Golden Time - 8

I don't know why but I gotta admit I like to blog about Golden Time first than White Album. I find that Golden Time sparks my interest far more with its drama intensive execution. Its always constant too but the case of White album I feel like its a huge build up towards a huge climax at the end. I guess its just personal preference lol. Anyways this episode there was A HUGE LOAD of information to take in. Wow, was I surprised with the amount of the things that happened in this episode! 

Sidenote: Please do note, you don't have to read any of the Synopsis in any of the blogs I've posted - these are for myself to serve as a memory of how enjoyable the anime was for me - and time I spent to etch everything into my head ^^. My discussion starts at 'thoughts at the bottom'

Golden Time 8 Synopsis & Thoughts (may contain spoilers)
The anime starts off with a flashback into one of Banri's highschool days about Linda. Banri's waiting for Linda in front of school after club activities. Hes wondering why shes late. He goes to the club house to find her. At the club house girls are teasing Linda about the closeness of Linda and Banri. Linda clearly denies all allegations that she has nothing lovey-dovey whiling saying she does not like Banri. To her surprise while leaving, Banri ends up listening to the whole conversation. Banri runs away when she meets her face to face and she tries to stop him. Next day at school she tries to confront Banri to talk about it but he runs away again. She tries multiply times and fails as Banri keeps avoiding her. One day it rains, Linda is soaked waiting for Banri at the entrance of the school. She starts to cry and apologizes to Banri, saying "Its actually the opposite, I'm stupid please forgive me". Banri finally comes out of his shell and says "he doesn't like her either and its fine". Banri's old self says that maybe things would have been different if their feelings were "opposite of what they really felt". In the end, they're seen walking home together.

Next scene, back to the present of where we left off in episode 7. Kouko is on the phone with Banri talking about Mitsuo's problem. She convinces Banri to go see him because if she goes into another guy's house alone as its considered 'cheating'. On the other side, Banri's hesitating because shes alone with Linda behind "closed doors". LOL. Linda leaves his house while his old self is reminiscing that he still "loves Linda" while this Banri does not. The "new" Banri puts away the photo of him and Linda's pictures on the shelf he gets ready to go out to find Mitsuo.

Banri's walking to find Mitsuo's house using his GPS. When he arrives he sees Mitsuo is having problems with an a girl. Mitsuo doesn't want to let the girl into his place but she insists she wants to cook and stay over. Suddenly Banri comes up putting on an act of a relationship with Mitsuo using exmaples like "my boyfriend" and "I love you" LOL. Imitating a lot of references that Kouko uses they were able to scare off who appears to be "Reina-senpai" from the filming club. Mitsuo continues to complain that Reina-senpai is trying to throw herself onto him. While as they enters his messy place, Banri asks about his problems with Chinami. He explains in his flashback at college where he met up with Chinami and told her that she shouldn't talk to him again because everyone knew about his rejection at the film party. At the same time Kouko's there and sees what happens and Mitsuo ends up running away because hes embarrassed that everyone's talking about him and his rejection. Back in his room, Banri comforts Mitsuo as he takes out Kouko's mirror and says hes "handsome, and confident" and that he wants to cheer him up as how Linda-Senpai did. He calls 2d-kun and says that he wants to throw a party.

At an amusement park entrance, Kouko and 2d-kun meet up with Mitsuo and Banri. Kouko teases Banri saying hes late but shes happy to see him. While 2d-kun jokingly imitates Kouko. Kouko ends up arguing with Mitsuo but is interrupted by a phone call from Chinami. Kouko grabs the phone and tells Chinami to come although she doesn't like her. Kouko tells Mitsuo if hes going to leave or stay.

Kouko and Banri are waiting at a train station for Chinami to join with the rest of the group. Kouko's complaining how it would of been best if it was just the two of them. Chinami arrives and Kouko seems pissed off. Chinami begins to say how she's surprised that she's been asked out as Mitsuo was there. She brought "noodles" showing how "flustered" she is. Kouko suddenly blows up and says how she doesn't want her to come, etc etc. However, Kouko starts to argue about how she better not hurt Mitsuo again. Chinami argues back saying why how she should just worry about she already has - Banri and whats between her and Mitsuo is her own business. She then drops her bag after asking for her noodles back. She takes out her camera hoping its not broken. She says that "she knows how it feels to be rejected as Mitsuo said she never wants to talk to her again. She then breaks up the bad situation and tension between her and Kouko by playing it 'stupid' with noodles stuck on her head while Banri is filming.

At the amusement park they go through rides like the roller coaster and haunted house. They end up going go-karting and riding the merry go around. At the merry go around Banri wonders if Mitsuo and Chinami made up while Kouko says that she should only look at her and holds his face. 

At Banri's place they begin their party. They all make a pact "if they go out to drink or party the whole group should go". They all end up agreeing with a team stand handshake.

At night its 3:07 AM and Banri wakes up while everyone is sleeping. He suddenly texts Linda too see if she is awake. They end up meeting up at the balcony. DRAMA GETS ON! Banri asks if she was awake the whole time, replied as a yes from the noise. She explains that its funny how she was just thinking about him in the past. She goes on to explain that during trips in high school he would often go to the girls tents and look for her because he couldn't sleep. He laughs it off saying its probably something perverted and that he probably used to loved her as his old self and wanted to watch her sleep(Pretty disturbing lol?). Linda goes on saying how things could be toxic like their encounter if they left emotions waiting and built up. Banri continues as he wants to ask what the confession would have been. Linda answers "no" with her head down saying that she couldn't see him as a romantic partner. Banri then says something weird, "wouldn't you want to go back to then?" and then yells out "I WANT TO GO BACK!". He notices he said something weird the with confusion he asks what he said. Linda goes on saying he fell asleep and that its late that he should go to sleep. The  "ghost" Banri comes out and says that he still loves Linda and if he sticks to Banri he'll "disappear". 

