Negative Positive Angler

Episode 12

That's a stuck landing. I didn't doubt that Negative Positive Angler could pull off a good conclusion, given its consistency throughout the season, but there's always a chance for disaster. The show itself has frequently touted the unpredictability of existence. Surprise cancer diagnoses, fishing gacha, and enemies-turned-friends are all part of life's milieu. This finale could have gone differently, and NegaPosi Angler, true to its name, takes the middle road. It's not all happy, and it's not all sad. It's a gentle blend.

I like the quietness of the first section. Hiro and Takaaki already had their big emotional blow-up, so they take it easy with their reconciliation. Fishing, appropriately, saves the day by gifting them something to talk about that isn't serious and awkward. It doesn't wholly negate the awkwardness. It dangles something they can hold onto. It's a lifeline. It's a hook lodged in their cheeks, dragging them back together, whether they want it or not. And if we recall the series' constant thematic refrain, conversations about fishing are never just about fishing. Hiro and Takaaki use their angling small talk to probe each other's waters. The mundanity of their chat belies the anxiety in each of their psyches. It's smart writing. I hope Tomohiro Suzuki tries his hand at more quirky yet down-to-earth character dramas because he has the knack.

The episode looks fantastic, too. Appropriate for the grand finale, the animators pay extra attention to the subtleties and flourishes of fishing as a sport. I imagine they must have referenced videos of actual anglers, although I say that with the caveat of zero actual expertise on the subjects of animation and fishing. Regardless, I like what I see! There's a cool POV shot, I can feel the weight of the ranker bass as it fights Hiro, and that snowy Tokyo night provides a beautifully melancholy backdrop for their heart-to-heart. Notice how Hiro and Takaaki gradually close their physical distance as the fishing scene progresses, until Takaaki is right beside Hiro helping him net that bass. That right there is the art of anime. Plus, I also love the coats in this episode. Hiro's puffy jacket looks warm. Takaaki's jacket looks too thin for the weather (hence why he's the first to feel cold). The orange in Hana's windbreaker complements her blue eyes and hair. Coat fashion is one of the best parts of winter.

Overall, the subtler emotional moments in this episode work better for me. A silly snowball snaps Takaaki into honest and open introspection, and that's an accurate portrayal of the random ways in which our memories are wired. Conversely, I don't think the “twist” of his brother dying in a traffic accident adds all that much, especially when the show reveals it so late to do anything interesting with it. Hiro's equally earnest response to Takaaki succinctly summarizes his arc, so I don't need to recap it. Spelling everything out at the last minute like this, though, helps elucidate the show's core message. Hiro's spiral into chronic illness, debt, and aimlessness is a story many of us are intimately familiar with in parts, if not in whole. Life has always been harsh, and contrary to the impression I was raised on, the world is not getting easier.

If I have one major complaint about NegaPosi Angler, it could have been gayer. The framing around Hiro and Takaaki's scenes this week is plenty romantic as it is, and you'd barely have to adjust the story to make them end up as a couple. Regardless, the subtext is loud enough to get through to anyone with a brain. I'm also happy I could say goodbye to my Everymart buddies. They made up one of the best supporting casts of the year. For further reading, my friend Adam wrote a great piece on how they echoed his own experiences in retail. And Hana, being Hana, makes one last appearance because she needs to size-shame Hiro. I might miss her most of all.

As for the epilogue, I like it. There's a version of this story where Hiro dies, and I think that version works. You can argue that NegaPosi Angler is about living in the moment as much as it is about living for the future. Hiro brushes off the encroaching cold because he has to catch a bass that night. That, in itself, is a huge development for him. But the story takes the gentler path, and this makes sense for an anime that, by volume, was a feel-good comedy with a poignant heart that charmed its way into my cockles. I smiled when I saw Hiro, two years older, greet his friends again. That feels right. That feels positive.

Rating:

Negative Positive Angler is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Steve is on Bluesky now, and he's okay with that. Fish most certainly do not fear him. You can also catch him chatting about trash and treasure alike on This Week in Anime.