Remember last week when Nokotan grabbed Mai Sakurajima and disappeared? Well, My Deer Friend Nokotan episode 12 decided that plot point was completely unimportant. So nothing else came of it. Instead, we got assassins, dance competitions, and even more randomness.
My Deer Friend Nokotan Episode 12 Summary
As episode 12 of My Deer Friend Nokotan begins, we are immediately thrown for a loop. Trained assassins are attacking Hino to take Nokotan's life. Is this an imminent threat, these rough hunters determined to get their hands on some venison? NO! These are the mascot assassins from the Deer Den, and they are plotting to take Nokotan away. Because of this, the Deer Club faces their biggest challenge yet.
Or at least Koshitan faces her biggest challenge yet, as Nokotan fails every test that comes her way. Whether it's trying to figure out what Koshitan is thinking, breakdancing, or keeping her cool, Nokotan fails miserably at every turn; this isn't the year of the deer. But anime being anime, the power of friendship prevails, and it looks like Nokotan and the Deer Club will have some comfortable days ahead.
But peaceful days never last long in anime, unless it's Non Non Biyori or Yuru Camp. But before Nokotan can breathe a sigh of relief, someone targets her again, and this time it turns into a full-blown WWE brawl. And if you think deer are gentle, peace-loving creatures, think again. Deer kill more people than mountain lions and bears. So knowing that violence is the answer to her pain, Nokotan quickly seizes the opportunity. And so the training montage begins—a montage that, I should point out, is probably Koshitan's way of delivering some long-overdue blows.
But that training footage proved useless, as her opponent once again thoroughly defeated her. However, sensing that the loss here would be permanent, Nokotan resorted to the “by any means necessary” tactic and dropped the bomb just like the US Air Force. And it worked, thanks to that unspoken display of bravery, she earned her place in the Deer Club. And the power of friendship prevailed.
Overall rating
I will always love any show that is random from start to finish. And My Deer Friend Nokotan nailed that aspect. We went through an entire season without a clue as to what the overall plot was. Does that bother me? Not at all. In fact, that's why I love the show so much. Does that bother anyone else? Let's get into that. I started dabbling in weebdom about eight years ago and in that time, I've watched close to 1000 shows. In those eight years, I've seen my fair share of hype and flops. I've also seen my fair share of shows come out with a little fanfare and dominate social media *cough Maho Ako cough*.
But My Deer Friend Nokotan was a novel experience for me. For the first time, I saw a show that was heralded as the hit comedy of the decade on a few trailers. But not all was as it seemed. Those who read the source material disputed those claims, and they disputed it a lot. Personally, I hadn't read the manga. But knowing I was close to finishing it, I skimmed through a few chapters. And I immediately realized that the show would lean heavily on cute waifus, gags, and repetitive comedy; something I knew would put off many. And as soon as it aired, two major problems immediately appeared. Subscribers for the first episode were like yanderes after seeing their crush talking to someone, and the series aired overseas a few days later than the Japanese broadcast (this was later corrected). That turned a lot of people off very quickly, but does that mean the show was bad? No.
I easily get my vote for show of the season. I love the voice acting in the show. And the randomness is so charming. I'm fascinated by shows that introduce random plot points and then never expand on them. Life doesn't let you end most things; why should anime be any different? The main duo is adorable and I relate to Koshitan on a spiritual level. I would also have a peaceful life long removed from my criminal past if I didn't have a friend who pesters me every day to remind me of it.
Despite the repetitive humor, it always made me chuckle. And I’m the type of person who doesn’t believe in the word “fun.” However, I do have one complaint about the show. There was something I was hoping would be answered along the way, but it never did. Why aren’t humans deer? It may seem like a funny comment, but there was something about it that really resonated with me. Should that be taken at face value, or does it hide a deeper question? Is that question the musings of an author who has realized how far we have strayed from the harmonious relationship we once had with nature? I guess that’s for us to answer. As always, thanks for reading.
Screenshot via Crunchyroll
© Oshioshio, Kodansha/Hino Minami High School Deer Club