SANDA

Episode 6

Much like the very cool scars opening up across Principal Oshibu's face, SANDA's seams are beginning to show in episode 6. This is understandable, for as much as I admire the show for overtly addressing big anxieties around puberty, sexual discovery, and the social responsibility that comes with maturation; navigating these feelings is a deeply personal experience that doesn't map well onto a narrative. That being said, even if the resolution to this episode was underwhelming, it still looked amazing, set up more interesting ideas, and feels braver than just about anything else airing right now.

The majority of this episode is taken up by the fight between Principal Oshibu and SANDA, who gets over his romance-induced Santa transformation performance anxiety by…committing to be more like an adult. I'm torn on this development, as it feels a bit unrelated to the emotional distress that caused this issue in the first place, but I've also pushed through some anxieties in my own life by reminding myself that I'm an adult and should act like one. Also, SANDA as Santa gets a pretty cool looking athletic wear inspired costume as a result of this resolution, so I can overlook the clunkier details that led to this moment.

While the back and forth of this fight is less than inspired, the animation is terrific! In particular, I love how Science SARU handled Oshibu's scars throbbing and seeping open when he got upset by SANDA implying that he's old. Seeing a peek of the red flesh beneath his skin as the stitches crawl over his Frankensteinian face was a really cool way to depict this moment and I'm glad they put extra effort into making it extra visceral.

SANDA doesn't get the win in this fight, though, and instead a visibly elderly woman and the apparent chief director of his school, Toyo Tetsudome, intervenes and uses her shocking martial prowess to diffuse the situation. She then speaks at length with SANDA as Santa, and sets up the beginnings of a mentor-mentee relationship between the two of them. I'm very much interested in seeing how this dynamic between them develops and what points it makes about adolescent growth, as teens learn how to be adults by watching the adults in their lives. As both the world SANDA takes place in, as well as our own world to some extent, have forgotten that, I'm very curious to see what social commentary this new relationship gives rise to.

The post credits scene is an awkward and painful post-reunion conversation between Ono and Fuyumura, who have both changed too much to connect the way they used to. Fuyumura has other relationships that she can lean on now; and the post-pubescent Ono has more of an interest in sex and sexuality than ever, which Fuyumura cannot replicate. The last shot of Ono standing alone in the nurses office as SANDA and Fuyumura walk away is a perfect representation of the feelings of loneliness and isolation that can come from developing at a different rate as your peers as a young person.

Episode 6 of SANDA is not perfect, but it is deeply personal and I'd argue that makes it better than perfect!

Rating:

s a lapsed Catholic and fan of hot dudes, Lucas DeRuyter was born to review SANDA and similar works. You can get into the holiday spirit with him on his Bluesky account, and read through his naughty and nice list by visiting his portfolio. When he isn't spreading holiday cheer, you can find him contributing to ANN's This Week in Anime column.

SANDA is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.