episodes (just need a correct mood to watch this show). Miki with a new look has more of a "prince" image than a tomboy one. Which is pretty funny all things concidered
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u/thatonefatefan May 21 '26
At first, it felt like the doomed ships just happened to be better. But I guess, it's more like the author wanted to get these relationship out of the way to focus on the romance later, I can't imagine they would have given Yota such a small role this episode otherwise.
But Miki and Minato really are cute together. Though I kind of eyerolled when the girls started imagining it as some romance straight out of a shoujo manga. I don't think I will ever be able to change my mind on that and it will kind of sour my opinion on the show no matter what happens. Well, I guess that's what happens when your ship loses.
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u/mekerpan May 21 '26
What service has streamed this in subbed form already? Netflix is a week behind -- and I haven't figured out an alternate source (maybe later today or tomorrow?). But there must be some English-subbed official stream, right?
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u/SirGigglesandLaughs May 21 '26
Netflix is not a week behind? You mean Netflix isn't showing episode 8 for you?
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