I am SO EXCITED over this week’s episode of Love and Lies. I can hardly believe what happened! I feel like I had a trip back to my teenage years when love and sex was still a mystery. And I’m actually pretty happy the plot is moving in that direction!
Japanese Original Episode Title: 恋を強いる檻
The episode starts with Ririna dreaming of having some pretty intimate session with Yukari. She and Yukari both get a letter that invites them to come into the Ministry of Health (etc) to take a course of some sort. Yukari is still concerned with his relationship to Takazaki who seems to be avoiding him, as well as with Yusuke’s inconsistency in attending school. He meets up with Ririna at the ministry along with his friend Takeda and his own assigned wife. Ririna offers him a kofun armor necklace as a gift, and he gives her some sort of similar trinket that is supposed to be a cat.
During the class, the ministry people are quite openly encouraging the couples to have sex. They give out condoms, talk about sex being the best thing ever (while we all know that the only real best thing ever is food) and show a short film on how to, you know, have sex. Everyone acts to the video in different ways, while Ririna and Yukari feel extremely uncomfortable and confused. Ririna fantasizes about having sex with Yukari. Yukari is approached but a man who urges him to make a choice, and soon finds out that according to the Ministry’s rules, he and Ririna will be spending the night together. He also overhears another couple discussing how much trouble you can get into if you don’t get to have sex with your assigned partner on that occasion. When the two of them find themselves alone, Yukari decides to make a move on her, for both their sake.
Off to a steamy start: Even though it’s pretty obvious that Ririna is dreaming, seeing the two of them getting together was quite a strong start and an immense change of pace from the last episode. It clearly verifies the assumption stated on the previous episode that Ririna is gradually starting to develop feelings for Yukari. Yay!
Love is bacteria: Love how Ririna’s research on kissing just led her to its bacterial aspect. Then again, that’s what happens when you try to learn about love and sex referring to your school library. Let’s not even mention the internet.
That’s not how friends work…: I’m not really sure if I’m missing out on some sort of local custom there but the only time when it’s okay to specifically, verbally request someone’s friendship in in primary school. And even then, coming up with answers like ‘I have nothing to talk to you about’ is pretty lame, even for a social outcast like you Ririna. Writers, I’m looking your way.
You need to try harder: Dear Ririna, getting your loved on little gifts and going on day trips with them is great, but it’s quite essential to stop emphasizing on how much you don’t wanna be with them when you, well, wanna be with them. Making keeping your mouth shut if you don’t have anything nice to say would be a good strategy for you. You might even get to make more ‘friends’! In a normal way.
Propagandist sex ed: Love is great, sex is great, science is great, so you should definitely listen to the government when they tell you who to fuck! Now pack your things and off to a room to have coitus, and if you don’t make sure you bid any academic aspiration of yours farewell.
*SPOILER ALERT*
Annoying speculation super fun time: Having not read the manga, I would easily assume that given all we’ve seen so far, Takazaki had been matched with Yusuke, and he rejected her because he’s not interested in women.
Battle Royale Propaganda Style: A gentle female voice present fun facts to kids who don’t really get to choose how to deal with their own lives… Sounded a bit familiar to me. Interesting how the anime has overall incorporated some futuristic dystopian elements that are quite common in Japanese animation stories to something so romantic and bubbly.
Shonen Love: One of the reasons I enjoy Love and Lies so much is because unlike the majority of shonen anime they’re quite sexually relaxed and the characters get to do more than just go through emotional turmoil. It’s probably its best point.
Well I sure hope so. Much as I like Takazaki and believe the way she and Yukari got together is both a healthy way to confront your feelings and an initiation to adulthood, I know that love fails. Not matter how much they think they love each other, it is very possible that these feelings will wither in time. Science is not necessarily offering Yukari and Ririna the love of their lives, but good, reliable partners that can support each other… and when it comes to marriage, you’d wanna invest in something that last more than a coup de foudre.
Did you like Episode 6 of Love and Lies? Let us know in the comments below by using either the forum or the Facebook tab! Join us in our new forum and let’s talk about our favorite series! Also, don’t forget the rest of our Summer 2017 reviews!
NEXT TIME: A Silent Lie (無言の嘘)
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Can you already smell the sea? Can you feel the sun on your skin? Have you already had your first slice of watermelon? Well, the only certain thing is that the summer anime season is coming this July!
