“The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity” is a typical, perfect high school love story. Actually, correction, it’s a typical, real, perfect high school love story.
Love is subjective and the ways we express it are subjective. So what does Rintaro Tsumugi and Kaoruko Waguri’s love look like? Why does their love work and why does it work for wider audiences?
Tsumugi is a pretty intimidating character. People fear the sight of him upon first meeting due to his glare and overpowering demeanor, despite nothing really being frightening about him. While it’s a silly little gimmick to his character, it’s left him feeling lonely and saddened. He doesn’t want a scary demeanor, nor for people to run or hide from him at first sight.
Waguri is the opposite; She’s popular, easy to approach and a juful spirit. When these two met, it was special. They instantly clicked and both shared the same cute, awkward energy around each other despite their reputations. Together they were one in the same, just shy highschoolers.
The show’s characters’ growth and struggles through anxiety and past troubles are amazing to watch. Both of the main characters feel relatable in some sense, which makes them easy to like. They’re both anxious, and don’t know what to do with their feelings. They don’t know how to approach each other with these feelings, until they just accidentally slip out one day.
The supporting cast of this show is also very well-written and realistic. Tsumugi’s three best friends, who all attend the same school, always have his back. They’re always there for him. Waguri’s best friend, Subaru Hoshina, also faces her own struggles throughout the first season, specifically feeling uncomfortable around men. Tsumugi, along with his friend group, help her overcome this, simply by showing her that they’re not bad guys. They hold conversations, show them that they are there to stay, and there to be real friends.
Tsumugi and Waguri’s love is special because there is no crazy, unrealistic niche in their love. The show doesn’t need any ridiculous plot hole to drag it on, it’s enjoyable without it. While there is a bit of a plot twist at the end of the first season, it’s not anything that makes the story worse, but rather provides more context and improves the overarching story. That plot twist being: Waguri had known who Tsumugi was since before he thought they first met.
The show is a great watch, and does great at developing it’s already fun to watch characters across 13 episodes.
