So the gang’s all here now – complete with a drunk teacher and an adorable dog! You can’t get any more ideal than that. Could this have happened a lot sooner? Perhaps but then again, Rin being a lone wolf is a pivotal arc in Laid-Back Camp. I may have been impatient but the truth is that this trip had to happen this far into the story in order to work and be satisfying. And oh boy was it satisfying!
I love that the sole purposes of Toba-sensei and Chikuwa is to just be drunk and cute respectively. They don’t really add depth to the show but they’re still a delight to have on screen. Toba-sensei wastes no time opening up a can of beer and it cracks me up that she’s passed out for a good chunk of the episode. I don’t care if she’s showing awful etiquette for an educator, I love that she gets drunk. Meanwhile, Chikuwa is just so adorable to watch. Frankly, I feel that Laid-Back Camp is cheating by having a dog to boost its cuteness levels. And I admittedly have a soft spot for dogs but come on, look at him!
Of course, this isn’t Laid-Back Camp without everyone being horribly reminded of their wallets. Ena may have the fanciest sleeping bag but it comes to no surprise that all the envy would move onto Rin for having the best overall camping gear. The dialogue does insist that Rin got some of the stuff from her grandfather but I feel like she just said that to be modest. Even if those were all hand me downs, Rin sure has connections and clearly, she must have money if she can afford a moped…and gas for that moped now that I think about it.
While I’m at it, I chuckled when Rin offered to buy the firewood for Chiaki and Aoi. That must’ve been music to Chiaki’s ears.
Anyway, I can’t help but notice that this episode of Laid-Back Camp put particular emphasis on the food. Considering that a lot of camping trivia and tips have been covered, I suppose the natural course of action is to bust out the food porn. Who would’ve thought Aoi was a great cook this whole time, rivaling Nadeshiko even (I don’t count Chiaki since she was following a very specific Youtube tutorial that one time). This girl is pretty darn good at selling the food too. That sukiyaki looked mouthwatering and it only got more tantalizing when Aoi revealed she had more in store.
Having Rin head out to grab some more cooking gas was a good way to have her begin reflecting on the Christmas trip. This girl has come a long way, having started off as very unwilling to join a club to now being willing to tag along for a special occasion. Laid-Back Camp has really impressed with how it’s handled her arc. Not once has this anime argued that her preference to camp alone is unacceptable. In fact, it’s gone to great lengths showing how that kind of activity can be fun for someone. At the same time, I love that Rin has grown to be a lot more flexible about her hobby. She’s not told that camping with a group is the preferred alternative, just that it’s a different kind of fun. Here’s hoping that she’ll continue enjoying this trip during the series finale of Laid-Back Camp (I can’t believe we’re down to just one episode of this anime).
Thanks for reading!
Laid-Back Camp is officially available on Crunchyroll.
For all of my Episode Reviews for Laid-Back Camp, check out the show’s archive page!
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