Chizuru Mizuhara | The Infinite Zenith

“So he’s not perfect. You don’t wanna end up old and lonely like ZOIDBERG!” –Zoidberg, Futurama

In the resulting commotion from Kazuya’s desire to see Chizuru make a movie, neighbour Mini Yaemori takes an interest in developments. Mini is all too happy to lend her time and know-how after taking a keen interest in seeing Kazyua get together with Chizuru. With Mini’s expertise as an influencer, Kazuya opens a kickstarter and, despite some difficulties early on, he manages to raise the necessary funds. Along the way, he also successfully recruits his college’s film club to assist. Filming proceeds smoothly, and Kazuya himself shoots the final scene on a private retreat with Chizuru. Before the screening, however, Sayuri, Chizuru’s grandmother collapses and is hospitalised. When it appears Chiruzu would be unable to fulfil her promise to Sayuri, of having her watch at least one film, an insistent Kazuya manages to bring a copy of the film and a projector. Sayuri dies shortly after, and although Chizuru is devastated, she tries to put on a brave face. Worried about Chizuru, Kazuya speaks to Sumi, who encourages him to do what he can for Chizuru. Kazuya ends up arranging for another rental date and decides to take charge this time, trying to raise Chizuru’s spirits as best as he can. This date ends up being an ideal one, and when Kazuya breaks out the fireworks, Chizuru’s thoughts stray back to her grandparents. Emotions boil over, and she finally cries her eyes out in Kazuya’s arms. On première day, the film Chiruzu stars in is well-received, and Kazuya wishes he could do more for Chizuru. After the screenings end, Chizuru indicates she genuinely enjoyed every step of the movie-making process, and, with a smile consents to have Kazuya accompany her along the way. With this, three seasons of Kanojo, Okarishimasu are now in the books. This series, known for a seemingly outrageous premise and a protagonist whose mannerisms can be a source of frustration for viewers, has also found itself a fiercly dedicated following for its raw portrayal of how romance may progress. This isn’t always apparent: other viewers find Kazuya a difficult character to relate to, and the inconsistent pacing in Kanojo, Okarishimasu makes it a frustrating experience. Every step forward Kazuya takes is countered by the combination of Chizuru’s stoic and indomitable nature, with Kazuya’s own propensity to second-guess himself, and at first glance, this makes it tricky to gain a measure of what Kanojo, Okarishimasu strives to convey in its story.

There is, however, a most unlikely of comparisons that helps to provide a modicum of grounding in what Kanojo, Okarishimasu seeks to accomplish. There is a parallel between Kazuya and Chizuru in Matt Groening’s Futurama: Kanojo, Okarishimasu presents Kazuya as a loser archetype, similarly to Philip J. Fry. Both Kazuya and Fry are dim-witted, slovenly and impulsive, acting on the spur of the moment without a second thought to the consequences and generally lack the competence to see things through correctly. However, Fry and Kazuya have a kind heart and never hesitate to put others ahead of themselves, as well. Similarly, Chizuru can be seen as Kanojo, Okarishimasu‘s counterpart to Turanga Leela – Leela is smart, competent, hardworking and generally self-reliant, but both also have a short temper. Leela and Fry outwardly seem incompatible, as do Chizuru and Kazuya. In Futurama, Fry and Leela initially connect because of their shared loneliness; Leela was initially thought to be the last of her species, and Fry, having come from a thousand years earlier, has lost all of his family and friends. Through the course of Futurama, Fry becomes drawn to Leela, who would rebuff him, but as Leela sees other men and finds that despite their accomplishments, they all had some significant character flaws. On the other hand, Fry’s good heart and sincerity outweighs his other shortcomings. This is helped by the fact that Fry is admirably persistent: even when Leela’s not interested, Fry goes out of his way to make her feel appreciated and loved. The Fry-Leela relationship is a tale of how persistence and determination can win out, but it also reflects on how it can take time for people to work out their feelings. Here in Kanojo, Okarishimasu, the beginnings of a similar story are visible. Kazuya is head-over-heels for Chizuru, who similarly doesn’t return his feelings initially. However, in spite of herself, Chizuru does regard Kazuya as a friend, someone who, despite his indecision and taste for theatrics, can and will come through when the situation is dire. Having invested so much of his time into helping Chizuru and Sayuri out, Kazuya exits the third season on a much more positive note with Chizuru than anywhere else in the series. The two might not be dating yet, but Chizuru’s opinion of Kazuya has evidently improved, the same way that Fry would eventually win Leela over throughout Futurama. With this comparison in mind, the seemingly inconsistent dynamics between Kazuya and Chizuru become significantly easier to reconcile, and it becomes clear that Kanojo, Okarishimasu intends to portray the two’s relationship as a protracted tale of how it takes a bit of time for some people to learn about one another and cultivate something meaningful.

