Golden Time ep13: you make your own sh*tty luck

This show is so frustrating! Here I have an episode with stuff that I absolutely loved, yet there are elements of this show that just drag it down for me. It’s bad enough when literally one character is making you dislike the show, but it’s even worse when that character is basically the plot for the whole show. On the plus side, I did find out where all the pee jokes about this show came from. You guys on Twitter are really childish, you know that?

We start the episode with a flashback back to the moment the “new” Banri decided to move on with his life and not worry about his past. It’s a moment that we saw Linda actually instigated. And it’s also the moment where Linda felt she lost her chance to confess her feelings to Banri (we all know she was going to answer, yes). Though she likely lost that moment the second Banri got hit by that scooter.

After enjoying the new (noticeably less cheery) opening theme and animation, we’re treated to a new setting. Banri and Koko’s dance club is at the Awa summer dance festival, partaking in a parade with a bunch of other clubs from other universities. Everyone looks upbeat for the festivities, and though it seems a little awkward, Banri and Linda are talking normally and having a good time. Banri still seems a little jealous of the club leader that she’s so close to, but overall everything seems fine. The drama here comes from Koko. We see her being carried towards the other members as if she’s suffered from heat stroke or a migraine. The problem really turns out to be extreme anxiety from fear of failure at the dances she so terribly performs. Lest we forget, the nickname she’s been given is Robogirl. This problem is solved though by Linda, who asks the club leader to perform “that”. What “that” is is a special dance meant to ease the nervousness that comes from performing, and it works!

With the festival over, the young lovers have all their summer to their selves.  Their is another problem though.  It’s my mortal enemy, a foe almost as annoying and vexing as Wanna Be The Strongest‘s infamous Boston Crab (see you in Hell CRAB), Banri’s ghost.  The little prick may say he has no emotion, but the incident the previous episode involving Banri and Linda agreeing to forget their shared past has pushed him over the edge.  As he watches Banri enjoy his wonderful time with Koko, he becomes a malevolent spirit.  And for the rest of the summer, he somehow manages to ruin one thing after another for the couple, including getting a trip for the club cancelled.  What a bitter little *sshole!

Despite this grand string of bad luck, the couple still manages to enjoy each other’s company.  One day, Koko ends up coming over and attempting to cook for Banri, only for him to find out she’s faking a homemade meal that her maid actually ended up cooking for her at home.  It was a surprisingly good and funny scene.  They end their night outside at the park, talking about the upcoming trip she’s taking with her family to Barcelona.  It’s going to last for about a month, so he won’t see her for awhile, yet he can’t bring himself to ask her to stay.  Even worse, when she leans in for a kiss goodnight he balks at the opportunity.  It seems that in the end, most of his real bad luck may not be the ghost’s doing, but his own.

End of episode.

What I loved about this episode was how funny and weird it was.  The scene where Koko’s super nervous about performing was pretty funny, especially the moment she accidentally shoved the lipstick up her nose.  Also when Koko was trying to fake a homemade meal for Banri, I really liked how weird and funny that scene was, too.  Sure, Koko telegraphed her ruse from the very beginning, but it remained good goofy fun.  It shows that this series can be interesting and funny outside the ghost-driven drama this series relies upon.

And its the ghost-driven drama that I really end up having a problem handling.  Banri’s ghost is such an annoying, clingy presence.  All he seems to do is muddy the waters of what could already be a serious mess of relationships.  I just hate its presence.  It adds another layer of unattractiveness to this series that I already had to fight with when I accepted a show that relies on amnesia as a major plot point.  I’m dying for this show to diversify some more, and stay away from the ghost crap.  There are other interesting side characters I’d like to see pop back up in the show.  I’d like to see some actual college drama instead of it just being a pretense for getting this specific set of adult characters together.  And most of all, I’d love to see this romantic comedy focus more on romance and comedy than drama.

Sadly, I’m complaining about an episode I really did like.  It just shows the expectations I’ve put on this show, and the less attractive elements of it drag it down so much in my eyes.  I genuinely hope that this series picks up immensely in this second half  of its story.  Give me something Golden Time!  Give me something to hold on to!

Further Reading:

• Golden Time ep12: on a first name, first time, first step basis