tea

Drawing old OTPs cuz I can

Oh good Lord, my automatic response as complete Ritsu/Mio trash is OF COURSE SHE’S JEALOUS CAUSE SHE TOTALLY WANTS RITSU TO HERSELF

And honestly, to some degree my rationale also says the same thing, even if I DIDN’T long for the day the confess their pent up and repressed feelings for one another

Cause, like, think about it

Mio is an introvert. One thing that I understand about introverts, is that they need to take time away from people to recharge, in a sense. It’s like the complete opposite from extroverts, instead of being totally energized by being around people, it drains them. Which is not a bad thing! Alone time is totally justified!

For people like me, extroverts, something I’ve learned from my friends who ARE introverts (which, ironically, most of my closest friends are introverts) is that while they do need to take time for themselves, there are some people who they don’t mind being around. There are some people who it doesn’t feel tiring to keep hanging with them; that comfortability. That’s a line I’ve learned with some of my friends, and I feel priviledged for the friends that do let me into that circle of comfortability!

Mio, Mio is obviously an introvert. She keeps her circle of friends tight, and even in canon says that going out tires her (s2e15.)

Ritsu, Ritsu is obviously an extrovert. And she’s an extrovert Mio an handle, and who’s presence, as annoying as it can be sometimes, is more than welcomed and the one that is welcomed the most out of everyone it seems

I’d like to think that scenes like from the first season where they have their dumb fight (WHICH IS IRONICALLY BASED FROM JEALOUSY, OF NODOKA OF ALL PEOPLE) and they have that really nice, intimate, calming moment in Ritsu’s room, that that’s a normal thing. Like, not normal as in filled with that air of guilt from acting out, but that ease of it just being really calm between them, as Mio holds Ritsu’s hand as she drifts to sleep. Like, that’s normal. And its repeated again in a much ligher enviornment as they both practice for the RoMio and JuRitsu play in Ritsu’s room yet again.

My point is that Ritsu is one of the few people that Mio probabl really lets into her world. Ritsu knows all of Mios fears, she knows how far to push those fears, she knows when Mio is upset, and she knows exactly how to remedy it.

Whether it’s romantic or not, it’s pretty darn hard to deny that these two share a very close friendship. I mean, not even shipping wise, you literally cannot deny these know each other SO well

And Mio knows that. She’s probably aware of how well Ritsu knows her. When the girls find out that Mio never turned in the college recommendations letter to the office so that she can stay with the other three, Ritsu knew. And Mio didn’t ask “You knew?” Mio was probably aware Ritsu knew. She wanted to know HOW Ritsu could tell, what exactly gave it away. And there wasn’t even a bat of an eyelash when Ritsu said that she never turned it in. It was automatic, “how?”

Going back to the original question, of if our lovely shipping paradise minds are just fluffing this up, I don’t think so

I think losing Ritsu is honestly a fear for Mio

The idea of her not being the first person in Ritsu’s life is something that unnerves her.

You can read about it further RIIIIGHT HERE, but it was honestly kind of weird how worried Mio got that Ritsu wanted to quit drummer at the beginning of season two

Like, yeah, while the two of them make up the rhythm section, her reaction and general negative attitude towards Ritsu wanting to find a new instrument was a little extreme

But not so extreme when you replace Ritsu’s drumset being replaced for Mio. Drums are one thing Ritsu has stuck with. Drums are one of the only stable things for a girl with as short of an attention span as Ritsu. Drums are HER thing.

Mio is one of the only other things Ritsu willingly keep stable in her life, even longer than drums. Mio notes how Ritsu flies from one person to the other, and we’ve even see pictures of past friends of theirs in middle school that are never heard of again. Mio is the one person Ritsu has stuck with for nearly 10 years.

And to see her abdandon drums? Who’s to say that one day it might be Mio?

