You and I Are Polar Opposites

Episode 8

The last couple of episodes have been heavy on the relationship (or lack thereof) drama, so we were due for another episode that's largely running on charm. This isn't to say that it's totally devoid of anything serious. It even offers some brief glimmers of promise for anyone holding out hope for Taira and Azuma as our next pair of destined opposites. Still, for the most part, it's not delivering in much beyond the show's usual low-stakes comedy and some cute character interactions. While I can't say this episode was the funniest or cutest in any of those regards, it certainly gets the job done, and the little drama we do get is just enough to mark this down as another good one.

Might as well start by getting the Miyu-and-Tani relationship portions out of the way. While they were pretty charming, there wasn't a whole lot going on in them beyond that. The first chunk of the episode sees them going on a photo date, and to be honest, it's probably the weakest. Despite Miyu's enthusiasm about taking some pictures with her beau, it turns out neither of them is interested in taking them. Miyu is extremely self-conscious about the possibility of looking un-cute in front of Tani, and generally prefers to use photo filters.

In contrast, Tani himself looks like a deer in the headlights, so awkward about taking photos that he can't be bothered to pose for any of them. It is a little funny to watch Miyu try to strike the right poses for a photo booth while poor Tani stands there. There isn't much comedy to be mined here, and there isn't much to this whole date beyond watching these two be cute together for a couple of minutes. It's charming enough for what it is, but it wasn't quite as memorable as some of their other interactions.

Their last segment in the episode is at least a lot funnier, though much of that is due to watching how embarrassing both Miyu and her family can be. This one sees Miyu inviting Tani over to her house, only for her mom to start going overboard the second he walks in the door. It's clear almost immediately that she has no idea how to act in front of him, and it's great watching her trying desperately to play it cool by offering food or asking where he lives, only to stumble over every conversation starter. Miyu herself doesn't fare much better: when she finally gets Tani away from her mom long enough to have him come hang out in her room, she realizes she now has to deal with having a boy in her room. Thanks to that, we're treated to a delightfully awkward couple of minutes where these two are desperate to find anything to talk about, only for Tani to break the ice when he reminds Miyu that he doesn't really know how to take the lead with conversation and opts for a hug instead. Again, it's not one of their sweetest or funniest moments as a couple, but it's tender enough to work. The episode does at least end on a decent punchline when Tani runs into Miyu's dad, who manages to be only slightly less awkward in conversation when he learns about the boy his daughter brought home.

Had this been all we got, I would have chalked this up as a slightly weaker episode than usual, but it's saved by its middle portion, where Miyu and the others all decide to go bowling. Comedy-wise, we get some strong visual humor as everyone shows off their bowling styles, and Miyu in particular demonstrates that bowling doesn't rank among her many talents, as all her poses and attempts to build up her energy only end up sending the ball straight into the gutter. It also provides some good bits of drama with Taira and Azuma, though it has less to do with any romantic potential between them and more so in their approach to social situations. Both have the misfortune of running into some old classmates from middle school, and Taira, being his usual mopey self, spends much of the evening hoping he won't be noticed. At the same time, it's quickly pointed out that they know he's there but are simply trying their best to pretend they don't. Funny as those implications are, it's less so for Azuma, who has some history with them.

One of the boys in the group is her ex, who dumped her for one of the other girls from the group. When a different guy in the group tried to catch Azuma on the rebound, she found herself attracted to him, only to discover he was trying to go after a second girl in the friend group at the same time. She ghosted Azuma before the relationship could go anywhere. It's just one giant chain of awkward tension, and while she doesn't let her annoyance show on her face, their attempts to talk with Azuma as though none of that happened make this whole reunion even more depressing for her. Azuma's situation here is pretty rough, which makes it all the more shocking when the heavens split, as for the briefest of moments, Taira manages to actually talk some sense. Whereas Azuma's instinct is to keep up appearances and grumble to herself, Taira rightly points out that she should be angry about how she's being treated and shouldn't let people walk all over her in this way. While this is still largely framed within Taira's tendency to be brutally honest, it's still something that Azuma needed to hear, and having him say it so plainly gives her pause to re-evaluate her past relationships and how quick she is to let herself get the short end of the stick if it means avoiding conflict.

It's a really strong moment for the two of them. While it's not framed in an overtly romantic light, it does at least demonstrate how these two might actually be good for each other, as having someone like Taira in her life might be good for stopping Azuma from letting herself get taken advantage of, while Azuma's more casual approach to social relationships could keep Taira from constantly being in his own head. Great as all that sounds though, if it's the end goal, we're a long way towards getting there as any modicum of maturity displayed by Taira is almost immediately undercut when he spends the next day apologizing to her for daring to rise above his station and offer unsolicited advice when he's naught but a lowly worm who can barely handle being around other people. The self-deprecation here is as funny as it is relatable, but it's clearly going to be something he has to address at some point if there's any chance of these two being more than Miyu's pair of dour friends. Still, the fact that I'm rooting for Taira to succeed here at all is proof of just how well this show is managing to balance its opposites, so while these two might have the longest path towards any possible relationship, it's at least looking more and more like it'll be worth the investment.

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