Non Non Biyori Repeat

Episode 10

There's clearly something magical about Renge's bright pink bicycle. Its arrival marked Non Non Biyori Repeat's best episode of the season, and it just so happens to be a focal point of the likely runner-up, this episode. Maybe the creators should scrap all the peaceful walks through the woods and just go full Yowamushi Pedal on this thing. Bicycles for everyone!

When Komari and Natsumi go off shopping with their parents, Renge ends up spending an afternoon hanging out with Konomi. Between a sneak peek at the challenges of second-grade math and a “monstrous” secret technique, she learns quite a lot from the Asahigaoka alum. When the girls decide to take a trip to a neighboring town, Renge demands to have the training wheels removed from her bicycle. Some overzealous practice lands her in bed with a cold, but she eventually gets the hang of it with a little help from Kaede.

The supporting characters in Non Non Biyori Repeat can't always carry a scene as well as the core cast, but they can help alter the dynamics of an otherwise familiar routine. The “Renge visits someone's house” premise usually involves the other person playing a baffled straight man to Renge's offbeat ideas, but Konomi flips the script here. It's fun to see Renge react to someone else for once, and the dialogue in the opening scene is as sharp as we've come to expect from this series. It's a pretty low-key affair, but it helps expand the town beyond the main quartet of characters. If nothing else, Renge's reactions to the hand trick are worth a laugh or two.

While it's not difficult to guess how the bicycle lessons will play out, the story is told very well. The rapport between Renge and Kaede is one of this show's most underutilized strengths, and it adds an extra dose of warm fuzziness to each plot point. As the only character who can consistently sneak past Kaede's no-nonsense attitude, Renge sets the stage for some very sweet moments. Because Kaede is normally a bit standoffish, her quiet support comes across as genuine instead of sappy or overplayed. Rather than hammering home the significance of their small gestures of kindness, the show simply steps back and lets the characters speak for themselves. While there's no grand meaning beyond Renge learning how to ride a bike, this is one of those cases where the show is able to capture a small but noteworthy part of growing up.

On its own, the writing here is merely above average. It's the addition of excellent visuals that allow it to climb into the top tier of slice-of-life stories. Plenty of shows move from one time of year to another over the course of a television season, but few handle the transition from summer to fall as artfully as this one. Instead of flipping from one to the other like a light switch, the background art allows modest splashes of red and yellow to creep into the trees and mingle with the shades of green that characterized past episodes. That eye for detail affects the foreground as well, and some well-framed shots help immerse the audience in key moments. The best example of this is a static wide shot at the end of Renge and Kaede's day of bicycle practice, with Renge riding out of view while Kaede stands still and watches. We initially expect her to go running off to help Renge up from another crash, but she doesn't move. As the seconds tick by, it becomes obvious that all the practice has finally paid off. It's a departure from the usual list of anime camera angles, but it fits the moment perfectly.

This episode stays comfortably within the usual bounds of the genre, and it lacks the impressive emotional range of the shrimp saga from earlier in the season. However, it is a solid demonstration of how good writing and direction can turn a very simple premise into something special. It's pleasant, thoughtful, and just nostalgic enough to make you smile, which is exactly what a slice-of-life series ought to be.

Rating: A-

Non Non Biyori Repeat is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Paul Jensen is a freelance writer and editor. You can follow more of his anime-related ramblings on Twitter.