And that scares the crap out of her

So when presented with the idea od Ritsu getting a boyfriend, that scares the crap out of Mio for the exact same reasons. Mio wouldn’t be #1, she would have to share Ritsu with someone else. And for someone with as much anxiety and worry as Mio, I’m 100% sure she’s thought of that, and has thought of countless situations and alternates of that, especially considering her genrally low self-esteem. So to think of Ritsu getting a boyfriend? That idea probably kept Mio up more nights that just that one in that chapter where she called Yui all night and talked about it with her

But also,

But preview and the first couple paragraphs to give you a bit of an idea:

The blonde looked towards the TV again, contently chewing on her food as Mio next her sat, baffled at Mugi seemingly not being bothered for being essentially taken on a 4 hour drive to the middle of nowhere to the first motel she could find.

Mugi sat on the edge bed daintily, folding her hands in her lap, as she scanned the room.

Turquoise flowers and diagonal, crossing lines patterned on the worn curtains, to match the equally shabby bed spread she was seated on. A small nightstand with an old school telephone, notepad, and a lamp with a crooked lampshade. In front of her was chipping, wooden vanity with the TV on it emitting a static-y broadcast of some chef cooking was serving as background noise. The vertically striped wallpaper was peeling in two tones of yellow, or what she thought was yellow. Mugi wasn’t sure; the light illuminating from the lamps on the nightstand and floor we’re illuminating the room with, in her humble opinion, a rather intrusive and off-goldish yellow.

She turned her head to the window the curtains we’re barely concealing.

Outside, the sun was just about to start setting, reminding her that dinner was still yet to be had after the drive there. The parking lot had few cars in it, probably few needed considering how far this place was to the city. Her eyes traveled to the big, fake marquee sign:

MOTEL 8

I mean, I don’t think they we’re supposed to come off as likable during that episode

There was a reason why Ritsu was a lot pushier than she usually is, there was a reason why Mio was a lot more exasperated with Ritsu.

From the start, Azusa’s narrative set it up basically saying “we all usually get along, but this episode is gonna be about a crisis between us.” And it was! Like, from the very beginning, with even the episode title, it told us that this episode is, for the most part, gonna be out of the norm as far as series tone. It was going to center around a conflict, not just everyday jokes and activities.

In my on real like experiences, and most peoples too I’m sure, when you’re in a quarrel with someone, neither party is really ‘likable.’ that’s like the basis of most conflicts, is a difference in opinion, or personality clash, or whatever, so even though it seemed like no one came off as likable as they usually do, I think that was the purpose of this episode

Being ‘forced,’ I also kinda have to disagree with

I’m guessing the crisis and the way they acted was the part that felt forced?

OKAY I JUST DID A QUICK SKIM OF THIS EPISODE SO IT’S FRESH I GOT THIS

So the beginning of the ep started of them reminiscing of their first festival, right? and how Mio fell and showed her undies to everyone. So that’s point number one that I track in this episode that i think it’s trying to show, is showing how far Mio has come in a year

Point two is the girls trying to come up with a name for their band, but not being able to agree, thus starting the first underlying theme of disunification and ‘crisis’ between them (that will later be more portrayed through Ritsu and Mio)

and then the third point is the fight between the homodachis that is meant to show both sides of point one and two

SO POINT ONE. The times Mio gets angry at Ritsu in this episode is when Ritsu is like, pulling her away from the lefty bass guitars, when Ritsu is a bit overly enthusiastic with making sure Mio knows of her presence (because of her jealousy with Nodoka.) Both of these major times is supposed to show that Mio does not need to rely on Ritsu as much as she did in the beginning of the series (like in the beginning when they we’re having 1st year memory moments.) Mio has relied on Ritsu for like, what, 7ish years since then? And relied as in heavily relied where Ritsu is literally her rock and basically the sole person she will go to and feel almost solely comfortable with

 This episode is i think (someone correct me if it’s not) the first episode Mio has outwardly shown she doesn’t need ritsu as her sole reliance. Cause 2 episodes earlier, Mio’s thing was she knew NO ONE in her class and was literally brought to the point of tears (of relief) when she saw someone she knew (Nodoka.) And  spending an ENTIRE day in the classroom on the one person she knows, probably spending break and class projects or partners of downtime together, naturally Mio getting more comfortable with Nodoka (someone whom she already trusts, and knows is responsible and is one of the few people she knows with a solid head on her shoulders.) So wanting to have lunch with her is not only supposed to show that, but show that Mio doesn’t always need Ritsu by her side, that she can make her own friend.

