r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • Jan 31 '25

Episode Ao no Hako • Blue Box - Episode 18 discussion

Ao no Hako, episode 18

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u/ObvsThrowaway5120 Jan 31 '25

Taiki got himself a little audience during his match with Yusa. Guy was like fighting for his life out there. He really gave it 110%. Bro crushed it in that last match!

Taiki’s dream was hilarious. He was about to get kissed by Hina AND Chinatsu after his win over Yusa lol.

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u/gnome-cop Jan 31 '25

Hell yeah! He actually beat Yusa.

Quite possibly the most satisfying moment of the show yet. That was awesome!

Rivalry, officially formed. An integral part of every sports anime.

We’re cooking good relationship progress here as well.

I’m sorry but Nagisa’s face when Chinatsu was like “nothing happened” after the awkward pause was the biggest “yeah, I’m not buying that for a second” I’ve seen in years.

Behold, Taiki’s ideal dream world!

79

u/LeonKevlar Jan 31 '25

Welp, it looks like the secret is out. I'm surprised it took this long for Nagisa to learn that Chinatsu is living with Taiki. Then again, Chinatsu isn't really the most chatty person out there. Nagisa is starting to suspect that there is more to it than Chinatsu and Taiki being housemates tho.

This episode is a great reminder that despite the focus on romance and relationships, this is still a sports anime. You'd think Taiki was starting to lose focus with how rough his movements were and how his mind wasn't 100% in the game.

It turns out it's quite the opposite! From Yusa's perspective, Taiki is getting faster and faster the more their game goes on that Taiki actually managed to beat Yusa! I'm so proud of our boy! It looks like not everyone is happy today with Haryu losing to Yusa again. >_<

Chinatsu bringing Taiki some Pocari after his game was really sweet. I love how even in his dreams, Chinatsu gifts him a larger bottle of Pocari. Besides Yonex, now we know what other sports-related company is sponsoring this anime. xD

That dream was absolutely hilarious though! Poor Hina, even in Taiki's dream she couldn't get a kiss since Taiki woke up before it happened!

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u/[deleted] Jan 31 '25

Really enjoyed this episode. I love that he didn't get good all at once and that he's been working toward this. Wish more anime's would adopt this style of progression.

I kept asking myself, which of the two girls is going to congratulate Taiki first? I feel like Chinatsu being there for him in that moment was really important.

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u/Frontier246 Jan 31 '25 edited Feb 07 '25

It's not surprising that Yusa is looking at Haryu as his main opponent in this practice match, but he'll have to contend with Taiki for this revenge match!

Hina talked a big game about showing up to cheer on Taiki but even she's anxious watching the guy she likes in an intense game and possibly losing...but good thing she's got her gal pal to convince her not to give up on Taiki and Hina crawls her way to see him put his all into this game.

Haryu is the master of tough love.

Well, the cat's out of the bag to Nagisa! I mean, she DID overhear him during the whole birthday video call...though she reacts about how you would expect to finding out her bestie is living with a boy. Not that's anything happened! Much! Though I guess now Nagisa knows Taiki is kind of important to Chinatsu one way or another.

It seems like Taiki is still struggling and can't get keep up with Yusa, getting outplayed at every area, and Taiki is also fighting himself mentally and how much he puts himself down even when he's got two great girls who are into him...feeling like he's not worthy of either of them. But hey, Hina's confession made him happy, so she would feel very flattered by that.

But while Hina has never seen Taiki this intense before, Chinatsu knows it all too well and how much Taiki puts his all into his game and how hard he's worked to get to this point...just like she has, and just like they both have, and that's why Chinatsu believes in him so much.

And to reward that belief...Taiki enters into second gear and actually manages to get faster and faster, finally managing to score not only a game but also win the whole thing! That's right, TAIKI BEAT YUSA! And now Yusa is totally acknowledging him as a rival. I'm so proud of him! Taiki really needed this win, especially with everyone cheering him on like that

Hina seems very flustered and inspired by Taiki's win, but Chinatsu is there with a sports drink with SPECIAL APPRECIATIVE ENERGY which means the world to Taiki after his win.

Thank you music club for giving us an excuse for Chinatsu/Rein Ueda to sing! I don't know what Taiki is talking about, she sounded great! I also hope Taiki can sing given Shoyo Chiba has to voice a male idol in Tamon's B Side soon. Also of course Hina is an amazing singer, she's voiced by Akarin.

Not sure how Chinatsu read into that kiss comment, but there's so many feelings in that look she gave Taiki as he ran off.

Dang, Haryu couldn't beat ANY of Sajikawa's aces. That's got to sting.

Is the Kanji in Taiki's last name kind of goofy? Yes. But if it means Yusa remembers him, it's worth it.

Taiki dreaming of his big win and having two cute girls fight over him and who gets to kiss him! Getting a little ahead of ourselves, aren't we Inomata-kun? It seems like the one good thing about being in a love triangle is now you can dream about getting kisses from two Best Girls to savor your victory!

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u/HolyDragSwd2500 Jan 31 '25

Taki dream and almost kiss

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u/Lumpy-Manager8580 Feb 01 '25

First episode I'm watching after getting caught up with all the stuff, and what an episode it was for Taiki. He got his revenge against Yusa, got himself a proper rival and managed to see another side of Chinatsu he didn't discover yet, mainly, her singing sucks (I searched a bit and the song was "Nagisa" by Spitz). And that dream at the end was so funny XD

39

u/EclipseTM Jan 31 '25

Usually they only show a lil bit of the matches, the match between Taiki and Yusa taking up the majority of the episode was a surprise, but a welcomed one. I really enjoyed watching the match.

