This was another really fine episode of Seihantai na Kimi to Boku. But before we dig in, a word about how great the adaptation itself is because I haven’t talked about that for a while. This is a relatively unheralded studio (Lapin Track) and a first-time director (Nagatomo Takakazu). But they’re absolutely killing it. The brilliance of the OP and ED was the first clue, but there’s just so much wit and cheekiness and style to everything about this show. The truth is based on their track record Lapin Track really shouldn’t be unheralded. And Nagatomo is absolutely a name to watch for the future – there’s zero question about that. Every little detail about this adaptation adds value to the whole proposition.

This ep was one of the more grounded of the series, I think it’s fair to say. I started to say “low-key” but it actually got pretty heavy. But it didn’t go too far down the comedic road for the most part. Part of the magic of You and I Are Polar Opposites is that it can be light and breezy while at the same time thoughtful and incisive. “Progress” was a sort of buzzword this ep, and all three couples were in the crosshairs. Yuusuke is a little freaked out by the tiny bit of physicality he and and Miyu shared. Nishi is coming to terms with her feelings about Yamada, and Azuma is trying to come to terms with her feelings generally.

Against this backdrop, it’s class trip time. And it’s Kyoto, natch. Another Bokuyaba parallel, though a Kyoto class trip is hardly a rarity in manga. Seihantai is definitely following the romcom survey course template so a class trip is a must. Though it should be noted that it’s using 2.5 chapters per episode, which means this cour will adapt well less than half the manga. It’s interesting to watch the different classes approach this differently (the homeroom teacher in Miyu’s class is a total slackass). My experience teaching JHS mirrors this – classes have personalities, just like people. And there are some where it’s a nightmare to get anyone to speak up about anything, as Kawasaki-san rages about.

It’s scary how hard Honda-san is shipping Nishi and Yamada. Nishi is struggling every step of the way but being pulled in anyway. But even though TairAzuma isn’t even actually a couple yet those are the two that most interest me. In part because I think they’re the two most interesting people in the cast individually. They in fact may never hook up romantically, like Miyu and Ricchan. But even so their relationship is still a fascinating one. Azuma’s self-doubt is very real. She finds herself swept along in other people’s lives, and hesitates to commit herself in her own. But around Taira she can be totally chill, because – as he says – she doesn’t care about impressing him.

That can be a tough dynamic to be on the receiving end of, as most introverts could tell you. He’s absolutely right that she’s taking him for granted (“pestering him for no reason”) – not maliciously, but undeniably. Because Azuma is a thoughtful girl she takes this in and tries to figure out what it means. She also reaches out to Satou and Watanabe, even though they’re really Suzuki’s friends. She’s starting to get tired of being on the periphery of everything, even though that’s the safest and often most comfortable place to be.

Then, as usual, things circle back to the A-couple. Class trips being what they are, the girls quickly latch onto romance and because Miyu has hardly been hiding her relationship with Yuusuke, they bombard her with uncomfortable questions. Among them – inevitably – is “how far have you gone?”. Miyu goes on “tilt” but realizes that for her, the answer is “not far enough”. She’s ready to advance things, but it’s not clear to her than Yuusuke is. She gloms onto Azuma as some sort of ideal woman figure to offer advice, but this definitely falls under the “grass is always greener” umbrella.

Finally, we see things from Yuusuke’s perspective. Everything about these past months has been about taking him out of his comfort zone. Not just physical intimacy, but simply being around other people (like a bunch of rowdy boys sharing a room). After their baths Miyu asks him if this way is more fun, but it’s not about that. He wasn’t broken the way he was before – that’s something she has to understand. He was just incomplete. However we’re wired, it benefits our growth as people to live the way the other half lives sometimes. To see things from a perspective different from our own. Romantic relationships – especially first ones – are about that too.