Blue Box Episode 3 Review: A New Found Determination

The 3rd episode of Blue Box was another hit as we dive deep into the heart of Taiki. Let us see how this episode turned out.

Blue Box Episode 2 Recap

Taiki’s world takes a surprising turn when his crush, Chinatsu, moves in with him to train for the inter-high basketball competition. It’s something he never imagined would happen—he only asked her not to leave Japan, but now she’s staying at his house for almost two years until she graduates. The unexpected situation leaves him stunned and nervous about being around her constantly.

Despite his initial anxiety, Chinatsu’s easygoing nature puts him at ease when she thanks him for being so welcoming. Her gratitude inspires Taiki to push himself harder in his own sport, badminton, with the dream of one day standing beside her. He sets his sights on qualifying for the inter-high badminton competition—a challenging feat, especially for a first-year—but he’s determined to make it happen, feeling that Chinatsu deserves the best.

However, having Chinatsu as a housemate brings its own set of challenges. Taiki is worried about keeping their living situation a secret, not wanting to deal with jealous fans or cause rumours about her. But his awkwardness sometimes makes Chinatsu feel like he’s uncomfortable with her presence.

Meanwhile, Taiki’s friends, Hina and Kyou, watch everything unfold, offering their support in their own ways. As the days go by, it’s clear that Taiki and Chinatsu are growing closer, despite the complications surrounding them.

Blue Box Episode 3 Review And Recap

Taiki is in deep waters because there might be someone who is a love rival for him. Everything changes when he sees his beloved Chinatsu Senpai talking to Haryu Senpai, the star badminton player of his school. Being in the badminton club himself, this was a huge blow because Haryu is now not only his rival on the court but also in real life. Not only that, but Haryu is an exceptional player, slated to join nationals, but Taiki is still not a starting player yet.

It is a double bummer for Taiki because Haryu is a classmate of Chinatsu, enabling them to spend more time together in class. Taiki further mentally crumbles when he gets to know that Haryu calls Chinatsu, ‘Chi’, a nickname signifying their closeness. Thus, our hero mops about his feelings for almost half of the episode before finally realising that there is nothing he can do about it. The only way for him to cope with his troubled heart is by proving his worth and playing his game properly.

I love that he understands that he does not play badminton because he loves Chinatsu. Hence, he momentarily forgets about his jealousy and focuses on his playing, which should be important considering he dreams of becoming a professional in tennis. Here, we also see how Chinatsu is the perfect girl for Taiki, as she completely understands his emotions even when he decides not to express them. Plus, they’re both very motivated and goal-driven when it comes to their respective sports, and I believe this can be a gateway to having a healthy relationship.

However, it is definitely sad that Hina is also showcasing signs of love for Taiki. She might not understand her own feelings now, but she will also fall for him and break her heart.

Verdict

I loved that in this episode we got equal parts romance and equal parts sports. It is good to know that this is not a sports anime just in name, and we will see depictions of it from time to time. It is still not set in stone, but I am pretty sure Chinatsu is also falling for Taiki, and we might see a love confession soon enough.

Also Read: Blue Box Episode 2 Review: How To Cope With This Situation?