English Dub Review: Convenience Store Boy Friends “May”

How to not talk to women 101.

Spoilers Below:

When he’s was in preschool, a young girl reads a storybook aloud to Mishima as they wait for their parents. Her mom comes before she can finish, but she gives the book to Mishima. Half of her name is rubbed out, so Mishima doesn’t know her first name.

Mishima criticizes Honda for how he treated Mami the other day, but Honda is none the wiser. Honda helps Mami carry her notebooks, and realizes that Mami is still upset at him. After she prompts him, he promises not to tell that she likes manga, but ends up being rude to her. She confides in Mashiki that now that Honda has dirt on her, she fears he’s going to harass her even more. Mashiki suggests that Mami ask Mishima for advice on what to do.

Mishima ends up daydreaming during swim practice because Mashiki asked to meet up later. He’s surprised that Mami is there too, but goes along with it. Mami explains that she wants Honda to leave her alone. Mishima explains that Honda’s always been bad with personal space, but Mami remains uncomfortable with the situation.

He ends up relaying the message to Honda, but he realizes that Honda actually likes Mami, and isn’t just playing around. He says that Honda’s being inconsiderate, but Honda replies that he’s just as bad by saying nothing to Mashiki. They end up fighting but cool off by the evening. Honda admits that he really likes Mami, before drifting off. Mishima is conflicted, knowing how uncomfortable Mami felt.

The next day, he offers that Honda and Mami try to become friends, as long as Honda respects Mami’s boundaries. Mami gives Honda some rules that he needs to follow, and Honda agrees. After it’s over, Mishima works up the courage to ask Mashiki if they can walk to school together.

Overview:

Honda really just keeps hitting it off with things to absolutely never say to a girl, huh. Really, if you want to find out ‘what absolutely not to say’ just listen to all of Honda’s lines. This episode really makes me not want to have them get together in the end.

I’m really not sure how I feel about this episode. The high school slice of life romance genre usually dictates that the love interests get together in the end, or have their romance bud, at the very least. The genre conventions are likely going to lead with Honda and Mami getting together, but as a woman, this is a pretty uncomfortable thought. This sort of unwanted attention and heckling is, unfortunately, fairly common. Honda isn’t doing it out of malice, he just has no concept of people’s boundaries, and he does want to be friends. He’s not predatory, he’s just an airhead, and there’s a lot of growth ahead of him. But at the same time, this episode just didn’t feel right and didn’t make me want to root for their relationship.

Mishima and Honda remain a really solid duo and just good friends in general. The highlight of the episode.