Halfway through Season 3 now. You know, looking at the whole picture so far, it does feel like Season 3 is pacing slowly, even by Laid-Back Camp standards. It currently has only one major trip under its belt. I don’t mind it for now though as the first trip has been a lot of fun. Speaking of which, it turns out that this trip has a little bit of gas left in the tank so me parting ways with it last episode review looks really stupid right now. In my defense, I didn’t expect this trip to last long as the Izu adventure in Season 2. Usually when we get to a sunrise scene, the girls pack their bags and go home. It’s a nitpick, really. I’m all for this trip lasting one more episode.
There admittedly aren’t a ton of specifics to go over this episode. The girls got the bulk of their adventure out of the way and what’s left on the to-do list is more of the same. There’s a couple more bridges for the girls to check out as well as the usual pit stops. This is starting to get old but to the show’s credit, there is still a couple of laughs to be found here. I particularly enjoyed the part where Nadeshiko tries a suspension bridge for the first time and neither Rin nor Ayano share her fear as they’ve been desensitized by the bridge at Lake Hatanagi. That bridge really did a number on those two.
At one point, the two ladies Nadeshiko met two episodes ago, Chita and Yashiro, make a return but their reappearance is pretty inconsequential. It’s just a bit of small talk with them at restaurant before our main characters resume their trip. I’m honestly a bit puzzled with the inclusion of Chita and Yashiro. Compared to other minor characters, they ultimately don’t contribute much to the plot so I have to wonder if they might reappear again down the line.
As the trip winds down, Ayano thinks back on a past conversation she and Nadeshiko had, while watching Nadeshiko and Rin chat with each other in the present. I’m kind of surprised to learn that Nadeshiko was afraid that she won’t make any new friends. You’d think she wouldn’t since she’s able to hit off with strangers but I suppose she’s just unaware of that attribute of hers. Of course, being the childhood friend, Ayano knew this wouldn’t be the case and we know that she’s right given Nadeshiko’s friendship with Rin. I like that Ayano isn’t the least bit envious at Rin. It seemed unlikely anyway given these past couple of episodes but it would be the obvious thing for the story to do. I like that she’s instead happy that Nadeshiko has a close friend in her new home.
Just when you think the trip is over, Ayano is begrudged to make the long drive home so she and the others decide to tour around one more location before everyone finally has to part ways. Ayano making the trip last longer is very funny but in a weird way, I think she is unintentionally doing Nadeshiko a favor. Out of all the main characters, Nadeshiko seems the most reluctant to go home. She’s even admitted at the end of the Izu trip that she feels lonely at the end of an adventure. You certainly get that impression again when she looks at the pictures she took during the trip. It’s only been a couple of hours and she’s already feeling sentimental. I was afraid that Nadeshiko would get sad over the trip coming to an end so I’m relieved that she seems okay with it, coming to the conclusion that she’ll always have that adventure in her memories.
Definitely the best joke in this entire episode is the very last scene where Chiaki literally rips out of the frame to remind us that she, Aoi, and Ena still exist. As much as I love Laid-Back Camp, there is no denying that these three often play second fiddle to Rin and Nadeshiko. It’s very funny and accurate then, that Chiaki asks the viewer if they’ve forgotten about her and the others and telling the others that they’ve been abandoned. I’m looking forward to seeing what these three have been up to. Hopefully, it won’t end with a near-death experience like last time.
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