Final impression of this series noted in the end. =)
Episode 24: “Together Forever!!” (series finale)
Summary: Picking up from last episode, Otani is kicked out of his house on the night before the exam since his mom, sister and dad have gotten the flu. He called around for a place to stay for the night, but Nakao and Suzuki are both in situations wherein they can’t help him. Otani ends up staying over at Koizumi’s. In turn, he meets Koizumi’s family: Her mom, dad and brother. Hilarity ensues as they ask Otani about his height and if he’s really okay being with someone like Koizumi.
Otani feels bad for intruding into Koizumi’s house and apologizes to the family. He feels that Koizumi’s family might think he was someone suspicious for asking to stay the night at his girlfriend’s place and assures Koizumi that he will greet her family more properly next time. Koizumi says it’s no big deal since she already explained the situation to her family but Otani insists that he will do better next time. Otani gets to stay at Koizumi’s room while Koizumi will hang about in her brother’s room for the meantime. Otani goes on with his last-moment studying as Koizumi prepares a late-night snack for him. Upon delivering the food to Otani, she walks in and finds that Otani fell asleep hunching over on the table while he was studying. Koizumi admires Otani for a bit then also falls asleep beside him on the table.
Koizumi wakes up at 8:00 in the morning and realizes that it’s Otani’s exam day. Panicking, she hits Otani and wakes him up, asking what time his exam is. Otani sleepily answers that it’s at 9:20. Koizumi informs him that it’s past 8 already. This sets Otani in panic mode too. They run out of the house yelling at each other. As they get out of the door, they find out that it’s snowing and it appears that it snowed quite heavily. Koizumi’s mom informs them that she heard on TV that the buses and trains aren’t running. Otani gives up, saying that his life has been a mess since he was chased out of his house last night, adding that the snow was a surprise. Koizumi is surprised with this reaction and gives him a good kick, calling him an idiot. She angrily tells him that all the other examinees are snowed out too and that it’s not just him. Otani is silenced, realizing that it’s true. Koizumi gives him some more pep talk and decides that she will drive him on her bicycle. She drives hurriedly (and quite maniacally) and suggests that Otani take the underground since the trains aren’t working. Otani is screaming out and is telling Koizumi off on her mad driving skills, with Koizumi saying she’ll apologize if he dies ~Lol. Koizumi adds that she’s driving like that since Otani has worked so hard and she doesn’t want to see it go to waste, that it doesn’t matter whether he passes or fails as long as he does his best, telling him not to waste his effort up until now. Otani is touched by Koizumi’s words. Luckily, they reach the exam place 5 minutes before the exact time and Otani was able to take his exam. The results will be out in a week.
Afterwards, Otani and Koizumi meet up and go on a date. Otani says he will be making it up to Koizumi today since he had been too busy studying to take her out before the exam. As they are walking around town, they run onto Mimi who is working on a photoshoot (she’s a model, remember?). It’s Koizumi’s first time to see an actual photoshoot and is quite enamored and fascinated to witness one. Mimi’s boss notices Koizumi and Otani and asks if they are Mimi’s friends. Mimi happily says Otani is her boyfriend (which Otani flatly denies) while denying she knows Koizumi. Her boss suggests that Koizumi can fill in on the amateur model’s job for the day since the one who was supposed to do it wasn’t able to come. This surprises Mimi, Otani and Koizumi, all three of them tell the boss “Don’t be stupid!” The boss says it’ll be fine since she thinks Koizumi has the height and a nice style.
In the stylist’s trailer, Koizumi is still apprehensive of doing this, thinking that she isn’t model material at all. The stylist says it’s going to be fine and suggests to the makeup artist to go with a girly and cute look. Koizumi informs the stylist that she can’t do cute, but the stylist cheerfully tells her to leave it to her. Koizumi thinks the stylist seems to be cool. After a few moments, she gets out of the trailer looking all girly and cute, shocking both Mimi and a now blushing Otani. Koizumi exclaims that it’s cold and she thinks she can’t pull this off. The boss appears and assures Koizumi that it’s going to be fine and that she looks cute in the outfit, to which a blushing Otani agrees. The photoshoot goes on quite smoothly. Koizumi thinks she really isn’t suited to be a model but she does like watching stuff like this. As Koizumi goes back to the stylist’s trailer, the stylist thanks her for her hard work. Mimi passes by and tells Koizumi not to get the wrong idea and that she only looks cute because of the skills of the stylist. Mimi thanks the stylist and compliments that she loved the clothes she picks for her. After leaving the shoot, Koizumi informs Otani that she thinks she found the job she wants to do… she wants to become a stylist and wonders if she’s suited for that job, asking for Otani’s opinion. Otani tells her not to think if it’s suited for her or not but just decide that she likes it and wants to do it. Koizumi says she wants to do it. Otani encourages her to draw forth her confidence and do it, adding that he thinks she’s strong enough. This earns Otani an hug from Koizumi.
