You know, guys, I think I understand now what this show does so well, to make it so enjoyable, at least for me. It paints such an accurate depiction of teens in love; nobody is perfect, nothing works out just ideally, they are super awkward and totally emotion and hormone driven. It’s probably one of the most accurate depictions i’ve ever seen of how teen love actually works. In Episode 5, the kiddos are all going on a camping trip! Yukari is very concerned at the strange behavior between Nejima and Misaki, and while he worries about it, manages to convince himself that Nejima likes Misaki.
Ririna, on the other hand, is still up to her antics, trying to push Misaki and Yukari together. But, when Nejima forces her to face reality, and really think about the consequences of her actions, her resolve starts to waver… Afterwards, all 4 of them share a moment near a beautiful creek in the mountains, surrounded by fireflies. After the trip, Yukari is depressed, because of his overthinking things, but Ririna manages to cheer him up by mentioning that she’s taken an interest in the burial mounds that Yukari likes to research.
Episode 6 starts out with Ririna starting to have some… interesting… fantasies about Yukari. And the confusion just grows deeper, as Yukari and Ririna, along with a great number of other couples, are called in by the government to attend a special lecture. Upon arriving, Yukari meets one of his friends, who is happily with his assigned spouse. After Ririna shows up, and they happily talk with each other, Yukari’s friend points out just how perfect a fit Yukari and Ririna are for each other.
The lecture itself begins by talking about the matchmaking system, made to combat the declining birth rate in Japan. However, the lecture takes a sudden twist, as they begin talking about sex, even including an in-depth video about sexual activity. During the video, one of the government workers gives Yukari a cryptic warning, insinuating that he needs to decide between Ririna and Misaki. After the “lecture” finishes, all of the couples are escorted to their own private bedrooms, where they will be staying the night together.
With the scheming of the government, the relationship between Misaki and Nisaka, and the secrets that Misaki herself is holding onto, this show certainly has a dark undercurrent. But the real thing that makes it great is the realistic portrayal of how teenagers actually handle romance. It’s so awkward, but so realistic.
The Zodiac Room 