The 10th episode and conclusion of Sae’s arc focuses mostly on Sae’s work preparing for the Founder’s Festival. Junichi feels left out because Sae is busy running all over the place to prepare for the festival. However, he hatches a scheme to stay close to her by filming her work as a documentary. Sae’s struggles continue until Junichi steps in and offers to help her in a more substantive way. The thought alone drives her to the finish line and a successful festival.
After last week’s 2-1 defeat away to real life, it’s time to see how Junichi does in the return leg of this vital fixture having scored a precious away goal at the death.
First of all, Junichi begins the episode on the back foot. The girlfriend is off doing real work leaving him all lonely and pathetic. He even has to eat lunch alone. Where are Umehara and Kaoru? His friends have left him out to dry too. Fortunately, he’s got a plan up his sleeve to hold off the onset of sadness.
He goes to his extensive library of recordings of Sae and comes up with an idea. However, his library is too weak. Filled with cute girls in animal pajama costumes doing cute things, you can’t expect to be taken as a serious filmmaker, son. Documentaries are the way forward to B-list celebritydom. With just a bit of select editing Junichi, you can have your opinion presented as fact simply because it looks like a documentary. One-nil to Junichi then.
then smile at the camera”]
Alright, Junichi. You just have to defend well the rest of the way and you’re through on away goals. Just don’t do anything stupid. What’s this? You’re simply standing by as Sae ruins herself with duties as a committee member. Poor form, man. Even worse is being accused of engaging in some extracurricular activity on Sae by your sister.
That section of the episode was really poor even by your standards. You’ve pretty much scored an own goal fitting of Laurent Koscielny on a bender. 1-1 on the episode and Junichi needs a late goal to force extra time.
Time to go all out attack, Junichi. You’ve talked it over with your assistant Tsukasa, who you helped so well last year that it resulted in marriage and a kid. So what are you going to do? Be a man, of course. Show her that footage you selectively edited to show that everyone else thinks the world of her. That’s what the best celebrity documentary filmmakers would do. Volunteer to help your girlfriend with anything that she wants you to. Oh, she’s happy alright. But she just wants you to keep on doing what you’re doing. That’s epic, she performs better and you have to do zero additional work, Junichi. Hell, she’s so motivated she’s taken to fulfilling your secret desires for Miya for you. And finally, you don’t even have to buy her a Christmas gift. She’s way too good for you, but you’ve managed to capture her anyway.
So 2-1 then, so what happens in extra time? Just another friendly day at the park watching the hero show. And Sae’s knocked up, plus has a daughter. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Oh, and Junichi’s still filming Sae at all times. That may seem like Junichi has scored the winner. But wait, he’s had 8 years to try to climb up the documentary filmmaker ladder and make a good amount of money in the process. Yet, he still languishes where he was in high school. With more mouths to feed. Make that 1-1 in extra time and that means Junichi loses on away goals. Maybe next time, Junichi.
Next week is the beginning of the Haruka arc. Or as some people may think, the only arc that matters. That should fortunately mean some deserved screen time for Hibiki, who has been poorly used over the previous 36 episodes.
Lower Mid-Table 