English Dub Review: A Star Brighter Than the Sun “Rumors”

Overview

As preparations for the class exhibit progress, Sae tries to talk to Kamishiro, but the timing never seems right. On top of that, Hisui points out that she has been spending most of her time with Ayukawa. Just when Sae decides to be more proactive, Kamishiro makes an unexpected proposal…

Our Take

This time around, we get an episode that centers on Sae’s growing struggle to express her feelings to Koki, even as school festival preparations create new obstacles and misunderstandings at every turn. While the class pours their energy into an ambitious space-themed exhibit, Sae repeatedly freezes in the very moments she hopes to open up, leaving her stuck between wanting clarity and being overwhelmed by nerves. It often comes across as grossly contrived, as if the writer knows that once Sae opens up to Kouki earlier than what the story requires, the show is over.

Meanwhile, Ayukawa’s kindness and increasing closeness add another emotional layer, especially as Koki begins to sense he may not be the only one drawn to Sae. And a lot of the force comes from Sae overthinking Koki’s interactions, Koki misreading Sae’s intentions, and Ayukawa stepping forward with an earnestness neither of them expected. Friends like Mio, Sui, and Subaru do their best to support the pair, sometimes with playful meddling, sometimes with blunt intervention, yet the misunderstandings pile up faster than they can be cleared.

Overall, this episode sets the stage for a hectic lead-up to the festival, strengthening the emotional threads. And with two episodes left, the festival crunch only heightens the tension, pushing each character to confront the feelings they’ve been quietly carrying, while the plot is clearly building towards the long-awaited yet forced confession that makes much of the proceedings compelling enough to find out what comes next.