This episode was wonderful but geez it was an emotional rollercoaster. So I would like to start this review on a positive note before diving into the feels.
YES THAT’S RIGHT IT’S TARO THE GOODEST BOY HE’S BACK AND HE’S BEAUTIFUL. Only for a second, but still. He’s a wonderful ball of joy and so is his owner and every second of screentime they get is appreciated.
In other news, Yugo is precious, I love him. I only wish we could have seen his reaction when Nana told him that Subaru was actually Mikazuki-sensei. God bless the Okami family I hope they’re having a great day. And Kawase was also there. I feel bad, I never have anything in particular to say about Kawase even though I like him. But I always enjoy his presence and I support him in his tireless quest for Haru’s approval.
Okay we’ve had our nice trouble-free dog and friend time, now onto the serious business. This episode took an emotional toll on me. I had a stressful day and I just wanted to come home to my nice cat anime and then it went and made me sad. I should have expected it, a large blow to the feels was always going to come towards the end. What a naive fool I was. Here’s me thinking “Oh that’s nice, Subaru’s going on a little field trip, his parents would be so proud”, and then I get hit with him honouring them in the most tragically touching way possible and I was not prepared. I might have cried when the innkeeper mentioned that his parents’ booking was for three people. In all seriousness, though, it was a wonderfully fitting almost-end to the season. But I’m sad that Haru didn’t get to come with him on his trip.
Actually, I’m kind of sad Haru didn’t get much time in general this episode, but she was a complete brat for roughly 99% of the time she was on-screen so she made the most of it. And to be honest, Subaru’s storyline needed the full episode anyway. I’m glad that it looks like he’s getting a little more time in the inn, also, because I didn’t feel like he got quite enough time in Shikoku as it was.
I have to say, though, that I’m not too sure about the big dramatic Happening that was set in motion at the end. Subaru getting stranded and Haru apparently somehow getting lost is giving me flashbacks to Homeward Bound and those movies stressed me out something fierce as a kid and I haven’t gotten much tougher since. More importantly, though, this is such a soft show that I don’t necessarily feel right about it ending with a bang. I’m sure it’ll be a touching episode but I think something a little more low-key would have been more in keeping with the mood of the rest of the series. To me, Subaru completing the trip that his parents never got to take, seeing how much they cared for him, and coming home to Haru to continue his newly improved life would have been enough. But I’ll reserve full judgement until the actual episode, I guess. Anyway, the trip itself was really nice and the innkeepers are cuties so I’m happy to see more of them.