Education in anime. I'm your anime idiot, tess Dugan.
I'm your anime expert, D Hollander Gonzalez.
And I'm Brenda McCullough. Your anime golden gay time. The ice cream.
Ice cream.
It was an ice cream brand in Australia.
Oh.
Because I think there it was more colloquially, like, gay. It was like, happy and then the internet found it was, like, gay and now they rebranded, oh, man, I can't.
Buy the gay ice cream.
That's easy pride. If whoever the company is still wants to go back, that's Easy Pride ice cream.
Listen to how disappointed I am.
Yeah. And I think New York has, like, a big gay ice cream shop. I forget the official title, but, hey, gay ice cream still exists. This is America, isn't it?
Yeah. I'd say Ben and Jerry's is a pretty gay ice cream, not just because of the name, but because of their beliefs.
I didn't even think of the name. Yeah, that's right. I was hoping the title of that one shop in New York was just the Big Gay ice cream company. Like, I want that to just be it.
It's not far off if it is. But we're not talking about Australia today. We're talking about a little country called Japan.
What are we watching this week? We're watching an anime called Golden Time, which I found on a list of romantic comedy animes that are not about high schoolers.
Bless you, child.
I know.
Amazing.
Hopefully it's got something going on that's better than high schoolers.
Yeah. Just a big check mark already in the pro column.
Have either of you heard of this one?
Absolutely not.
Shocker. This is one I've actually already watched. I watched this way back when. High school, maybe.
So surprising. I looked it up, it came out in 2013.
Oh, fuck.
All right, so you have been out of high school.
Yeah. It's still over a decade.
You were like, oh, this isn't about high schoolers. I have to wait. I need it to be authentic to my experience.
I have to go through college myself first before I can indulge in this.
I technically don't know what they're talking about. I got to do some research.
It's like a different language to me. I couldn't understand any of it.
Going method to be a viewer of something repulsive, irredeemable.
I hadn't heard of it until I found it on this list. So, yes, I don't know anything about it either.
Incredible.
I know about it and I got opinions. We'll see if those opinions stay true after oh, no. Years.
Well, give us ten years. We're going to watch one episode for every three and a third. We're taking a break.
Bye bye.
Fail. Fail.
A gun rack? I don't even own a gun, let alone many guns. That would necessitate a rack. Why would I need a gun rack? Hi, we're back.
Welcome back.
If anyone was going to get that, I assumed it would be you, Brendan.
I've definitely heard it before. It's in the labyrinth of my mind somewhere. I can't pin the name I want to say.
Party on, Wayne. Oh, God. It is Wayne's World. Unfortunately, not the thing we're talking about today.
I was more just caught off guard because I don't know how the fuck that's relevant.
All right, excellent. That was my Wayne's world reference. Here we go. Talk about Golden Time episode One So a lovely girl is walking down the street holding a bunch of roses, and there are a couple of boys staring at her. Cool. Then we get the opening, which is just like, cute and classic and nothing too special. It's very of the time. Then we see a guy in a suit running down the street. He goes into a building, says he's late. His name is for. He says he's from the law school, and he's late because he's new to Tokyo and doesn't know his way around. Turns out he was going to the entrance ceremony of this law school, but he missed the whole thing.
Shucks, are we sure this is not set in high school? Because we have seen this quite a bit.
There's so much in this that I'm just like, is this really what it's like? I mean, it must be, right? Like, are colleges in Japan so similar to the high school experience, at least portrayed in anime?
It seemed more relaxed. And they weren't all in uniforms all the time, which is my only indication it was college.
He says in some narration that he's moved from his hometown to Tokyo and he's on his own for the first time. He's outside the entrance ceremony building now. He's looking at everybody. People with their parents and friends. But he's on his own. It's time for him to go to the actual school now, but he's a little confused. He's, like, looking at a map, doesn't know how to get there. He overhears some girls talking about taking a shortcut. So he follows them and he's like, I know I look like a freak. And I'm just like, just tell them why you're following them. Yeah, you're all going to the same place.
Problem solved.
But that would be too easy.
God, can you believe that there's a character in this show that's, like stalking someone? That's just so uncomfortable, so weird and.
Unusual and fun and goofy of him. Really? So they stop to buy ice cream in a convenience store. And then while they're in the convenience store, they get a text from a friend, and they're like, oh, we have to hurry to meet her. And that throws him off because they run out the store and he loses them. So he's standing outside the convenience store eating his ice cream, and he sees another guy who doesn't know how to get there either. And they have a laugh because they're both in the exact same situation. His name is Mitsuo. They chat a little bit they become buds. They walk together and they find the college. And they both feel pretty alone coming here today. So they're glad they ran into each other. Mitsuo talks about his educational background, which I did not write down the exact details of because it doesn't really matter. All you need to know is he went to some prestigious schools before. So this college is kind of like a step down from what he should have been doing. So Bonri asks why he came here, and Mitsuo was like, It's a long story. But I'll just say I got in trouble with the opposite sex. And I was like, Why would you say it?
