English Dub Review: Twilight Out of Focus “Paths”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

The festival competition has ended.  Mao and Hisashi go back to their respective clubs, but now have to think seriously about their future.  Mao realizes he’s feeling lonely as he watches Hisashi spread his wings.  Then, Ichikawa’s movie starts going viral…

Our Take:

All three of the show’s romantic tales have reached their happy endings.  However, that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the overall story.  I previously thought the final arc involving Shion and Rei would last for about two more episodes, but as it turns out, this isn’t the case.  The penultimate episode of Twilight Out of Focus returns its focus to the BL couple that started it all: Mao and Hisashi.  Of course, it also doesn’t shy away from exploring more of the other couples after their “happily ever afters”.  When we last saw Mao and Hisashi, their relationship seemed stronger than ever.  But, in most cases, the future usually comes around to put that relationship to the test.

With the film festival behind them, Mao and Hisashi are now faced with the next steps in their future.  With Hisashi now able to spread his wings in the drama club, Mao is now faced with concerns about their future together.  They’re able to find time to hang out during the fall season, but Mao’s eyes are set on what would happen after they graduate.  It suitably reflects the concerning nature of whether or not relationships can last beyond school.  While Hisashi is able to spread his wings in the drama club, Mao feels a sense of loneliness that’s challenging to ignore.  However, Mao later realizes that he should persevere for his future like Hisashi did to set their paths in stone.

There’s a specific reason the episode is titled “Paths.”  It showcases the other characters’ paths being set in stone, but Mao and Hisashi’s are still up in the air. This will likely be decided in the season finale when Ichikawa’s movie goes viral, catching the attention of a famous pop music club, Blue Frame Alt. With Hisashi being invited to star in their music video, how would he decide between fame and love?