Misuzu

Never, Ever Make Carol Sad Again. EVER!

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Tomo-Chan is a Girl! Ep 9 Review

Okay, I knew that there was something about Carol that made me feel uneasy. On the one hand, she’s like this living cinnamon bun that makes people smile. On the other hand, it’s implied she’s way smarter than she lets on. She managed to troll Misuzu, after all! However, this week’s Carol-centric offers a greater look behind her smiling face than we’ve gotten thus far. And I have to say, it’s a pleasant change of pace. 

B-Couple Drama Ensues

Carol Olston and Kousouke Misaki are what shippers refer to as the b-couple of the anime. They’re the pair that also garner attention, but not as much as the main couple. In this case, Tomo and Jun. They also make for an odd pairing due to Carol’s seemingly ditzy nature and Kousuke always fretting over her, but to each their own. 

The plot of the episode kicks off when Kousuke enrolls in Mr. Aizawa’s dojo to get stronger for Carol’s sake. Given how he has to compete with Jun and Tomo, though, that’s a tall order. However, when he mentions this to Carol and explains how he wants to catch up to Tomo, she misunderstands this as thinking he likes her. Uh-oh.

Not only does this lead Carol to act colder towards Tomo, but she tries to make Kousuke jealous by flirting with Jun. He wasn’t the only one who felt uncomfortable, though. I know enough about relationships to know that this tactic can blow up in people’s faces.

Then, Misuzu…she messes up.

Maybe Misuzu Shouldn’t Play Matchmaker Anymore

Carol goes to Misuzu to ask if she knows what Kousuke thinks of her. Rather than tell her the truth, Misuzu does something that potentially crosses the line. To encourage both of them to open up more, Misuzu lies to Carol, making it seem like Kousuke doesn’t romantically like her. Her goal’s to get her to cry so Kousuke can stop putting her on this pedestal, which is fine. However, this plan backfires when Carol takes it even worse than expected. She stops smiling! CAROL NEVER STOPS SMILING! THAT’S A RED FLAG.

Ultimately, Misuzu’s plan does end up working: Kousuke chases after Carol, sees her in tears, and finally works up the nerve to tell her how he feels. It’s a happy ending for everyone, with Carol pranking Misuzu as payback. However, things came very close to ending off far worse.

Misuzu came dangerously close to emotionally scarring Carol. Had that happened, and if Kousuke hadn’t learned about it soon enough, Carol’s mindset could’ve changed for the worse. Thus, Misuzu dodged a big bullet.

The question is, though, should Misuzu keep trying to make Jun and Tomo get together? Her meddling could make things worse and ruin everything for everyone.

Questionable decision aside, I liked this episode for adding more depth to Carol. She’s not as one-note as some fans might think. However, I want the show to get back to Tomo and Jun, because it’s starting to get good with them.

I Give “The Angel’s True Face” a 3/5

How Did Tomo and Jun Meet? Best Friend’s First Meeting!

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Tomo-Chan is a Girl! Ep. 7 Review

You know what I love seeing in TV shows? Extended flashbacks. They can reveal so much about a character’s backstory, what made them into the person we know, and provide greater context to how characters act. In this case, we get an entire segment dedicated to learning how Jun and Tomo first met. And we also get a beach episode.

The Day Jun Met Tomo

The first segment takes place almost exclusively in flashback form, with Jun remembering the day he met his best friend Tomo. It was literally the day after he and his family moved from Tokyo that she wound up in his backyard…and then broke his copyright-friendly DS or 3DS. He punched her in response, her parents begged for forgiveness, and just like that, they became friends.

The entire first segment’s a fun way to show how Jun first met Tomo and Misuzu, and helps to establish much of the group dynamics they have as teenagers. The funniest part is the fact that Misuzu was, and always has been, a massive troll when it comes to Jun. That smirk of hers might rival Anya Forger’s when it comes to meme-worthiness.

More importantly, this segment also proves my point about why Jun keeps Tomo in the friendzone despite her throwing out a ton of signals.

The short version: after Tomo got Jun’s DS back from some bullies, Jun hated how weak he was. So he told her she could keep it until he got stronger than her, started training with her dad, and the rest is history. However, it’s been ten years, and Jun still doesn’t think he’s surpassed Tomo. It’s the hallmark of putting someone on a pedestal, and it’s what’s keeping him from seeing Tomo as the romantic partner that she wants!

As a side note, the fact that kid Jun’s heart wouldn’t stop pounding whenever Tomo did something cute makes it obvious. Our boy Jun is in denial about liking her!

Too bad for him, Tomo and Misuzu have other plans.

The Beach Episode is the Perfect Way to Make Jun Notice Tomo

The beach episode, a staple to many romcom/slice-of-life anime. The perfect opportunity to provide some fan-service…or get your crush to notice how great you look in a swimsuit.

