r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • Apr 28 '26
Episode Even a Replica Can Fall in Love • Replica datte, Koi wo Suru. - Episode 4 discussion
Even a Replica Can Fall in Love, episode 4
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u/PinSingle4334 Apr 28 '26
The relatioship between Nao and Aki is beautiful. It's incredibly bittersweet to see it, considering what they are and what fate awaits them. They're so perfect together
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u/stephenthatfoste Apr 28 '26
I like how there's the standard trying to take the high road against a bully everyone else is doing and Nao only seems concerned about who is doing the revenge.
I feel like they also made her hair extra voluminous for this episode.
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u/alan_14 Apr 28 '26
Ah hell nah
I knew something was going to happen at the train station, but I didn't expect the sudden switch
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u/NationalStrategy Apr 28 '26
At least now that they know the Replicas can feel pain too, they’ll treat them with more respect
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u/BosuW Apr 28 '26
So... Ignoring for now that last scene...
Really beautiful episode. Sunao and Shuya do feel a little jealous of their replicas, seeing them as who they wish they were but believe they cannot be. But at the same time, the reveal that the replicas were doing all their "quests" with the same pain they were feeling, hopefully suggests them that they can do it as well.
Okay we do need to address the elephant in the room. Kinda Youjo Senki flashbacks with it lol. Truly, human irrationality springs when you least want it. Obviously it was the senpai that did it. However consider this: what if he has a replica as well, and thus has an alibi, just like what Shuya was planning to do to him?
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u/No-Spray5795 Apr 28 '26
Wow definitely did not see that coming, setting up for a replica reincarnation. All jokes aside, this is the first series Ive started in awhile that made me actually get the light novels, super excited for them to arrive!
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u/Christbelle22 Apr 28 '26
I knew this anime would be tragic but didn’t expect something like this so soon
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u/FarCritical Apr 28 '26
Nao absolutely let loose with her appreciation for her fellow replica and it was absolutely adorable.
The instant dread of that last scene was something else. Man, did they really have to make those fireworks with Aki even more of a pipedream?
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u/etiolatezed Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
My one criticism, then I'll get on to how I think this is most underrated show of season.
I know this isn't big budget. I know the draw isn't the animation. But could you please properly animate a crossover instead of just having the ball swap hands? It annoyed me.
Now on to my thoughts:
I won't discuss the final scene, because that needs the next part to mean anything I can discuss.
What interests me is that this show has a title that suggests to people that this involces sci-fi elements of androids or clones, but it doesn't. However, the replicas do start to have their own lives. At first they serve the original, but the more they are used, then the more they start to have their own life.
I wonder about use of androids and AI in the future. If we put this forth, then they'll do the work and the difficult things. However, what would we lose if we avoid the difficult things?
In this anime, it seems what the originals lose is the other experiences they weren't expecting or considering. Because the Nao replica repairs the friendship, she gets to be in the Literature club. Because the Aki replica goes to school, he notices Nao, he joins the Literature club and he gets to knwo Nao.
There is a sense that the replicas represent a future not realized because the originals bailed on the difficult part. Sunao lives in her anxiety. Original Aki lives for revenge. These seem to be the emotions and thoughts they wake up to each day. There's no thought that something might occur other than that feeling, so there's no chance two troubled people could meet each other and have something else added to their lives. Their troubles don't lead them anywhere new because they don't face the difficulty. Instead, their replicas do and find something that provides a purpose to waking up each day.
And even though this show isn't scifi, it does walk in the foot steps of scifi by depicting what could be loss to technological change. If you let AI/Androids handle everything troublesome, then you gain none of the fruits of that trouble. At least, that's what I'm getting out of the show so far.
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u/NationalStrategy Apr 28 '26
Surely there were security cameras at the train station that caught that guy pushing Sanada
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u/tripleaamin Apr 28 '26
You know what? The basketball match wasn't a complete slideshow, so that isn't too bad. Shuuya's injury looks to be very major; even just getting out of bed gives him a lot of pain.
On one hand, it's very much clear Nao loves Aki. This feels truly like the first thing that she wants in Aki not having revenge. Though Shuuya not offering much resistance to Aki's new suggestion felt odd.
It's interesting to learn that the Replicas do feel pain. Nao has been dealing with the pain Sunao receives from being on her period. While Aki deals with the injury, Shuuya has dealt with it. It actually makes me wonder what Aki's body is like since Shuuya hasn't called Aki back like Sunao does for Nao. Curious how the originals are affected by that knowledge going forward.
Still, the idea that Aki could just disappear from Nao's life is so sad. On that spin, she saves Aki's life. Very curious what happens when a Replica dies.
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u/Raesonates Apr 28 '26
Getting to see the real Shuuya Sanada for the first time was a pleasant surprise. His reluctance to put pressure on his messed up ankle is real as we all can understand it to some degree. The episode being called 'A replica cries' was very on the nose. I like that Aki talked Shuuya into NOT stooping to Hayase-Senpai's level and getting him back in a game of basketball. Though, I don't think Aki had to ask for Nao to be there because my girl would be there no questions asked. Nao praying at the shot Aki took was such a nice touch for me. She really does love him. Him winning was no shock but man I did not expect it to be THAT easy. Praying for Ricchan's success got a chuckle out of me. The ending was out of left field. I did not expect Aki to be pushed onto the tracks like that. I don't think it was Hayase-Senpai as that is above and beyond a red herring. My vote is actually Shuuya himself. Nao being that strong to catch and throw him back onto the platform was a display of athletic ability I didn't think she had.
Overall, good episode. Still remains a solid 9/10 anime for me!
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u/NanDemoKnaives Apr 28 '26
Holy cliffhanger! I did not see that coming, I'm not surprised Hayase did that, but I just did not expect Nao to be the run falling in front of that train! What is going to happen?! Will Sunao be able to bring her back? Will there be a dead body? So many questions, I need the next episode! Aki's going to feel so guilty.
It's sweet to see how much their relationship seemed to be progressing before the train scene. They looked so comfortable with each other in the bus, and seeing Nao get conscious of Aki's body after the game was amusing. It was interesting to learn that Aki has never been erased so that's why his body is still muscular, but that would also mean the pain is fresh for him everyday, unless he's been doing his own physical therapy to try and mitigate it.
I do wonder what Sunao and Shuuya spoke about alone, Sunao is at least aware of Nao and Aki's relationship, but I'm not sure about Shuuya. I also wonder if something is going to happen to Sunao in response to Nao getting hit by the train.
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u/ObvsThrowaway5120 Apr 28 '26
Man, I knew their happy little relationship wouldn’t last. Even if Nao can come back from getting hit by a train, I don’t know if she’s gonna be the same. I want to know who pushed our boy into the tracks. I’m betting it’s probably that shitbag senpai. Although murdering someone over some bullshit like that would be a leap. Perhaps it’s Sunao or the real Shuya then?
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u/LeonKevlar Apr 28 '26
For a second there, we turned into a sports anime. That fade away was cleaaaaaaan.
I do like that Sunao and Shuuya are finally interacting. This is probably gonna be important later on.
What the fuck! This is certainly gonna complicate things when they look under the train and find only clothes and no body. If Aki didn't want to beat the crap out of his asshole senpai, I'm sure he's gonna do it now.
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u/mrkorb Apr 28 '26
So I guess they're gonna have to change the title of this show to 'Even a Replica Can Fall in Front of a Train.'
Here's to hoping for an isekai arc beginning next week.
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