English Dub Review: Watari-kun’s XX Is About to Collapse “A Cute Junior”

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

Naoto begins his new job with Makina Umezawa, who not so secretly schemes to get him to break up with Ishihara, but Naoto refuses to budge. However, things with Satsuki remain in a concerning gray area.

OUR TAKE

As we saw last week, we have now formally introduced the third member of this love quadrangle: Makina Umezawa, who is apparently Naoto’s underclassman from his previous school. And let’s make this clear right up front, despite being in the Opening and Ending and seemingly being on equal footing with Satsuki and Ishihara, in the grand scheme, this character simply does not matter. Like, she’s there to cause a little conflict for Naoto at this new job he’s got, but he clearly does not pay her any mind aside from being a coworker and kind of a little sister. So essentially, her role is pretty much filler. Which is not a great sign considering we still have four episodes left. And despite Ishihara technically taking the brass ring and dating Naoto (for the moment), and Naoto setting firm boundaries with Satsuki that they should remain friends, she is still pulling this same shit of out and out flirting with him and even massaging his feet. Like at least she’s not assaulting him to kiss him or rubbing up against him to the point he ejaculates, which let me remind you was only a few weeks ago, but this is absolutely still crossing a line, and if their genders were reversed, I really don’t think it would have the same tone as it does here.

And unfortunately, I have seen enough of these kinds of shows and mangas to see the formula, namely that Ishihara confessing and technically going out with him now does not mean she’s the end game girl. If anything, the fact that this happened so early in the story basically cinches that she’s going to get dropped or leave eventually to make room for Naoto caving to Satsuki. And honestly, at this point, I’m kinda pushing for that to happen quicker. Not because I actually support Satsuki, but the fact that Naoto is still very blatantly dipping in both sides, and Ishihara really deserves better than that after all the shit she’s had to deal with so far. In the meantime, we still have to pretend there is actually a “will they won’t they” dynamic going on and ignore that the OP is obviously strongly hinting at Satsuki being the main girl above all others. Not to mention she’s the one on all of the promotional material, so yeah, she’s gonna get him in the end. Sorry to spoil the obvious twist. Or maybe I’m totally wrong and they’re gonna call her on all her crappy behavior? Please?