Screenshots and Commentary

• I had been quite ready to bin Kanojo, Okarishimasu midway through season two: continuing on with the antics that defined the first season had not advanced the story in any meaningful way, and it was admittedly infuriating that neither Kazuya or Chizuru appeared to grow even as a result of their time together. The conflict as a result of Ruka trying to insert herself into things, and Kazuya’s unwavering feelings for Chizuru didn’t have an apparent goal in the second season. However, once Kanojo, Okarishimasu had established that Sayuri was dying and this gave Chizuru a hell of a time constraint to work under, Kazuya was presented with an iron-clad reason to show Chizuru what he’s made of.

• That Kazuya goes to such lengths to realise Chizuru’s dream meant that Ruka never had any sort of chance, and give how the story’s presented, one of the things I imagine that viewers will be anticipating is seeing what goes down when Kazuya formally turns Ruka down. This outcome is inevitable, and while it was the only way things could end in Kanojo, Okarishimasu, one cannot help but feel badly for Ruka.

• I had originally set out with the intention of tearing Kanojo, Okarishimasu a new one – from Kazuya’s standpoint, meeting Chizuru had set in motion a series of events that gave him every opportunity to move on from Mami, and of everyone he meets, Ruka is the first to openly admit she’s into him. I hold that life is a game of making the most of the hand one is dealt, and while many works of romantic fiction indicate that it is noble to hold out for the best, in reality, this may not always be practical.

• As a result, instead of sitting out other opportunities in hopes of getting something ideal, it is preferable to know what one wants, and then if an opportunity comes up that satisfies a reasonable percentage of one’s expectations, then one should seize it. In the context of Kanojo, Okarishimasu, building a relationship with Ruka would’ve allowed Kazuya to experience the process with someone who had feelings for him and, potentially, fall back in love with Ruka. However, Kanojo, Okarishimasu is not real life, and I’ve long accepted that the story will progress the way author Reiji Miyajima intended it to.

• Thus, I do not object to seeing Ruka lose in the long run because it is necessary for Miyajima to convey his intentions. The movie-making chapter of Kanojo, Okarishimasu is the best opportunity to establish this – Kazuya finds Ruka attractive, but their interactions always seemed to lack the emotional intensity that Kazuya feels whenever he’s around Chizuru. Far more than the physical elements, it’s this emotional connection that makes a relationship strong, and in the long game, since Kazuya doesn’t return Ruka’s feelings at this level, their relationship was never going to be quite as strong.

• Besides giving Kazuya a stronger reason for being in Kanojo, Okarishimasu, the other aspect about the third season that I particularly liked was Mini’s appearance. Unlike Ruka or Sumi, who are both rental girlfriends and presented as potential suitors, Mini ends up being a source of support. She doesn’t have any outward interest in Kazuya as a romantic partner, but takes great interest in him for his relationship troubles. Characters like Mini are a refreshing way of adding new people into a romance story without creating unnecessarily complex love triangles, but at the same time, also provides another element that can bring about new humour.

