Natsuyuki Rendezvous - 7
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In terms of emotion, this episode of Natsuyuki Rendezvous was my favourite.
In all honesty, the series has been repetitive with the emotions it's tried to play upon. I don't know how many times I've mentioned that Atsushi acts like a child by refusing to let go of Rokka, which incidentally ends up as the main focus of the series from my point of view.
This is probably the one fundamental flaw Natsuyuki Rendezvous has had. It's quite a fatal flaw since it can annoy me but at times make me enjoy the series for the dramatic emotions; the times when it's good is when Atsushi's annoying habits are brought up with good timing.
This episode did exercise good timing with bringing up Atsushi's one and only thought: "Why can't I have her " How did this happen A combination of events. The confession definitely helped move things along and made Atsushi essentially lose all hope but when coupled with the realisation that the body he's using isn't actually his, he could literally do nothing.
This didn't stop him though, and I was definitely expecting a fight but when he went ahead and slept with Rokka, I became a little disturbed. I'm not going to touch upon why it was very wrong and how sex is as much an emotional connection as it is a physical one but I will say that this says a lot about Atsushi's character. It's understandable that anyone would be tempted and he has been selfish but this move will end up causing Rokka even more pain, which he has tried to avoid doing all this time.
I'm sure that this particular element of the story may have been an attempt to make us feel sorry for Atsushi but it didn't work. I did feel sorry for him when Hazuki admitted that he felt pity for him, but that was just a fleeting moment compared to the disgust I felt at his cowardice and idiocy displayed in this episode.
With the episode's ending, it was the first time I truly felt more sympathy for Rokka. Up until now there hasn't really been a reason to do so but with the dick move pulled by Atsushi (in Hazuki's body), she's the one who ends up worse off after this episode. Quite a change when you consider her biggest worries until now were getting over her dead husband in order to get with her younger love interest but now she's left reminded of her dead husband and worrying if the guy she slept with is going to call her back.
Finally, I'm left wondering what's going to happen next with Natsuyuki Rendezvous.
Will Hazuki get back his role as one of the main characters Let's face it he hasn't really been a main for a while now.
Where has Atsushi gone off to I've personally had enough of him.
Will the issue of the sex scene be brought up again This could cause some serious drama.