English Dub Review: Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines “When You Stare into a Losing Heroine, the Losing Heroine Stares Back into You”

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

Chika’s confession ironically leads to Shintaro and Koto finally getting together. Later, Kazuhiko overhears rumors being spread about him and Anna, so he breaks off his friendship with her, but they end up reconciling when Sosuke tries talking to him about the rumors.

OUR TAKE

Well, as expected, Chika basically ended up in the same place as Anna and Lemon, although at least she got to confess her feelings first, which also led to the rare childhood friend win!…for someone who isn’t one of the protagonists. To her credit, she’s not resentful of either of them for pretty much immediately getting together, though that seems to be due to her lack of expectations in general, so who knows how mature she’s actually being. Still, it does mean the literature club continues to be amicable, at least until the next conflict of the episode rolls around. I guess since we’ve got all of the main female protagonists assembled, it’s now time to test how those bonds have been going, specifically Kazuhiko and Anna. We’ve seen their odd friendship crystalize the past few episodes while the other stuff with Lemon and Chika was happening, but now we see how Kazuhiko’s anxieties and feeling like he shouldn’t bother people with his presence bump up against someone who actually wants to be his friend. And honestly, I can kind of relate to that on some level. When you’ve been by yourself for long enough and learned to rationalize it as actually being good, finally getting something you want is a weird feeling.

But yes, Kazuhiko and Anna are merely affirming their FRIENDSHIP. For now, anyway, this is anime and we know where they tend to lean most of the time. Even so, they have a nice special dynamic that I’m glad is getting to preserve, though the confrontation with Sosuke is also interestingly telling. Kazuhiko has to debunk the rumors of him going out with Anna to Sosuke, who seems more than a little relieved that she’s getting taken care of so he doesn’t have to. And while it’s commendable that Kazuhiko came to her defense, it’s much better that Anna spoke up for herself about her own feelings. She’s still in love with Sosuke and acknowledges that’s not something she can change right now, but she’s letting it go at her own pace, and part of that is not being around him and the girl he decided to go out with instead of her. And hey, good on her for not torturing herself like that. Now she can just focus on healing and finding new friendships. And maybe a new romance? Probably not any time soon, but we’ll see.