It says something about a series when it can deliver one of its best (maybe the best, IMO) episodes going fully accessory to the pain plot. Negaposi Angler is sort of all over the map that way anyway, it’s true. But this sidebar with Machida-san and his son Yuu (Aimi) has no overt connection to the rest of the plot. It just fills in another blank with the cast, which has been a pattern. But it does so in a really elegant and frankly very powerful way. Slice of life is, as much as anything, about the pain normal people live with on an everyday basis.

We knew Machida was divorced – he shared that with Hiro earlier in humorous fashion. Turns out he’s got a son in third grade. Doesn’t seem as if he sees too much of him, which is hardly unusual. But he’s got a date coming up on the weekend, and is struggling to find a good plan of attack. After some back and forth he eventually settles on fishing (one senses Machida always settles on fishing). But then it’s time to hem and haw over what sort of fishing to do with a third-grader who prefers “indoorsy” activities like gaming. Hiro’s original suggestion – goby – is where the arrow eventually lands, but not after a good deal of consternation.

I don’t want or need to say too much about what follows, except that it was superb. And mostly because it didn’t try and oversell the moment. It was incredibly awkward to watch – by design. It hurt. But there were no tears (not until the very end, and not Yuu’s). Japanese men struggle with emotion as a rule (maybe even more than most men). And being a divorced dad, Machida feels disconnected from his son. He and Yuu struggle for things to talk about, to connect over. Yuu doesn’t pull any punches, but it soon becomes clear that he desperately wants to be closer to his dad and feels that slipping away away from him. Yuu asking Machida if he was lonely was like a shiv to the gut.

I can’t help but feel for both of these boys, but not least Machida-san. I think it’s pretty clear he isn’t blameless for his family breaking up. And his obsession with fishing was obviously a part of that. But he agonizes over it and is unable to do anything about it. He uses his staff as a proxy for Yuu (that becomes obvious by the end of the episode). He tries to win over Yuu by bribing him with the lure of a fancy gift, but Yuu-kun is a smart kid (junior high entrance exams in third grade, though?) and is rightfully offended by this. He’s also offended by the fact that all of Maachida’s memories seem to be of the fish he’s caught, not of the time he spent with Yuu and his mother.

During all this Hiro, Hana, and Takaaki have tagged along ostensibly to help, but mostly because Hana can’t resist interfering. At first they hide their presence but soon enough they’re openly interacting with Yuu, who seems to know they were there anyway. Goby fishing isn’t particularly action-packed or difficult – that’s why it’s popular with kids – but Yuu seems to be enjoying himself. And he’s pretty decent at the fishing part, too. Not only that, he’s obviously proud that his dad is so proficient and knowledgeable about it. Even if this is not a passion for him, he doesn’t seem to reflexively resent that it is for his father.

That’s where things take a wrenching turn. Some local kids mention that a chinu (black sea bream) has been caught nearby. Naturally this piques the boy’s interest – bigger fish to fry and all –  and he peppers Machida with questions about how such a fish could be in a river (it’s brackish). Eventually Yuu, very mature for his age, gives in to a childish impulse and asks Dad if he’ll come home if he catches a 50 cm chinu. Machida knows it’s not that simple – his wife would never take him back – but Hana (as childish as Yuu if not more) agrees to the deal. Don’t worry, she tells Machida – it’s impossible, it’ll never happen.

But it does. While Machida is off buying drinks, but he gets back in time to catch the tail end of it. That includes Yuu insisting that they release the fish back into the stream. His rush of exuberance passed, Yuu realizes that this deal puts his father in an impossible position. His maturity kicks in, which is for the best in the end. But it’s incredibly sad that a kid his age has to make such calculations. Divorce sucks – almost as much as staying together when you shouldn’t – but the old cliche is true, it’s hardest on the kids.

This is hard to watch, for us and for Machida. There are no fixes here – this family is broken and just has to make the best of it. After dropping Yuu off at the station Machida hangs behind the others, needing some alone time to let his grief out. Hiro (an admirable impulse) senses it and tries to stay behind, but Tsucchie (I love that Machida-san calls him this) stops him. Machida gathers himself and leans on his crutches – his young staff and fishing. It’s nice that he has them to be sure, but it doesn’t truly fill the gaping hole in his being. Negaposi Angler lets us see this without beating us over the head with it, delivering a pitch-perfect episode in the process.