Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend Flat

Episode 7

Most romcoms and dramedies make such a big deal out of Valentine's Day chocolates that a whole episode ends up revolving around them. Refreshingly (especially for a series whose bread and butter is poking at genre staples), it's only a small part of this episode's plot and definitely not a tension-inducing situation. Neither Eriri nor Utaha stresses over giving them to Aki, nor does Aki make a big deal about them; in his mind, chocolates are just expected due to their ongoing relationships. Conspicuously absent from that action is Megumi, who provides the greatest source of this episode's tension.

Actually, the true focus in this two-month-jump ahead is on a point that Iori brings up in an early conversation with Aki, where he also gives Aki chocolates as a joke. (The baristas in the background don't fail to react to how that gift appears.) The game is proving successful in both sales and reviews, enough that Iori doesn't consider his team to have achieved a full victory. He seems to see Aki as the kind of competition that can drive his team, but can Aki keep Blessing Software together for another project? After all, completing this first effort required pulling out all the stops and maybe permanently damaging one key relationship. Aki has been so narrowly focused on achieving the initial goal that he hasn't stopped to consider what comes next, but now it's hit him. Utaha may be too busy in the future, Eriri is struggling enough artistically that she's blowing deadlines, and Megumi still isn't talking to him, to the point that Eriri openly wonders if Megumi and Aki's friendship may have run its course. Utaha's not opposed to working with Eriri again, but can Aki manage Eriri well enough to keep her on schedule? And what will the next game's premise even be?

For all of the occasional jokes, flirting, and self-aware comments about being in a harem series that accompany these heavier decisions, the real crux of the episode comes down to one crucial scene: Aki finally realizes the extent of how he wronged Megumi. For the past two months, he's apparently understood that the distance between them is his fault, but it doesn't look like he ever fully grasped why. That finally crystallizes for him when he's playing through the game scenario again with Megumi on his mind, and his mortified reaction could be a turning point for him; this may well be the first time that he's considered the girls' feelings instead of just being concerned about their welfare. There's already an acknowledgement of that in the scenario for his next game, which he changes to indicate that the protagonist is going to change as well. Its auspicious title? “How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend,” of course, because how could such a self-referential, genre-savvy series pass up that opportunity?

I'm now definitely looking forward to seeing how Aki attempts to interact with Megumi given his revelation. I wouldn't doubt that Megumi will hesitate to give him a second chance until he shows clear indication that he's realized his faults. Will the new game proposal be enough? I guess we'll find out, but this is overall a remarkably good follow-up to what would ordinarily be a seasonal climax.

Rating: A-

Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend Flat is currently streaming on Amazon's Anime Strike.