Pseudo Harem

Episode 12

When I first started watching this show, I didn't expect to be as invested by the end, but here we are! Pseudo Harem is far from the best-looking show. Its character designs are simple, its animation is basic, and its premise on paper isn't anything to write home about. However, it shows that you can make something special out of the most mundane and gimmicky concepts as long as you have a solid heart to go along with it. This conclusion might not be perfect, but it earns my undying respect.

This final episode is about ending one chapter so that another can continue. It would've been nice to have a finale with stronger direction and storyboarding, like the confession episode, but I love the callbacks and references to what came before. Manga readers will be happy to know that we finally see the cut confession. It never really mattered because those moments were meant for these two characters; they were never meant for us. We're allowed to see those moments now because it's all part of the reminiscing process. The movie that our two leads starred in at the beginning of the episode was about fantasizing and glamorizing the past; the middle was about reminiscing about what happened, while the finale is all about looking towards the future.

This idea of Rin's acting ability potentially evolving past the cute moments that exist in her relationship has been something that the show has hinted at. For half of the season, we've seen Rin frustrated about wanting to spend more time with her beloved partner, but because of the age difference, they couldn't spend as much time together as she would have wanted. Now, just as she is about to graduate high school and get the opportunity to live out the romantic fantasy she's always dreamed of, she can start her acting career right away. Rin has made it clear that she cares about Eiji more than she does about acting because the different personalities she puts on and the roles she slips into all started with him. Eiji makes the mature decision by saying instead of holding her back, he's going to catch up to her, and he'll enter her world so that she can have both her acting career and him at the same time.

It's a little vague about what exactly happens to their relationship after they make this decision. I understand it would probably be challenging for an average person to date an actress, so I can fully understand why they are not able to spend much time together. Still, I'm not sure if the implication is that they break up at the end before reuniting on a set. Perhaps they're still together; they don't spend that much time together until Eiji gets the job at the TV station Rin also works at. It feels like an extreme situation that I wish was elaborated on more.

In any other show, I would probably be way more critical. However, I had a huge smile when these two goofballs finally married. It is a testament to how much goodwill the show earned throughout these twelve episodes. It's rare to find a show that knows what it wants to do and commits to it from beginning to end. I'm thrilled that I have this job because, now and then, I get to stick with a show I normally would not watch on my own. Sometimes, I get to find a show that genuinely surprises me, and even though there's a good chance I probably won't ever revisit this show, I'm delighted with the memories it left with me. Pseudo Harem is a show that demonstrates that as long as you have enough heart and charm, even the most mundane presentations can lead to something truly magical.

Rating: