Rent-a-Girlfriend 2nd Season Episode 12

Rent-a-Girlfriend 2nd Season Episode 12

Chizuru’s Backstory

Rent-a-Girlfriend 2nd Season Episode 12 was easily the worst episode of the season. I can’t think of another episode that even comes close. And no, it’s not the worst episode because the season ended. There are actually 2 reasons why I’d say the episode is bad.

The first reason is pretty simple. There was no spice. Nothing that happened in this episode was a big twist, reveal, or otherwise spicy content. There was no kiss, no confession, no wacky misunderstanding. It was a boring episode. I’m sorry, but Chizuru’s backstory isn’t that interesting.

Now, for the second reason, we need to play another episode of “tropes that DoubleSama hates.” I always bring up the fact that I despise school festival episodes. I also often mention how I hate episodes that include stage plays. But, there’s another trope I can’t stand that I don’t bring up as much.

Chizuru Ichinose (middle school) from the anime series Rent-a-Girlfriend 2nd Season Episode 12
Chizuru Ichinose (middle school)

The final episode of an anime is important. A bad final episode can sour the entire season. And one of my least favorite ways anime ruin their final episodes is by focusing on the past. The final episode of a series should never be a flashback episode.

This is the last episode before the series goes on break for a while. Don’t give me a flashback episode that doesn’t move the plot forward. I want something that matters to happen in the final episode. Nothing that matters ever happens in flashback episodes.

Sure, you could argue that Chizuru’s backstory is important to her character development. But it’s a terrible way to end the season. Do that an episode before and then save the final episode for some exciting content. I considered raising my score for this season. But, now that I’ve seen the last episode — not happening.

Dreams Don’t Come True

Chizuru’s grandfather always told her that her dreams would come true as long as she worked hard. He was right. I mean, just look at me. It was always my dream to be writing a review of Kanokari 2nd Season Episode 12 on a Friday afternoon.

Okay, but actually, he’s a filthy liar. Hard work alone isn’t enough to make your dreams come true. But, that’s not actually what I want to discuss now. What I want to discuss is how I’m surprised that Chizuru didn’t give up on her dreams when her grandfather died.

His death could have caused Chizuru to give up. After all, he promised that he’d see her movie debut, but died before he got the chance. So if he lied about that, what else was he lying about? However, this isn’t what Chizuru took away from his death.

Chizuru crying (high school) from the anime series Rent-a-Girlfriend 2nd Season Episode 12
Chizuru crying (high school)

With her grandfather dead, Chizuru’s last living family member was her grandmother. And so, Chizuru became determined to at least have her grandmother see her movie debut. Whether she’ll succeed in this goal, I’m not sure. I could actually see it going either way.

If Chizuru’s movie debut comes before her grandmother’s death, great. But, if that happens, I’d expect her grandmother to die shortly after. Once she sees Chizuru’s debut, there’s not really a reason for her character to stick around. So, even if Chizuru succeeds, it’s going to be bittersweet.

The other possibility is that her grandmother dies before she gets to see Chizuru’s debut. To me, this is equally as likely. And if this is indeed what happens, Kazuya can step in to save the day. Chizuru may want to quit acting. But, someone (Kazuya) can be there to encourage her to extend her dream.

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Let’s Make a Movie

The best part of the entire episode was Sumi introducing Kazuya to crowdfunding. I liked that rather than explaining it, she just told him to Google it himself. That might have actually been the best Sumi content of the whole season, too.

It’s also a bit odd that Kazuya bragged about being a business administration major later on. He didn’t even know what crowdfunding was before Sumi mentioned it. That doesn’t make him seem like a very good business administration student. And from what I remember, he and Chizuru aren’t freshmen.

Anyway, Kazuya suggests to Chizuru that they make their own movie. Why? Because there’s not much time left before Chizuru’s grandmother dies. And even if Chizuru got a role today, the movie wouldn’t debut in time. But, if they crowdfund and produce an indie movie, it can debut in a month.

Chizuru asking Kazuya to help her make a movie from the anime series Rent-a-Girlfriend 2nd Season Episode 12
Chizuru asking Kazuya to help her make a movie

Before Kazuya came to her with this idea, Chizuru was thinking about settling in regard to her dream. She knew her grandmother wouldn’t make it to the debut of a movie. And so she was hoping that she’d get a role soon so she could at least tell her grandmother about it.

Do you think crowdfunding an indie movie is cheating? I’m not sure how I feel about it. In this scenario, Chizuru isn’t earning a role in a professional movie. Does it really count then? And if so, at what point would it stop counting?

Could starring in a home video count? It’s still a movie. How professional is professional enough? Or does the quality of the movie not matter as long as it’s viewed in a theater? Will Chizuru’s grandmother even be able to make it to a theater premiere? That seems unlikely.

Conclusion

What do you think about the final episode of Rent-a-Girlfriend 2nd Season? Do you think it was a good episode to end the season on? Were you surprised that Chizuru didn’t waver in her dream after her grandfather’s death? And, as I asked before, do you think starring in an indie movie is cheating? Let me know in the comments.

If you enjoyed this review, remember to click the like button down below. Also, follow me on Twitter @DoubleSama so you don’t miss out on any future content. And come join our Discord server to discuss anime with other members of the community.

Finally, I’d like to thank Roman and Key Mochi for supporting this blog at the Heika and Senpai tiers this month. To learn more about how you too can become a supporter, check out Patreon.com/DoubleSama.

My review of Season 3 Episode 1 is available now.

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