Like, that the worst way to say it.
Yeah, the absolute worst thing to say. Especially, like, in the situation he's in because it's not his fault. Big question marks. So that was concerning. Bonri says, So you got into an argument with your girlfriend, and Mitsuo freaks out. And he's like, she's not my girlfriend. She's a walking disaster. And now we're back at the beginning clip with the girl going up to them. Mitsuo freaks out. She smacks him with these roses she was carrying because this is that girl. And she's like, don't forget you're mine, freak weird. But Bonneri seems kind of taken with her. Like he's like oh, my God. Blonde.
Isn't everyone taken with her? Isn't she the best? And the focal point of this entire show because everyone loves her.
Kind of crazy that she is.
Like, she's the opening and ending and.
Even just like, the image on the totally legal site that we watch things on is, like her in the very forefront and everyone else is small behind her. It's like but Bonri is the main character.
Yeah, she's not the protagonist. I'll say this right up front. This is very much one of those shows that feels like it was created of like, this girl is for the audience to fall in love with. Everything else pretty irrelevant. That's weird. That's weird that this is a genre that I've seen multiple times in shows.
Yeah.
This show is a test to see how far they can push it. To be like and is she still lovable? Still lovable. Hey, still lovable.
We watch Future Diaries and people love that girl.
Yeah, but she's like that's like, you know what?
She's Defender.
Future diary defender. I think she's a fun character. But I'm not saying that she was made to be a lovable version of anything with her personality. Maybe toward the end, they're trying that. But I feel like in the beginning, it's just like, no, she's crazy, and you should know it.
I've seen enough weebs apologize on her behalf. Which just shows you how much of a degenerate weebs can be.
Yeah.
Different show.
So Mitsu is freaking out, and people saw this happen. Bonri picks up the roses and starts handing them out to people, thinking that that will cover up the situation, and it helps Mitsuo feel a little better. They're in class, and instead of listening to the professor talk about the syllabus or whatever, they're talking about this girl. Her name is Coco. Mitsuo has known her his whole life. She's from a rich family that owns a hospital, and he wanted to get away from her, so he went to this college. And his parents are not happy because they're also rich. And it was that kind of thing where it's like, oh, look at our kids. They're growing up together. They get along so well. They're going to get married when they're older. You know that thing in anime?
They're both from prestigious families. Keep the bloodline pure.
Yeah.
Disgusting rich people shit.
Yeah. Keep it in the class. And she was all for it, but he was not. So now she's mad that he didn't want to go to the same college as her. And you can clearly see that she's sitting right behind them, but you only see her chest down, so you can see that it's her hair and the dress she was wearing. So you're like, uh oh. And Mitsuo hates her, for real. He's just, like, ranting and yelling. Bonri doesn't really seem to get it. He's like, I don't know. She seems kind of cool.
Just the most annoying type of guy who's like, yeah, it's a problem that a pretty girl likes you. It's like, hey, she has a knife. She's going to stab me. Please.
She's harassing me. I literally wrote, well, I did say he needs to quiet down there in class.
Yeah, thank you.
But then I was like, Girls be crazy. Am I right? Which seems like Bonri's reaction. Just like she's quirky. The teacher tells them to stop talking, then class is finished. And then the person sitting behind them taps Mitsuo's shoulder, and it's Coco. And she's like, Hi. Mitsuo asks her what she's doing there. Bonri tells him he's being too loud and attracting negative attention. And she says she's here because this is where Mitsuo wanted to go, so she'll go here, too. And he's shocked because she had her whole future planned out. And he describes it all, and then she's like, well, what's the point of enjoying college without you? And I'm like, Geez, girl, get it together.
It's like a mix of Legally Blonde plus Single White Female. And there's your 80s reference from Brent.
Oh, my God, I wish we had a musical sting for it right there.
But I bet now I'm upset because they are in law school.
Yeah.
Which is what El Woods went to.
What? Like, it's hard to break into your house to check your records to see where you transferred.
She used her connections, her rich family connections.
Nepotism. It's a plague on society.
Yeah, but so he's pissed, and he says that she ruined everything. And she tells Bonri not to let Mitsuo bother him. He just clearly likes her. He introduces himself to her. Mitsuo runs out of the room and Coco runs after him. Papers fly everywhere and Bonri is left to pick them up. Another girl helps him out. She says, Your friends are very pretty and, you know, I don't care if they're a boy or a girl. I just like looking at pretty people. And I was like, that's gay. That's one thing.