• Looking back, Kanojo, Okarishimasu was respectable in that the story is very clear about where Kazuya’s heart lies. Even more so than protagonists who lack confidence, viewers most despise protagonists who are ambiguous about who their feelings are for, or those who actively keep things ambiguous. The most infamous example of such a protagonist was Infinite Stratos‘ Ichika Orimura; because of the author’s own inability to settle on a proper romance, Ichika comes across as being clueless and dense wherever relationships are concerned, and in this way, Infinite Stratos‘ romance piece was reviled. On the other hand, Kazuya has eyes only for Chizuru, and this means that viewers don’t need to worry about his feelings wavering, no matter how many new characters are introduced.

• Seeing how Kanojo, Okarishimasu handled Mini’s character made the third season a great deal more enjoyable – her otaku antics are presented as adorable and, while a little misguided at times, ends up providing Kazuya with solid advice. Whether it be for helping to crowdfund the film or compelling Kazuya to step up, Mini ends up being an asset to Kanojo, Okarishimasu. Mini is voiced by Yū Serizawa, a voice actress with an impressive resume, but having looked around, I can’t say I’m terribly familiar with her roles.

• With Mini’s advice and support from everyone, Kazuya’s kickstarter is successful, and the filming project moves onto the next phase. Having the funds allows Kazuya to bring the film club on; they bring the knowhow and equipment, allowing the project to fully start. When Kazuya is occupied with directing the movie and managing the other aspects of shooting a movie, viewers have a chance to see him at his best. Kanojo, Okarishimasu had not given viewers much insight into how Kazuya is outside of his romantic pursuits, so being able to observe Kazuya working towards something more tangible paints him in a better light.

• Although this might be an independent film with a small budget, Chizuru gives the lead role her all. Patience is required for stories like Kanojo, Okarishimasu – the series’ slow start was meant to establish the characters and their traits, but the tradeoff for doing this was that the anime would frustrate some viewers with its early emphasis on comedy over substance. I recall during the first season, some reviewers immediately dismissed the series as being a “dumpster fire” or “train-wreck”, criticising Kanojo, Okarishimasu for being a paint-by-numbers romance with nothing of note.

• Admittedly, the first two seasons of Kanojo, Okarishimasu had not impressed me: the pacing had been infuriating, and Kazuya seemed to be unreasonably optimistic about his odds with Chizuru. However, I never did share these raw impressions with readers. I strive to be fair in my discussions, and this means that before I put my opinions on paper, I try to appreciate what the author is trying to do for a given work. Additional context is helpful, so I prefer to pass judgement on a series only after I have a better measure of the series. After one season, Kanojo, Okarishimasu had not surrendered any of its mysteries to me, so I refrained from putting forth a single, definitive opinion.

• This is why it took me all three seasons to gain a solid understanding of why Kanojo, Okarishimasu is structured the way it is, and in turn, provide a more reasoned account of my overall thoughts on the series. As it turns out, the best way for me to approach this was to treat Kanojo, Okarishimasu like Futurama: the parallels are quite striking, and when I began connecting the dots, my disapproval of Kazuya and Chizuru vanished. For me, Kazuya’s biggest shortcoming was the fact that, despite desiring to doing right by those around him, he never gained any more confidence as a result of his experiences. Similarly, Chizuru is incredibly stubborn and insists on soldiering through problems on her own.

• A major part of any story worth following is seeing the characters grow over time, and for me, I most enjoy stories where initial impressions of a given set of characters are proven inaccurate as one gets to know them (and their backgrounds) better. Over time, as individuals learn more, they grow as individuals, and this growth mirrors what the author intends to say with their themes. The journey is what makes things meaningful for me, and this is why stories without such a goal do not appeal to me. At first, Kanojo, Okarishimasu appeared to be the latter, but because it was so early in the story, I decide to be patient with the story.

