skip to loafer chapter 79 analysis // spoilers
hanazono-sensei and the future she unknowingly created: the farewell chapter of the senpais trio focuses more on kazakami, concluding what began in chapter 59.
it's incredible how a teacher can change a student's life with just a simple conversation; words exchanged in the school hallways that quickly transform into a new future, a new opportunity. but anyway, before bringing up the previous discussion, i think we need to start from the beginning and focus on the chapter ahead.
sensei delivered a short farewell chapter, without much rambling or dramatic goodbyes. trying to close three cycles at once and tying up loose ends, she focuses much more on providing a general summary of two characters whose stories have already been told, to finally conclude kazakami's, which had been left with a very open ending.
kanechika has been part of the narrative since the beginning. we know about his childhood, how his passion for theater began, and his entire journey with shima. i don't mind that we said goodbye to him in a quicker way, with a short conversation with mitsumi; his arc is over, there's nothing more to say.
takamine’s farewell is conflicting for me. even though i think we didn't have much to talk about regarding her, since in my opinion her story was resolved quickly, i still feel that the conclusion was a bit abrupt. i'm happy to see her talking to kazakami with an open heart, even though he still seems very reluctant to listen to what anyone has to say. but, in the end, i think we had more of a flashback of all the high points of her arc just to summarize it quickly and show readers that today she accepts herself much better than before and has found strength within herself to believe she’s capable of doing what she puts her heart into. sometimes, the pressure we put on ourselves makes it hard to accomplish our dreams and it’s not worth it to keep thinking about the worst outcome, when in the end we all find out ways. i'm happy, obviously, and i'm also grateful that she finally had the chance to laugh at the whole situation at the end of the day. so, i don't know. it feels complete but like something is missing? well, in the end, i think it was overall a good ending for a character who didn't return many times in the story, but who left an important mark when was given the chance to shine on her own arc.
now, the star of the show: kazakami hiroto. of course, it wouldn't be possible to have a farewell chapter without focusing more on him, especially since sensei left us with a loose end at the end of chapter 59. for those who don't remember, chapters 58 and 59 focus on him and his difficulty in finally asserting himself and finding what he wants to do with his life, no longer just following his parents' orders. in a moment of anguish, kazakami ends up letting out much of his pain, which opens a small window for other characters, like the two already mentioned here, to interact more with him.
but it's only in chapter 59 that his arc truly takes shape. kazakami finally meets a worthy adversary, one who doesn't mince words or try to sugarcoat the situation: hanazono-sensei. by recounting her life story and what made her believe in herself, kazakami finally understands that his time isn't over. and so, in this concluding chapter, we reap the fruits that were planted earlier. (if you’d like to read my full analysis on both chapters, you can find it easily on my profile).
chapter 59 ends with kazakami picking up the k-university textbook, focused on liberal arts, literature, and education (also, could this be a hint that kazakami intends to pursue the field of education so he can influence students the way he was influenced?). then, in chapter 79 we have him finally standing up agains his parents and announcing that that’s the path he wants to follow. from accepting that her mother threw his figures away in silence to raising his voice, all because he had the strength to grab the book about the university he desired.
well, i think chapter 79 made it clear that all his confidence comes from his ability to stand up, to start again, and show that he finally managed to reveal who he is. i don't know if there's an answer to takamine's question about which of the two comes first, his confidence or the ability to back it up. in the end, i believe they blend together. and both are needed when you finally face the parents who only saw a puppet, not a son. parents who made you choose between family or your own life. i’m glad that he chose the latter.
fear still lingers. kazakami no longer has the comfort of knowing his whole life is written for him. deviating from the path chosen by his parents is choosing an abyss of new possibilities, and not even the most confident escapes the self-deprecation that comes to those who are walking on their own two feet for the first time.
a short chapter, a farewell. or rather, i want to be cliché: a chapter of new beginnings. i can't be sure if we'll see these characters again, or if they'll have another arc. i think that, just as the characters have this uncertainty, so does the reader. and for me, that's great. i'm happy to say goodbye to such beautiful characters, and i'm preparing to find out what the next loose end that sensei will tie up will be.
thank you for reading this very fast analysis 💛 don't forget to support sensei if you can! volume 13 is out in japan already!!
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