An episode like this doesn’t have a whole lot of weight to it, it’s true. But it certainly has charm. Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru does very well with this sort of unpretentious glorious youth vibe. It does whitewash some of the darker sides of adolescence to be sure, but even if it focuses on the positives to an unrealistic degree, it does so very authentically. As idealized depictions of high school life go this is one of the better ones. It’s a very good romance, too, but doesn’t show off that side of itself nearly as often as I’d like.

The first challenge for the beauty pageant is the rainbow rose. And it proves to be a bigger challenge than Wakana expects – all those colors in those tiny spaces do tend to run together. Fortunately a girl called Seira who I don’t recall seeing before knows how to do it the high-tech way – in the science lab to be precise. This saves Gojo-kun from having to paint every petal himself to get it right. In effect, saving him from himself, since not many would be crazy or obsessive enough to even consider that.

A bigger problem is Marin’s Rei makeup. This is on a time crunch first of all, as it’s the last major step before the pageant. But the real issue is that despite decamping to the always-deserted (he thinks) sewing room, he and Marin soon have an audience. To wit, their entire class. Performance anxiety asserts itself in a big way (this is something Wakana usually does solo – or only with Marin). But the show must go on, and he steels his resolve to press forward.

As for the pageant itself, I never thought there was much doubt Class 1-5 would win. They have effectively a professional cosplay team going up against muggle high schoolers, and Gojo has really pulled out all the steps. The “champagne call” proves to be a big hit. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that the student council president – and judge – is a huge “Seito Kaichou wa No. 1 Hosuto” fan (not surprisingly when you think about it). Sensing this Marin – born performer that she is – really goes hard on that angle.

The key element of all this, certainly, is Marin going out of her way to call Wakana the true MVP of the whole performance. This is where the rubber meets the road for him. Even as he marvels at how natural Marin is under the spotlight Wakana is acknowledging that he’s just the opposite. His comfort zone is a background he can blend into unnoticed, to do his work uninterrupted. But being Marin’s (cosplay) partner is slowly exposing him to the eyes of that world and now, the larger one. He’s talented and dedicated literally to a fault, and she was 100% right in acknowledging him. But as her fame grows so does his, and I can see that being a source of stress and tension down the line.

Finally, the after-party – a staple of any high school bunkasai arc. The locale is the usual karaoke club, and Wakana laughably tries to argue he shouldn’t be there (give it a rest, brother). Being in the midst of the festivities is draining for someone like him, and eventually he needs a break. Marin goes after him (of course) and the pair of them wind up on the arcade floor, where he spends too much winning  her a neko plushie and she hatches the idea of doing purikura with him. Their first pics together – that would be a real romantic step forward. But the bro squad arrives, and the best-laid plans of mice and Marin crumble under the irresistible bonhomie. But I don’t see her giving up – another opportunity to move the needle will present itself, and she knows she’s going to have to be the one to move it.