A week after, the exam results are out. Koizumi is working at the restaurant and is wondering if Otani got the results yet. Haruka and Maity-sensei drop by. Kohori asks if they’re friends of Koizumi. Haruka answers that he is Koizumi’s lover and Maity is her man on the side (~Lol). Kohori is shocked to hear this. Koizumi tells Haruka not to lie to innocent kids. Kohori asks Koizumi innocently “I’ve just been lied to?” which earns a mocking laugh from Haruka saying that he thinks Kohori is funny. Maity asks Koizumi if she’s heard from Otani yet regarding the exam results. Koizumi denies this. Haruka cuts in and says he saw Otani earlier at the train station looking all gloomy and depressed, suggesting that maybe Otani failed. Just then, Nobu and Nakao also drops by the restaurant, greeting Koizumi. Nobu notices Kohori and approaches him, saying that it’s nice to meet him and that she is Koizumi’s mother while Nakao says he is the father. This surprises Kohori again, exclaiming that they’re so young. Koizumi tells Kohori what Nobu and Nakao said isn’t true. Kohori sadly realizes he’s been lied to and fell for it again. Nobu then asks Koizumi if she’s heard from Otani. Koizumi says she hasn’t and asks why. Nakao says he tried to call Otani several times but he didn’t pick up. Haruka comments that he thinks Otani failed since he’s an idiot after all. This worries Koizumi even more. Maity tells Haruka that laughing at other’s misfortunes will bring him bad karma. Haruka boasts that if it were him, he’d pass it on his first try. Koizumi then tries to call Otani but only gets the answering machine. This makes Koizumi yell out in panic, thinking that Otani might have failed indeed. Her supervisor appears and wonders what the ruckus is about. Koizumi apologizes and informs her that she needs to leave early today. Kohori backs up Koizumi and informs the supervisor that he will cover for Koizumi. Koizumi thanks Kohori and runs off, telling the supervisor that she can dock it from her pay if she likes. The supervisor smiles and says she was that age once too. Hearing this, Kohori says he won’t be lied to anymore.
Koizumi is running around town, looking for Otani. She then sees him standing on the bridge, leaning on the railing. Thinking that Otani failed and he wants to jump as a result, Koizumi hurriedly runs up to him and tackles him saying that he shouldn’t think of dying and it’s not the right thing to do, saying that he can take the test again next time. Otani is surprised to see her and is confused on who’s going to die. He informs Koizumi that he passed so he doesn’t have to take it again, adding that he was accepted by the university he applied to. Surprised to hear that he passed, Koizumi asks why. An annoyed Otani asks what she means with why. Koizumi blurts out that Haruka told her Otani looked depressed earlier at the train station and that Otani wasn’t answering calls. Otani says he felt relieved earlier and fell asleep at the train station while his cellphone’s batter is dead. He informs Koizumi that he just woke up and was going over to her place, adding that he managed to pass the exam but Koizumi seems to have reacted negatively about it. Otani wonders if she has anything else to say. Koizumi then breaks down in tears and says she has been worried about him all day, muttering in between sobs that she was glad to hear he passed. Otani is taken aback by this and tries to comfort her, saying that there’s no need for her to cry. Koizumi says she is just happy.
Otani then thanks her, adding that he was just thinking that if it weren’t for her he wouldn’t have tried so hard, so it’s thanks to her that he passed. Otani dries her tears and gives her a warm smile. Koizumi congratulates him with a smile. Otani thanks her again and gives her a kiss.
It’s graduation day. As usual, Koizumi and Otani are both late. Their sensei is waiting for them at the gate. Otani and Koizumi bicker for a bit as sensei cuts in and says its fine, flatly asking them if they want him to rewrite their diplomas as “All Hanshin and Kyojin.” This shuts them both up as they apologize for being late again. On the way to the gym, they run into Maity-sensei who has the valedictorian with him. It turns out that they’re on their way to the clinic since the student has come down with anemia. Sensei exclaims that this is bad news. It appears they have an idea, as he and Maity give Otani and Koizumi a stare. Meanwhile, Nobu and Chiharu are worried that Koizumi and Otani are still not there. However, worry turns into surprise as they hear from the emcee that Otani and Koizumi will be delivering the valedictory speech.
They were supposed to read the speech but are bickering about who will read which part, resulting in the speech being torn apart. Koizumi then improvises and adlibs the speech, saying that they’ve all had good memories at the academy but it’s time to say goodbye. She adds that some of them are going far away while others are going to part ways… she is about to cry further but manages to stay cheerful and asks the class for three cheers as an end to her speech, which the class gladly accepts. Koizumi says she is glad to have met Otani and that she loves him. Otani says he does too and is glad that Koizumi is with him. Koizumi adds that from now on, they will always be together.
~ end of episode
My Impression: Ah, the last episode. As usual, there are lots of funny moments. I loved the part when Otani meets Koizumi’s family, it was so funny. The part where Haruka, Maity, Nakao and Nobu drop by the restaurant with Haruka telling Kohori he’s Koizumi’s lover while Maity is her man on the side while Nobu and Nakao say they’re Koizumi’s parents ~Lol. That was just priceless! I also liked the part with Otani and Koizumi on the bridge, it was really funny and sweet. Heh. These are merely episode and scene comments from me… Oh well. xD
FINAL IMPRESSION: I’ve been eagerly following this series since it started in spring. The ending worked out well for me. It wasn’t too sad and it felt just right. Even though it didn’t really elaborate on what happens next, I think it was fairly implied and understandable how things ended up.
Overall, I absolutely adored this series! There may have been some moments of tears here and there, but it was hilarious all the way through. It was very enjoyable and I’m glad I was able to follow this one.
Would I recommend you to watch Lovely Complex? Absolutely. ^_^
Thanks for reading my summaries for this series! (even though I started blogging it more than halfway through). It’s been fun to share it with you. =)
I liked the manga and anime but was disappointed with the live action version but still its a great love story
http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/lovely-complex-lovecom-anime-and-movie/
I love the anime!! ^_^ It’s amazing! Yeah, I agree. That’s the only thing I didn’t like about the anime though- how it was kinda hanging and you didn’t know what happened to them later on… but I guess, it leads to your imagination 🙂 But it would be nice to show or know what happens. That’s why I like the manga too 🙂
@ linda: Yeah, I didn’t like the live action version too. It wasn’t that bad, but I think they could’ve done so much better.
@ Merribeth: Seeing it animated made everything more hilarious and sweet. I checked out the end of the manga too just so I could see how it ended there. 🙂