Episode 13

What an absolute masterpiece. Incredible from start to end, now that it's finished I can safely say it's one of the best anime I've ever seen. Serious props to KyoAni for pulling this off.

Fistbump?

Fistbump.

Fistbump?

Hell yeah, motherfucker.

This pairing is so beautiful. I'd love to see an OVA of just their daily activities together.

There were a few pieces of dialogue that really stood out to me, the first being Midori's mindset about performances.

I think it's a really admirable mentality to uphold, and I agree with Kumiko when she said Midori was strong. It is far better to work with the idea that you're proud of what you do, and want to share it with the world, than to weigh yourself down with the fear that you won't live up to expectations.

The second part that stood out to me was the monologue Kumiko had about her wish to make the Nationals.

What starts with "I hope we make the Nationals"...

...ends with "We're definitely going to the Nationals!".

I think it's very true for a lot of people, where you have a desire to achieve something but don't act on it. I really respected Kumiko for being able to realize that about herself, confront it, and ultimately put herself on the line by declaring they would achieve it. It is not enough to simply wish for something, because wishing is easy. If you want to achieve something, then it's only possible if you act on that desire. To see Kumiko arrive at that conclusion herself, and to see it pay off was incredibly satisfying.

And that's all, it's finally over. I can't say I'm not sad to see it end, but I am hopeful for a season 2. Please KyoAni, make it so.