Girlfriend, Girlfriend Season 2 is back with episode 10 and continues to follow the cast on their summer vacation in Okinawa. We pick up right where we left off with Mirika riding Naoya on the bed with the door locked, which is actually a situation I don’t want to dwell on too much in this article. The most notable point of the episode lies in the lonely moments that Shino and Naoya share on a deserted island.
Her determination
Shino is completely locked out of the bedroom where Mirika has Naoya imprisoned. This unpleasant scene features Mirika raping Naoya. Finally, Shino and Saki open the door and find Naoya still tied to the bed and Mirika hiding out the window.
Naoya this season is either too good or too stupid. (Not that he was an idiot last season either.) Somehow, he still sees… something in Mirika, but he’s not as harsh on her as I thought he was. I was ready to give Mirika some time at the beginning of the season, but she kept going too far. However, although she is interesting, she starts to not be too welcoming after putting Naoya in such an uncomfortable situation.
The sequel to Girlfriend, Girlfriend Season 2 episode 10 focuses on Shino, who is still under Mirika’s control and struggles to mend his feelings for Naoya. Shino and Naoya find themselves alone on the beach when Shino’s precious purple bow is swept into the ocean. Without hesitation, the two jumped into the water to chase it. This causes them to wash ashore on a small and empty island. Initially, I believed that the deserted island setting would turn out to be Shino’s dream. However, by the end of the episode, we still haven’t received any answer to this speculation.
Due to the cold night, Shino hesitantly took off her wet bikini while Naoya built a fire. Shino, anxious to take advantage of this opportunity, tells Naoya about someone she has liked for a long time but cannot admit her feelings. At this moment, I can tell that Naoya truly cares for Shino as he tries to make her feel safe and heard.
The episode ends with one of the most emotional scenes we’ve had this season. Shino and Naoya end up in the usual accidental situation – Shino is naked on top of him. As tears fell from Shino’s eyes, she silently begged Naoya to stop being so nice to her so that she could suppress her romantic feelings for the sake of her friend, Saki. I think the way this scene was animated and storyboarded made me feel like Shino and Naoya had some kind of chemistry that I didn’t see with the other girls. I can’t say that I’m Shino’s number one fan, but I also have to admit that the two’s interactions are a lot more precious than… well… Mirika’s, of course. But I’m also starting to see how Shino was able to win Naoya’s heart before Saki and Nagisa. If I’m being honest, she probably won my heart in this episode.
We only have two episodes left this season. I feel like the Okinawa arc might end next week in episode 11. This whole summer trip and season has progressed for Shino, and we’ll see how her private time with Naoya ends like next week on Girlfriend, Girlfriend Season 2 episode 11. Until then, check out my article on The Apothecary Diaries, which is also airing this season.
Girlfriend, Girlfriend Season 2 Episode 10 Score: 7/10
Image via Crunchyroll
© Hiroyuki, Kodansha/“Girlfriend, Girlfriend” Production Committee 2023