That's part of it, yeah.
Remember, kids, the Predator is always bisexual.
So he's like, oh, she's a little weird. Her name is Shinami. They walk together for a bit, then she goes off with her friends. Bombery goes outside where all the club people are trying to get people to join. It's overwhelming, even worse than the high schools because people are just fucking crazy.
Was recruitment this crazy for your colleges or is this just like a hyper exaggerated anime thing? Because mine was like a job fair where everyone is at Booth and we're like, we all don't want to be here collectively, but it's good for freshmen to find a place.
I guess. Soma state had that. But no, there were a lot of people it was like that a lot of people checking out tables and stuff.
Yeah, we had a job fair set up, too, where we sadly had to push an improv group.
I was the stand up Club.
I did not participate in club activities. That's not my thing.
That's fair.
I'm a loner, baby.
The benefit of it being a comedy club is you to be like, I don't have to do anything. If you want to join, good for you. If you don't, fuck off. And you didn't have requirements. I got away with so much.
Then he's surrounded by girls dancing, which is very I'm thinking of it now. It's very much like that GIF of Smithers from The Simpsons with the women shaking their ass in his face. And the whole time I was like, what does this remind me of?
It was that because they say they knock him down and they say, if you want to leave, you have to get past us, or something. Like, very threatening of like, you have to take us down.
But a girl pulls him out and she's beautiful. She takes him to a quieter area and helps him out. He tells her that he's a first year at the law school. She says her name is Linda. She's like, hey, no problem. I don't mind helping you out. It's a senior's job to look after younger students. And she gives him a bandaid for a cut he got on his arm. And the way they're framing her makes her feel very scary because she's, like, wearing this hat where you can't see the top of her face and they're only showing her lips. And she has taken him to this secluded area that's like, in the shade. It's weird.
I can see that. Yeah.
He asks what club she's in. She says she's in the Festival Club, but don't worry, I won't force you to join. And then she says she's also in the law department. And before she leaves, he says he thinks her lipstick is beautiful, slick, smooth. What a move.
Oh, you should join the Cosmetology Club.
Somebody comes out of the bushes, just lassos him. He thinks that now that he's in Tokyo, he can remake himself and everything's going to be so fun and fulfilling. And he can lead a life that will shine. And he'll fall in love and he wants to give his heart to somebody. He's very romantic, I guess. Dramatic. I don't know what the word I'm looking for is.
Delusional.
Optimistic.
Definite freshman. No problems exist in the big city. Energy.
Yeah, it was like in Skippin'loafer where she's like, every day is going to be good. I'm going to have a thousand good days in a row. But we like her.
She is great. I ended up finishing it, skipping loafers. Fantastic.
We see Coco standing on the street. Bon receives her. She goes up to him. He asks why she's there. She says she's waiting for Mitsuo. She's like, it's so cute when he hides his feelings. Mitsuo calls Bonri and Coco snatches his phone. He's still in the school building, so Coco runs to find him. She gives Bonri his phone back first. Great. I think he looks at a name in his phone and we get like a flashback of him standing on a bridge listening to some music when a bike comes and it cuts off right before it looks like it's going to hit him, which is like it's a weird. The description of the show lets us know that this boy has amnesia. So if you've read it, you go into the show knowing that. But if you didn't, this ending would be so strange because that is the end of episode one.
We start off with episode two, nowhere near that scene.
We don't see that scene ever again.
Were we going to do, explain a Mysterious past? No, we got to milk it for at least a dozen episodes.
Well, yeah, there's at least one more. They talk about it in the second one, in the third episode.
24 episodes of this fucking show.
I can't even imagine.
Episode two starts off with Bonri in hospital clothes with bandages wrapped around his head, running through a forest cryptids. You love to see it. He falls down a hillside, stumbles a bit, and finds someone, like with a flashlight looking for him. But they're all draped in shadows. But then rose petals fly across their face, and it turns out to be Coco. But highlight it with like a pink background and stuff. Like, clearly not in that scene. And then he wakes up. He was in his bed. It was a dream. Haven't had a prophetic dream in a while. We skip ahead. One week since classes started. Bonri sees Coco outside of the school again, waiting for Mitsuo. She's looking at pictures of them as kids when they're like kindergarten and elementary school and middle school and high school through their whole lives, saying they've always been together and they did everything together. And she plans to continue to do everything together with him because she's in love and he hates it.
And as she goes through the pictures, they start to not be together. And it's just her taking pictures of him without him knowing. Yeah, very romantic.
