English Dub Review: My Teen Romantic Snafu Climax Episodes 9~12

Overview:

The trio sets their plans into action.

Our Take:

I ended up liking this series a lot more than I’d expected. When it first started out, Hachiman didn’t really seem like the type of protagonist that I’d really liked, since he was gloomy and kind of wrapped up in his own lack of self-worth. However, by the end of the series, he’s not only doing things for other people, purely because he wants to see them succeed, but he also had become a decent person in his own right. It is sometimes an issue with anime that they want to validate the character that would be most similar to their audience– a young Japanese otaku man– that they lean into the fact that the main character doesn’t have to change. They can still be gloomy, pessimistic, and still get love and affection. This series doesn’t do that; by the end, Hachiman still has some issues for sure, but by then he has already grown as a person. There are real reasons for people to start liking him and wanting to believe in him, even romantically, because he has proven himself.

It’s not just Hachiman too– but Yukino and Yuigahama as well. They’ve all come such a long way from when they started the series. While the issues that plagued them in the start haven’t completely vanished, they’ve learned to come to terms with them and grow past them. Honestly, that’s pretty cool.

The ending to this series… just feels right. It’s about the kids not only coming together for a common cause, but also pushing past the misconceptions that brought them together in the first place. Yukino not only pushes past the restrictions her family put on her, but freely admits to her mother and sister what she wants to do in the future. Hachiman puts his all on the line for other people. Yuigahama comes to terms with her feelings. It all feels truly like kids growing up, figuring themselves out, and trying to push themselves out into the world. It’s also not perfect, but growing up rarely is. It’s complicated and messy, but it’s worth trying out and doing anyway. It’s not just about romance, but also coming to terms with yourself, what you want, and what you want from other people. This series really ended up ending in the best way it could, and I like that.