Written by: Karlo Cervantes | Published on: January 17, 2021
OH NO SHE DIDN’T!!
There was a lot of tension in the second episode of The Quintessential Quintuplets Season 2 entitled "Seven Goodbyes, Part 1" which covers Chapters 39-42 of the manga. Proceed with caution, spoilers ahead!
Unfortunately, Chapters 36-38 of the manga has been skipped. This was a bit of a letdown as those chapters covered the Labor Thanksgiving Arc which, fans who have read the manga would agree, was a really, really, really juicy one! Despite skipping a few chapters, however, it was a move that made sense with where the anime is currently at.
Before we dive into the review, here’s a quick recap of what transpired in the previous episode:
Futaro reminisced about this fateful encounter with a young Nakano quintuplet in Kyoto whose identity is yet to be revealed
The Nakano sisters tried to hide their failing grades by ripping off the names on their test papers but Futaro was able to recognize their individual handwritings to conclude that they have all been failing.
Futaro realizes that though it’s hard to tell the quintuplets apart based on appearance, they are quite different personality-wise.
All About Pacing
Going back to our point regarding skipping the Labor Thanksgiving Arc, it was more about pacing the anime. Including those chapters would make the storylines feel rushed from where it left off from the previous episode especially if it continues to the events of the current one.
The previous episode revolved around providing more context of Futaro’s first love and his developing sense of the Nakano sisters’ individuality. The second episode tried its best to connect to this as it was about showing more of the characteristics and personalities of the quintuplets.
Most of the scenes allowed two particular Nakano sisters to show a bit more of their personalities from a psychological standpoint and helped the viewers to see the story from their vantage point.
Tension Arises
The drama-filled episode revolved around Nino and Itsuki but the root of all the tension was a petty quarrel between Nino and Miku. From the outside looking in, Nino’s behavior and actions come from one thing – feeling threatened. She begins to see how her sisters are changing because of Futaro’s involvement in their tightly-knit family.
Imagine living all your life with no one but your sisters and all of a sudden one individual enters the picture and changes the entire landscape of things. One cannot help but feel left behind especially if that particular person is so used to how things are and would do anything to keep everything as they were. All of it comes from a good place though as it is really just about protecting one’s family.
As Nino goes on with her tantrum, the other sisters try to keep her in check by making her realize that she was in the wrong to neglect Futaro’s efforts. Everything escalates and everyone finds themselves sitting in the middle of a cat fight.
The episode also touches on additional background information about the Nakano family, particularly their relationship with their mother and their lives when they were younger.
The Lady In the Park
As steamy as the events have gotten, there were stuff in the manga that weren't translated into the anime involving the woman that Futaro met in the park. This was a key event that could’ve been a big chunk of the episode but for reasons unknown, it was omitted.
We are not entirely sure, however, as it might still be shown in the episodes to come given that this is only Part 1 of the Seven Goodbyes Arc. Who do you think this lady is? It'd be interesting to see how this plays out in the succeeding episodes should Bibury Animation Studious decide to incorporate it as it would be deviating from the manga from a sequential standpoint.
To sum everything up, this was a breath of fresh air as it showed a lot of tension and drama among the characters. Quite different from its usual light and comedic approach. The sisters’ actions to keep Nino in check totally caught the audience off-guard and that goes to show that even though the rom-com aspect is quite evident, the Quintessential Quintuplets can also deliver on a much serious and heavier note.
Some questions that we hope can be answered in the next episode are the following:
Who is the woman that Futaro met in the park?
How will the fight among the Nakano sisters and Futaro play out?
Will that scene in the manga be translated to the next episode?
What will Nino and Futaro talk about?
“Seven Goodbyes, Part 2” of The Quintessential Quintuplets Season 2 comes out on January 22, 2021 at 1:28AM (JST).
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)
Episode 2 skipped the Labor Thanksgiving Arc which made sense to pace the anime.
Nino feels threatened because of Futaro's involvement and how he affects the other four siblings.
A key difference between the manga chapters and the current episode involved events between Futaro and the mysterious lady he met in the park.
The Quintessential Quintuplets, as rom-com as it gets, can definitely deliver some very serious and heavy scenes.
Official Anime Website: The Quintessential Quintuplets ∬
Official Twitter: @5Hanayome_anime
What did you think about this episode? Who do you think the lady in the park is and what will Nino tell Futaro? Let's discuss in the comments below!
