English Dub Review: Akebi’s Sailor Uniform “Ready… Up!”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Komichi is chosen to lead a group to buy supplies for the athletic festival. On the weekend, she joins Erika, Touko, and Tomono at a local mall. Komichi is excited to guide them since she’s been to this mall before, but Touko knows more about the shops.

Our Take:
This episode continues Roubai Academy’s preparations for the sports festival. With the teams all set, it is time for the students to gather some materials. In other words, the episode centers on an all-girls shopping trip, where they do more than just shopping for the necessities.
It is still pleasant to watch Komichi interact with her students in a slice-of-life manner. However, it’s also lovely to see the show provide more of a narrative during its final stretch, thanks to the introduction of the sports festival. Last week’s episode also got me hooked into the direction this season’s going for regarding its arc. Here, we see Komichi hanging out with her classmates outside of school grounds for the first time while gathering stuff for the festival.
While the episode serves some importance in its narrative in terms of the festival, it also feels like a filler episode with the girls on a shopping spree. Regardless, it continues the show’s formula in providing slice-of-life charm, humor, and exploration of the supporting characters. “Ready… Up!” offers a genuinely sweet examination of Tomono Kojou, a massive fan of books who wants to write one of her own. She also has a handmade bookmark given to her by her mother when she was little.
The bookmark’s disappearance is where its aimless plot gets going, as it leads the girls on a frantic search to find it. More importantly, the second half provides a metaphorical sense of sincerity when Komichi explains that Tomono’s bookmark floating away with the balloon is reminiscent of her feelings. It’s a keen observation that shows the significance of the bookmark, which inspires Tomono’s passion for reading. Not only that, but the episode also continues Komichi’s motivation towards others through her kindness and wisdom.
Overall, “Ready…Up!” can be aimless at times, but it doesn’t prevent me from having a lovely day at the mall. Its first half offers a suitable introduction to Kojou, her passion, and a humorous shopping trip, notably Erika’s first experience with trying a burger. The second half managed to set the plot on the right path when Kojou’s bookmark goes missing. But, of course, what’s even more important is that they have everything ready for the sports festival. With only three more episodes left in the season, things are still looking to heat up for the Roubai Academy students.