Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru - 9 & 10

"For the Third Time, He Goes Back to the Path He Originally Followed" and "The Distance Between Them Hasn’t Changed and The Festival Will Soon Become a Carnival"

Yeah, this is pretty much Yukino's fault.

Episode 9

Though she may not have been the driver in the incident where Hachiman was injured, I can't help but feel righteously angry at her involvement with the accident. The thing is, Yukino always knew that she was in the car during that hit and run, and not only did she fail to take responsibility (or make her driver take responsibility), but she also never apologized or otherwise treated Hachiman with respect after the fact. She's been fairly mean to him all along (though to be fair, he's not exactly the nicest person to talk to), and more often than not she's purposely pushed his buttons cruelly for no real reason. She's never been a hugely likeable character in my eyes, but this time I really can't help but feel the same sort of animosity that Hachiman is attempting to conceal.

Not that he's being overtly upset about the whole thing. I think by now it's obvious that Hikki is a less than confrontational guy and that he's loathe to step out of his comfort zone, but nevertheless a real gulf has been created here between the already rocky pair. It isn't difficult to note just why Hachiman is upset, but I'm finding Yukino's reaction less than satisfactory as a result. Even if it's just a proud reaction to being snubbed, she really has no right to act as if she's been wronged in this case, and no matter how much she's being pushed to be the love interest here, I can't help but prefer naive Yui to Yukino's harsh cruelty, though Hachiman isn't looking for that sort of thing with her either ("If I were normal, I would have fallen in love with her right there").

Unfortunately for Yui, however, not only is Hachiman not quite as into her as she hopes, but the issue between him and Yukino is stressing her out the most. As the self-proclaimed third-wheel friend, she's never felt as in tune with the both of them at the same time as they've felt with each other (or as she observes them anyhow), and that's only been exacerbated now that she's friends with two people who seem to hate one another. Getting to go out on a date with him doesn't really help rebuild that relationship, nor does it help her find her place in their club; yet even so, the fact that she's concerned about such things, as always, pegs her as a nice kid. At the very least, she's much more considerate than Yukino is being at the moment, though her own sense of not fitting in is eating away at her the most right now.

Episode 10

Just as things were getting complicated, they start getting nasty to boot. Now I'm not a big fan of characters like Sagami, especially when she's so close to her trope of bitchy antagonist, but I do think she plays a good part in fanning just the right flames of fury this episode. Stereotypically horrible though she is, it's not at all ridiculous to think that such irresponsible and selfish people really exist. In fact, I've known some of them, and they were every bit as unpleasant as she, dramatacized though Yahari makes her out to be. I don't really think I can explain her psychology, especially when it comes to asking favors of Yukino and getting angry and jealous when she out-does her at her job (of course she would, Sagami; you flake off every day and make everyone work for you!), but at the very least she's terrible enough that Hachiman and everyone else are rightfully annoyed with her attitude in a fairly realistic way.

What I don't like Sagami for, however, isn't her own faults and attitude. Instead, what irks me the most about her presence is the fact that because of her actions, Yukino's own cruelties are being overshadowed. She's no longer the insensitive person she was last episode, but simply an awkward one who's trying too hard, and I don't really buy it. Yukino is a loner, yes, but she's by no means a shy one or afraid of losing face like Hachiman secretly is, so she doesn't have nearly as good an excuse to have treated him the way she has or to be passed off as another victim at Sagami's hands. It removes her guilt in the earlier manner and makes Hachiman want to help her out, a sentiment I can't confess to share even now.

Still, when your antagonist is as stressfully shallow as Sagami, and when the not-so-fun older sister arrives to complicate matters, it's hard not to just want to make them all go away first. I have no doubt that Sagami isn't done yet screwing the School Festival committee over, nor do I doubt that she'll be personally responsible for some unwarranted revenge on Yukino for stealing the spotlight. That stuff is all bound to happen and happen as norm, but as always, I'm more curious as to the way that Hachiman is going to deal with all of this. We've constantly seen him confronted by classic anime issues, but I don't think I can note many instances where he dealt with them completely conventionally. Whatever Sagami and Yukino are about to do, I have a feeling things are about to get interesting.

N.B.: Thanks a ton to Ivan for helping me catch up on my backlog and capping these episodes for me!