A Sign of Affection

Episode 12

It's pretty standard for adaptations of ongoing manga to end inconclusively. It's just the nature of the beast when it comes to anime, and I've long learned to live with shows ending with only the smallest hint of closure. Still, it's not often I see a single-cour show punt its lingering plot threads this hard into the future. If you were hoping for anything but the barest of resolutions for Shin, Emma, Oushi, or anyone else in the secondary cast, either get to your local bookstore to buy the manga or start praying for a season two. Those characters get about one scene apiece to ensure us they are, in small ways, trying to grow, and that's it. The rest of this episode is concerned solely with our main couple having a cute date.

That's not entirely a complaint. While it does leave the show feeling incomplete, the decision to focus this finale entirely on Yuki and Itsuomi means we go out on an intensely sweet note. The show's most endearing sections have always been about both of them growing closer, learning about each other, and finding different ways to articulate the rush of being in love. Getting nearly a whole episode of that is almost a sugar overload, but that's exactly the kind of impact you'd want from a season finale. On its own, this is a wonderful watch. It just doesn't feel like an ending.

It also means there's not much else to say about this episode that wasn't already covered before. Finally getting a look into Itsuomi's past is nice, but it doesn't reveal anything new about him, or change our perception. Rather, it just reinforces and reiterates the show's themes about the beauty of communication, and how the study of language allows one to expand their world. Similarly, their date acts as a nice little capstone to the story so far, demonstrating the ways Yuki and Itsuomi have grown closer, the small ways in which they still have distance, and emphasizing how both want to work past those stumbling blocks. On that note, I don't know who decided that an emphatic “no” in JSL should include a thumbs-up, but that person is an asshole. You're just begging for anime miscommunications with that one, jerk. Sure, it makes for a cute scene here where these two almost get into some PDA, but still.

While it might not be the most eventful season-ender you'll ever see, it stays true to what made A Sign of Affection so enjoyable all season. The characters are lovable, with strong chemistry both romantic and comedic. The animation brings those personalities to life through strong character acting, complemented by a delightful color palette and some outstanding backgrounds. While it's a bit deflating to see the more dramatic elements pushed to the side, I can't deny I had a big, goofy smile across my face the whole time. This finale is essentially a greatest hits montage, reminding the audience of everything you already liked. If that counts more as a victory lap rather than a conclusion, it's at least a well-earned victory.

Rating:

A Sign of Affection is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.