Blue Box Episode 10: Drawing Lines

Key Takeaways

Episode 10 of Blue Box is more slice-of-life, showcasing mundane activities and world-building scenes.
Chinatsu starts showing feelings for Taiki, leading to an awkward situation after their near-kiss.
Chinatsu rejects Taiki, outlining boundaries due to their living situation, leaving room for Hina to possibly make a move.

Title	Blue Box, Episode 10 “It’s Not a Good Thing”
Studio	Telecom Animation Film
Air Date	December 5, 2024

As a seasoned anime enthusiast with a soft spot for slice-of-life series, I must say that the latest episode of Blue Box has left me both intrigued and heartbroken. The way the story unfolds, capturing the nuances of young love and the complexities of human relationships, is nothing short of masterful.

Head’s up! What follows might reveal key plot points from the tenth episode of Blue Box, titled “It’s Not a Good Thing,” currently available on Netflix. Enjoy your viewing!

Similar to the previous installment, “Blue Box”, episode 10, titled “It’s Not a Good Thing”, has a laid-back vibe compared to the intense prefectural qualifiers arc that recently wrapped up. This episode took on a more everyday life feel, with scenes like the basketball and badminton club cleaning out the school swimming pool and the Inomata family having an evening barbecue. There were also some intriguing world-building moments, such as Chinatsu reminiscing about asking her parents for permission to stay in Japan and Taiki’s father engaging in a conversation with Chinatsu, offering glimpses into the lives of Taiki’s family. While these scenes might not significantly affect the main storyline, they add depth to this leisurely episode that seems devoid of major events. However, don’t be fooled – there is indeed some tantalizing drama scattered throughout, and unlike before, this time, it’s not just a teasing cliffhanger. As a gamer, I found myself immersed in these quiet moments, appreciating the story’s pacing and character development.

In reference to suspenseful endings, you might remember the last episode concluded with Taiki stumbling and Chinatsu attempting to save him, landing on top of each other on Taiki’s bed. Certainly a thrilling cliffhanger, but unfortunately, it didn’t result in anything beneficial. Contrary to what the show suggested, Chinatsu didn’t lean in for a kiss; instead, she reached for Taiki’s forehead to reattach the cold compress that had come loose. Chinatsu then retreated and left Taiki more mortified from embarrassment than from his fever. This, however, wasn’t particularly shocking given that Chinatsu hadn’t shown any romantic inclination towards Taiki prior to this, so transitioning from no interest to a kiss is quite a leap, even for a romance-themed anime.

The Result of Episode 9’s Cliffhanger

It Was Bait, but One with Repercussions

Despite the imagined kiss not transpiring in reality, it undeniably turned the following day into an awkward encounter for both Chinatsu and Taiki. For the very first time in Blue Box, Chinatsu displayed unmistakable signs of growing affection towards Taiki. Upon returning their cleaning gear to the tool shed, Taiki encountered Chinatsu and engaged in casual conversation with her. The exchange concluded with Taiki expressing gratitude for her care during his illness, which inadvertently reminded her of their almost-kiss, causing a slight sense of embarrassment to wash over her.

Reflecting on a conversation with my fellow fan, we stumbled upon the subject of romantic entanglements, and he suggested that perhaps Chinatsu might find herself drawn to someone only if they shared living quarters – an idea that left her visibly embarrassed yet again.

Summer Vacation Begins

A significant event happening now that could alter the flow of the “Blue Box” series from this point forward is the commencement of summer vacation. This means all main characters are part of sports teams and will continue their training in their respective clubs throughout their break. It has been confirmed by Taiki that the badminton club still practices nearly every day, while Hina and Chinatsu are competing in the inter-high competition, so their training may become even more frequent. With summer vacation approaching, it presents a fantastic chance for the show to transition, offering more scenes and events unrelated to school such as attending festivals or going to the beach.

Chinatsu Sets Some Lines

Right After She Told Taiki to Aim High Too…

On her way home from the local shop, Chinatsu directly addressed Taiki concerning their near-kiss incident. If you were hoping for a confession or declaration of feelings, you might have been disappointed because it turned out quite differently. Instead, Chinatsu firmly rejected Taiki before he could express his own emotions towards her. She suggested they forget the whole incident and explained that it wouldn’t be beneficial for her to enter into a romantic relationship with someone she shared living arrangements with.

Regarding the incident from yesterday, let’s just move past it… When sharing a residence with you, I admit I haven’t been as cautious as I should have been. Living under your roof, I believe I ought to be more mindful. I’ll make sure to be more careful so such incidents never recur again. – Chinatsu to Taiki (paraphrased)

This significant obstacle has arisen between Taiki and Chinatsu, an event which, though inevitable at some point, still hurt deeply. The pain is amplified when considering Chinatsu’s words to Taiki in the previous episode about persevering in one’s aspirations no matter what. Even Taiki found the irony in the situation poignant. What made it worse was that earlier in the episode, it appeared as though Chinatsu might have feelings for Taiki, so her dismissal of any potential relationship development was particularly heart-wrenching, to say the least.

Wait a minute… Did she just set a boundary? That’s not right. She advised me to aim for big things in the future, and now she’s creating a space between us instead.” – Taiki, to himself [informal paraphrase]

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning Hina’s response to the minor spat between Taiki and Chinatsu, if you will. In the previous episode, Hina wasn’t pleased with Taiki’s melancholy state and his distance from Chinatsu, as she understood that he was causing himself harm in this way. However, the situation has now reversed, with Chinatsu distancing herself from Taiki. This could potentially open up an opportunity for Hina to act upon her feelings.

Blue Box is now available to stream on Netflix. The release date for Blue Box, episode 11, is set to be December 12, 2024 at 8:30 AM PT.

2024-12-06 05:35