Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun

Episode 12

Nozaki gets not one, but two perfect settings to do what he does best this episode. Valentine's Day (told mostly through flashback, as it's summer in the episode) and a summer festival might mean romance and amusement to every other high schooler, but they mean "taking notes for manga" to Nozaki. Told mostly through Sakura's point of view, the two segments in episode 12 give her an opportunity to reflect on her multiple failed attempts at telling Nozaki she loves him and how far she's come in getting to know the real him.

It seems like Only Yesterday that Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun started airing. Thrown into the story head-first, viewers were asked to embrace the quirky cast of characters and follow high school student Sakura's introduction to the world of Nozaki's shōjo manga. There was never any drama. Viewers never sat at the edge of their seats, eager to discover the solution to some profound mystery. Instead, we laughed until our sides split, and then we went back for more. Anime fans who've been waiting for all of the episodes to air before diving in better pace themselves–Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun is a strong comedy with nary a weak episode from beginning to end.

Although questions raised about things that happened before the series began are largely ignored in this final episode, one important question is answered—how Sakura met Nozaki and fell head-over-heels in love. The flashback doesn't disappoint. If anything, it proves that the series can effectively answer those lingering questions in true Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun fashion: with perfect comedic timing.

Still, episode 12 does pay off the arc of the entire series' run. It takes the one dangling, series-length plotline—Sakura's attempts to confess her feelings to perpetually obtuse Nozaki—and resolves it in a way that only great comedies can. Before the credits roll, we're left practically screaming—"They didn't just do that, did they?"—but just take a deep breath and enjoy the silent farewells to the rest of the characters, and I promise the episode won't leave you hanging by the very end.

If you can manage to pay attention to the credit sequence despite your distress over the events immediately beforehand, you'll notice one new character yet to be introduced in the anime. Perhaps the producers put him there to make viewers salivate for more. One-cour anime are standalones more often than not, but here's hoping this gets a second season at a future date. Regardless, the team behind Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun does an excellent job of wrapping up the show. There's resolution in episode 12, but not at the expense of the gags that make the series shine. Plus, the finale is presented in such a way that viewers are both hopeful for a second season and satisfied with what we've got if more anime never comes to be. Anime based on still-running manga can't ask for more than that.

Rating: A+

Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Amy is a YA fantasy author who has loved anime for nearly two decades.