In Kotoko Vision™, she is able to perform an excellent speech as Class 3-F representative, is given Naoki's second button (Okay time-out. I don't live in Japan, so I'm completely unfamiliar with this 'second-button' idea, and this is the first time I've heard of it. If someone would enlighten me, please. I can gather it's supposed to signify a guy's affection for the girl he gives it to…but past that, I'm lost.), and lastly is swept up in Naoki's arms for an award-winning graduation picture. Then Kotoko wakes up, having fallen out of bed.
Unsurprisingly, the actual graduation ceremony goes completely contrary - Kotoko daydreams, then Kinnosuke daydreams, then Kinnosuke declares his love for Kotoko to the whole school, which causes a panicked Kotoko to trip and drop all the certificates, and after the ceremony Kotoko is rejected for both a second-button and a picture, but although Naoki's mother forces him to take a picture, Kinnosuke ruins it. (Here I thought Kotoko got a 'Great Fortune' last episode.)
The graduation party later doesn't fare much better. It turns out that Class F and Class A both reserved the same restaurant. However, Class F has the common area while Class A is in the luxury area, which serves to differentiate the two more as sort of peasantry and nobility respectively. Leave it up to Kinnosuke, though, to make it worse. He gets onto the stage dressed up as Elvis, and begins singing a song about his love for Kotoko. (Wow, it's like he exists to embarrass the heck out of Kotoko… oh, wait.)
Class A's teacher comes by to goad Class F, going on to debase Kotoko, when Naoki stops him. Kotoko thinks she's saved but she's not, Naoki takes the jerk route and stomps all over her knowing that she likes him. Such a insult isn't going to be taken sitting down, and Kotoko pulls out her ace-in-the-sleeve: more of Naoki-chan baby pictures. Everyone's interest is immediate piqued, and a distressed Naoki drags Kotoko outside.
Outside, in the dark alleyway (Dark alleyway? What kind of a setting is this?) Kotoko yells that Naoki has trampled on her feelings for the last time. She says she'll stop liking him, now that she's familiar with his disgusting personality. Naoki, however, whispers 'go ahead and try', and (*OMG*) kisses Kotoko! He then walks off, leaving her shocked.
Thoughts:
I called it last episode, but I found that in this episode Kinnosuke really takes his annoying-ness to another level. The guy just doesn't know when to quit.
Naoki manages to completely revert to super-arse mode, but then WHAT with the kissu at the end? Is he for real or did he just want to shut Kotoko up? If he wants to be a jerkface, I could totally see him using the kiss as a pre-emptive strike to immobilize Kotoko for a good amount of time. But it also seemed like he was warming up to her… oh Naoki, what are you thinking??
Next episode, an anorexic Washizu comes to play Mahjong against Naoki. RON!
May 20th, 2008 at 3:46 am
If I recall correctly, pupils give second buttons upon graduation as a significant keepsake for important other people. I don’t know whether it’s normally as important as it was in this ep, but (as OGT has pointed out) this being shoujo romance everything involving Irie is obviously a GRAVE, LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION.
Wikipedia says
Someone more versed in Japanese custom can correct me if I’m wrong.
And Naoki would make an awesome Akagi.
May 20th, 2008 at 4:04 am
That kiss was just for play. He’s just being a ass. He doesn’t care at all about her as of now. However this series goes, he’s still gonna be a jerk in my eyes. I can’t even stand him getting to together with her.
May 20th, 2008 at 4:41 am
Murphy’s Law was at work during the graduation.
May 20th, 2008 at 5:10 am
I actually feel bad for Kinnosuke now since everyone seems to find him so annoying… Oh wait, so do I -_-”
May 20th, 2008 at 5:57 am
Although you have to admit he’s rather persistent. xD
Anyway, I don’t really think Irie’s playing around with Kotoko. I think at the last moment he actually felt sorry or something. Judging by that tongue sticking show he did at the end, I’d say it wasn’t malicious or anything.
May 21st, 2008 at 4:50 am
he says to go ahead and try ha ! he is going to keep her in suspense as to his feeling and just prolong the torture !
May 21st, 2008 at 8:39 am
haha yea I could ignore kinchan for the most part but he took it to an extra STFU level in ep 7 lol
May 23rd, 2008 at 1:13 pm
he tries so hard… hahahahahahahahha
will forever go unnoticed. poor guy, too bad you just gotta laugh at him and his misfortune.
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:30 pm
@ IKnight: Thanks for looking it up for me. And ohgod I just made the connection between Akagi’s ridiculous chin and Naoki’s. lulz in before fanart depicting such.
@ Webb: I think he’s just really naive. For all his intelligence, he’s got the people skills of a dead skunk.
@ Sojourner: Wow, I should have linked to the Wikipedia article for that. Actually, I think I will.
@ issa: We all know he’s not going to get any poon anyway.
@ Ez: NEXT EPISODE SAYS OTHERWISE
@ smita: I’ll rape him and eat his (Naoki’s) soup.
@ Hinano: More liek elevated from STFU to GTFO level
@ Ryo: Not when he keeps pulling all this totally unromantic bullshats