• Having more time to see Kazuya interacting with Chizuru, without any antics from Ruka or Mami, gives viewers a chance to see how things can be without interference from the other characters, and seeing the dynamics between Kanojo, Okarishimasu‘s lead characters led me to feel that, of all of the shows I’ve watched, Chizuru and Kazuya most resemble Futurama‘s lead characters – even though Chizuru and Kazuya aren’t accompanied by a lovable robot rascal voiced by John DiMaggio, making common trips with faster-than-light travel across the universe, there’s enough going on so that the filming process was compelling.

• The idea of using a project to help Chizuru see a different side of Kazuya is as plausible as it was effective – while I imagine a large number of people will disagree with me, I feel that the best way to really know someone isn’t through having fun with them, but seeing how they operate when things get busy or challenging. Kazuya, for all of his bluster and outward disorganisation, always finds a way to come through. By the end of his private retreat with Chizuru, Kazuya completes filming, and the footage is now handed off to the film club for editing. This leaves Kanojo, Okarishimasu free to return to the problem of Kazuya needing to handle the fallout from Mini’s interference: originally, she and Ruka were supposed to accompany Kazuya and Chizuru, but things didn’t quite proceed as expected.

• Thus, on his return, Kazuya must handle an irate Ruka. He promises to take her on a date of sorts on her birthday, but on the day of, I found that Kazuya’s heart wasn’t wholly into things because he’s head-over-heels for Chizuru. The events of Kanojo, Okarishimasu are tailored to accommodate the shift between Kazuya and Chizuru, and in this way, I found that the story does a solid job of setting up Ruka’s fall – since Kazuya hasn’t turned Ruka down outright (and Chizuru herself had actually encouraged Kazuya to date Ruka), Ruka’s expectations are still high despite her own understanding that she’s lost to Chizuru. How author Miyajima portrays this outcome is something I’m curious to see in the animated format.

• While Chizuru might be the star of Kanojo, Okarishimasu, and her background makes Kazuya’s pursuit of her all the more compelling, I found Ruka was more appealing. Unlike Chizuru, who tends to bottle up her feelings and put on a brave face, Ruka is very forward about how she feels – she has no problems with throwing tantrums and has a possessive streak a mile wide. I’m not someone who can readily read between the lines when it comes to people, which is why I tend to favour people who speak their minds. Outside of Ruka’s more negative traits, she is cheerful, persistent and outgoing, and on top of this, is said to only be bested by Chizuru in terms of figure.

• Altogether, Ruka is someone whom I’d not object to having around, and it is for this reason that as a viewer, I would’ve preferred to see Kazuya adhere to the adage that “a bird in hand is worth two in the bush”. In my own experiences, I have found that making the most of what I have has always worked out better than holding out for something more. This is why when asked the classic question of “take ten dollars now, or flip a coin for double or nothing”, I’d always take the ten. This isn’t something that I was appreciative of when I was younger, and in this way, I ended up giving up things that were quite good because I was sure I could do better.

• For this reason, and based on the information available to viewers after three seasons, I would pick Ruka each and every time. However, this is strictly my preference, and while the so-called “shippers” take these choices very seriously, I find that when considering relationships and their outcomes in the realm of fiction, one must empathise with the protagonist, rather than forcing their own preferences towards a conclusion. In Kanojo, Okarishimasu, I happen to like Ruka more than I do Chizuru, but from Kazuya’s standpoint, he sees Chizuru as being the better choice. The story would not work if Kazuya decides to take a more practical route, and so, it becomes necessary that he pursue the aloof and stoic Chizuru.

• Spotting that Kazuya was similar to Fry helped me to warm up to his character: both are quite whiny at times, and in fact, Kazuya’s propensity to wriggle around in fits of self-loathing did not endear him to me. However, I came to respect Fry for his simple and sincere approaches during his pursuit of Leela, and when I began treating Kazuya similarly to Fry, Kanojo, Okarishimasu clicked. If Kazuya was Fry, then Chizuru’s counterpart is Leela; like Chizuru, Leela is competent, intelligent and strong. Both put on a tough act for those around them, but have moments of vulnerability.

