Days – 08

Shortest drop ever?

Leave it to me to suspend coverage of Days just as by far the best episode was going to air.  I’m not saying I’m definitely picking it up again weekly, but this really was an outstanding episode, and I did say I’m cover it when events warranted coverage, so…

• The stuff with Tsukishi and his Mom was really good.  Charming, funny, very on-point.  It was some of the most genuine material in the series, with mother and son both obviously very protective of each other.  The bit where Nozomi checked Tsukishi’s texts was really funny (I guess it shows how socially stunted he is that it never even occurs to him to be mad about it), and I loved her reaction to seeing how many friends her fragile son had made.
• The buildup to the match with Sakuragi was generally excellent.  These “night before” episodes are always a crucial part of sports anime, and this one captured the nervousness and excitement beautifully.
• Tsukishi with that shit-eating grin on his face all through the countdown to the game – great stuff.  We palpably feel his joy and amazement at having lucked into this new chapter in his life in a way we really hadn’t before.
• Mizuki having Tsukishi do the pre-game yell in the huddle – again, great stuff.  I also liked the way he framed his typically awkward pregame speech around the impact a game like this could have on the first and second-years (most of whom aren’t playing, of course).
• Narukami and Tsukishi getting denied access to the locker room – ROFL.  Fated rivals, here we come.  Is Naru a first-year as well (I’m guessing not)?
• What’s up with Kazuma?  He’s hiding something and only Tsukishi has noticed.  That’s probably Tsukishi’s ticket onto the pitch for this game.