As advertised, the last episode of Makeine is anime-original. As I said last time, this is likely because a potential second season is up in the air. Better to put some sort of bow on things in case more doesn’t get greenlit. That said, having an original ending does work in terms of timing. Starting the next arc wouldn’t be a great idea so the show might as well end with a one-off scenario.
You can definitely tell that this episode is anime-original; its plot very much screams filler. Basically, this is a follow-up to a throwaway scene in Episode 7. Anna worries about her friends talking about how single she is, so she decides she needs a fake boyfriend. Since Kazuhiko didn’t ask Mitsuki play the part (presumably because it’s an insane idea), Anna forces him to come up with something else. After brainstorming a bit, Kazuhiko suggests concocting a narrative surrounding an imaginary boyfriend of Anna’s creation to fool all her friends. It’s a ridiculous plan but since Anna is desperate and lonely, she of course agrees to it. The plot is a fun one and it does tie into Anna’s character but it’s also inconsequential and self-contained in the grand scheme of things.
While thinking of details for the date between Anna and her non-existent boyfriend, Kazuhiko receives tickets to a park from Konuki-sensei so he invites Anna and the other heroines to a hangout there. Because Konuki-sensei is a goddamn creep, it’s of course revealed later that she gave free tickets to some of the other couples in the show, in the hopes that everyone would run into each other and things would get spicy. It probably goes without saying that this is my least favorite part of the episode. Chihaya figuring out Konuki-sensei’s scheme and deliberately avoiding the park as a result, is pretty funny though.
The hangout at the park is somewhat predictable. Anna hangs around some of the different attractions in the area, taking pictures as “proof” of her relationship, and coming up with details to her fiction. Naturally, she imagines herself dating the most perfect man she can think of but she struggles to keep her story straight and her real life woes eventually seep into it. In the end, Kazuhiko suggests to Anna that she should take her time when it comes to romance, which Anna agrees to do. Knowing Anna, I can frankly see her lamenting over being single the next day. Still, this is a good lesson for her and it’s a decent note to “end” Anna’s arc on.
There are a couple of teases for the Kazuhiko x Anna ship. Occasionally, Anna will actually have Kazuhiko act as a stand-in for her fake boyfriend, even enjoying some of the park attractions with him. The most overt tease however is at the end, when Kazuhiko encourages Anna to take things easy. The scene takes place in a Ferris wheel and it culminates with some flirtatious lines from Anna to Kazuhiko and a shot that makes it look like the two share a kiss. It’s all one big fake out but it does pique my curiosity. I’m fine with these two remaining friends but I do see some romantic tension between them and it’s clear that the show itself entertains the idea.
Of course, who knows if we are getting more. The fact that Makeine ends with an anime-original episode doesn’t evoke much confidence in a second season and there wasn’t an immediate announcement for such a project. I won’t get my hopes up but I’m not at all opposed to Makeine getting renewed. I’ve really enjoyed my time with Makeine. It’s both hilarious and engaging. The main cast is a fun bunch, with Anna being the highlight of course. And I didn’t talk about it much but this show is pretty darn gorgeous, just some top notch visuals and some incredibly expressive animation from the team at A-1 Pictures. It’s been a really good ride and it’d be neat to see it continue.
Watch Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! on Crunchyroll
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