| Title: | Boys Be |
| Episode: | 9: Autumn: The Category of Happiness - LEAVES |
| Synopsis | |
| Makoto is updating his database of "girls specifications" once again, and his new "secret weapon", the software he purchased only yesterday, will allow him to find the best match for himself amongst the girls. In fact the machine spits out the name of the girl Erika, voted most popular attendee at the school festival and being the daughter of some company CEO - and it doesn't slow down his efforts that Yumi tells him he's absolutely not Erika's type, as the two girls have been friends since junior high. Yumi's specification is missing in Makoto's database - he wouldn't waste his time to collect data about girls below "B rank"... and when Yumi detects certain hentai pictures on this handheld [image1] the machine's life span turns out to be surprisingly short.
Now Yumi has to make up for the damage she caused, and she arranges a meeting between Erika and Makoto where the boy tries to impress his new flame with his database knowledge as well with three concert tickets (as to make things "less obvious"). Makoto hits rock bottom when Yumi tells him at school that Erika has mandated her to turn him down as he's really not her type. On his knees he begs Yumi to arrange another meeting with Erika - and Yumi comes up with a new idea: A training session for Makoto where Yumi will grade him [image2] as if she were Erika! During the test date Makoto's attempt to go by the books lets him drop each and every clanger he possibly could. But with time Yumi starts to enjoy the project and select places where she would have fun [image3] - not that Makoto would complain about it, as they happen to share a number of interests. Finally Yumi grades the test as "successful" - only to learn that Makoto is now going for the real deal. And Erika [image4] accepts the meeting with Makoto, as not to make him put the blame on her friend. Yumi is on tenterhooks [image5] during this meeting, and in the evening Erika phones her and reports how all went well, and she even promised Makoto another date now... [image6] | |
| Comments | |
| [2005-04-20, Devil Doll]:
It is good to see that all of the relations are still covered now and then, such as the one of Aki from episode 4. And isn't it funny how Chiharu considers Aki lonely? So this is the story of the glasses girl at last. The conversation between Yumi and the boys contains a number of foreshadowings, and the idea of this storyline may not be that original. But the way they implement it here is nice, with more twist and turns than I expected. I really like this episode although it is so "comedy heavy", and thus not exactly what I was waiting for - but given these two characters this was inevitable, I guess. Many of these scenes are really funny, such as the fate of Makoto's handheld (which was even necessary for the storyline continuation) or certain incidents during the test date. The development of Yumi's feelings during the events, in combination with the great melancholic music, would already suffice as a reason for me to watch this episode. My favourite quotation (by Makoto & Aki): "Love can overcome all obstacles." - "Not if you're the obstacle." ==================================== | |
