English Dub Review: Watari-kun’s XX Is About to Collapse “The Shape of a Family; One Last Thing to Make Sure Of”

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

Naoto and Satsuki go to a wedding, giving Satsuki anxiety about the idea of family. Later, as their final year of high school approaches, Naoto considers his future, including with Satsuki.

OUR TAKE

Oh my god, it’s FINALLY OVER! We have reached the end of Watari-Kun’s XX Is About to Collapse. And while we may never know exactly what the XX was supposed to be (probably his dick or something, I dunno), we are now on the other side of this torturous story. So, what did I think of the finale? Taking into consideration all of the transparently exploitative tropes and cliches of showing teenage girls fawn over and throw themselves at a cardboard cut out of a self insert male protagonist…this ending was actually kind of okay. It still can not help itself at times to be gross, like Ishihara whispering her cup size into Naoto’s ear, but for the most part, the focus is on these characters nearing the end of their adolescence and beginning to steer their lives towards the direction that will make them adults, such as Naoto deciding to get his chef’s license, Ishihara getting into acting, Umezawa considering becoming a track coach, or Satsuki thinking on whether she truly wants to run her family’s inn. They’re seeing people older than them take these big steps like marriage and children and considering whether they want that, and neither answer is condemned or supported because both wanting it and not wanting it are perfectly valid choices.

We also get some final insights into Tamayo and her relationship with her brother, Naoto’s father, who apparently always supported her even when she fell short of their family’s expectations. So, even when her brother was shunned by the family for dropping out of high school and having a child out of wedlock, Tamayo stepped up to take Naoto and Suzu when their parents died. Not sure why they waited until the final episode to reveal that, but it’s a wholesome detail to learn. I wish I could give this a higher score because of how mature these last few episodes have been, but then we have shit like Suzu harboring a crush on Tokui that I do not trust this series to simply end on her getting over it or him not indulging it. Sorry, Ishihara’s brother. There are apparently more manga chapters they could adapt into a potential second season, but I am more than glad to close the book on this whole thing right here and right now. Stay safe out there, kids. And remember to use protection. Or else.