Definitely healthy, dynamic. And that's good to replicate.
Hot and sexy even.
Hey, at least it's a clear pattern to show in court.
Hey, true document that evidence. Digital footprint.
And she asks Bonneri if he can get in contact with Mitsuo for her because he's avoiding her. And while she's saying that, we see Mitsuo behind her, like, way behind her at the school front building, like, sneaking into class, locking eyes with Bonneri, being like, shh, don't give me away. Don't out me. So Bonneri tries to keep her attention on the conversation. So they're talking a bit, and she's like, oh, let me just call him one more time. And as she starts to call him, she turns around and spots Mitsuo. I don't know why he didn't see her and just start booking it immediately. He took his sweet time.
Yeah, he was strolling.
So she sees him and starts running after him. But at one point, she loses him in the hallways, and Bonneri follows up behind her, saying she doesn't need to be chasing after him so much physically or emotionally as she is. And she's like, oh, don't worry, Bon Bon or Bonneru or whatever she calls him.
She doesn't even know his name is the thing.
She doesn't know his name. And honestly, I can't give her shit for that, because if you've listened to this podcast, neither do I. So she struggles to remember anything close to his name, even though he said it, like, four times to her face right now. And she's like, well, if you want to help me out, you can give me any information you got on Mitsuo and feed it to me. And don't worry, I'll even pay you. Ha. That's a joke. It's like, is it though?
You're rich.
You should pay me just for being.
In your presence, actually for tolerating your shit. It was definitely one of those, like, that didn't land well. So now I'm saying it's a joke sort of moments. She leaves, and Bonri sees some girls walk by talking about like, oh, that girl's always wearing brand name clothing. Her family must be rich. It's like, yeah, we got don't. They keep dropping this like it's a big ordeal. We get it. She's a shitty rich kid. They go to class. Bonri goes back to his apartment, and Mitsu is there looking through a care package his parents sent them, being like, oh, you got all the best stuff. I wish my parents sent me this. And Bonri says he talks about running into Coco and about how he didn't give Coco Mitsuo's schedule. And it's like helping out his buddy. And Bonri says he feels bad for her. He sees her outside waiting in front of the college all the time with no friends and no one to talk to. And he kind of feels a little bad for her. Mitsua says, yeah, kind of what we talked about before, where it's like, don't feel bad for her. Don't bite into her pity act. Everyone gives me shit for being like, oh, man, I must suck having a pretty girl chasing after you. But it does. They don't know what she puts me through. And they never give me the benefit of the doubt. So they always give me shit for it. Whenever I try to talk about problems, like, yeah, that's valid.
Mitsuo, give me I want this show to be about Mitsuo actually finding love. Where is that's?
You can't sell a bunch of horned up teenage weebs on a show about actual character growth and losing personal baggage forced onto you by your family. You got to have the girl with the titties.
Why?
But yeah, he says no one feels bad for him being stalked. They always feel more sympathy for his stalker because she's a pretty girl. She would never do anything bad, even though the first thing we saw of her was assaulting him with flowers in public. And Bonri says he's not going to tell Mitso how to live his life or what to do with it. But that means Mitsua can't tell him what to do with his life. So he's still going to feel sympathy for Coco, but he's still going to stay loyal to Miso and not out him. Miso acknowledges this. He's like, all right, you know what? We agree. It's not going to interfere with our friendship. We're going to live our lives. Let's not get into a fight about this. I'll say this actual emotional maturity we rarely see in the high school animes. That's refreshing. And he says like, oh, shit, I was going to go to the film club's welcoming party because I was thinking about joining them. Do you want to come with me? So he brings him Bonneri along because he's undecided clubwise and they go to like a restaurant. They get together for the welcoming party. They run into Oka. I just call her Pink because she's the friend and this is the last time we see her. So bye.
In the whole show?
No, just the first three episodes.
I was going to say you would know. And they seemed to make a big deal out of introducing her.
She comes back, but I don't remember much about her. It definitely feels like wasted character on their part for me, because I liked her. She's just a bubbly Pinkheaded friend, but I don't remember anything about her beyond that. Yeah, she asks if they're interested in joining the film club. Mitsuo is. Bonri is like, I'm just checking it out. I'm not committed to anything yet. And she yells to the group like, hey, Mitsuo is joining. And they're like, yeah. And they start celebrating because they got a new member. And they pull Mitsuo away a bit. And as Bonri and Pink are talking, she asks like, oh, what about Coco? Is she interested in joining? Because I've seen you with that pretty girl all the time. And she said that club recruiters talked about her, saying she's hard to approach and no one's really come up to her because she seems cold or reclusive. So she's hard to try and recruit for clubs. And while they're talking to like, I wrote down a fight. It's not a fight, but it kind of is just loud noises and like a tussle coming from the next room over. And they're like, oh, no, Bonri, don't open that door. It's a hellscape on the other side. And right as he's pulling his hand away from the door handle, the door flies open anyway. And it turns out it's the tea Club who were members that tried to recruit him earlier. And they're like, ah. And they were to the club he got knocked down and scraped his elbow at. So they're like, ah, I remember you, pretty boy. You drank our tea. You're down to party. Let's go. And they drag him off into their room and we find out the Tea Club goes fucking hard.
