The Pet Girl Of Sakurasou Episode 19
What They Say:
No episode information provided.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
With the not exactly surprising news at the end of the previous episode that Sakura Hall was being closed down, there’s some hope at the start with Misaki believing that it will be rebuilt. But that’s not the case as they learn that the building will be closed down and demolished because of the condition of it. Of course, it’s not that the place looks decrepit, but the movements of those in positions of authority with the board aren’t looking at the way it impacts the students that reside there. They feel they took some considerations into account by allowing special permission for them to bring any cats with them into the regular dorms, but by not allowing them to finish out their time there in Sakura Hall feels cruel. Jin does try to massage their feelings a bit but suggesting the regular dorms may be a boon for them in how they operate, but they’re all just trying to gloss over the bonds that were formed here.
What all of this does is to give the show an opportunity to do some flashback material to when Sorata was first given the choice to live in the dorms without his cats or to move into Sakura Hall with them. Naturally, he chose to go to Sakura Hall and it’s really interesting to see the way he viewed the place when he got there, liking the space and nature of it and coming across Misaki for the first time. Misaki hasn’t changed much since he first met her as she goes on and on with her stories, but there’s a slightly more youthful nature to her here that’s just comically infectious. Other introductions are the same way as he gets to meet these people for the first time, particularly their dorm mother who is about the same, but others are all what you’d expect based on who they are now.
Seeing Sorata’s early experiences in Sakura Hall as he goes through all of this is fun in general, though in some ways it doesn’t feel like he’s changed all that much since then as a freshmen. But there is the way things feel a little more stressful for him in general without Shiina there as she brings a certain calmness into his life. While he gets frustrated in the present at times to be sure, it doesn’t feel like the way he gets here, which make it clear that he did settle down eventually and that was part of his growing up and changing. In general, we get a good party sense to things as he spends more of his first day there and I really like how Misaki comes across, especially after having such weighty and emotional moments for her recently. Going back to her simpler time definitely helps a bit here.
In Summary:
While the episode provides some decent little bits of bookend material to the episode as it deals with what the fate of Sakura Hall appears to be, the bulk of it is flashback material to Sorata’s first days in the place. Seeing how he got there, done a little too dramatically in some cases, and then the way he found himself in this odd group of people that lived in Sakura Hall definitely makes for some very fun and cute scenes. While the show is lacking in the amount of much needed Shiina an Nanami time, allowing us to see Sorata at this period of his life and how he met the others definitely hits some good notes and it shows the ways that they’re still the same, but makes the changes a little bit more noticeable. It’s a calm episode overall considering what it is since you know the outcome, but it was very enjoyable to watch unfold.
Grade: B+
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
Review Equipment:
Sony KDS-R70XBR2 70″ LCoS 1080P HDTV, Dell 10.1 Netbook via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.
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