In the absence of Clannad this past weekend, I’ll write a true tears entry to satisfy my need for emotional drama. But I had always been following this series just as strongly as the other. The realism is just much more prevalent and reflective of what could happen today. In ep8 we get some answers to the previous episode as well as new questions for the next…

Summary

Noe is happy now that Shinichiro asked her out, and Jun is happy, too. Shinichiro refused Aiko’s feelings after she kissed him; he’s views her very firmly as a childhood friend and Miyokichi’s girlfriend.

Some time later, after school, Shin goes to look for Noe and finds her in the chicken coop, helping Jibeta keep warm. Noe gets more affectionate with Shin as they spend more time together. She tells him never to stop looking at the sky. Shin continues working on his picture book, which is about Raigomaru wanting to fly. It makes Noe happy, and Shin is happy, too.

Hiromi has nightmares about being left alone. While her father continues to show support for her, Shin’s mother continues to be difficult. At least Hiromi has Jun; she asks him to take her to a town where there’s no snow. Instead, he takes her to the gym at school. He challenges her to a game: free throws for (personal) questions asked. He lets her shoot from the free-throw line, but she makes him shoot from near midcourt.

Hiromi makes 2 while Jun makes no shots. Hiromi’s first question is how many boyfriends Noe had before Shinichiro. Jun answers, “Zero,” and tells Hiromi a little bit about how Noe no longer cries and has become strong. Hiromi calls him a siscon and asks her second question: “Why are you going out with me?” Jun tells her about the deal between him and Shin. She asks next about what would happen if one couple breaks up. Jun, not wanting Noe’s relationship to end, says it would be a problem; he’ll do whatever Hiromi asks of him.

The two couples meet coincidentally outside school. Both guys and both girls talk, but not too much is exchanged. Hiromi goes home and finds remnants of old family photos that Shin’s mother had been burning. Hiromi confronts her, explaining that while she understands why Shin’s mother has such feelings, Hiromi has her own feelings, too. She runs off to Jun again and asks to ride on his motorcycle, again asking to be taken to a town where there is no snow.

Noe and Shin are taking an evening walk and talking about the upcoming festival. They encounter Hiromi and Jun again, but only briefly as the motorcycle carrying them passes by .. and goes off into the distance.

Impressions

Hm… not as much impact as the previous two episodes, but I shouldn’t expect that all the time. Here we have a lot of development that will lead to something much bigger next episode, according to the previews. Hikari no Shiawase ponders if Hiromi will have sex with Jun, but I don’t see it too likely. Hiromi has tried very hard to set a good example — that she wouldn’t end up in the same situation her mother did. I doubt Shin’s mother would affect her so much like that. And even if Hiromi did ask that of Jun, would he comply? Would he go that far to protect Noe’s relationship with Shinichiro?

Such is what Stripey will explain time and time again: proxy love is evil. It’s inherently dishonest and is practically doomed to fail, because there is hardly any true sincerity backing it up. But if this is truly the case in this series, then the only ending is the “double siscon” scenario with ShinichiroxHiromi and JunxNoe. Despite how happy I and other bloggers will be, I wonder if this is what P.A. Works is really planning. Of course, there’s also the running theory that Shin and Hiromi really aren’t siblings, which would just make a regular HiromixShin ending with AikoxMiyokichi reaffirming their relationship and NoexJun just being even closer siblings than before.

The “not really siblings” solution is given more evidence with Shin’s mother’s reaction to Hiromi’s confrontation and apology. That look at the end is … one of guilt? It’s as if Shin’s mother (does she get a name in this series?) never expected Hiromi to let that statement bother her for so long and so deeply. But it could still be anything…

I agree with Crusader that Aiko is likely to get back with Miyokichi now that Shinichiro has pretty much refused her and ended that chase. Aiko has time to give herself a reality check and realize that Miyokichi has always been there for her and does the right things. And while it’s sad that Aiko couldn’t get her first love, perhaps she can find a second one close by who is just as good if not better.

People are fearful that Noe will have her heart broken because she’s too happy too early in the series. How awful of us to see that coming based on the number of episodes left. ^^; It’s like watching a quiz show and expecting the contestant to lose because there’s no time left before the next hour (yes I got that from Lucky Star). Why must we try to exploit our roles as the audience member? Would we rather P.A. Works just tell us how it ends? I just don’t like to think so far ahead; I’ll take it as it comes, as that’s all the characters can do. But I do understand wanting to scrape for clues wherever possible, but it doesn’t always work. ^^;

Noe’s still my favorite (”Moe for Noe,” says OGT), just because she still represents the happy-fairytale kind of love that we otaku want. Aiko represents thrill-of-the-chase kind of love where there’s someone — a friend maybe — whom you just fall for and want to spend the rest of your life together with. Hiromi is true, deep, and angsty love, where emotions are highly delicate and play a role every day in the way your relationship develops. Hiromi will make the best lifelong partner because of the attachment once together, but she could be the most difficult, too, in a fight. Noe would just make you stand on your head until you feel sick, and then she’ll forgive you.

Hooray for math with imaginary numbers. I did that in high school, too…

Aw, siscon. Stripey must have fallen out of his chair watching this episode. Jun only talked about how Noe used to cry but no longer does, but I guess it was the way he said it that suggests siscon? Or maybe that he gives his sister
any attention at all. I lack an imouto, so I wouldn’t know what it’s like or how to detect it. :(

Of all the scenes in the preview, the police car makes me wonder the most, but we’ll just see… (And I didn’t expect there to be a between-the-legs camera shot in this series.)

~Crisu