“Mii-tan’s Father”

This was a much anticipated chapter for me, based on that long overdue question new girl Minamoto asked Nitorin last time – “Do you like men?”  While I think I know the answer, it still seemed as if things were finally getting to the heart of the matter for this series.  So was that an accurate assessment?

The answer is inconclusive, though I’m leaning towards yes – I think we’re finally starting to confront topics that have been danced around for the entire series.  Of course it was a coincidence that the cross-dressing man – the titular Mii-tan’s Father – walked in just as Nitorin and Minamoto were talking, but it undeniably helps move things along.

One line stands out for me in their brief conversation – “I can’t keep going like this – society wouldn’t accept me.  Maybe if I was as young and cute as you…”  That’s both heartbreaking and incredibly on-point, for it encapsulates the very matter Nitorin has been asking himself about all along.  We don’t end up finding out a lot of Mii-tan’s Dad, only that he tried on his wife’s clothes a year after his wife died, and since it felt good and his daughter was too young to realize it was strange, he kept doing it.  Does he do it to feel close to his late wife?  Is he genuinely fulfilling a cross-dressing desire he’s held for his entire life?  Does he like men? 

We don’t know the answers to any of these questions, but it turns our we’ll be seeing more of him – Mii-tan’s Dad works at the bank where the owner of the café Nitorin works at does their banking.  Another unlikely coincidence, yes, but at this point I’m willing to forgive it if it means a quantum leap forward to the series development.  It’s plain to see Nitorin will encounter him there, and probably in his waitress clothes.  Mii-tan’s Dad seemed both impressed and surprised that Nitorin had started cross-dressing in primary school, so their next conversation could be an interesting one. 

Finally, for the first time in what feels like forever we get a look at Takatsuki.  She’s taller and more adorable than ever, and she and Chiba are trying to decide on a club (Takatsuki is being pushed towards basketball, as always).  But the interesting thing is that a stranger has approached her about being a model – the psychological implications of that are fascinating – and that she’s called Anna for advice on whether to trust him (no!).  This leads to an invitation from Anna for a get-together with Takatsuki, Chiba and Sasa-chan.  Man, I’d love to be a fly on the wall – oh wait, we will be!  Something tells me that the topic of most of their conversation will be one Nitori Shuiichi…