Warning: The following contains spoilers for Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! episode 12!
The season 1 finale of Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! on Crunchyroll gave a surprsingly fun, unexpected twist to a major scene from western rom-coms, rather than attempting to subvert any traditional anime tropes. The twist does, however, serve as the latest example of a major pattern that the series began establishing early on, which has been playfully messing with fans almost every time some form of conflict reared its ugly head.
It’s almost impossible for fans familiar with Western movies and shows to not come to the conclusion that mangaka Kai Ikada wasn’t somehow inspired by the ubiquitous airplane scene where the guy rushes to the airport to confess to the girl who is about to get on the plane when writing Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable!
Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! almost stays completely faithful to the popular Western trope except for how it ironically applies many of anime’s own clichés alongside it. Shiki fails to tell his true feelings to Fuyuki, who is about to board her plane, and any chance of a confession is dashed by a classic misunderstanding that plagues almost every unofficial couple in romance anime. As a result, the act of combining two conventions from different cultures creates something somewhat original.
Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! Does More Than Just Parody The “Airport Chase Scene”
Produced by Studio Link & Blade; based on the original manga by Kai Ikada
Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable!‘s interpretation of the classic airport chase scene also adheres to the series’ own personal formula that has been taunting fans for many weeks. Essentially, this anime has a tendency of introducing a major potential form of conflict only to minimize the results later. The first of many occurred when Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! implied the series was becoming a harem, which put the lead female protagonist, Fuyuki, at obvious risk. But each time, Fuyuki always came out unscathed, even after the brutal cliffhanger when Shiki was caught on a date with another girl.
Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! almost stays completely faithful to the popular Western trope except for how it ironically applies many of anime’s own clichés alongside it.
Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! did this again with the airplane scene, since it was implied that Fuyuki was going away to study abroad for a year or more. Shiki ran all the way to the airport to say goodbye to her with that in mind, however, it just turned out to be another classic misunderstanding, since the program that Fuyuki had applied to would only last two weeks. Moreover, the anime had the program conclude before the end of the season finale, eliminating the potential for a whole new season with a separated Fuyuki and Shiki.
Irrespective of how the series adhered to its own formula, Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable!‘s interpretation of the classic airport chase scene now allows the Crunchyroll anime to join the ranks of Western rom-coms like Love Actually that likely popularized or even started the trope, The Family Man, and the many parodies that followed, including Not Another Teen Movie and the Friends episode “The Last One”.
Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! is streaming on Crunchyroll.
Watch on Crunchyroll
