Animehouse

It’s very funny how anime works sometimes. With Yuta Murano continuing to dominate the style and appeal of the anime, you could feel this episode’s subtitle coming from a mile away. Because of that, I don’t really have my own “world” to talk about with A Sign of Affection episode 12, but I do have a lot of little details and ideas to chat about.

First and foremost, the idea of ‘worlds’ is presented by Murano with incredible strength in this episode. Immediately with Yuki and Itsuomi’s date you get the idea that the majority of the experience is filtered through the worlds of one or the other. Murano provides a considerable amount of first person perspective to help sell the idea of the two worlds that Yuki and Itsuomi inhabit. Alongside that however, Murano is both teasing and expressing the union of Yuki and Itsuomi’s worlds into one with a few different shots.

It’s really, really great work that see such beautiful value at the climax of them sharing a picture together. Earlier Yuki expresses how flowers and pictures comprise a great deal of her world, and lo and behold the couple take a picture with some Wisteria in the background. Also, for those that don’t know the meaning of Wisteria in Japan, they’re a symbol of longevity, as well as gift that was commonly given to travelers and newlyweds. Kind of a catch all for our couple here, no? Either way, it’s a wonderful moment, and I really love how it expresses Itsuomi’s introduction to Yuki’s world, rather than the marriage of their individual worlds. It’s an important thing to denote as it’s just a single step of many on the path of their relationship, leaving plenty of room for more growth and development- which will happen in the second season that 100% exists and is not just me being hopeful.

Speaking of Yuki’s world though, I really like how well they integrate her phone as a part of it. It’s an essential aspect in her life, both in terms of necessity and desire, so seeing her use it to take a picture of Itsuomi on the sly is really cute and shows just how much of a part of her world that her boyfriend is. Also, Murano’s boards for the sequence were just really great. I love that it’s an uninterrupted view from her perspective when taking the picture.

Though, that’s about it for our main couple until the end. Now, we step into side character territory, and I really do like that they’ve provided meaningful conclusions to conflicts here while showing a good deal of character development. Personally, I love the fact that Oushi ends up opening up to his friends about stuff. It’s a massive step forward for him as a person that really sees him grow, and alongside stuff like his sister pushing him to get that sign language book, sees newfound resolve in himself. It’s really wonderful to see him being to make such a change in himself (though it’s still baby steps).

Similarly, the Emma and Shin relationship finally sets sail. Some might think it a little anticlimactic, but I think they capture the anxiety of the development really well. They’ve spent so long together as friends, and have had so many ups and downs that finally becoming a couple is surprisingly daunting. All the same, with Murano’s focus on the couple holding hands, you get the feeling that despite worries, they’re still committed to one another which I think is very nice. Overall it’s just a really great character arc to see as Shin’s apathy washes away, and Emma’s able to be more genuine and honest as a person.

And then there’s Itsuomi’s flashback that creates the perfect ending for this season. We find out that in oddly similar yet opposite fashion, Itsuomi lived a similar childhood to Yuki. Almost a mirror image, Itsuomi struggled in Germany due to a language barrier, but after working up the courage to cross it, he finds out that the other side is still a beautiful and full world. It’s a great contrast to Yuki’s life, and shows that she’s following in the footsteps of her boyfriend (so to speak). It also shows why Itsuomi had such an interest in Yuki, as their childhood lives bear striking resemblance.

It does a lot to further the understanding and passion that the couple share in this life, and is a great segue for Yuki finally getting her passport. With it finally in hand, I’m sure every viewer knows where the couple will be jetting off to in the near future, but the focus for now is on the present. The one where happiness has spread like an infection throughout the cast and caused the size of everyone’s world to grow a considerable amount.

It’s a really, really wonderful finale that captures everything great about A Sign of Affection in one fell swoop, and leaves viewers wanting for more of our incredibly cute couples. It’s a shame to see the season finish, but Ajia-Do, Yuta Murano, and Suu Morishita can stand proud that they’ve created such a memorable and beautiful romance story.