You and I Are Polar Opposites

Episode 12

This week marks the end of You and I Are Polar Opposites' first season, and whereas last week's episode was a little light on the romance front, this one is stuffed with enough to compensate for that deficiency. That said, I do have to call out the one big glaring casualty of the season finale, which is that there is absolutely zero Taira and Azuma content. In a way, it makes sense. Out of all of our three primary couples, they're the ones who've made the least amount of progress, and since this episode feels like a victory lap more than anything else, excluding them this time around does allow for a higher concentration of sweet syrupy romance vibes. Still, considering how their last segment ended on a punchline that threatened to stunt their relationship rather than push it forward, I would have appreciated some kind of assurance that they're on better terms. As is, it's hard not to be a little annoyed by their lack of screentime. Beyond that particular omission, though, I'm otherwise happy to say that this was a pretty pleasant episode all around, and while it doesn't do much to move the needle for the couples it focuses on, there's just enough charm on display here to make for a satisfying stopgap while we wait for the next season.

The first half of this love-fest finally sees Nishi and Yamada going on their big not-date, and considering how Nishi operates, it goes about as awkwardly as you'd expect. In true teenage fashion, she just can't help but overthink every little thing, and seeing her spend all night trying to pick out an outfit and accessories, only to ditch the accessories the second she sees other girls dressed more casually, is as funny to watch as it is frustrating. Inversely, Yamada acts so casually on this outing that you'd be forgiven for thinking he doesn't see it as a date at all, and it makes Nishi's general inability to even look him in the eye feel even worse. With that rough of a start, I was almost scared these kids weren't gonna make it, but Yamada's overly casual attitude actually ends up being a blessing in disguise, as the more Nishi reacts to his jokes, the more she starts to come out of her shell, and by the end she realizes that she feels a lot more comfortable being alone with him than she expected. Unfortunately, the two of them having the bad luck of almost interrupting Miyu and Tani while they're on a date of their own keeps their day from getting too romantic, but since they both agree to hang out alone again some other time, the two of them are close enough to couple status that I'd call this date a success.

On the subject of Miyu and Tani, while there weren't quite as many gutbusting jokes this week as I would have preferred, I did get caught by surprise when the episode suddenly hit the reverse button to explain how we got to where Nishi and Yamada saw them, and it was easily the best gag in the entire episode. At first, this date doesn't seem to be different from the others we've seen them on, with Miyu even taking the opportunity to go into lovey-dovey girlfriend mode, but it ends up taking a sharp turn when we discover that she realized Nishi and Yamada were in the vicinity before the bulk of either date even began. As hilarious as it is to see Miyu lament about not being able to snuggle up to Tani if it means being spotted by people she knows, it gets even funnier when we get to see the triumphant return of her amazing powers of deduction. Not only does she realize that Nishi and Yamada are also out on a date, but she even pinpoints the exact phase of “almost dating” that their relationship is in, and it's such a great bit that I really wish the show would use it more often.

This interruption more or less sets the tone for Miyu and Tani's entire date, as every time it starts getting romantic, something comes along to kill the mood, whether it's kids staring at them while they're riding a Ferris wheel, or getting ready to kiss, only for Miyu's parents to drive by mere seconds before they can smooch. In a more typical rom-com, this kind of blatant teasing would be an abysmal way to close out a season, but since these two are already a happy, functional couple, it all just makes for a fun comedy of errors that makes for a delightful way to close out the season. You and I Are Polar Opposites has consistently managed to be one of the most pleasant anime rom-coms we've gotten in a while, and even if its comedy doesn't always hit, it's almost always charming. While I wish we'd gotten more with the side couples, we already have more on the horizon, so whatever's next for this series, I'm sure it'll find a way to eventually make all of these opposites attract.

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You and I Are Polar Opposites is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.