Kimi ni Todoke – 23

Kimi ni Todoke — the story of how one cell phone changed the life of one girl.

Haha, not really. But the cell phone does embolden Sawako a bit, doesn’t it? The phone encourages her to actively seek contact with her friends and enter the wider world instead of accepting that she won’t be able to see her friends until winter break is over, and staying at home the entire time. Maybe the fact that phone calls don’t involve face-to-face conversations helps with that a bit. Sawako’s dad can’t interrupt with sob stories if Sawako is calling home from an entirely different place, after all. Having a direct line to Kazehaya doesn’t hurt, either.

I might accuse this Kimi ni Todoke episode of being cell phone propaganda if it weren’t patently ridiculous that Sawako didn’t already have a cell phone. :p

Also, Ayane seems to know that the series is nearing its conclusion, so she has stepped up her efforts in getting Kazehaya and Sawako together. Someone give that girl a medal! Christmas barely passes, and she is already looking way ahead to Valentine’s Day for her shipping plans. But she’s also impressive in calling an audible once she hears Sawako’s birthday is New Year’s Eve. Cell phone + emboldened Sawako + New Year’s Eve birthday = romance in the air. That is some Light Yagami level plotting right there. Keikaku doori indeed.

This better not be the only Kurumi appearance we get before the end. At least give her another token cameo at the shrine on New Year’s Eve. She needs to pray, too, right?? There has to be some divine intervention for her to stay that cute all the time. You can’t tell me there isn’t a Japanese god of moe hiding out somewhere. Why do you think we get so many moe shows??

Speaking of gods, isn’t there an e-mail god waiting in the wings to dissuade people from giving themselves crappy e-mail addresses? “Sawako.not.sadako.1231@whatever.com”? Sawako’s friends can make intricate plans to get her a boyfriend, but they can’t protect her from generic e-mail addresses? (Note: I am playing the pot in this paragraph, and Sawako is the kettle. My e-mail addresses are as generic as they come.)

But Ayane and Chizuru make up for it later by giving Sawako the Ally Sheedy Breakfast Club treatment. However, unlike in that movie where Ally Sheedy barely looks any different, and it is completely unbelievable that she ends up with Emilio Estevez, Sawako actually does emerge with a completely different look. I don’t know if it’s cuter, but it definitely makes her more noticeable, and in a good way. Good job not turning Sawako into a harlot, girls.

Her, “MUST. NOT. CRY.” face looks pretty damn scary, though!

Not too much to say about the ending other than I am hoping Sawako and Kazehaya finally make the leap together — second season be damned. LOL @ Kazehaya adopting the SRS BIZ look yet again, though. Come on, man, you can’t even allow yourself a hint of a smile while walking to the shrine with Sawako? We all know you’re happy, dude. No need to try looking tough.