Warning: The following contains spoilers for Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! episode 7!!
Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! on Crunchyroll just went in a completely brutal direction that feels unexpected due to the precedent set so far in the series, and the way that the story has progressed so far. Although viewers were preparing themselves for drama after the series hinted that it was become a classic harem romance, subsequent episodes provided some reprieve when they appeared to nullify any of the unwanted effects that a harem would bring to such a lighthearted story.
The brutality in question is when Shiki, a boy who a girl named Fuyuki likes, is seen on a date with another girl, Natsukawa. What’s worse, Fuyuki’s mother is the one who saw the incident and tells her.
This is particularly heartbreaking because Shiki and Fuyuki are considered to be the series’ main official couple that viewers have been rooting for from the beginning.
Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! Breaks Its Own Formula For Drama
Based on the manga by Kai Ikada; produced by Silver Link and Blade
Of course, viewers knew this was bound to happen for a number of reasons. Fuyuki had already experienced a similar problem with another girl named Akino. How she was portrayed created the impression, along with other female supporting cast members being introduced, gave the impression that Hokkaido Gals would eventually become a harem. However, the anime provided some buffers. First, Fuyuki had always wanted to be Akino’s friend, who always spurned her advances because she was shy. So, when Akino started gravitating towards Shiki, Fuyuki was happy because she now had an “in”.
Fuyuki may have gotten jealous, but these moments have always been lighthearted, or, the drama was addressed before the end of the episode, including the amazing Valentine’s Day episode. When Natsukawa was introduced, fans were lulled into a false sense of complacency because Fuyuki had similar, positive feelings for her, like she did for Akino. When Natsukawa began to hang out with Shiki, viewers felt everything would turn out alright like with Akino. This latest episode proves this wasn’t the case at all.
Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! Expedited Impending Disaster
Dappling into harem-tropes could harm the storytelling in what was originally a lighthearted romance
Fans were also left unguarded based on how the episode was set up, despite knowing what was coming. Shiki was already put in a compromising situation when he entered into an agreement with Natsukawa that would require him to keep Fuyuki in the dark. Moreover, Shiki had no choice but to go on a date with Natsukawa after their agreement had been fulfilled.
There were ample opportunities to explore this dynamic before the impending date, and the entire episode could have revolved solely around them. Since the whole fragile predicament was rife with potential conflict, many viewers were under the impression that this would be the sole focus and that the date wouldn’t happen until later. However, the episode just briefly touched on this dynamic, so that it could conclude with Fuyuki’s mother catching Shiki and Natsukawa on their date.
However, this unexpected decision to expedite a whole scenario rife with potential conflict to conclude at the worst moment is only partially why everything feels much more brutal. This, along with how Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! broke its own rules in service of this new drama, which is leaving viewers more shaken up and undoubtedly struggling with having to wait a whole week to see how everything will play out on Crunchyroll.
Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! is simulcasting on Crunchyroll
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