WHICH IS SUPER BIG FOR RITSU. somethign i’ve pointed out in the past is that as much as Mio is used to relying on Ritsu, Ritsu is used to Mio relying on her. And seeing Mio not put her first and choosing Nodoka, twice in the ep, over her is probably a very new feeling she has not had to deal with for almost 8 years.

Ritsu freaking RIPPED UP Mio’s literature culb application so that Mio could continue to stick by her side in the light music club RITSU NEEDS MIO AS MUCH AS MIO NEEDS HER (ALMOST BORDERLINE UNHEALTHY AT TIMES I WOULD SAY)

So this episode showcasing Mio’s newer independence, I personally don’t find it very out of character for Ritsu to act a bit childish. It’s a new feeling she doesn’t know how to deal with, and asserting herself further to Mio and be like “MIO MIO MIO, REMEMBER, I AM HERE, LIKE RIGHT HERE, NOT NODOKA, ME RITSU” is like the only way she knows how to default

And with Ritsu being like, pointedly more annoying then usual, and Mio not understanding why Ritsu’s being so stupid (she literally says ‘baka ritsu’ like 3 times in the episode like chill mio) is also not helping their situation. Mio’s kinda like brushing off ritsu’s behavior (like when she cuts practice short) and just attributing it to ritsu being dumb because like, i’m pretty sure she just doesn’t understand why Ritsu is being dumber than usual

Okay those we’re like points 1 and 3 being but together, but what I’m trying to get at is that all of this episode (including the point 2 disunification) is set up to not be just a normal 4-koma laughs episode

It’s meant to bring the girls (kinda) down, so that by the end of the episode when Ritsu and Mio make up (and that whole scene of Mio and Ritsu in her bedroom) is one, supposed to show us that despite this conflict, little thigns like Ritsu recognizing Mio’s step is supposed to show us really how strong their bond is. And then the next scene is them all coming back in together (the 5 of them) and going past the disunification and become Houkago Tea Time and build that strengthed bond so that for the next episode, we really do feel the depth of their friendship in the final episode

it’s like that thing where people say “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”

well, i mean, no one was presented with a death situation here, but this episode is kinda like the “what doesn’t kill you part” where the band is supposed to not be as happy and joyous and together as one as the rest of the season, in order to make them stronger for the next episode and beyond

and arguably, that could feel ‘forced.’ but i liked it. Not all friendships are going to be 100% conflict free. Especially in a group of 5 teenage girls, it’s rare that everything is as smooth sailing (just speaking from experience from previously being a teenage girl,) so I actually really appreciate and eat up (LIKE, THIS IS THE STUFF I LOVE IS THE DRAMA AND HURT UGH THAT’S MY FAVORITE IT HURTS SO GOOD) that this extra sideline was added

BUT AGAIN JUST MY THOUGHTS!

I stand by this series so hard, and i think like 97% of the decisions, even the super miniscule ones, that Kyoani made for this adaption are so purposeful and build this series to be as good as it is. SO really dynamic stuff like this episode i REALLY enjoy because it’s real stuff that happens! jealousy is a real thing, especially for the homodachis that have not had someone come between their super tight bond in like, 7 years

NO BUT I FEEL BRUH THAT’S LIKE THE IDEAL END GAME FOR HER

I’m super into the AU post-series headcanons where the girls kinda go off and do their own things for a few years after college (like Nodoka doing business or going international) but then all coming back together and literally be like

“Hey let’s start a band”

1) EVERYONE LOOK AT PEN’S NOTES, ESPECAILLY THE EXPANSIONS. And also, if anyone ever wants to get into analysis, the first part of notes are all really interesting things to consider why the anime and manga are different

2) PEN IS AWESOME IF YOU CAN’T SO BLATANTLY TELL, THEY KEEP AN ENTIRE LOG ON THESE NOTES; THAT IS DEDICATION TO BE ADMIRED

Lol seeing as Kim is on a roll tonight, let’s give her a challenge. Try and think up a situation involving the waitress in the background.