They're freaks in there.
They're college kids.
I did think the one part that I thought was funny in all three episodes was when he was getting dragged away and Mitsubo and Chinami were both like they were reaching for him. It was so dramatic.
Yeah, they really blowed up. But then we see what the Tea Club's up to and it's like, I get now why they wanted to stop.
Yeah.
Oh, no.
A bunch of drunk dominant women telling me what to do.
Yeah. A lot of them are just in their underwear. They're dancing around. They're playing like freshmen bowling. Or like one club members rolling into other people. The one senior that dragged Bonri off grabs him. And another nerd rips their shirts off, puts them in sumo garments and makes them sumo each other. Why, no one really knows. But it's entertainment for the seniors.
Dance for me.
Monkeys, basically. And the one freshman that he had to fight says this is why he hates 3D girls. He's going to live in his 2D world. He's a weed.
Classic. Classic.
And so he gets the nickname 2D. He also becomes a reoccurring character. Does he contribute to anything? Couldn't tell you. Probably not.
I thought all women were kind and diminutive. What is this?
It's like they have thoughts of their own.
What?
Not only is he a weeb, he's a weeb with shit taste. So they start calling him two D. And then the Tea Club members start focusing on Bonnery more, saying they're going to another party and dragging him with them. And we get a shot of I think Linda out on her own, and he'll get a shot of Coco waiting for a train calling Mitsuo still, but no answer. And then we get the next debt. We see Mitsuo catching up with Bonneri on the way to class. Bonneri's hungover because he got dragged to, like, five more parties after that by the Tea Club. And Mitsuo sees Coco waiting out front of the school again, so he runs off and take ducks for cover. And Bonri says Coco waits for him every day, and it might be worth trying to talk to her that way. She's not just out there like a lost puppy, because, you know, Bonneri's known Coco for, like, a week, and Mitso has known her his entire life. So I'm pretty sure Bonneri's got a good gauge on this situation and definitely has valid opinions on what he should do with his life and not just, shut the fuck up and stay in your lane, Bonneri, but you got to.
Give her a chance. Something you've definitely not tried in the past, like, 18 years.
Yeah, that clearly has not.
Me too. All.
And then they just skip ahead. Mitsu runs off on his own, and they continue on their day. Bonnery is leaving class and once again gets swarmed by club recruiters because he's by himself. And Linda shows up and yells out, he's joining the Festival Club. Get the hell out of here. Go and get and starts scaring off the other recruiters. And we see her out of her festival garden.
She's a fun little tomboy. I like her aesthetic.
Yeah, she's good. And then as they all scatter, she warns them, saying recruiters are pouncing on freshmen, especially if they're by themselves. And says and Bonner is like, oh, yeah, I'm just not feeling that well with the hangover and stuff. She's like, oh, if you're not feeling well, I can take you to the nurse's office and show you where it is. And he says, oh, she's a very nice person. And she says, oh, that's not true. And looks very reflective for a moment, backstory. And then they see Coco, and she's like, Ah, your Budy's here. I'll leave you to it. And Linda drops him off, and she asks if that's his girlfriend. He starts panicking. Oh, no. What do you mean, girlfriend? I'm not and it's like, relax. No one's interested in you, Bonnery. Ever. So Linda leaves him, and as he's walking over to Coco, Bonnery hears a few guys walk by talking, be like, oh, wow, that babe's so hot. But she's like the ice queen. She's unapproachable. She's all rich, and no one talks to her, but she's so hot. And it's like, we get it. Christ, there's so much casual hallway conversation that just contributes nothing at all. Bonnie goes up to her and she asks about Mitsuo again. And while they're talking, the Tea Club seniors show up again being like, Ah, Bonri, you haven't joined a club yet. Come on, let's go. We're going out partying again. And he's like, oh, no, I don't want to go out. And they see Coco with him. He's like, Ah, you're with somebody. We'll leave you. So the Tea Club leaves, and Coco.
Asks, even these girls can respect his boundaries.
