English Dub Review: Tamon’s B-Side “Fly”
OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)
F/ACE infiltrates Utage’s school in disguise before their performance, giving Tamon a chance to have fun with Utage, as well as give Natsuki a chance to reconcile with Asuka.
OUR TAKE
Second to last episode of the season (with no second season on the horizon as of this writing) and a pretty emotionally cathartic one at that! Even if the school festival wasn’t exactly set up well, it’s a solid way to give a lot of characters something substantive to do. Keito and Ouri don’t get a ton of focus, though Ouri does manage to give Natsuki some genuine praise (sandwiched between a lot of insults but apparently that’s still major progress, according to Tamon). Meanwhile, Natsuki himself gets to put what he’s gained in the past few episodes to good use, having apparently used the motivation from Asuka’s roundabout method of support to make a solid hit of a song that kills at the festival, and is revealed later to be inspired by Natsuki’s own wish that Asuka won’t give up on her dreams, even after the accident. After everything dies down, the two finally get to sit down and have a proper conversation and fully make up. They don’t make any plans to try to get back together or anything, since that’s still a massive landmine, but it seems like there’s hope for them to make something work between them someday. Maybe.
Though that leads to what’s happening with Utage and Tamon, and a set up for next week’s finale. The two enjoy time together at the festival and hang out more after the concert, and continue to get closer, to the point that Utage can’t hold in her feelings for Tamon any longer. She knows now what she feels is not simply fan worship or being a supportive friend, but that she has fully and completely fallen in love with Tamon, in every way and for every part of him, gloomy or suave, charismatic or awkward. And so her first act upon realizing this IS…quickly quitting her job as his housekeeper. Which is actually a very responsible thing to do when you feel you are overstepping professional boundaries, so points to her for that. The problem part of that she thinks to herself that she can’t ruin his career, which is an understandable thought, but seems to be more driven by emotion than logic. Either way, we’ll see how all of that resolves next time on the thrilling and drama charged season finale of Tamon’s B-Side! Also, damn, I’m starting to think Rintaro’s not gonna get any focus time.
