Glasslip Episode 04: Steep Road

So, episode 04 was a little bit weird and not what I expected. This chapter left me empty in both good and bad ways. Bad was that we didn’t get any story development, they were just random days. The good way was that we get some character development and the lack of action or story telling make the viewer feel empty and uncomfortable, one important element when it comes to a drama anime series. So, that’s how I feel after watching this chapter, empty. And it’s that emptiness what make me want to watch next episode so bad.

Besides the lack of any relevant development, a lot of stuff happened in this episode. 

We find out that Kakeru’s mother was a pianist, the reason why his father listens to one of Chopin’s pieces as it is one of her favorite pieces.

When it comes to Yanagi, she’s been injured on one leg. While Yuki was traying to help her walk out of the hospital, we find out that they actually are family related.

About Sachi and Hiro, he comes to her house to give her book back. Then, she invites him into the house. Then, they finally go to a date, as “Exile and The Kingdom” will have a movie adaptation.

Then, Yuki goes to the school as he sees Touko going in. Then she expected him to be Kakeru. After this, Yuki asks Touko if she likes Kakeru. After her doubting about it, he assumes that she loves him. This situation makes Touko ask herself if she really loves Kakeru.

And finally, the most important scene which gives name to the episode is Yanagi and Kakeru’s meet up on the steep road. While Kakeru returns from hiking alone and Yanagi from meeting with Touko, it starts raining and they meet on the steep road covering themselves from the water. After a weird conversation about the meaning of each other’s names, Yana is about to go home when she suddenly slides. The moment Kakeru grabs Yana in order for her to not fall, Touko sees this scene from the top of the road, something that she misunderstands and leaves out without saying nothing to them.

Interesting... Is Touka saying that to Kakeru?

Just "quite a bit"?

Wait, WHAT?!

Let the incest be true, Touko

Awwww, how gentle...

WTF Yuki!

Yeah, you deserve this.

I don't know this author at all...

Did she had any future fragment?

P.A. Works and its beautiful scenarios

You would, if Yuki wouldn't confess to Touko.

"David?"

OUCH! That hurt him.

I like him. Just doing whatever he wants.

THAT'S BORING. I prefer to read alone.
But hey, at least they are in the same room ;)

Haru stepped up!

Just look at her.
She's so innocent!

You're right, bro

Are going to be like Tsumugu?

Time for the misunderstandings...

Too much scheduled.

Are you jealous?

Oh, come on Hiro!
You were the one who invited her!

One of the interesting elements from the episode was Kakeru’s future fragment at the beginning of the episode. Then, something confusing happens when Touko is working at the glass workshop. While she was pulling out some melted glass, her eyes start glowing they always do when she hears a future fragment but we didn’t get to hear any voice. Maybe it’s something that it’s yet to reveal or it was simply Touko thinking about her ability to predict the future.

All that happened in this episode will make Touko think seriously about love and her feelings towards Kakeru. The conversation with Yuki and seeing Kakeru and Yana together will help Touko to notice Kakeru. Plus, knowing that Hiro is on a date and after noticing it was with Sachi, Touko will sure start to thinking about her own love life.

The one thing it bothered me the most was that we find out that Yana and Yuki are family. We all knew that they live together in the same residence, but I didn’t expect them to be family that at all. What is most likely to be is that they aren’t blood related. If they were, I’m sure the rest of the crew would know it, especially Touko being a close friend to Yana as we could see when she called her to tell that she was going to confess to Yuki. On that, Touko would have commented something about their family relation.

When it comes to cultural references like Chopin’s Nocturne, or Camus’ “Exile and The Kingdom”. Then, a new book title appears, “Wind, sand and stars” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Another think I’m not sure if it’s a cultural reference is the music we can listen at the café, which I’m not familiar with.

Finally, I just wanna point out this episode’s dinner at Touko’s house. Her parents usually talk about something similar on what happened during the episode on a very enthusiastic way. But this time, it was just the father talking about some irrelevant things, something that really reflects the lack of development in the story.

As I said, the episode was empty in both good and bad ways. Bad for the lack of story development and good when it comes to Touko’s character development and the emptiness you feel as you watching a drama anime series. Maybe this emptiness comes from the fact that this was a very realistic chapter, just showing the characters on a daily life way. And because of that emptiness, I can’t wait for next episode to come.