The preparations for the shower are already underway in Insomniacs After School Episode 4, as we get a deeper look into the psyche of Ganta and Isaki. Let’s see how it went in this review!
Insomniacs After School Episode 4 Overview
Insomniacs After School, Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia, or simply, Kimisomu, is a romance and drama anime which is developed by studio Lidenfilms, also known for anime such as Tokyo Revengers and Kotaro Lives Alone. The series is based on a manga written and illustrated by Makoto Ojiro. This episode is also known as Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia Episode 4.
The show is directed by Yuuki Ikeda, a relative newcomer to the anime scene whose previous contributions include being a production manager in Arslan Senki, as well as directing an episode of Beelzebub. Click here to read the review of the previous episode!
– Kimisomu Episode 4 Review does not contain spoilers –
Insomniacs After School Episode 4 Review- Too Hard On Yourself
It’s going to be hard to speak objectively about this episode, as I don’t believe anyone else will love it in the same way that I did. All that I can do is put my feelings in front of you and ask you not to judge me, and you can hop into the same train that I am if you feel like it. The show is slow, and not much has happened in it so far, but it has somehow managed to pull me in like few others have this season. This is the kind of show you have to ease yourself into.
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The thing that is the most striking about Insomniacs After School Episode 4 is that none of its characters are caricatures. I can’t say I’ve ever seen a character exactly like Ganta in a show before, even though there have been plenty of moody slice-of-life protagonists. Hell, my favourite ever anime features someone close to this, as Tomoya Okazaki did a lot to lay the groundwork for characters like Ganta. However, Ganta’s strength lies in how understandable his plight is.
Ganta isn’t a bad guy, but he might as well be for all that he cares about. He doesn’t care to correct anyone who assumes the worst of him and holds strong opinions of the world that he isn’t afraid to let fly. He is passionate and kind-hearted, but he is also extremely hard on himself for not being immediately as good as his teacher in Yui. If it were just him that we were watching, these facts about him wouldn’t have hit as hard. However, when put in contrast with all his other classmates, he sticks out like a sore thumb.
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Insomniacs After School Episode 4 featured a bunch of Ganta and Isaki’s friends in order to display that no matter how much the duo like spending time with each other, they also have lives apart from that which do not match at all. Ganta has one friend while Isaki has many, but Ganta’s singular connection feels much stronger than Isaki’s multiple. Isaki’s friends also seem to share a personality ( with a notable, Ganta-hating exception). At the same time, Ukegawa is a much more well-rounded character who is shown to be the kindest person in the show so far.
While we are talking about characters, I am waiting to see what Insomniacs After School ends up doing with Isaki as a character because she hasn’t been very well developed so far. She doesn’t get as much screen time as Ganta, and even when she does, she doesn’t seem to be talking or thinking about anything other than surface-level concerns. A couple of Isaki-centric episodes should fix that right up. It just depends on when the writers are feeling up for it. This episode also featured some very strong direction and tricky yet beautiful animation.
Verdict
Insomniacs After School Episode 4 was a complicated one to talk about, as it wasn’t as interesting as any of the three previous episodes, but it did still feature some of the show’s best character work so far.
Click here to read the review of the next episode!