A Sign of Affection

Episode 11

After last week's bonding session with the boys, I figured we'd be transitioning fully into Itsu's side of the love polygon. After all, we've only got a couple of episodes before the season ends, and Emma's been waiting in the wings to drop some emotional bombs once she finds out about our happy couple. It only makes sense to finally throw that grenade after pulling the pin out weeks ago. Instead, this week transitions through several different plot points without changing or resolving much of anything and winds up feeling pretty aimless, getting by on the strength of isolated moments.

The biggest example is Yuki finally getting a job. You'd think this would be a chance to examine – or at least demonstrate – what it's like for her to begin a new role in a new setting. While it's not clear what Yuki's exact position at the cafe is, there would be something of note about navigating a new workplace – especially a customer-facing one – with hearing impairment, right? Yet seemingly nothing comes up on her first day, which is nice for Yuki, but feels weirdly noncommittal after the story took the time to demonstrate her job hunting and the roadblocks having a disability presented for her. I get that this is primarily a romance story, so I don't expect a whole story arc about her boss implementing accommodations (though if you do want to see that, check out the manga Love's in Sight!), but it's an odd omission when the story's otherwise been eager to explore this kind of encounter.

Similarly, Shin and Emma get shockingly little screen time for what should be a long-awaited scene. It's pretty funny just how flabbergasted Emma is about Shin's confession, but it all happens so abruptly that it almost feels like a non sequitur, especially with how cordoned off they have been from the rest of the cast and the conflict. Again, for a show that has been more than happy to sit in its characters' emotions and soak, it's an odd note. I assume that there's going to be something more for next week's finale, but with the preview solely featuring Yuki and Itsuomi's date, I can't imagine it will get much focus. Perhaps that's an unavoidable consequence of having to adapt only the first chunk of an ongoing story, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating. We spent an entire episode establishing Shin's half of this relationship, and have been dangling Emma's role all season. Leaving it off here would be an uncharacteristically weak move.

Our last big moment with Oushi, at least, offers some solid resolution. His heart-to-heart with Itsuomi hasn't magically changed him into a more pleasant person, he's at least making a bit more effort to express himself instead of doubling down on denial. He's still a jerk and needs to learn about respecting personal space, but there's a noticeable shift in how he approaches Yuki that indicates he's trying to change. I love the comment Yuki makes about how his presence at college helped her adjust, even if he was little more than an acquaintance to her. Having somebody who she could sign with, no matter how brief and distant, was a powerful lifeline while she found her footing, and is a great example of how Oushi could eventually become the support he tried and failed to be before. Rather than a protective hand shoving Yuki back from the world, he could instead be a supportive hand to reach out to when needed.

It doesn't conclude Oushi's story, but it offers a sense of closure to this part in a way that's quite satisfying. Yet that one bit of fulfillment isn't enough to stave off the strange dissonance that defines the rest of the episode.

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A Sign of Affection is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.