• This comparison is ultimately what led me to the choice of page quote: like Fry, Kazuya isn’t perfect, but unlike the more successful men Leela dates, Fry is genuine. I had hoped that Chizury would’ve spotted the effort Kazuya had put into making her dreams possible for Sayuri’s sake, but Kanojo, Okarishimasu always trundled along slowly in this area. From the timescales of an anime series, Kanojo, Okarishimasu moves along glacially, and this made the series a little trying to watch at times. However, recalling that Leela didn’t really warm up to Fry until about six seasons in, I became more forgiving of Kanojo, Okarishimasu‘s pacing.

• Sayuri’s unsteady health was the main reason why there had been so much pressure for Chizuru to reach her goal of starring in a film – despite her good spirits, Sayuri’s time was limited enough so that this is what compelled Kazuya to complete the film at all costs. This element was added purely to add drama and a sense of urgency, but because Kanojo, Okarishimasu had started its journey as a comedy, I had assumed that the series wouldn’t actually have Sayuri dying before Chizuru had reached her dreams. As such, when this outcome did come to pass, the story now gave Kazuya an opportunity to show what he’s got.

• The swings between comedy and tragedy in Kanojo, Okarishimasu aren’t anywhere nearly as pronounced as they were in something like Key’s visual novels, but the intentions are the same: by showing the characters in whacky situations, viewers can see how everyone is under ordinary circumstances, and then, when defecation hits the oscillation, since viewers accompanied characters through good times, tragedy becomes more impactful. The series had hinted that Sayuri wasn’t in the best of health, so this outcome wasn’t outside the realm of possibility, but seeing it happen was nonetheless a shock. In her last moments, Sayuri sees Kazuya step up and show her what Chizuru had accomplished.

• For me, what was quite maddening was how Chizuru resisted all of Kazuya’s efforts to support her right after she got the news that Sayuri was gone. For all of Chizuru’s positive qualities, her single largest shortcoming is how stubborn she is. In this way, Kazuya is a suitable match for Chizuru purely because he’s equally as unyielding, and while he spends a few days agonising over what the next move is, Kazuya does end up deciding that he’ll support Chizuru in the only way he knows how. I would’ve liked to have seen Kazuya be more decisive with his actions – while perhaps more plausible, watching him writhe about in his apartment doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

• In the end, Kazuya finds the resolve to do what he needs to after having a chat with Sumi – Sumi was introduced as another rental girlfriend working at the same agency Chizuru had, and like Ruka, she’s drawn to Kazuya’s kindness. Overwhelmingly shy, Sumi had taken the rental girlfriend position so that she could gain more confidence and become an idol, but even in the company of familiar people, Sumi prefers to type out her conversations. This trait was likely deliberate: when Sumi does give voice to her thoughts, viewers can be sure that she’s serious, and with Sumi’s encouragement, Kazuya finds his answer.

• Kanojo, Okarishimasu thus joins the ranks of countless other anime in setting one of its scenes in Enoshima; a motivated-and-determined Sumi ends up taking Kazuya here as a part of their date so Kazuya can clear his head, where they climb the stairs to the Enoshima Sea Candle’s iconic observation deck. It is not lost on me that I’d kill multiple birds with one stone if I were to include Enoshima on my proposed Japan trip next year. My friend had been interested in visiting Sagamihara Vending Machine Park, and Enoshima is a manageable two hours away by train. However, after consideration, I would rather stay in the Hiroshima-Kyoto area so I can explore those sights in greater detail.

• In the end, Kazuya ends up renting out Chizuru and plans an extravagant date for her. Besides taking Chizuru clothes shopping, out to a Nolan-esque film that flies over Kazuya’s head and even the climbing centre, Kazuya also drops serious coin on a luxurious crab dinner, before rounding out the evening with fireworks. Kazuya struggles to determine if Chizuru is genuinely having fun on their date, or if this is her fulfilling her obligations as a rental girlfriend. Although self-doubt occasionally crosses his mind during this date, one admirable change in Kazuya was that he pushes these thoughts aside, and pushes ahead with his objectives.

