Tsukigakirei

Episode 7

I continue to be impressed by the variety of ways Tsuki ga Kirei explores the smaller foibles of adolescent romance. After last episode centered on the tricky question of “we're dating, but what does that actually mean,” episode seven tackled a different but equally valid conflict - the sense that even if you're dating, your relationship is an invisible thing that could disappear at any time.

Akane and Kotarou have both confirmed that they want to be in a relationship with each other, and they tend to greatly enjoy their awkward time together. But since none of their friends know they're dating, and they haven't gotten anywhere beyond occasionally sitting near each other at a bookstore after school, there's not much sense of solidity to their relationship. In this episode, a weekend trip to an amusement park offered plenty of opportunities to marinate on that insecurity, and the couple ultimately emerge closer for it.

Early on, this episode felt like it was leaning into an unnecessary retread of the prior episodes' love quadrangle conflicts. With both Chinatsu and Hira joining the crew on their trip, Akane and Kotarou each found themselves feeling insecure about their partner's relationship with their romantic “rivals.” The awkwardness of this resentment was articulated as quietly and gracefully as ever, but simply stirring these feelings for the sake of momentary drama felt artificial and unsatisfying.

Fortunately, it quickly became clear that these insecurities were intended to set up the episode's sturdy thematic center. After a tense middle act where Kotarou found himself chasing Akane and Hira around the park, he eventually said what he needed to say - that he was in a relationship with Akane. No ambiguity, no secrets, no second-guessing. This relationship is real.

Simply stating the truth might seem like an unnecessary gesture, and Kotarou actually apologized for acting so forcefully after the fact, but Akane was clearly happy to hear it. Whatever they may have said before, their relationship is still an uncertain and untested thing, and simply hearing your crush acknowledge the validity of your bond is an important step. Kotarou's declaration ultimately led to a charming montage for the two of them, as the approach of evening let warm sunset colors and eventually fireworks mirror the giddy feelings of our leads. In the end, Akane also articulated her victory over this episode's central conflict, remarking that they “really do look like we're going out.” Appearances might not seem important, but they deeply affect our emotional center.

Outside of the main two, Chinatsu also got a couple terrific scenes this episode. In particular, I really liked the framing of the moment where Akane and Kotarou's relationship sunk in for her. In addition to being a clever echo of the episode's overall theme, it was just a beautifully conceived sequence - no dialogue at all, but smart use of framing to emphasize both the immediacy of Chinatsu's feelings and the ensuing sense of loneliness. Later on, Chinatsu's reunion with her friends was equally good in a different way, as a pair of characters who are normally just used as a friendly chorus offered some gentle and realistic comfort to their friend. I appreciate that basically everyone in Tsuki ga Kirei gets moments that demonstrate their multifaceted humanity.

While the narrative content was solid, I was a little underwhelmed by this episode's visual execution. The character acting was fine as ever, but the amusement park setting unfortunately highlighted Tsuki ga Kirei's mismatched visual identities. Low-rent CG characters mingled with both delicately drawn lead characters and awkwardly flat backgrounds, and only the last act came across as particularly beautiful. But those are problems that Tsuki ga Kirei has always had and likely always will. Overall, this episode offered a focused articulation of one clear and compelling conflict, breathing more life into all of its characters along the way.

Overall: B+

Tsuki ga Kirei is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Nick writes about anime, storytelling, and the meaning of life at Wrong Every Time.