Hana invites Sakurai to spend Christmas Eve with her family for dinner. Fujio sees a familiar face.
Episode 12 – “I Want to Hang Out on Christmas Eve, Too!”
Hmm.
I have been waiting half a season for this episode! How would the Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! anime handle Fujio meeting Sakurai? Not as a gym customer, but as his daughter’s beloved Senpai? The key was showing conflicting emotions on Fujio’s face. Lots of conflicting emotions! The young college man had given Fujio advice on his feelings about his daughter’s romantic situation. And Fujio had heard from the earnest Sakurai how he would treat a friendship on the cusp of turning into something more. All the while, Fujio wanted to hate this “Senpai” for taking his cute daughter away from him, but Fujio liked the lad he met at the gym. So when the mean Senpai combined with the likable Sakurai, it was too much. Fujio’s facial expressions and quick mood changes said it all!
Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! saved for later a scene of Kiri recognizing the “big” Senpai from his father’s gym pool. We had a full plate of awkwardness from Fujio and Sakurai because they were friends already. Kiri already felt inadequate on Christmas Eve. He was with his male buddies instead of a girlfriend. His sister’s future boyfriend owned the trifecta of being a better swimmer, having a female companion, and a Super Dekai package. That would have been too much for Kiri’s self-esteem. And what if Sakurai was a better singer? The depression would have been too deep!
Heh.
Uh oh. Sakaki and Ami give Uzaki-chan the third degree. The ending of last week’s Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! episode revealed the short stack’s relationship pattern. When one shows more romantic interest, the other pulls back and ruins their chances. Ami is mad that the baka couple is leading her on! Wow. Sakaki wants to force Uzaki-chan into making a move based on fear! Another girl might snag Sakurai away!
Oh no. Even Yanagi feels like she needs to provoke a reaction from her big sister. Kiri has plans for Christmas Eve; he’ll have you know! With a bunch of dudes from his swim club. Kiri just noticed that his big sister has a lot of nosy people around her. Yanagi is another one. Straight into the heart of the beast. Yanagi went to Café Asia to cause a stir! Ami picked up on the vibe right away. Ha. Hahaha! Yanagi flat-out asked Sakurai on a Christmas Eve date! She wants to make Uzaki-chan jealous! There we go. Uzaki-chan asked Sakurai to come to her place! Um, how is this good for Sakurai? The boyfriend material will get the once-over from the family. What a backfire on Yanagi. Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! found a way to keep the status quo while maximizing cringe-worthy humor.
This will be delicious! Uzaki-chan thinks there’s a slight chance Daddy Uzaki will like Sakurai. The audience knows the odds are in the 50-50 range. We only have to see how much he’ll weigh the future boyfriend he imagines, against the Sakurai, whom he knows, as his gym bro. Uzaki-chan hopes for the best. Here we go, here we go! Aaaahhh! Papa Uzaki Bear won out!
Kiri’s Christmas Eve plans worked out as expected. Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! boards the pain train with Fujio’s facial expressions. What is going on in Sakurai’s head? He likes Fujio! But the happy gym daddy is glaring at him now! I see that Tsuki drinks beer too. Be careful in the future, Sakurai-kun! Ah. Fujio realized Sakurai also had dirt on him. Papa Uzaki blabbed about his daughter’s dating troubles! I don’t think Sakurai even remembers that day. Face-turn! The charm offensive begins now. Fujio’s worst fear is that Yanagi would stop speaking in a Kansai accent to spite him!
Aw crap. Fujio reminded Sakurai about the chat from a previous Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! episode concerning his eldest daughter. Sakurai connected that conversation with Uzaki-chan. Augh! Quick escape. Make now. Sakurai and Fujio are partners in crime now. Papa Uzaki would be in big trouble with his daughter if she found out he gossips about her at work. Fujio will let Sakurai escape for another day. But that other day will surely come!
New plan for Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!: get Sakurai drunk. But no flirting! The drinking is to make Sakurai have specific amnesia. That won’t work out right! Look at all the brands! Uzaki whisky, Kuso Cat wine, Uza strong cider, Kuso Cat Beer, and Uzai Beer. Ha! Chocolate Mint Schnapps! And Sakurai is plastered. In vino veritas, here we go! Fujio hates this because Sakurai was supposed to keep his gym chat a secret. Tsuki loves it because drunk cute compliments are the best! Drunk Hana smugly agrees!
Oh boy. Fujio knows what that means. Serious consideration for a girl’s reputation. It’s forever love!
Next time, drunk Sakurai confessions continue in the season finale!
Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! S2 (Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! ω) streams on Crunchyroll and VRV in multiple languages and in Japanese with English subtitles.
