Tokyo in April Is… – Season 1 Episode 6 Recap & Review

Episode 6

Tokyo in April Is… Episode 6 returns us to a memory of the guys getting ready for work that morning, Kazuma recalling their silly chat.

Meanwhile, Ren is confronted by Kazuma’s mother who interrogates him over tea. She’s not impressed that he works at the same company as her son. And less so when he lies about their relationship, as she recognizes the shirt she’d made for Kazuma.

Ren is speechless, reliving what happened back then, all the adults on him with questions. Out on the street, he has a breakdown, hyperventilating and unable to reply to Kazuma’s message.

Kazuma notices that it’s raining and runs out with an umbrella to meet Ren. The weather reminds him of their last day together back then but this time they have a warm home to go to, rather than a musty hotel. He continues to wait but Ren doesn’t show. Kazuma tries to call and goes back home in case he missed him, but nothing. Ren has disappeared again.

At work, Kazuma hears that Sanada is away on leave as the women in the office lament Ren quitting the company. Later, Maeda meets with him to explain that Ren has accused Sanada on behalf of the victims. She shares a text he’d sent to her regarding his team, so at least he knows he’s okay. That evening, Kazuma does nothing but think of his memories with Ren.

Sanada gets up to take a call, another person motionless in bed. The caller says he can’t cover for Sanada anymore, even though he’s covered up a sexual harassment case for the caller. But the company President is already aware of the circumstances. Sanada presumes it’s Ren who’s made the claim and asks where he is.

The Episode Review

Don’t you just hate when the lead couple has 20 seconds of relaxed happiness and then it all falls down? Kazuma is at least comforted that Ren is okay, not dead in a ditch somewhere. Does Ren feel the same? Consoled that he believes he’s done the ‘best thing’ for Kazuma and as his mother’s wish?

Kazuma is pretty easygoing, but it doesn’t seem like he’ll see it that way. Although his faith in Ren is pretty solid, even without realizing that he’s been waiting for Kazuma since they separated.

Key moment aside, is anyone else struggling with this episode? This is a pivotal point in the story yet the emotions just didn’t come through. With their relationship falling apart, I wasn’t getting it from either guy. 

There’s a dearth of feeling but also the narrative is lacking tangibility. It feels like they may have sacrificed an opportunity to dig deeper in favor of building up to some great reveal down the line. At least we hope there’s a whopping reveal. But instead of adding tension or even sorrow, it feels empty. 

What do you think? Opposing opinions welcome – you know where to add ’em.