• Kanojo, Okarishimasu is not known for its portrayal of food (at least, not to the same level as cooking anime, or series like Yuru Camp△), but seeing details in Kazuya and Chizuru’s evening meal serves to accentuate the fact that Kazuya’s spared no expense in trying to give Chizuru a boost. Good food does act as something that’s universally appreciated, and during the past weekend, I swung by the local Farmer’s Market because it’d been a rainy sort of day. I wound up having Steak Bites from a vendor called the Chuck and Shoulder: it’s basically a steak sandwich with seven ounces of sirloin steak dry-aged for 28 days on garlic bread and house fries, and I found the steak especially flavourful.

• In the end, after the day’s final activity (fireworks), Chizuru finally breaks down in tears, the full weight of her grief pouring out torrentially – the fireworks reminded her of her grandparent’s words to her, and here, Chizuru finally realises that the last of her family are no longer around. Kazuya does what he can for her, although he wonders if he’d done enough, especially after running into Chizuru the next day and being regarded with a stony silence. I’d hazard a guess and suggest that Chizuru was probably just a little embarrassed – while paying her respects to her grandparents, she admits that Kazuya’s gone to lengths like none other.

• Once their independent film formally screens and is well-received, Chizuru’s old spirits begin returning, and she resolves to continue acting. This time, however, she seems genuinely happy she’s got Kazuya in her corner, and with this, Kanojo, Okarishimasu‘s third season draws to a close. My overall verdict, in typical “Terrible Anime Challenge”, is that the series doesn’t suck. This is high praise for a series that started off on a very uncertain footing, and while I don’t always agree with how Kazuya or Chizuru handle things, there is a certain charm in how the series manages to make things work out for the two. With this, I’m now done writing for the shows I watched during the summer season and are in a solid position to enter the fall season.

Having now found my answer regarding what Kanojo, Okarishimasu sought to do with its story, my own reservations about the series have been lessened. I had entered Kanojo, Okarishimasu with an interest in seeing how things would unfold given such a dramatic premise, and found myself frustrated at the flow of events. In particular, Kazuya’s single-minded desire to win Chizuru over appeared to come at the expense of other people that came into his life as a result of his experiences, and at first glance, Kanojo, Okarishimasu‘s messages felt like they clashed directly with what I hold to be true. However, from another perspective, this is untrue: Kanojo, Okarishimasu‘s story, if viewed from Chizuru’s point of view, is a reminder to viewers about how sometimes, what one seeks in life has been in front of oneself the whole time. Kazuya’s tendencies to dream big and move mountains to help Chizuru reach her goals resemble those of her grandfather, and while Chizuru still sees her relationship with Kazuya as that of a client and service provider, Kanojo, Okarishimasu makes an effort to show how Chizuru’s grandfather, in encouraging her to dream, is similar to the idealistic optimism that Kazuya has. Although Chizuru’s grandparents, the last of her family, have now passed on, it does feel like, with his mannerisms, Kazuya can act as a reminder of the people she loves very much and anchor her to her family, giving her the strength and encouragement she needs to pursue the future of her choosing. Of course, Kanojo, Okarishimasu can be quite bombastic and blunt about things, but with a successful movie production in the books, Chizuru’s opinion of Kazuya has changed perceptibly. The two might not be dating yet, but seeing how Kazuya treats people around him would doubtlessly give Chizuru a strong measure of how, beneath his disorganised and listless exterior, Kazuya is someone whose heart is in the right place. In this way, Kanojo, Okarishimasu‘s third season stands as the strongest ending to a season yet, and while the first two seasons did not inspire much confidence, now that Kanojo, Okarishimasu has hit its stride, I would not object to seeing another season, which would be valuable in exploring how the relationship between Kazuya and Chizuru matures.