More or less a Kotoe-Aoi centered episode, the series continues to focus on their secondary characters while leaving bits and pieces of its main Multi plot in the background.
Basically Aoi becomes famous around the school since her win against Ayaka and Kotone gets left out. Going the inner angst route (also after using her powers again to save Aoi), Kotone slowly distances herself from Aoi and eventually goes to Hiroyuki for “help.” Hiroyuki and Kotone go on a “date” that ends up with Kotone confessing to Hiroyuki that she loves him!
During the “date” and confession, we learn a lot more about Kotone. From how much she loves Aoi for being her friend to how she was before all that to loving Hiroyuki, Kotone’s character gets fleshed out here and now. I thought the results were okay, if maybe a bit rushed for those that do not know the To Heart charactesr in-depth (like myself) but works at the end. Anyway, typical Hiroyuki is slightly shocked that Kotone has a thing for him but has to deny any budding relationship (though he can’t straight forward say it’s because he has Akari), leaving Kotone sad but satisfied(?). She runs off after thanking Hiroyuki for everything, leaving him in his own thoughts about what just happened. Kotone eventually runs into Aoi, who like a true friend comforts Kotone in more ways than one.
As I mentioned earlier, it was a nice episode overall. The plot of how Kotone and Aoi view each other’s friendships and of Kotone confessing to Hiroyuki was nice. Even though Aoi is now “famous” she’s still the same as ever, and still needs (and wants) Kotone around as her reliable manager and friend. Because of Kotone’s somewhat low self-confidence stemming from her powers and how others view her, people like Aoi and Hiroyuki have been her saviors. Aoi in a form of a close friend while Hiroyuki the same but with some love interest too. It was somewhat thanks to Hiroyuki that Kotone was able to live on and become the person she is today, along the while falling for Hiroyuki. While it’s unfortunate the two could not get together (Kotone was so frickin’ adorable in this episode! Where’s the multiple choice options to say “yes”?!?!), I did admire her for continuing moving forward and telling her feelings. Thankfully Aoi will always be there for Kotone so while nothing more can happen with Hiroyuki, Kotone can rely on Aoi for support (and more). A pretty good ending to their stories in my opinion as we slowly move back towards Multi’s story.
Some hints were the whole Serio and Ayaka scene where the professor was checking up on the two androids. Conversation between Hiroyuki and Ayaka on the aspects on how they view Serio and Multi was somewhat interesting, what with Hiroyuki still thinking of them as totally human at times. Also the professor giving Hiroyuki some university advice to help further the cause with Multi was a good point, especially more so since it seem Hiroyuki hasn’t really talked about it with Akari. And poor poor Akari… still loves Hiroyuki and all but gets brushed aside for other things. Sucks even more when she accidently spies on Kotone and Hiroyuki, even hearing Kotone’s confession (though not the end results). If only Hiroyuki would get his act together and just frickin’ confess to Akari! Heck it looked like he wanted to talk to her at the end of the episode but the coward never got enough balls to call her…
It is so odd for the main protagonist to be good at many things but still fail the most important one(s). Hiroyuki seems like he can get any girl thanks to being an jack-of-all-trades and generally nice guy, but when his feelings are put on the field relating to Akari he’s an total wuss. Plus now with everyone coming for his help in one form or another, the relationship between him and Akari isn’t getting any better. I can foresee that when everything is said and done, he’ll have to choose between Multi and Akari. Of course he’s going to pick Akari but there’s probably going to be some complications in how this happens while still somehow choosing Multi to an lesser degree. I just know it! hehe.