And Coco asks what he thinks about girls like that. He's like, oh, what do you mean, girls like that? And gets all anime protagonist flustered. And then she asks how many clubs have tried to recruit him so far. And he's like, oh, I couldn't tell you. I just got swarmed earlier by, like, 20. So, like, all of them. And she says that's odd because no one's tried to recruit her at all. Yet it seems like no one wants to talk to her at all clubs or just people trying to be her friends. And she wonders why no one attempts to talk to her. And then she says she couldn't care less because if Mitsu was not in that club, she wouldn't join anyway. So I feel like you answered your own fucking question there, Coco. And she says since coming to this college, she feels like she's invisible because everyone ignores her. And she asks if she's really that strange. You're not strange. You're a stalker. That's an insult to people that are strange.
Here's my thing. I feel like nobody knows that that's who she is. And their whole thing is just that she's rich, so she must be, like, a bitch and unapproachable. So I feel like not that we like rich people here, but I feel like if this framing device of her being a stalker was taken out of it, she would be a little more likable and you would feel a little bad for her that people just make these assumptions about her, you know what I mean? Because it really doesn't need to be there. She could have just met Mitsuo and been like, oh, I like him. But also it doesn't need to be there at all.
Yeah, it definitely has the vibes of, like, yeah, she's not mysterious, but unapproachable hot girl, where it's like, why do people not like me? Like, Comey can't communicate where everyone assumes this about her, but she is approachable. She's just shy. But they make assumptions. Coco is like, I kill animals for fun as a child. I don't know why people think I'm weird. It's like because you are they don't know that. But you fucking super are.
The first impression I made on anyone who saw me was beating the shit out of what looked like a total stranger. But why don't strangers approach me?
Yeah, I just don't understand why this was the angle.
That's what I mean. Like, this is the framing device of the show where it's like, we're trying to get you, the viewer, to fall in love with Coco. It's like why? What are you pushing here?
You could have made her not a bad person, and it would have worked.
Yeah, because writing wise, you could have done a lot of different things and made it better.
Mitsuo didn't need to be in this at all. She's gonna fall in love with Bonneri. We know it.
I saw the opening sequence. It's obvious you failed.
Because I like Mitsuo better than either of these people.
That's true. Bonneri wonders if she's serious or if this is just a pity act that Mitsuo warned him about. So he recommends that she tries to go up and talking to people herself instead of waiting for them to come to her. He's like, and don't just talk about Mitsuho, talk about other stuff. And as they're sitting there talking, another recruiter walks up and hears them, like, oh, you're looking for clubs? Hey, I got one for you. And talks about all the stuff they do, how they go on, like, weekend trips. They do stuff after school days, like certain activities and stuff. She never really says what the club is, which is OD. And then she says, like, hey, you know what? There's a great cafe nearby. We can get some drinks, and we have sit down and talk in a little more friendly environment. Don't worry, my treat. I'll pay for all the drinks. We can go on there. So she drags them to the cafe. We see, like, a time lapse, saying that this took all day, well into the night of the recruiter type of benefits. Saying this, they got a big party plan this weekend for welcoming new members. Anyone's welcome to join, and you can see what the club's about and then decide if you want to join after that. Again, still not naming a club. And then she confesses in one of the montages, she's not actually from this school. She's from a different school. But you got to be careful if some recruiters can kind of get shady and pushy. So you want to be on guard that you don't fall for one of those like her. And they're there all day and they agree to join. Well, they don't even really agree to it. So you're going to come to the weekend trip? Great. We'll wait for you tomorrow at, like, 09:00 A.m. At this spot. See you there tomorrow. And she runs off. So it's one of those, like, they didn't agree, but now they feel obligated to go. So they plan on going, and they figure it'll be a good chance for them to experience something new, meet some new people, which is what they both need, and try new experiences. So Coco leaves, and Bonri is thinking about how she says she felt invisible earlier, and maybe this will help that's episode two.
Okay, episode three, we pick up right in the morning when they're waiting for the club trip to start, and they see 2D is there too. They're like, hey, does Mitsuo know what's going on? And then we see a text that isn't translated. So I think it's something like, keep that crazy girl away from me. And she's like, oh, he's thinking about me. Cool. So some vans pull up, and we see these club hosts step out, and they're like, all right, everyone, quick, let's sign this paperwork. I'll just give us all your info. It's fine. Get in the van.
Quick. Everybody get in these unmarked white vans.
Don't worry about our matching tracksuits. They're a uniform.
Yeah, and bonri notices. Oh, they all have matching necklaces of snowflakes. So they're driving to the trip, but they drive past the seminar house where all the club activities are, and he's like, hey, lady. And she has headphones in, is pretending she can't hear him so they can get to their actual destination, an old religious training facility.
