Like how the season changes over time, Horimiya celebrates on different forms of love - a warm summer, cold winter and a cool spring.
Warm hearts and hands despite the cold!
Quick Recap: Until the Snow Melts
“Let’s play pretend” Part 2. Yuki and Toru continue their “girlfriend-boyfriend” label. But look who’s being agonized…
Snow is here! As one love blossoms with the season change, a bubble of hope and affection was popped, withering away in this cold weather.
Manga Spiel! The episode covered chapters 58, 59, 60 and 61 of the manga. Ch 58 features a bothered Yuki. Ch 59 speaks of snow and cherry blossoms, metaphors for Yuki and Sakura. Parts of Ch 60 shows a funny Hori and Miyamura. Ch 61 follows a heartbroken Sakura. Satisfying feels from the frames well-manifested in the animation.
Author’s Corner: Seasons of love
Offsetting the spotlight from the main leads, Horimiya continues to catch more feels and ventures on other characters’ love. Less cringe but good laughs for Hori and Miyamura (as always)! These two never fails at humor while still having that romantic stuff going on. They radiate summer vibes, a playful season to be out there celebrating love. Maintaining a steady acceleration with these equally satisfying stories, other forms of love were drawn into the light, spicing up the series.
Yuki is like the pure, cold, white snow in winter. Sakura represents the pretty, warm cherry blossoms in spring. Just like how two seasons cannot happen at the same time of the year, the two kinds of love cannot be in the same limelight at once. The episode touched a sensitive topic on love - confession and reciprocation. A realistic take on love with these relatable contents. Whereas confessions are sweet, the lingering thought of having love reciprocated wraps a tight rope around the heart. The fear of rejection, the anxiety over shattered hope, the delight of acceptance, the joy of love being returned - a myriad of emotions sweeps off the mind. It featured great developments, but still got the audience wishing for greater steps taken ahead. Gradual yet satisfying enough - for more strings attached.
Lingering thoughts: Love and its complications
“It’s okay to be selfish.” Yuki’s sister is a real deal! That “uwu” moment! You might be getting the main idea here - Yuki has been smitten by Toru. In this game of pretend, it’s clearly taking a toll on her. Wishing for it to be real, Yuki is cold and afraid of her own feelings. Fear of losing a friend? Fear of non-reciprocation? Too much complication for this couple! Got no blames on Yuki. Maybe it’s the friendship. She and Toru started off as good friends. And taking a step forward might put that relationship in an awkward stance. But here’s to wishing Yuki and Toru discover their “true” feelings and be more upfront of their love. Sometimes, all we need is a little nudge on things and a validation that it’s okay to put yourself first over anything else. After all, love can be selfish at times.
“It hurts more knowing nobody’s on the wrong.” Best girl Sakura! That “aww” moment! She definitely stole this episode. Mustering up her courage to confess to Toru without expecting an answer deserves a salutation. Not everyone can do that every day. The warmth and purity of love. Watching from afar and having nothing to do about this heavy feeling of rejection strikes a heavy arrow. Sakura breaking down speaks of love and its complication - a thorny vine slithering around the heart and piercing it as it crawls deeper. She might have anticipated this, still there’s no stopping an innocent heart from going through lengths to celebrate its love. Still, it was hurtful. Here’s to wishing Sakura a love deserving of her pure heart! What makes it more painful to watch is that no one can be put on the blame. These tears shed are manifestations of love, though a sad one.
Snow might be enjoyable at first, but it becomes troublesome at cleaning once it dries. It melts away on its own, not because the next season is closing it. It is free. Cherry blossoms do not ask the snow to go away. Just like how Yuki should not be wary of Sakura - a metaphor by Toru.
The first snow falls. The symbolism speaks of Yuki’s love winning.
How good it is to be young and in love?
Are you the upfront and innocent Sakura? Or are you the careful and sentimental Yuki?
Horimiya new episode releases on Sundays at 12:30am JST.
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