Recap: Yukinoshita is taking the pressure hard, but refuses to take her friend’s help. Hachiman starts to try all he can to deflect the animosity towards himself. As the festival starts, tensions are high, and Sagami is cracking under the stress.

Once again, after going off the deep end subverting tropes, SNAFU will catch you every once in a while with a genuine one. The whole “sick from stress” thing is silly to me, but it’s a good device to get our three together during these hectic times. Having Yukinoshita in regular clothes always seems to have a softening affect on her. You can kinda tell she puts up a shell in public, so once she’s out of school you can see her for the softer person she is. I loved the scene of Yukino reaching out to Yui. It’s kinda a shame this show is ending so soon. It seems like we’re finally getting the three of them to open up to each other, only to cut off right there.

Hachiman really has a talent for perception. It always seemed weird to me how well he knows social structure despite how much he’s spent outside of it, but I guess that’s what gives him perspective. He’s an observer, and on the outside his best skill is to make the fact that he doesn’t belong known. Every episode is a lesson in how to use social suicide to protect others. This week, he takes the hit for Yukino, reminding everyone that the guy they despise is doing a better job than they are. I really think that’s some brilliant writing: As Yukino’s sister put it, the greatest way to unite people is a common enemy.

The banter was definitely top notch this episode. The back-and-forth between Hachiman and Yukino during Sagami’s speech was hilarious, and it really felt natural as a series of jabs between friends. It’s a subtle but great way of showing that the awkwardness that was between them the last few episodes is virtually gone.

As much as it had nothing to do with the plot, I feel like special mention has to go to the “The Little Prince” scenes. This has definitely been some of the best comedy of the past few episodes. Finally seeing the show in action had me in stitches, and Hina’s reactions have the best kind of exaggeration put into them.

On the actual romance of this romantic comedy, I’m still kinda baffled by how they’re going about developing it. I suppose in the end this could just be the show teasing us back and forth so it can please fans on both sides, but it just makes all three parties seem noncommittal. I guess that might be exactly what they’re going for, what with them all having a hard time being honest with each other, but we know Yui is serious about this and yet she still is acting with the same trepidation of the first few episodes. With only two episodes left, I hardly see us getting a satisfying conclusion, so I suppose downplaying that part of the story is for the best.