What?
Cool.
They got kidnapped by a cult. Great.
Can't wait to meet Tom Cruise.
It's the Midsummer Episode.
Yeah, it's a montage of cult stuff. I don't know if they're just going for a joke. Ah, it's a cult. Oh, no. But that's about the value we get from this entire storyline.
It's really so little.
The vibe is so strange because I do feel like this is an issue of people in college trying to find themselves, and they do accidentally join cults. That's a real thing. But why is it happening in this episode of anime?
There's no reason.
It's so weird.
Yeah, there's, like, a very weird level of we see pretty baseline orientation like, club activity stuff in the first two episodes. So it's like, okay, there are some just, like, almost kind of boring. This is just what college is qualities to some scenes of, oh, we went to a dinner, and, oh, I'm thinking about joining this club. What club are you thinking? We see this all the time. It's fine. But then we get the wild swings of stalking and cults and kidnapping and amnesia, and it's like.
It'S like almost being stars aligned, but it's not that serious. But it's, like, bad.
It's weird because we can't quite tell if it's going for comedy, which is, like, the most uncomfortable thing of, like, this is an over the top humor of, oh, this is a cult. They worship this ridiculous thing. They have just, like, generic culty jargon, but it's not, like, laugh line stuff. It's like, oh, no, we have to get out of this weird situation.
It's not like, Get ready for your tinfoil hats and your souls being reborn into Zanu. It's more like just uncomfortable, just factually occult and not, like, absurd. So it's just like, oh, yeah, because.
Basically, they get into, like, oh, you're our neo children. The Day of Awakening is coming, and the next era of 10,000 Days will live on so it's just like, very baseline. Oh, this is a religious cult. Okay.
If stars align was like fruit puree, this show would be like lacroix. There's, like a very vague concept of the drama there, but there's just nothing behind it.
Yeah, but of course, his main thing is like, oh, I put Coco in a dangerous situation. This is all my fault. So naturally, people start saying, like, hey, what the fuck? You just kidnapped us, so we're leaving. And it seems like there's a general consensus of at least there's at least, like, five people who are like, yeah, hey, we're just going to go, even if we have to walk away. And then Bonri is like, okay, I need to sacrifice myself for all of you. He's like, hey, all you heathens. I'm here because I love cult religion, and I'm ready to be indoctrinated because I have a traumatic past that really doesn't need elaboration here, especially for the first time in what is sort of a ruse. So we kind of can't tell if he's fucking with us or not. But yeah. He's like, I know what it's like to awaken anew because I can't remember anything from high school because of a traumatic thing I don't know about, and it's too much at once.
Expecting 51st dates because we're in it.
Yeah. So he's like, hey, send all these non believers home. I will stay and actually give you my full attention. So they're like, okay, cool. We got at least one person. That's fine.
I love how quick the cult was like, hey, we got one out of 15. We'll take it and just abandon everyone else.
Yeah, they're like, that's 100% recruitment rates over the past three months. So yeah, everyone's loading into vans. And he's like, okay, awesome. Coco's going home. She's safe. And then Coco is like, wow, you're so brave for staying. You know what? I'm staying too.
What?
Ruining his plan?
You don't need to diffuse this bomb by yourself. I've come to help.
Yeah. So he's like, hey, dipshit, I did this for you. But anyways, now that there are so many cult members that are like, hey, now, undivided attention. Tell us about yourself. He's like, I didn't think this plan out this far, especially since someone ruined it. So run away and they run into the woods.
I think one of them actually does say, like, hey, we got two new members. We've reached our quota for the month. I think that's an actual line in the show.
Yeah, I do appreciate that. They steal all of the forms with everybody's personal information on it. That was nice of them.
Yeah. So they run into the woods. They're like, oh, it doesn't seem like anyone's following us. Let's stop forever for a very long time. Hearts are hurt, but this is just some gobbledygook.
We get, like, a real time conversation of them just sitting in the woods and talking about themselves, which, if they were likable characters, maybe would be charming, like, if this was well written and they were likable. But neither of those things are true.
Yeah. And also, there's a ticking clock of a religious cult that is pursuing you.
We got downtime. They're on break too. They're also having a heart to heart, like, 2 miles back.
So yeah, they're like, oh, it's my fault. I brought us to the club. No, I did. Well, we're both selfless. And then Coco's like, you know, it's funny. When we first started hanging out, it was absolutely to manipulate you to giving me information about Mizuo. But I like, you.
I don't know, you seem kind of cool.
I honey pot myself.
I know. You were, like, defending me to the one friend you made here, and I was absolutely planning on manipulating you from square one. But that's so silly, right?
