The Dangers In My Heart – Season 1 Episode 9 Recap & Review

Karte 9: I Hate Yamada

Episode 9 The Dangers In My Heart begins with Yamada and Kyotaro discussing LINE and group chats. Yamada asks Kyotaro if the Data Processing Club has a LINE group chat, but Kyotaro doesn’t know nor plan to ask his club if he can join it, irritating Yamada. In class, Sekine informs her friends she wants to get a boyfriend before Christmas. She says she plans to lend her LINE ID to all the boys in class. Yamada thinks her plan’s brilliant and proceeds chatting with Kyotaro.

Sekine interferes in their conversation and asks Kyotaro for his LINE ID. They exchange IDs, angering Yamada. Sekine says she should exchange IDs with “higher ranked” guys and brings up Ishimuro, the track team’s ace. Yamada tells the others they live in the same apartment complex, and Sekine pressures her more to get his LINE ID, even though Kobayashi knows Sekine wants it for herself. Although Kyotaro doesn’t want to stop Yamada from getting Ishimura’s ID, he can’t help but feel jealous. After recalling their conversation in the library, Kyotaro freaks out in class. This convinces Yamada not to exchange her LINE ID with Ishimura.

Adachi approaches Kyotaro and mocks him for having his sister as a LINE contact. After school, Kyotaro continues reading the manga Yamada lent to him. He questions if Yamada was trying to lend him her LINE ID in the library today. Then he ponders if he has a legit shot with Yamada but doesn’t want to give himself hope. Kyotaro spots Yamada chatting with Haruya in school. Haruya makes the moves on Yamada and convinces Kobayashi to come to his place to play a new video game. He says Yamada’s welcome to stop by if she wants. Yamada tells Kobayashi she’s not going to Haruya’s place in class.

Kobayashi says she’ll visit his place with Sekine instead. Yamada tells Kobayashi she should reconsider going but doesn’t explain why. Kyotaro knows it’s because Yamada doesn’t want to tell Kobayashi that Haruya invited her as bait to get Yamada to go. Yamada says she doesn’t trust Haruya, but Kobayashi insists on going. Kyotaro spots Yamada crying in the library. Yamada sees him, smiles, and asks Kyotaro if he plays video games. He says he likes playing his Switch. Yamada tells him how much of a gamer her father is before the girl who hung out with Haruya arrives in the library with her friend.

Kyotaro leaves the table for a minute. The girl apologizes for Haruya’s behavior. The girls butter Yamada up, saying she probably has a boyfriend. Yamada looks at Kyotaro, clenches her fists, and tells the girls she doesn’t have one numerous times. She turns to Kyotaro and promises she doesn’t. The girls look at the two of them and leave the library. Kyotaro’s confused about everything but tells Yamada she shouldn’t hang around him when others are present. Yamada gets closer to Kyotaro when she notices Haruya and the girl walk into the library. Haruya sees Yamada and Kyotaro getting somewhat intimate with each other and leaves the library.

Yamada apologizes to Kyotaro, whose baffled by what happened. Kyotaro walks through the halls and overhears Sekine telling Kobayashi the harsh truth about Haruya’s willingness to invite her to his home. Kobayashi plays it off like she knew that was his intention as Kyotaro spies on them all. After class, Kobayashi approaches Yamada and tells her she’s not going to Haruya’s place. Yamada’s happy, and the two venture out somewhere. Meanwhile, Kyotaro spots Haruya but doesn’t engage with him. Kyotaro wonders if Haruya thinks he and Yamada are dating and if Yamada used him as bait to lure Haruya.

Kyotaro feels Yamada’s been using him this whole time to get closer to Haruya. Kyotaro returns to reading his Murder Encyclopedia book in class and notes he doesn’t visit the library anymore, nor does he care. Yamada approaches Kyotaro somewhere in the school and asks him if he’s mad at her for being too close to him. Kyotaro says he’s got places to be, but hears Yamada crying. Kyotaro realizes Yamada isn’t the type of person to use people and questions if his mind just wanted to give him an excuse to hate her. Kyotaro tells Yamada he isn’t mad at her, and the two hug it out and head home together.

Before Kyotaro goes on his separate path, Yamada stops him because she wants to chat with him more. After discussing Kyotaro’s planned trip, he returns Yamada’s manga to her and shares his favorite moment. She plans to bring him the next book Monday. Monday arrives, but Yamada forgets her book while Sekine’s upset she failed to get a boyfriend. She would bring the next volume tomorrow, but Kyotaro reminds her that winter break starts tomorrow. Yamada and Kyotaro exchange LINE IDs and plan to meet by Hachiko in Shibuya. The episode closes with Yamada telling Kyotaro good night over LINE.

The Episode Review

The Dangers In My Heart continues swinging and delivering great episodes. This episode gave viewers incredible development for Kyotaro and helped him realize that Yamada isn’t a dastardly person like Haruya. At the same time, I expect to see Haruya and Kyotaro confront each other about the library incident soon. It’d be a tense scene to sit through but could help Haruya change his ways.

That said, Kyotaro’s development toward the end of the chapter could’ve been handled a bit better. It felt too swift. It would’ve been great if it was drawn out more to sell his thoughts about being used. While the resolution was emotional and impactful, the anime could’ve spent another episode focusing on Kyotaro’s grievances with Yamada instead of him stating what he’d done.

Nevertheless, I’m happy they’re continuing to discuss with each other. Their companionship is compelling and serves as this narrative’s driving force that keeps viewers invested. Overall, this was another great episode of The Dangers In My Heart. It explores relatable scenarios many viewers can empathize with and gives our male protagonist some great development. I’m looking forward to seeing what’ll happen during their winter break.