Thoughts
Wow is this week's episode is amazing or what. For me, this weeks episode was totally more exciting than last weeks! A few things I want to mention before I start on discussing what happened in this weeks episode. I really love how they executed it. To split up between Banri x Lindas part in the beginning and then the end with a dissatisfied taste in the tongue about them! So far the main stories still in the middle of the anime but certainly the side drama of Banri and Linda has really gotten me worked up! I really thought it was the end of their drama last episode but it just keeps coming back lol! I really want to thank people on the forums at Myanimelist as I read their forum posts they led to analyze more about each character's personality and feelings.

1) The first thing I want to talk about is Banri and Linda. Again and again people are still raising the question whether the confession about Linda or Banri was a complete rejection or a 'yes'. I want to clarify this that in my past blogs I've always been leaning towards the confession about Linda saying yes. Absolutely this week's episode has certainly proved my point about them and now I am certain with a high possibility that the confession was a 'Yes'. Heres the reasons, this weeks episode opened up again to Banri's past, about their relationship in school. Yes there seems to be a misunderstanding between them when Banri overheard what Linda said about not liking him in front of all the girls in the club house. People also raised a lot of dislike for Banri because he ran away and kept avoiding Linda. Yes, its okay to dislike Banri for what he's done but every person is flawed. For Banri and Linda they've become somewhat non lovers - close to lovers but yet best friends. So to speak, his treatment towards this status can be justified because they both always hung out together from what I've got from the anime. Because of this, its highly unlikely that they had relationships with other people, love- wise. Hence, they have no experience in dealing with situations where they are faced with when someone confesses or loves each other. Yes, certainly Banri dealt with it badly, avoiding his best/lover/not yet lover friend but in my perspective this is what happens in youth, and in high school when you don't have experience. If I was confronted in a situation where its messy, the girl might like me but says that in front of everyone I'd definitely run if I was just a teenager. Hence, what's not to like about Banri, people are flawed and this is what makes characters in anime so favorable and interesting. However, I want to justify why that confession was a yes. In the end of the flashback, they both agreed they don't like each other but clearly Linda says "Its actually the opposite", certainly Banri loves this girl back then because of his graduation confession. Lastly, at the end of the episode Linda explains to Banri what the confession was. She said no right? However, this is animated so nicely in the anime I have to give a lot of props to. In the anime when she says "no"; look at her face. She's looking down and it seems like she's forcing herself to say no. When someone who can't look another person in the "eyes" you can't see the truth. This also proves that she's lying about her feelings and it's probably because she doesn't want things to get messy for Kouko and him. Clearly these three evidence provides us with enough to say that they actually had a thing going on and the confession is a 'yes'.

2) I wanted to talk about is their personality/feelings. It seems that this episode has developed more of Banri and Linda's personalities. Their unrequited love and lies/hidden feelings all tell us about why they act so indecisively in stressful situations such as confessions. It really tells us that's how they dealt with it although they know that each of their feelings were mutual(love-love). Now, we still see it in the college years how indecisiveness plays a factor and like they were before(i.e Banri running away, Linda having a hard time explaining and apologizing still happens). Personalities don't change much and this is what makes these two characters so favorable and likable in my opinion. Speaking about feelings, it seems that Linda's definitely still in-love with Banri but probably she's willing to let it go for his sake (unrequited love) because of Kouko. What I really want to address is the insane last minute thing about Banri! Holy COW his other split personality just comes out when he is asleep?! When he said he really wanted to "go back to the past". His ghost taking over his body...? That's some next level drama going on.

3) I also wanted to address Kouko and I also had some suspicion about her whether she still likes Mitsuo. Indeed, a lot of fans also raised some questions whether shes really 'bad' or has that 'bad intentions' with her(i.e still planning to still get closer to Mitsuo). The reason I had some suspicion about her was because she was still caught up about Mitsuo at the train station. When Chinami came she clearly argued with her, telling her not to hurt Mitsuo ever again. Then Chinami tells her why would she care? She's got Banri and she should cherish what she has. This part is what makes people suspicious of her. It would have probably made me suspicious too because its true, why would she still care about Mitsuo if she has Banri? However, thats not the point here. Remember when Kouko confessed to Banri at the police station. She says she doesn't have the confidence, doesn't have friends etc etc. That's mainly the reason why she doesn't like Chinami and said that about Mitsuo. She really wanted to beat Chinami as a 'rival' not that she has still has feelings for Mitsuo. Furthermore, she states as she stuffs Chinami's face with noodles "I'm only allowed to cry infront of Banri" really says this because she believes that if Chinami cries, certainly Banri's sympathy will be towards her and making her feel like she's lost. This scene really describes Kouko... Especially her personality... In-secured  spoiled, jealous, envious, and very dependent on her partner. It isn't necessary a bad thing but those types of attributes/personality usually get hurt the most in a relationship..! Lastly, we kinda know that Chinami's got a thing for Mitsuo and it's a clear misunderstanding about the rejections since one of them doesn't feel like its a formal one.

In conclusion, I also wanted to address next week's episode. HOLY COW. When I re-watched the episode, holy I saw some of next week's episode and it does look intense... I mean it looks like things are already going downhill for Kouko and Banri... and I have a feeling its about that balcony talk with Linda x Banri. I bet you she overheard it since he did scream! But that's just an assumption so I could possibly be wrong! However, this week's episode did really exceed my expectations. Because of it's drama, plot, and execution (Banri x Linda at the beginning and end, main plot in the middle) really fit how it should have played out (the drama). I'd give this week's episode a 10/10. It was extremely over the top, interest peaking for me. I hope you guys enjoy this and if you have any questions post a comment!