Okay, so Yashiro does reveal her face. Maybe it really wasn’t ready in Episode 2. And wouldn’t you know, she looks very similar to her counterpart in Ground Control to Pyschoelectric Girl. Part of me can’t help but think Adachi and Shimamura actually makes it more obvious that Yashiro may actually be what she claims to be. The glow and sparkle effects on her hair are very pronounced. I don’t recall them being that way in Ground Control. Then again, my memory of that show is really fuzzy (I should really find the time rewatch it).
This episode provides a clearer picture of Yashiro’s role. Evidently, she’s acting as a third wheel to Adachi and Shimamura, randomly appearing at their hangouts which Shimamura doesn’t mind but Adachi does. I’m remain a bit unconvinced that the role has to be played by Yashiro. Really, it can be fulfilled by just about anyone else in the series. That said, I suppose Yashiro makes one hell of a third wheel. I mean, a little girl wearing a spacesuit who claims to be an alien from the future? I can see how someone might pay more attention to that as opposed to the person who has the hots for them.
My understanding of Adachi and Shimamura’s relationship remains about the same as it did when I finished Episode 2. Adachi continues to be the one blatantly vying for affection as she competes against Yashiro for Shimamura’s attention, often to comical results. There’s also the sense that she’s quite conscious of how Shimamura perceives her. When her friend pays her a visit, she takes fifteen minutes to change out of her pajamas and fix her bedhead, suggesting that she wants to look her best in front of her friend. She gives into Shimamura’s requests, as demonstrated when she strikes a pose that Shimamura teases her over earlier in the episode.
It’s Shimamura who remains as ambiguous as ever. Clearly, she cares about Adachi as she visits her home when she thinks her friend is sick and encourages her to stay despite Yashiro butting in. But does that amount to romantic attraction? It’s hard to tell. There’s also the ending to consider. Yashiro and Adachi ask Shimamura who she’s rooting for during a game of bowling and it’s implied that Shimamura does not give a straight answer. While it’s fair of her to not pick a side, I do kind of wonder if her not pampering Adachi imply how she wants their relationship to be. After the hangout, Shimamura inner monologues how taxing it is to be with Adachi but she’d rather spend time with her than be bored and alone. That implies that she’s using Adachi and that may not speak positively of herself should she find out how attracted her friend is to her. Conversely though, Shimamura expresses how the last thing she wants is for things to go south and Adachi to hate her so evidently, she does indeed care about her friend.
One last thing bring up: there’s a scene where Hino and Nagafuji hang out and at one point, the latter gives the former a kiss on the forehead. While this is apparently something they used to as kids, it does leave Hino a bit flustered since the two of them are now teenagers. This scene has me wondering if Adachi and Shimamura aren’t the only couple in this series. I’ll be shocked if this ultimately only amounts to subtext as, well, this series is a yuri anime.
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