Tsurune 2 Episode 13 -Full Anchor -

I can say it officially now. Season 2 of Tsurune was exponentially better than season 1. At least for me. The rating is a little better but only by 4 or 5 points. But I thought it was a full letter grade better. If ever you had any doubt that reading anime is useless, I think these last few sentences put those doubts to bed!

Anyways, what I’m trying to say is that I enjoyed season 2 of Tusrune way more than season 1 and I didn’t dislike season 1 to begin with.

I mentioned last week that I didn’t really see what they were going to do with an extra episode as there was really nothing else to wrap up. I was both right and wrong. Yes, the season is over and in many respects, this episode was really just a fanservice slice of life little extra that could have been left out without impacting the story at all. But there was one thing left to wrap up.

A few episodes ago, Masa had told them that they were going to have to participate in some type of ceremony involving Kyoudo at the temple. And I got really excited about the idea at the time. But then the tournament started and I forgot all about it. This week, we got to see that ceremony!

There’s something just so inviting about festival episodes. I like them way more than beach episodes or holiday specials. It’s also the episodes that most make me want to book a ticket to Japan right away!

Naturally, all the rival teams are attending this festival as well. What a coincidence. Ok, not all the rival teams, the ones we care about. Actually just Kirisaki. I should really think about what I’m going to say before starting to write my sentence. Oh, well, it’s too late now. Absolutely nothing I can do about it!

I have often said that I prefer rivalry dynamics to actual antagonistic ones. Something about people getting along really well but having to put that aside and compete against one another is interesting to me. And I think we got a good glimpse of that in this episode. In the past seasons, the Kazemai team was a lot more isolated and we didn’t really see them interact with other teams much outside of competitions. But this time around they got a chance to actually make friends with some people from other teams and you can really see how it changed the way they interact with their rivals and really the way they look at competitions in general. It’s no longer simply about beating the other team, it’s about surpassing yourself and doing your best against a respected opponent.

We got to see a picture of Ryouhei’s sister! Not gonna lie, I did tear up at that. Hey, I still gotta be me. And me is the sort of person who gets all misty-eyed at the idea that sweet little Ryouhei, who has been very worried about his sister this whole time, finally got to see her smile and take a small step forward. It was both endearing and a little heartbreaking to see just how much Ryouhei clearly envied Shu and his sister’s relationship. When I saw him staring at siblings during the festival my heart sank a little. But then he announced his sister got her high school certificate and even had such a brilliant picture… I’m not crying, You’re crying!

I’m really glad we got this soft closure to Ryouhei’s character arc this season. And in a way, it played into Shu’s character arc as well. Both of them learned to be better brothers and you know what, that’s a pretty cool conclusion!

Tsujimine only got a cameo but they did let us know that the team is going to keep at it for another year at least. And that’s great. If we get another season of Tsurune, it will be good to see them again.

Of course, the rest of the guys on the team also got their little moment to wrap things up. Nanao and Kaito buried whatever tensions they had and just got to be goofy cousins and good friends again. Seiya actually relaxed a little which is always welcomed and somebody told Minato that they can’t even imagine him getting target panic. If you know Minato, that’s a huge change! And you know what, I have to agree. With the way Minato has been this season, he really doesn’t seem like the type who would panic at all.

As I said, the episode was in a way a bit of fan service. We got to see those emotional moments where the characters just put their differences aside and get to be happy for a while. In a way, this was the episode that most resembled the first season of Tsurune as it was way less about Kyoudo and not like a traditional sports anime episode. But it was like season 1 if season 1 had no drama in it. Which would have been the way to go! Everyone was just happy and chill and looking forward to what comes next. Good times. Very rewarding for anyone who is attached to the characters.

But it was also a bit of visual fanservice, especially in the last part. Tsurune has been a beautiful-looking show since the very start. That’s just Kyoto animation for you. They pour it on thick and lush when it comes to the visuals. And some people aren’t fans but I am! Big time! One thing Tsurune never really showcases though is Kyoto’s masterful use of light. But we got to see a bit of it during the ceremony. I especially like that image of the shaped sand and the garden lights. Look at how it makes the texture come through. Chef’s kiss!

Anyways, I don’t have that much to say about the ceremony itself, it was really a sequence to remind us just how pretty the show can be. Very pretty! The show can be very very pretty!

I don’t know if there is any chance for Tsurune to get another season. I really know nothing about the light novels so maybe this is the entire story. It’s a decent place to stop. But if they ever do decide on another season, I’m gonna watch it. And I’m going to take way too many screencaps!