Blue Box Episode 8 Review: Time For The Showdown!

The 8th episode of Blue Box goes deep with the sports part as we see some new faces. Let us see how this episode turned out.

Blue Box Episode 7 Recap

Taiki has shown marked improvement in his game, though he still struggles to beat Haryu-senpai in one-on-one matches. Despite being a formidable player, Haryu proves to be a supportive senior, ensuring Taiki doesn’t overextend himself. He even advises Taiki to diversify his opponents, warning that repeatedly playing him could lead to a habit of losing, which wouldn’t help Taiki grow.

The women’s basketball team is also hard at work, with Chinatsu preparing intensely for her upcoming tournament. A heartwarming moment unfolds when Chinatsu and Taiki visit a shrine together. Realizing Chinatsu might feel uneasy about being seen walking with him outside their shared home, Taiki cleverly plays it off as a chance encounter between a junior and senior. Using this as an excuse, he invites her to visit the shrine, where he earnestly prays for success in both their matches.

In one notable scene, Chinatsu overhears a player from another school making disparaging remarks about her. While her friends are incensed, Chinatsu remains composed, later explaining with cool confidence that she didn’t react because her performance on the court would do the talking. This moment only heightens Taiki’s admiration for her, making her seem even more impressive in his eyes.

Blue Box Episode 8 Review And Recap

In today’s episode, we finally see the day of the match, and the mood in the house is intense as both Chinatsu and Taiki prepare to face their opponents to reach the nationals. Right after waking up in the morning, Chinatsu finds Taiki up and exercising as he has his first doubles match, and his partner will be Haryu. Their interaction here is cute and uplifting as they both are brimming with excitement and confidence about their matches. They promise to ask each other questions after their match, and Chinatsu even cheers Taiki with an uplifting ‘ Taiki score’.

In the arena, the whole mood becomes competitive as we finally see the badminton player who even has Haryu concerned. It is none other than Hyodo from Sachijawa High School, who has a track record of beating Haryu in every match. He is the ultimate sportsman blessed with maxed-out stats from every angle, and through his conduct, one can tell how assured he is about himself. This gets further proven when he easily wins his first match.

The next doubles match that Taiki plays with Haryu against Sachijawa High School goes exactly how it should. Our hero faces a staggering defeat in the doubles, and his dream of going to the nationals as a team with Haryu stops there. However, all hope is not lost, as the singles match was still his option to enter nationals.

I liked that this show kept the matches realistic and portrayed how difficult it can be to reach nationals. One cannot succeed in badminton just with the power of love and determination. Only because Taiki has promised himself that he will win does not result in his wins automatically. He is still very much inexperienced in his field, and there is still room for his evolution.

Verdict

This episode was way more sports-heavy, and I loved that. Yes, the romance part was lacking, but this is a sports-related anime as well, so we should have an ample amount of sports content to keep the premise interesting and believable. I also really appreciated the depth added to Haryu’s character. Watching him face his own struggles gave him more dimension, elevating him from just some senior who exists for the hero’s growth.

Also Read: Blue Box Episode 7 Review: Not A One-Sided Crush Anymore