In an effort to force Jun to acknowledge Tomo’s gender once and for, Tomo, Misuzu, and Carol drag him to the beach for a day of fun and relaxation. At least, that’s what it’s supposed to be. Jun takes one look at Tomo in a bikini, realizes how amazing she looks, and now he can barely think straight. It also doesn’t help that Tomo, following Suzu and Carol’s advice, refuses to let him out of her sight. The results are super effective. By the end of their beach day, Jun’s a mess.

This entire segment confirms that Jun does see Tomo as a girl, but is in denial over it and the feelings he clearly has for her. Not only does he freak out over her figure in a swimsuit, but when some creep hits on her, he pulls up on them and scares them off. Granted, Tomo could’ve broken the guy’s spine, and he does the same thing for Carol, but it’s the thought that counts.

The takeaway from this review is that this was yet another fun episode of my favorite romcom of the Winter 2023 season. And the best part is that Tomo’s finally starting to wear Jun down. We might see him caving into his feeling before the end of the season! Either that, or we’ll get a second one. 

I Give “Junichiro’s Promise” and “When Tomo Puts On a Swimsuit…” a 4.5/5 each. 

Jun, Stop Treating Tomo So Delicately!

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Tomo-Chan is a Girl! Ep 8 Review

Whether Jun likes it or not, he can no longer deny the facts: Tomo is a girl. She’s a badass girl who’s also super cute when she tries to be, and one he very much finds attractive. Many people do; why else would Gigguk include a call to join the Church of Tomboys in his review for the Winter 2023 anime season? So why isn’t he doing anything about it? 

We still have until April for the season to end, so there’s more time to see these two lovebirds try and figure out their relationship. More fun for the rest of us, though!

The Summer Festival, another classic trope of Slice-of-Life anime

It’s summertime, and in slice-of-life anime, that almost always means two things happen. Firstly, we get a beach episode. Secondly, we get the festival episode, where the cast dresses up in kimonos, visits stalls, and watches fireworks. And, thanks to Misuzu, Tomo will spend the local festival alone with Jun. Let the romance begin!

There’s just one problem…ever since the beach trip, Jun’s been way too flustered to act like his normal self around Tomo. It gets worse in this episode when Tomo goes to the festival in an amazing kimono, and almost every guy’s floored by how beautiful she looks. The stall attendants are so blown away when they start sharing a photo of her, and the reactions are priceless. Everyone looks at Tomo like she’s this beautiful goddess walking amongst mere mortals. 

As funny and heartwarming as everyone’s reactions are, though, they highlight Jun’s biggest issue. He knows Tomo’s a girl and finds her attractive. Yet whenever he acknowledges this, he starts treating it way more delicately. Tomo likes that to an extent. However, she still wants him to be her best friend and her boyfriend. 

Girl or not, though, Tomo can still kick most people’s butts. And it takes a certain incident to get Jun to snap out of his funk.

Don’t Mess with Jun, Tomo, or Misuzu. 

Once the new term starts, Tomo’s bummed out by how more cautious Jun’s treating her and complains about it to Carol and Misuzu. And as the season’s progressed, it’s clear that Misuzu’s secretly jealous of them and doesn’t want to lose her best friend. However, that gets sidelined due to a certain incident.

If you’ll recall, this pack of bullies made the mistake of going after Tomo earlier in the season, and she cleaned their leader’s clock. Then Jun did the same to all of them at once. When they spot Misuzu and Carol, though, they see this as the perfect chance for revenge, leaving the two girls to run and hide…and call Jun for help. Tomo soon learns, and before long, the cavalry arrives to save Carol and Misuzu. Oh, and Kousuke, the captain of the karate club, comes because Carol’s his friend/and or fiance.

The following curb stomp serves as a reminder to Jun that he sorely needed. Tomo might be a girl, and while it’s fine for him to protect her when she needs it, she can still kick most people’s asses. Given everything we’ve seen of the two, neither can reconcile these aspects.

Okay, Real talk, Tomo and Jun

I normally don’t do this in a review, but I feel like it’s necessary. Jun doesn’t realize how lucky he is to have Tomo.

Tomo is one of the best waifu’s I’ve seen in an anime in a long, long time. Not only is she cute, but she’s also a badass. That is seriously awesome to have someone like that as your best friend. And despite the fact that both are attracted to and perfect for each other, Jun’s as scared as Tomo is about taking that next step. They don’t want to give up their status as best friends, even if it means they become lovers. But is that what will happen?

Real talk: there’s no rule against your best friend being your lover as well. If anything, that’s the best of both worlds. The fact that they’re best friends means they don’t have to put on an act in front of each other and be themselves. That’s the best thing that could happen in a romantic relationship! So for both of their sakes, they better figure that out soon.

Alright, rants over. Once again, Tomo-Chan knocked it out of the park. I love this anime, and it’s one of the best of 2023. 

Also, never anger Misuzu. She will destroy your social life.

I Give “The Night of the Summer Festival” and “The Distance Between Them,” a 4.5/5 each. Best Episodes yet