Almost like, it's what Mitsu has said, word for word, what she would do.
Yes.
And he's like, oh, that's so silly because it worked. You did emotionally manipulate me, and I'm your friend now. So he's like, yeah, obviously he doesn't see the side of you that I know so deeply after two days. He sees you when you're, like, crazy obsessive because you're crazy obsessive. But does he see when you're staring in the moonlight.
Does he see his stalker as more than just a stalker? What do you like outside with your other activities besides stalking?
Yeah. And then they do a beat for deep rehash of her previous interactions with Mizuo, being like, yeah, maybe don't assault him with flowers. Yeah, you were, like, following us to this club and that club so that he says, like, yeah, the amnesia thing is true. I don't have a personality or friends or memories and relatable, to be honest. But, yeah, they see flashlights and they start to run because they're like, oh, we're being chased. And then they run into Linda just deep in the woods. And that's where we end episode three.
Hey, Linda. The way it cuts off is so almost it's comical because they're like, Linda. There's, like, no fade away or anything.
Well, no, they bump into her and Bonner goes, Barbara. She's like, it's like an idiot because it's like the one other person he knows at the school is Linda. He's talked to her, and it's just like, god, she's done nothing but help you out every step of the way and you just fucking slap her in the face like this.
Make this show about Linda and Mitsuo dating.
That's all we need.
So are we there?
Oh, boy.
Don't we love Coco?
Cocoa fan club. Let's get T shirts.
Cocoa stand 2023. I forgot what year it was.
Yeah, it's just rough. It's so rough. I don't know what it's going for. It's trying to be normal. It's trying to be zany. It's trying to be sweet. It's trying to be creepy. It does none of it well.
Yeah, this was a very strange show and again, I was shocked when Brendan said that he had watched this. But I'm glad that you have.
When I say I just consume media at random, I don't mean it as a qualifier of my taste. I don't have taste, it's just I got to fill the void with something. Anime go in, nothing come out.
I don't know why, it just made me feel better of like, at least he knew, at least one person knew.
I have more context than just these three episodes and I can promise you I remember none of it. So it clearly has lasting power.
Great. Yeah. I didn't enjoy myself. Yeah, this felt even earlier than 2013.
It does. It feels older.
Absolutely. Just romance is a hard suggestion because all of it is just so forced and one sided.
But don't worry, because Bonneri does fall in love with Coco. Even from the opening where we see him bonded with her and not super thrilled about it. He's shocked every time they bump into each other in the opening, which is also a bad sign. She does fully take advantage of his amnesic state. He doesn't get really much of a personality. I forget if Mitsu even stays in and I think he gets just dropped off entirely.
Oh, no. She hears he has amnesia and then she's just like, I can make this man what I want.
Kind of fully gaslighting. Do you not remember? What?
It's so weird to me.
Fucking Cats 2019 hasn't been released yet. Specifically the movie, not the musical.
Mungo. Jerry is your favorite character, who you are? Yeah, it's wild to me. A that my friend recommended me this and I watched it way back when. But again, I had nothing better to do with my time. I watched it all. But it's crazy because I have seen this on a lot of list of good romance shows and especially like, hey, it's about college students for fucking once. That's plus one. Then you watch the show and it's like, that's minus twelve. So it doesn't balance out because Coco is truly unhealthy in a mental way. Like she is a full blown stalker. It's not good. And the way that they try to frame it of like the manic Pixie dream girl. She's fun, you'll learn to love her. It's like, you shouldn't, you should not.
Now, if this took a turn and it was like Gone Girl, that would be something.
Because we want that girl gone.
Hey, oh.
Know what we want gone. The existential dread of not knowing what to watch. You should send recommendations to us. Our email is areweebaret@gmail.com or you can reach out to us on Instagram, TikTok, Tumblr. Are we there yet? On all of them. My brain has been reduced to this state.
It wasn't that much of a stretch, but God, did that hurt to hear. Physically.
You can find me on TikTok and Instagram at Honeyperiood or on Tumblr at Honeyd. Honey is spelled H-U-N-N-I-E. Find me on.
Twitter while it's still around before it gets turned to X. Because it's rebranding, apparently.
What?
The handle burns when I weave, which is the third worst thing you've heard on this episode so far.
I just learned about the x thing and I'm sad. Thank you.
Powered by AI. Just burn it all down. Just buck it all.
Thank you to Camille Rowley for her artwork. Thank you to Louis Zong for her theme song stories. You can find all of Louis'music at Louisong bandcamp.com. Thank you, and we hope you'll join us next week as we learn to live with anime.
I liked Future Diaries better.