Un-Merry Christmas…
Unlike the other episodes, this one completely slowed down but still retains its eerie presence. And just like we thought, Yuuna has taken the place for Togo and is shouldering her debt.
The series goes back to its typical slice of life cuteness, but this time it works really well balancing the fun and cute with the tenseness from knowing Yuuna’s situation. The girls talk about regular topics such as Christmas, Fuu’s upcoming entrance exams, and Itsuki’s choir community event. The girls tease Fuu but also encourage her, and they also joke around and laugh together while being silly and cute. However, not everyone is like that as Yuuna stands in the back awkwardly. She doesn’t exactly partake in the fun because of the mark that was left on her chest as it bothers her. Time and time again she attempts to tell the others but never gets the chance to. Seeing the same mark on her friends when she tries to bring up the topic stops her in her tracks and she pretends nothing is bothering her, even though Fuu and eventually Sonoko notice something is up, but it’s only Sonoko who actually figures it out in the end. Whenever Yuuna tries to tell the others about her situation, something bad happens. At first she tried telling them indirectly with a riddle, and the next day all the girls complain about something bad that happened to them. Togo had a power outage, Karin’s heater died, Itsuki forgot her keys to the house and she and Fuu were locked out, and Sonoko burned her hand on a kettle. When Yuuna confronted Fuu and tried to tell her directly, that same evening Fuu got hit by a car. Each time, she saw the same mark on them. It doesn’t take Yuuna long to figure out what happens when she tries to speak on this.
The Gods play so damn dirty. The whole time I wanted to scream to Yuuna to tell them about the mark, because it’s important! But knowing what happens when she tries to, I totally understand why she absolutely can’t. They basically all are cursed and if Yuuna breaks the rule, bad things will happen to them.
I enjoyed the inner monologues and the scenes of Yuuna in her room. I like seeing this closer look into her and checking her mental stability, her thoughts on the situation, how much she doesn’t want to be a burden. She doesn’t want to hurt her friends. She continues to pretend like everything is okay and keeps it all to herself, but hearing Fuu and Itsuki speak in the hospital room put her over the edge and she was finally able to properly show her emotions in the emotional breakdown in the end. And let me tell you, watching the usual silly and bubbly Yuuna reduced to this scared, guilty mess of emotions really hurt to watch. Like I said, those lone scenes of Yuuna in her room really showcased how terrified she was, to how she obsessively went over her situation in doodles in her notebook, to the way she reacted when finding out Fuu had been hit by the car. The little details of her slowly getting up, staggering out of her room while almost hyperventilating was a great touch. I just…feel so terrible, but I’m mostly scared for Yuuna. I have no idea what’s going to happen to her, but judging from the Taisha visiting her home, it absolutely will not be good. I’m guessing it’ll be the same thing that happened to Togo, but if they do take her away and send her into that black hole, what will our Heroes do?
This anime is really good at making me depressed and I always look forward to each episode. I thought this episode did a lot better but considering that we only have three more episodes, and I feel like we aren’t exactly deep in the plot yet, I’m a little worried on how this’ll end. But honestly I’m mostly worried for Yuuna.
I wanna go back to the happier Christmas in Love Live Sunshine. T_T
Stop being worried about about progression.
Imagine this being 12 Episodes while every single Episode is like the other 3.
Do you want us and you to die?
I’m just scared for this season to be rushed. I would gladly take on death for a well-paced season! >:|
She just wants to have a happy life with her friends. Is that really so much to ask for?! 🙁
PS: The pressed flowers she dropped outside Fu’s hospital room were purple Christmas Roses. In the language of the flowers they mean “relieve my anxiety.” Coming from her there’s no question it’s a plea for help.
Ohhh, thanks for pointing that out. But Sonoko figuring this out, she’s going to want to confront Yuuna and that’s really not going to go well. ;_;