Prince of Stride: Alternative

Episode 5

Ah, Prince of Stride: Alternative, the show where a high-five between friends can mean So. Much. More. This episode unraveled the history of a painful event from the Stride Club's past with a predictably happy ending that reminds us that friendship can overcome everything, full stop, and doesn't dare to delve any deeper than that.

In the wake of Ayumu's hospitalizing injury, the Stride Club seniors are burying themselves in emotion in their own ways. Heath's memories return to a particularly dramatic leg or foot injury (I don't know, the word used is the same in Japanese and the translation doesn't help) from his freshman year. Meanwhile, Hozumi remembers convincing sole Shogi Club member Ayumu to help him keep both clubs open by joining Stride—and feels personally convinced that this chain reaction led to Ayumu getting injured by participating in a club he didn't want to join. In short, Hozumi feels entirely responsible for Ayumu's injury. If only there were something that could allow these self-isolated characters to communicate, like say, dialogue.

But no, talking to each other is out for now, so the freshmen embark on an ill-advised mission to get some guy named Kyousuke to join the Stride Club, since they heard in passing that he is really fast (and also he's had cameos in every episode until now, indicating his importance and eventual membership). It's an interesting scene if you're a Kuroko's Basketball fan, since Kyousuke shares a seiyuu with Aomine DAIKI and Riku with Kise Ryouta. These sports anime voice actors certainly get typecast, don't they! Since nobody knows how to use their words, the whole exchange ends awkwardly and the freshmen end up finding out from a classmate that Kyousuke was involved in an incident that almost led to the Stride Club getting disbanded. What a jerk, right?

But no, with the clunky plot of a '90s sitcom that takes place before cell phones, Heath decides to finally reveal what really went down during the “KGB Incident,” which he's conveniently chosen to hide from everyone else up until now. Surprise surprise, Kyousuke actually saved the Stride Club by taking the blame for a bunch of stereotypical third-year meanies. For once, airheaded Riku is the only one who sees the stupidity of this whole situation, compelling Heath to invite Kyousuke back. “I really want to connect my feelings with him,” Heath agrees. This is also probably how Stride Club members phrase their marriage proposals to one another.

In an episode where people are barely able to talk to one another, there was no hope of the storyline delving any deeper than resolving surface-level issues. While it was interesting to watch the freshmen unravel the mystery at the core of this episode, the shallow payoff let me down. Even when characters are funny and expressive on their own (I'm thinking of mainly Ayumu here), it's hard to get excited when they refuse to interact with one another. Without the action, tension, and fluid animation of actual Stride matches, there's not much to see, which left this episode lacking.

Rating: C+

Prince of Stride: Alternative is currently streaming on Funimation.

Lauren writes about anime and journalism at Otaku Journalist.