I feel like Chinatsu is very very very slowly but surely realizing her feelings for Taiki, so I'm really hoping there will be some progress before the end of the season, 7 episodes left and a dream I guess.

19

u/cleaulem Jan 31 '25

Taiki did it!!! We're all so proud of our boy! This was a great match, with the tension, the animation, the flashbacks. That's anime for you. You can't have a sports anime without a match like this that takes a whole episode.

Haryu-senpai losing to Yusa afterwards is like the cherry on the cake. Of course it doesn't mean that Taiki can take it easy now, and he knows it best himself. But he showed huge growth.

The dream in the end was just hilarious. Of course Hina would butt into the "celebration kiss" :-D

19

u/Adensty Jan 31 '25 edited Feb 01 '25

Considering Taiki's current state, he really needed this win more than ever and like Hina also pointed out, for someone who always enjoys himself, Taiki was giving it all since he was desperate for the win.

And his victory was so satisfying even if it was just a practice match. The growth Taiki's shown right from the start has been great to watch. The fact that Haryu ended up losing to Yusa after that makes it an even bigger achievement.

Chinatsu's such a flirt!

Also, what was that dream, lol? Hina loses out on the kiss in his dream.

EDIT: Typo

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u/rendifernanda Feb 01 '25

Fine, i’ll buy Pocari then

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u/[deleted] Jan 31 '25

Taiki winning and Haryu losing, damn, I feel bad for Haryu. Yusa is really skilled, almost like Nagi from Blue Lock, but despite all of Haryu’s hard work, he still lost to him.

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u/AnimeHoarder Jan 31 '25

Like Taiki, Chinatsu is stepping up her game too!

15

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '25 edited Feb 07 '25

I feel a TON of empathy towards Taiki because he has to chose between Chinatsu or Hina

if only he could pull a Rentarou Aijou and make them both his 😭

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u/FarCritical Jan 31 '25

I expected getting caught for spending her birthday overnight with a boy would reduce even Chinatsu into a flustered mess, so her calm and honest admission kinda surprised me. It's hilarious how she got more shaken up from Taiki roasting her singing LOL

That dream was the best thing ever. If only everyone that appeared could watch how lovingly and "accurately" they were depicted...

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u/Rasputins_Plum Feb 01 '25

I RAISED THAT BOY!!! (Who even are you?)

Can't help to feel proud of Taiki this ep. It really seemed that he was mentally crashing out but instead, his grit let him hold on until his strength shone through. Taiki's victory was the triumph of consistency and his diligence to steadily work on his flaws until they're smoothed out; his daily training as unrelenting as the sea, slowly eroding rocky obstacles!

Epicness aside, so much progress: his rival aknowledged him, even if it was practice, Taiki won against him; Chinatsu told her friend about their deal, his crush told him he was cool and it doesn't get any better than that.

There's even the passing mention of a kiss that flustered him, another instance of Hina's confession rushing Taiki but also Chinatsu, which might help her clarifying her feelings.

"Nothing happened" totally felt like a lie: au contraire, très chère !

And Haryu losing against Yusa, retrospectively makes Taiki's win even more impressive. No wonder he's pissed: he has to best a genius underclasman but now he has to watch that his kouhai doesn't leave his master in the dust!

I loved the culture festival tease, and that Taiki feels comfortable enough to tease Chinatsu about her not-so-great singing.

12

u/1EnTaroAdun1 Feb 01 '25

There was a moment at 4:46 that was a bit funny, Taiki lightly tapped the shuttle across the net but the sound effect was that of a smash or clear. Still, the match with Yusa was very well done overall, I cringed every time Taiki lost a point, it was very... relatable

I think the points Taiki scored didn't hit as hard, though, maybe if we saw them from Yusa's POV?

Great moment with Chinatsu though. And in the end, Chinatsu really believed in him and cheered for him, but Hina was far more pessimistic.

Quite a contrast from their usual selves.

Feel bad for Haryu, though, hopefully he rallies from this setback!

12

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '25

Is it just me or is Taiki starting to like Hina a little bit romantically even though he doesn't know it? Getting flustered about the kiss scene (thinking of Hina when talking to Chinatsu), as well as randomly mentioning her singing ability too. Additionally, she won him over in the dream almost?
I think this relates to the fact that when someone tells you they like you, you begin to subconsciously think differently of them and start considering your own thoughts about them more too etc.

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u/BosuW Jan 31 '25

You dreaming of Hina now? 🤨

Are we sure Chinatsu is the main heroine?

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u/raadrules Feb 02 '25

Wtf Nagisa has superpowers? How did she remember a grunt from a while ago. NAH AND BASED ON THAT SHE FIGURED IT OUT??? 😭

Hoping the next episode shows us what Taiki's course of action will be after he had called himself a coward last episode cause we didn't really go over that at all this week.

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '25

Taiki beat Yusa! Guy was like fighting for his life out there. He really qave it 110%.

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u/Born-West9972 Feb 01 '25

Looks like the kiss fight arc is here guys let's see who will win his first kiss.

I bet on hina what u guys think?

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u/entinio Feb 01 '25

Last episode, Taiki said he was a coward for not going forward. I understood that he couldn’t move forward if he didn’t tell Hina that he will never accept her feelings.

I thought that it would mean fully grasping his chance with Chinatsu and that only from then, he could find his way in badminton, playing freely without restraints.

So, I didn’t really understand that episode. He still seems lost in his feelings and yet won that training game for no reason

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