Sakurai tries to cheer up a depressed Uzaki by taking her to a fireworks festival.
Episode 8 – “I Want to Watch Fireworks Together!”
Hmm.
Uzaki-chan used a couple of comic devices we hadn’t seen in a while. The first one was the setup I call “Sakurai is the Enemy of All Women.” Relying on words and actions using a misperceived context, Sakurai becomes a horrible man-whore in the eyes of any woman present. We saw this in the first episode, where Uzaki made it seem that Sakurai only makes booty calls to a desperately love-struck young woman. The second time was barely a flash, and that’s literal too, since Sakurai forcefully stopped her from shoving her panties in his face. So, it’s been a while since that second episode where women believe the worst of Sakurai based on the alternative context of an embarrassing public scene.
In contrast, Uzaki-chan repeatedly used its other comedy setup for a public scene, which I call “Bakapparu!” From jealous stares at a movie theater to Sakurai calling Uzaki “Hana” over and over, the baka couple has convinced the public they’re an established item over many episodes already. In this week’s Uzaki-chan, Sakurai caused the lovey-dovey scene himself by declaring Uzaki “cute” repeatedly. He should have expected violence eventually from Uzaki because we saw what she did to him after he complimented her swimsuit.
Speaking of swimsuits, it was nice to see Uzaki-chan include in Uzaki’s fashion fetish wardrobe the school swimsuit in her flashback. We knew Uzaki was the manager of the swim club and wore a trainer, but it’s not a given that she would be a swimmer herself. Those high school scenes showed well how Sakurai started his unspoken regard for his small (but large in places) manager. I wonder if Uzaki showed her smug personality to Sakurai back then. When she decided to change Sakurai’s loner self in the beginning of Uzaki-chan’s season he didn’t appear surprised at her behavior. I would love to see a flashback showing Sakurai seeing Uzaki’s loud persona for the first time.
Heh.
Uh oh. Uzaki and Sakurai making a scene again. Now what? I love how Uzaki-chan never shows the part that made the crowd pay attention to them. Oh, Uzaki regrets ruining Sakurai’s bed and wants to pay for it. The Enemy of All Women! That evil-looking guy got a girl drunk and took advantage of her! He even extorted money from her, so he doesn’t spread rumors… The worst! He’s got evidence of her compromising situation where she stained his bed during her first time! Scummy man!
Ha. Master Asai and Ami want to make a meal of Uzaki’s birthday happenings. This is meaty. Too much drinking, staying over at Sakurai’s place, and then Uzaki-chan did “something” that a gentleman should not mention. That only makes it sound worse, Sakurai-kun! He cries over her throwing up on her face… Sakaki sensed “developments.” He needs to get back so he can meddle! Ami ignores that guy totally. Heartless. I like her.
Bottom line, Uzaki feels disappointed in herself and is not her usual loud, obnoxious self. Ami posits that for all Uzaki’s behavior, he’s never suffered actual harm. Buying a new bed and sheets is monetary harm, I suppose, but college dudes yack all the time after drinking too much. To Sakurai, it’s not a big deal. To the inexperienced Uzaki-chan, it’s a big deal. She also lost her sense of superiority over Sakurai’s lack of social skills. He handled his liquor and she did not. The devil-juice knocked her self-esteem down.
Yeah! Here’s a hearty meal of awkwardness causing relationship growth. The Asais need to eat this up! Ami’s form of not meddling looks like meddling. When they go to the UZA Fireworks Festival, pay her compliments! She did the same thing on the beach trip. It works, though, because Uzaki-chan is simple like that. All the compliments comparing Uzaki to fireworks plays on her name Hana being related to flowers and to how fireworks also relate to the Japanese base word. Hana is flower (花), and fireworks are hanabi (花火) which uses the kanji for flower and fire together. Master Asai is happy Ami knows relationship stuff, but he would rather she know it from actual experience. Master Asai made an astute point about the coupon – Uzaki might not go with him if he offered to pay. Wise.
Scenes from a poorly drawn street festival. If the staff of Uzaki-chan draw Uzaki well, I don’t care about the usual drop in quality during the middle third of an anime season. Uzaki fills out her yukata as expected. Why do main character dudes usually show up to festivals in their usual schlub clothes, but the women feel the need to wear cultural dress? That’s not fair. Uzaki speaks so formally to Sakura-senpai. She’s utterly lost her smugness.
Is there no choco-mint ice cream at this festival? Sakurai lost some points here. Yakisoba girl recognized a couple. Uzaki-chan’s musical score does a great job of setting the awkward, wistful mood. Ho. There’s going to be a flashback to their high school days. Yes, Sakurai, you will have to pay Uzaki compliments, just like Ami told you.
There you go. That’s not hard. Compliment yukata, sandals, hairpin, hairstyle, and bag. Done. Uzaki-chan is simple like that. Hana Uzaki is back!
Oops. Sakurai went too far. Compliments on her outfit are fine but calling Uzaki herself cute is too much. Here we go. Bakapparu scene! And he has poor vocabulary! Smacked up. Down for the count.
Ah. Here’s the Uzaki-chan high school flashback I was waiting for. Aw. Uzaki the swimming club manager practices swimming. At least we see her in a gym swimsuit. She used to be more polite, and Sakurai used to be less annoyed. I want to see the inflection point! Uzaki’s comparison of how they swim describes so much more. He’s intense, yet so quiet, unlike her. Ah ha! Kuso Kitten!
Aw. Sakurai tried to cheer up Uzaki at a fireworks festival before too. All the masks and cotton candy have Kuso Cat on them… Kuso Kitten shocked at the odd couple. Ah. That’s where Sakurai remembered Uzaki’s sad smile. This was the beginning of their oil and water, hot and cold, sugar and spice relationship. Such a pure scene. That music again sells it.
And Sakurai can’t see anything. His whole field of vision is Uzaki-chan’s boobs. As it should be. Uzaki lap pillow is nice, but we know what makes a better headrest. Uzaki talks like she usually does, but she feels bad for knocking him out. Flowers smell great, Sakurai-kun. So does Hana Uzaki! Kuso Cat senses a disturbance. Aw. Uzaki switched back to polite speech. Do something, Sakurai! Flashback montage gratitude scene. That’ll do it. He can say all this because he can’t see her face. Thank you, Uzaki chest!
Fireworks exclamation points! Sweet scene. Bakapparu… Sakurai can’t see the hanabi because Hana is in the way. He gets the better display.
Next time, Uzaki Mama joins the show.
Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! streams on Funimation.
