The Green Box – Episode 5

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What is Blue Box like? Community score: 4.2

©三浦糀／集英社・ 「アオのハコ」製作委員会

Given how deep-seated my hatred of fish is, you might be surprised to learn that I actually find aquariums quite romantic. Maybe it's because I got married in a gorgeous aquarium, or maybe it's because I find great satisfaction in mastering my freedom and wits over stupid little sea monsters. stuck behind all that steel and glass. Either way, the aquarium is a lot of fun and you can bet I'm basking in all the glorious nostalgia of Taiki and Chinatsu's adorable little date.

As has been the case since the beginning of Blue Box, this adaptation is very successful in that it is able to perfectly and completely express the earnest, complete emotions that take over children when they fall in love. It's not about reinventing the wheel in any way, shape, or form. Taking these classic romantic drama tropes and executing them with such precision and empathy that it's impossible not to get caught up in everything. There are so many little moments I could highlight for how well Blue Box puts you into the minds of (most of) its main characters: Taiki's goofy push-ups outside his house. himself to exaggerate himself; the overwhelming mixture of anticipation and fear he felt at the thought that Chinatsu might actually like him enough to ask him out on an actual date; the simple joy of discovering that Chinatsu looks just as good in the summer dress he imagined. I've been there and it's a wonderful feeling to relive the power of funny young adult romance anime. Badminton this week was even more exciting and better directed. Looks like Blue Box is determined to be the program I want!

Except perhaps for one thing. We are now five episodes in, and “Aquarium” has helped me articulate the only real criticism I have of how Blue Box handled its story. The show proves that we're not completely locked into Taiki's point of view, and the excellent emotional element we're left with Hina at the end of this episode shows how good Blue Box can be when it takes the story. story overwhelms other stories. figure. However, even more than a month into the show, I feel like the story is keeping us at a noticeable distance when it comes to Chinatsu's emotions. She's a great character but feels a little out of reach in a way that makes sense for how Taiki might see her. However, that is not true of a more distant omniscient view like ours.

For all that the show has done to put us in Taiki's shoes when it comes to his feelings for Chinatsu, we barely understand how Chinatsu feels, well…at all, actually. anything, but especially her feelings about Taiki. We have plenty of background clues and unspoken words but she seems so detached from the highly romantic anime-scenario she finds herself living in that it's hard to accept her as a the “real” teenager that Taiki is easy to meet. She may not be as romantically or intimately inclined as Taiki, but we get enough blushes and sidelong glances that I'm not sure we should consider this character disinterested. or not attracted to Taiki or not. Does she really not feel weird, intrigued or resentful about suddenly sharing living space with a guy who clearly loves her so much that even Garth Marenghi would tell that kid to tone it down a bit? ? I'm not saying I need her to fall like Taiki but I do want to see some interiority and underlying conflict in the character.

Given how good everything around Chinatsu is, I can forgive this anime if it falls short of literal perfection. For all its cheesy anime details, the moment when Hina is suddenly shocked and confused to learn that Taiki and Chinatsu live together still makes a strong impression. I just wish that every female character in Blue Box was given such great material to work with.

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Blue Box is currently streaming on Netflix.

James is a writer with many thoughts and feelings about anime and other popular cultures, which you can also find on Twitterhis blog and podcast.