10 Second Anime - Ore Monogatari!! - Episode 16



Mariya struggles with her true feelings for Takeo. Suna helps her to be honest with Takeo and herself.

Episode 16 - "My Disciple"

Heh.

Master and disciple, huh? Master of what? Master of the heart, Mariya said. Uh oh.

The usually suspicious friends of Rinko accepted the "likes him as a person" story, but Suna didn't. I liked that he wasn't concerned about Takeo getting fooled, but that Mariya might end up getting hurt. Suna knows his friend all too well.

Two Takeo fans going on and on about his muscles and running fast and looking straight at them... swoon!

Obviously cake is a force multiplier when it comes to Takeo's feelings about Rinko.

Oh, man. Anybody who's had a hopeless crush on someone else knows this scene. Even an inadvertent candid shot of you two together in a picture becomes a prize possession.

Mariya's joy and gloom expressions about Takeo's and Suna's presence got a repeat performance. Maybe this is why Suna felt he could support Mariya in her situation. Because she was not attracted to him like all the other girls, and saw the good in Takeo, he could take the time to treat her like a real person, instead of keeping her at arm's length.

Mariya needed many boxes of tissue after her honest rejection by Takeo. Suna would make a great female friend, maybe even a good boyfriend.

Mariya made Takeo's day by acting friendly. She wasn't over him, but only time can ease those feelings.

Mariya, rest in peace. We'll miss you! Oh, she's not dead, although this scene is pretty much the anime cliché of remembering the deceased, but she may as well be as far as the main story is concerned. If Suna weren't so guarded, there might have been a chance of her joining the cast of regulars and becoming a will-they-won't-they interest for him. I'd be surprised if that did happen.

Hmm.

One good sign of a healthy growing relationship is how near catastrophes focus the feelings of those involved. Rinko had her moment of growth last episode in trusting Takeo's feelings and not worrying about fighting other girls for his affection. This episode, with another girl confessing love to him, Takeo realized his feelings for Rinko had deepened. It wasn't just about liking her for being cute or making him cake, but love, the forever kind.

 

What cemented it for him was seeing Rinko's smiling face when Mariya confessed her true feelings for him. There were a couple of nice touches afterwards that lent a sense of satisfaction about Takeo and Rinko. First, they held hands as a couple on the first try instead of the usual dance they did. And then, they walked besides some ducks swimming along the river. Some species mate for life, so this is probably the reference this scene was aiming at.

 

Takeo and Rinko are still a rock, and this love story is interesting at how circumstances bounce off them. The best part of this love rival arc was Suna talking to another girl. He didn't open up to her, but he did show concern. We could interpret this as Suna being protective of Rinko and Takeo, but he wasn't. They're a rock, remember? He was concerned about someone else getting smashed against them. I'm looking forward to the day when Suna meets someone interested in him but also honestly likes Takeo as a person. What would that be like?