*CRACKS KNUCKLES*

Actually this is a complete cop-out, but I was scrolling through the IHOP tag on tumblr earlier today and saw THIS WONDERFUL VIDEO OF SOME YOUNG INDIVIDUALS TAKING A VIDEO OF THEIR WAITER TAKING A BLUEBERRY AND STRAWBERRY SYRUP SHOT AND LIKE???

PERFECT

But how to get to this conclusion you may ask? Let’s take a dip into Kim’s Crappy Speculation and Imagination World:

“Oi, Suzuki, lemme take some of that extra syrup on your plate I’m all outta mine”

“But I’m still eating my pancakes Ritsu-senpai! Go ask the waiter, or take some of Yui-senpai’s look at how much whip creme and syrup she has ALLLLL OVER HER FREAKIN HUGE STACK OF PANCAKES”

“NO RICCHAN I’M SAVING THAT FOR LAST IT’S THE BEST PART”

“Ricchan! Here! You can have some of my chocolate syrup on the side of mine!”

And Mio rolls her eyes and is like “why don’t you just ask the waitress for more syrup?”

And the waitress is like literally behind them as she says that and she’s like “Yes, Ma’am?” and Mio jumps like 10 feet out of her seat

And Mugi is like (in trying English) “May we have more syrup?”

But since its freakin IHOP and they have like 4+ different syrups the lady is like “Which one?” and Yui just shouts from the other end of the table “ALL OF THEM, ALL OF THE SYRUPS” and Ui and Azusa both grab her arms and shove her back down to the table to restrain any part of her sugar high

The waitress brings them the four syrups and the girls are all chatting like ‘ooh so many which should i try which one is the best’ and then ‘YUI I BET I CAN TAKE MORE SYRUP SHOTS THAN YOU CAN’ YOU’RE ON RICCHAN’

and then the waitress just brings over a bowel, mixes the blueberry and strawberry syrups together, then DOWNS IT BACK and looks at them with a bright, but dead smile:

“I have worked at the IHOP for EIGHT. FREAKING. YEARS.”

and you can tell she has syrups running through her veins

and she just walks away. And the gang just sits there, staring at her as she moves to the next table and is completely fine and smiley and happy.

@fuwafuwateatime, OH GOD I COMPLETELY DID NOT EVEN REALIZE NODOKA IS NOT HERE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP DEAR GOD

Just to capitalize on her last chapter/panel in the manga, I’m just gonna headcanon and attribute her not being there to her being still in another country still

I mean, the girls are assumably as Pen brought up, all graduated, which means Nodoka should be as well considering she’s the most determined and smart academically out of the whole cast

I’d like to think that past her graduation, whether she was abroad or not, that she really enjoyed her time internationally and pursues her career choice there as well. Maybe international relations, maybe business expenditures across seas, maybe a translator, who knows. I’ve certainly not spent enough time pondering Nodoka’s character to make a solid headcanon

But nonetheless, I’m gonna say she’s still in another country doing SOMETHING successful or whatever good, determined, college graduated do

BUT SEE LET’S WORK FROM THIS AND IMAGINE

If she IS abroad, her frequent flyer miles are probably pretty damn high?

WHAT IF SHE JOINS THE CREW AND THEN SCHOOLS THEM IN LIKE U.S. MANNERISMS OR JUST DROPPING SOME KNOWLEDGE OR IF MUGI OR MIO ARE STRUGGLING WITH COMMUNICATING IN ENGLISH NODOKA JUST WALKS RIGHT UP AND COMMUNICATES FLUENTLY AND THE GIRLS ARE LIKE ‘OH MY GOSH NODOKA-CHAN YOU ARE TOO OP FOR US’

aND THEN THEY ALL REUNITE AND THEY ACT LIKE THE LOSERS WE KNOW AND NODOKA JSUT SIGHS AND LETS HERSELF BE CAPTIVATED IN THE FUN AGAIN