Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary – Season 1 Episode 4 Recap & Review

Mind of a Lone Wolf

Episode 4 of Shoshimin: How to Become Ordinary begins where we left off in episode 3 with Kobato and Kengo discussing Sakagami’s driving school situation. Kengo’s unsure if it’s wise to assume Sakagami wanted to attend driving school. Kobato argues that the bus wouldn’t let ordinary people on board. He argues that Sakagami used his folder’s essentials to get on the bus.

Kobato ponders why Sakagami wants a driver’s license. He presents two possible answers to Kengo. Kengo tells Kobato Sakagami wants his license because he wants to be able to drive. Then, Kobato approaches a whiteboard. He lists the specific driving school that Sakagami is interested in. Additionally, Kobato lists other topics he wants to discuss with Kengo concerning Sakagami’s situation. 

First, Kobato discusses distance. Kobato argues that Sakagami chose this “driving school” since it’s potentially near Sakagami’s home. Next, Kobato discusses age. He argues that Sakagami is a first-year. Kobato says Sakagami is potentially 16. This is an age when most folks can get a motorcycle or moped license. After that, Kobato brings up Sakagami’s disposition.

Kobato argues someone’s enticing Sakagami to get his license. He asks Kengo for thoughts about Sakagami’s nefarious license intentions. Through Kengo’s words and his own, Kobato argues that Sakagami is committing forgery. Kobato ties Sakagami and his group’s possible ploy with the tale Yuki told him about in a previous episode involving Iokibe. 

Kobato says Yuki’s dealing with a group that’s committing fraud. He knows she’ll go beyond the call of duty to make Sakagami pay. Kengo calls his sister and his sister tells Kengo that Yuki already spoke to Kengo’s sister about it. Moreover, Kengo tells Kobato Sakagami is 15 based on his sister’s intel. Kobato calls Yuki but doesn’t receive a response. 

Kobato wonders if Yuki is in trouble. He and Kengo head to the “driving school bus’s” next stop and use a white folder to get on. They arrive at the driving school and bump into Yuki. Yuki confirms she followed Sakagami here. She confirms no one forced her to un-send her message to him. Yuki explains what happened and shows Kobato a picture of Sakagami. 

This picture proves that Sakagami enrolled in this driving school under Iokibe’s name. Kobato tells Kengo that Yuki completed her mission. Kengo suspects this isn’t the real Yuki. Yuki jokes with the boys, claiming she’s Yuki’s twin sister, Maki. Kobato wakes up the next day. He learns five high school students got arrested for reselling high-value tickets using fraudulent licenses. 

Kobato and Yuki visit a restaurant. He tells Yuki why Sakagami did what he did. We learn Sakagani was among the high school students who were punished. Yuki sympathizes with Sakagami’s situation but Kobato says they shouldn’t feel bad. Yuki and Kobato apologize to each other for going against their shared ordinary lifestyle goals. 

Yuki suggests giving up but Kobato says they shouldn’t and lists reasons why. Then, a woman splashes her spouse with water and leaves. The water got on Yuki too. Yuki leaves the area to dry herself off. We receive several shots of the items the woman and her lover left behind.

The episode closes with Kobato texting Yuki that they can solve the couple’s dilemma by examining their items. 

The Episode Review

Shoshimin: My Ordinary Life finally returns after a week’s break. This episode gets fans back into the heat of the situation. Although this episode was as slow as a snail, some fans will like the thought-provoking discussion between Kengo and Kobato. Seeing Kengo and Kobato debate over Sakagami and his group’s actions was interesting. 

At the same time, some fans may argue it’d been better if the author reached the case’s resolution sooner. Shortening or removing some unnecessary material within Kengo and Kobato’s chat would’ve been great, too. On the other hand, this chapter gives viewers more insight into Yuki’s character. This episode offers a nice summary of how she approaches gentle and troublesome situations. 

However, it’d be lovely for the anime to explore her and Kobato’s past experiences. It’s one of the show’s missing puzzle pieces. Lastly, like Yuki, many fans will sympathize with Sakagami’s situation. Be it peer pressure or fitting in with the gang, it’s unfortunate to see Sakagami end up in this sad situation.

 All in all, this was an okay chapter of Shoshimin: My Ordinary Life. The visuals are beautiful and the new cases are arguably better than the prior ones. However, we’d like to see more characters receive proper development.