Seihantai na Kimi to Boku Ep.10 - Rikako going full throttle with her support.

Episode 9 of the anime series Seihantai na Kimi to Boku (You and I Are Polar Opposites) establishes the foundation for the final story arc of this adaptation, which will focus on the school trip. This is a traditional choice for concluding a story, as major events like a school trip or a cultural festival are common ways to mark the end of a school year.

All the classes are organizing their groups, and everyone is planning activities with the person they like. The situations are presented in a very grounded way. Even the teachers are supportive, telling the students they can have slightly larger groups than usual as long as they do not cause too much trouble.

It was nice to see just some friends hanging out without all the romance for once. It's rare, but I think that's the most important part of that time period.

Will we manage to get some progress between Taira and Azuma before the end of the series?! That's what we're all waiting for...

As I mentioned, this is a setup episode, so there is not much progress for either group. However, there were several cute scenes, such as the one I attached to this article featuring Nishi Natsumi and Yamada Kentarou. They are being supported by Honda Rikako, who acts as a wingman by trying to leave them alone while forcing Yamada to stay close to Nishi.

I think the highlight of the episode was Shino realizing that she has always been overly accommodating and prone to avoiding conflict when interacting with her friends. Usually, she only drops this act when she is around Shuuji. Thanks to this realization, she takes a step toward acting more freely around her other friends, understanding that she has nothing to lose by being herself.

The episode ends with a sweet scene between Suzuki and Tani on the first day of the trip, where Tani reveals more about what he thinks of the experience of dating her so far. I liked his comment, "I wasn't troubled before, so it didn't change much." It feels very realistic, especially when followed by "I'm glad I met you," which really impacts Suzuki.

The next episode will get into the heart of the trip, featuring the inevitable dates between the various groups. I am very interested to see if the series manages to provide some actual progress for Shino and Shuuji before it ends. It would be perfectly fine if the resolution were as simple as both characters realizing they like each other while leaving the rest open-ended.

The more time passes, the more I feel I like Rikako the most among all the heroines. Way too relatable at times.

...or simply because you feel at ease around him? Admit it Shino!

There is not enough time to wrap up all the remaining threads with only two episodes left. However, I am not interested enough in the series as a whole to pick up the manga, even though it is already completed, so I will likely conclude my experience here.