Way back at preview time I wrote “This is not a schedule rich in romcom for me”. But my Thursdays have two darn good ones, the very charming Otagal and the even better Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!. The former was in fact part of my “field” spoiler candidate bloc, but I had a pretty firm suspicion this series was going to be good. So not a sleeper, no, but maybe even better than I was expecting. When you’re talking about a source with so little material – two volumes – you’re in very unusual territory for full-season anime. There’s just no way of knowing how things are going to go.

I had no idea until after I’d watched it that this episode was anime-original. That it was one of the best of the series is just more evidence of how good this adaptation really is. Any time the original material is top-shelf that’s a big indicator of a really good adaptation (see Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san). With a series this short that’s especially critical, because you need it to fill out the cour. The stuff with the teachers is fun but relatively lightweight, but everything involving Nakamura-kun (especially the manga signing) was first-rate.

Exam time finds Nakamura heading to the library, only to find it overcrowded with desperate students cramming (an introvert’s nightmare). Hirose, whose kindness seems to know no bounds, invites him to join his group. They eventually get hungry and bug out for the family restaurant, which is a pretty big deal for Nakamura – this is the first time he’s partaken of this teen ritual with fellow teens. This means trying to keep up with their conversation – an avalanche of TV, music, and game references which all fly right over Nakamura’s head.

I’ll just say this – for an introvert this scene feels totally and uncomfortably real, and if you know you know. All this is a learning opportunity for Nakamura-kun, who scribbles Hirose-related notes furiously (only to have them wiped out by a spit take). I wonder – does Hirose know? Does he suspect? Hirose’s perspective is kind of the elephant in the room with this series and still something of a mystery. But that’s because he’s pretty much definitionally objectified – that’s his role in the story. I don’t love that element of the series but I get the thinking behind it. Really, we’re seeing events – and Hirose – through Nakamura’s eyes.

The big moment here is, ironically, similar to one of the best anime-original threads in Takagi-san. Both involve anime adaptations of the MC’s favorite romance manga – with Nishikata and Takagi it’s “100% Unrequited Love” and of course with Nakamura (and Hifumi) it’s “Lovable Lunches”. Not only is there an anime coming, but a mangaka signing event at Animate Ikebukuro (no names were changed – this is advertising all the way). Nakamura is naturally thrilled to have scored a ticket, but he’s horrified to see that Hifumi has one too and tries to hide his face as he waits in line.

This has to be a nightmare for Nakamura-kun – he’s still trying to live a secret life. While there are straight guys who’re into BL, they’re a pretty small minority. That line of attendees is pretty typical. As was the “Lovable Lunches” collab cafe Hifumi and her posse went to before the event, actually. I’ve been to a few of those and that’s the exact vibe – overwhelmingly young women and girls squeeing and snapping endless photos of overpriced theme food and drinks. But if you love the franchise you have to support it. The mall cop hassling Nakamura was kind of a sad moment – have some sensitivity man, don’t you have eyes? The poor kid is in an awkward spot.

Fortunately for Nakamura Hifumi knows his secret already (and you have to assume others will have noticed too, though as she’s in love with him maybe she’s paying closest attention). And fortunate she was there to bail him out. I was really scared this was all going to go badly for him, as he’s very much a schlimazel generally, and he didn’t do Hifumi’s ace prep work. But it doesn’t – it goes heartwarmingly perfectly, in fact. Because the mangaka is very cool about it – you get a strong feeling there was some “I’ve been there, Bro” happening here. We even get a title drop out of it. How can you not be happy to see this poor kid catch a break?