Recap

Usa begins his new job at the houseboy cafe (as that is apparently a thing) and immediately runs into trouble. The rest of the Kawai complex crew decide to pay him a visit as his “Freak Show” past begins to haunt him.

Jel’s Thoughts

This was the best episode of Kawaisou yet as it tells a solid, focused story that cashes in on the bond the Kawai complex housemates have formed. It was brutal watching Usa take an emotional beating at the hands of some rather realistically (sadly) obnoxious brats. He’s done some stupid things to impress a girl but never anything malicious, so seeing how much of a jerk some other guys can be really emphasizes he’s a good dude. It also made for a glorious moment when the girls came in to rescue him, one of those great payback scenes that make you want to get up and cheer at your screen.

Probably my favorite part of the episode is when the group turns on Ritsu for making a “special request”. Usa prepares to step in and defend her, but she doesn’t need it. She’s strong enough to own the moment on her own, even if it does catch up with her later. I’ve always said the best romances are the ones that are equal partnerships. When the couple faces problems it’s not a matter of the guy needing to save the girl or vice versa, it’s about both working together to solve them. The relationship between Usa and Ritsu is slowly moving in that direction as both parties don’t need each other, but do seem to make each other better. It’s a rare thing to see that done correctly as so many anime romance stories boil down to “boy fixes girl’s problem, girl falls in love with boy”, so I’m really enjoying how things have developed.

It’s also really sweet to see how much the rest of the Kawai crew has Usa’s back. They clearly know and appreciate how patient he is with their idiosyncrasies and are ready to jump in and help when he’s the one that needs it. Sumiko in particular has always been on Usa’s side, but it was Ritsu’s adorably awkward attempt to cheer him up with a book chapter that tugs at your heart. It’s going to be hard to top this week’s episode, but I’m encouraged that Kawaisou is turning out to be the warm and sweet comedy I was hoping for.

Marlin’s Thoughts

I am in full agreement with Jel. This was by far the best episode Kawaisou has pulled out. It’s amazing how well this author can depict realistic extremes. Sure, not every high schooler is a brat like that, but I’m sure you knew at least one group that could match those kind of arrogant pricks. After such poor treatment, Usa was being way too polite in dealing with them. I’m not a fan of insulting others, but one should at least stand up for oneself and refuse to be slandered. No amount of politeness is worth letting lies go unchecked. I suppose it’s that kind of lesson that Ritsu was trying to teach him by making her presence known. She didn’t belittle them, but also found a way to help diffuse the situation. Sayaka and Mayumi, on the other hand, represent a more normal reaction in society. They use dominance as a form of shaming as well as general embarrassment in order to seek vindication.

For the first time, I really felt like there could actually be a romance in this story. So much of this has been clearly one sided that the idea has never been too convincing. It’s been slowly getting better in previous episodes, but this one really made me feel like Ritsu actually cares for Usa. All of that character development showing how introverted she is really paid off in this episode. When a girl as socially awkward as her is willing to stand up for him, it speaks volumes for how much she’s grown fond of him. It’s because this episode was so well put together that I’m still really annoyed that they felt like needing to ruin the ending for another misunderstandings gag. They stopped being funny episode 2. At least this show has consistently been taking a turn for the better since its lackluster start.