English Dub Review: The Ramparts of Ice “3+(←)1”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Bothered that Koyuki still has her guard up around him, Minato tries to make small talk.  As Miki grows suspicious of his intentions, she confronts him.

Our Take:
Study sessions are usually calm and comforting when you’re with a group of people, mainly friends.  However, this week’s episode shows that this isn’t the case, as Koyuki’s low self-confidence leads to some pretty awkward conversations among the group.  Thankfully, these conversations offer plenty of amusing moments to keep this session from being too uncomfortable.  Unfortunately, the problems didn’t stop there; Koyuki was overwhelmed by her friends’ mixed signals, leading them to misunderstand her own.  From Koyuki’s perspective, she thinks that Miki has feelings for Minato, prompting her to stay clear of him.  However, it also leads Minato to think that Koyuki likes Yota, given Koyuki’s kind behavior towards Yota.
In short, the episode is basically one uncomfortable scenario after another, creating a domino effect that would end in disaster.  Regarding the show’s themes, it illustrates how introverts struggle to interpret others’ signals without clear guidance, a theme similar to other sitcoms that feature misunderstandings from specific characters. I also liked how the episode focused more on Miki, who struggled to make new friends due to her introverted nature, until she met Minato and Yota in middle school.  It shows that Koyuki and Miki’s friendship stems from their shared introverted situation. Though with Miki’s curiosity about Minato making casual talk with Koyuki, it may not last long.