Episode 3: Freestyle Collection

While it does feature my favorite character of the main 4, Mossan, episode 3 just missed the beat in being my favorite episode. While I love the story of Mossan being more than just the stereotypical fat girl and actually having a compelling story that displays a dynamic range of emotions and an honest twist considering she didn’t win the contest.

I don’t want to spoil the episode, but I’ll do it anyways. The first song and the episode opens on a rather silly scene of Mossan working as a road-guard before showing Kana walking on the roadside in the rain, expressing the duality between them.

Mossan is secretly working several jobs while going to school AND trying to enter a fashion show because making clothes is a passion of hers. While she refuses to let anyone know, once they discover the truth after Mossan gets sick because of overworking and decide to do some of her jobs in her place, Mossan actually gets pissed and delivers the best line that expresses her character: “This is my dream, and it only counts if I can do it on my own!”
The silence save for the mechanical whirring underscore this scene perfectly, and that’s what made me really get invested in the episode. Eventually, she joins a local fashion contest and although her design doesn’t win, you get an electric-music montage of Haruko trying to show off Mossan’s designed dress before the episode closes on the end of Mossan’s character development. Although I make scathing remarks about how bad season 2 and season 3 are, I would still highly suggest that you watch this episode! It is an example the greatest writing and greatest self-contained character development in a single episode, and a striking highlight of season 3.

(1)She Stood There, Like An Angel-
The one and only song before the ending theme plays strikes at the beginning of the episode where Mossan is in her job as a road guard. It is a jolly start to the episode and the lyrics actually do serve an interesting purpose, check it.

Suddenly it began to rain
The middle of the road is wet
I'm so awkward, I'm so shy
Since the day I fell in love with you

I've got a special feeling
I'm selfishly intoxicated
You just walked right through
The last door, which has never been opened
And you stood there, like an angel

Considering that the opening scene is on a rainy day for Mossan and Kana, who ends up getting soaked. Also, the other lyrics serve as sort of a statement to the comradery that Mossan and Kana have for one-another. While maybe not a romantic type of love, Kana has the sorority type of care for one another to where Kana has a near-physical response to the idea of Mossan being in pain. This theme for Kana’s empathy will reoccur in later episodes.