This review of Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru contains spoilers. If you haven't seen the chapter yet, we encourage you to do so and then come back to read the review.
chapter summary
Urushi dreams of Ayumu, which is his first dream of the year. On the same day she sees him in the bookshop and she buys books Shogi then dine at a place where old memories await Urushi. This place is frequented by a grumpy man who only speaks rudely because his actions prove otherwise. They eat and play there Shogi, in addition to Tanaka knowing a bit more about his beloved Urushi's past. On the other hand, Takeru and Sakuraku go to the cinema together in a strange situation. Returning with the protagonists, Ayumu manages to meet Urushi's cat, from a similar owner to a similar pet. Everyone in his room and at midnight she randomly calls him even though it was nicer than expected.
chapter opinion
Outside of school, in new situations. We got out of that school environment a bit, which is good for being able to see the characters from the outside and get closer to them. In Urushi's case, she is definitely a lover of Shogi and here we already have a big clue as to why, his grandfather drilled it into him. Tanaka remains a mystery regarding his family life. The beginning of the chapter didn't surprise me because it was obvious that everything was a dream, but it was funny to see that the cat was the one who kissed Braids-chan. A bit peculiar was the movie that Takeru and Sakuraku enjoyed, for a moment when it was first shown it seemed to me that it had better picture quality than the chapter (I need to know why it turned into a tree). As for the rest of the chapter, I think the following will clarify my point.
dream and nostalgia
The first dream of the year, as I understand it, is something foreshadowing, it is a sign that your year will be something like what you dreamed it would be. Unlike the first chapter, here we can already see that Urushi is in love with Tanaka and why doubt it. This dream is already the final proof of infatuation, apart from the fact that everything that happened in this chapter is allowed.
I really need more context for each other's personal lives opening gives us some idea of ββTrencitas-chan (because when she appears there is also the silhouette of an elderly person, presumably her grandfather) and of Ayumu (in her case, a girl dating kendo and that he gives Urushi a sword). Here we have already seen a more intimate and private side of Trencitas, the place where he used to eat and play with his grandfather, nostalgic when we think about it. Sharing places with beautiful and personal memories is really a sign of intimacy between two people, approaching as normal, a sign of trust and possibly love.
The technology that connects us
The cinema and cell phones in this case. Not much to tell about the cinema, Sakuraku takes the opportunity to get closer. With the protagonists, it seems nicer and more intimate to me, since it's just the two of them. That seemed too sweet and tender to me to believe that we had a pandemic and estrangement from loved ones, including couples or people we liked, for nearly two years. That's why a device can unite us at a distance and maybe some of us regret not being able to use our devices in this way, so as not to distance ourselves from the people we care about. Seeing who you like before you go to sleep or seeing them sleep can be one of the most tender experiences that can give us peace to close our eyes. I think Ayumu and Urushi learned that, even if it happened to be sweet.
The last part made me melancholy, there are times when you write more with your heart than with your head. But hey, I want more development and context. I need it. Waiting intently for them to give it to me, the curtain closes for now.
