NegaPosi Angler – Episode 04

Episode Synopsis:

Now living with Takaaki after settling his immediate debts, Hiro starts his actual work at the Everymart. He catches on to most of the work quickly, but is overwhelmed by the massive stock of fishing gear, lures, bait, and more that takes up an entire aisle of the store. Luckily for him, Hana is able to tackle tricky questions about the hobby, and he’s able to help her out when working the register fries her brain.

Later on, we follow Hana through her routine, from fishing at dawn, to school, to work, and back to sleep in a small apartment above the store. To thank Hiro for his help, she offers to teach him how to use different lures, and the two spend a long evening fishing at the canal, where Hiro gains some more insight into his younger coworker.

Review:

The show continues to be chill and charming this episode, shifting our perspective a bit from Hiro and onto Hana. As Takaaki says, she’ s a huge fishing nerd, and her knowledge of the Everymart’s selection of gear helps her answer customer questions that blow right over Hiro’s head. And she should know all about that gear, because we find out that she’s the one who keeps stocking more and more specialized stuff, much to the manager’s chagrin.

While she’s often the one saving Hiro from awkward retail questions, Hiro does her a solid when another customer tries to work out a way to get fewer coins in change. Apparently math is Hana’s Achilles heel, but Hiro is able to swoop in and work things out. Not exactly high stakes, but having worked retail before, I can say that sometimes your brain just refuses to compute simple stuff, and having someone else step in feels like a lifesaver.

This also introduces the possibility that Hana may be dyslexic, or have a similar learning disorder like ADHD. She struggles with math and class, but is still a diligent worker and has encyclopedic knowledge of fishing, so perhaps it’s a fixation as much as a hobby. We’ll see if this is explored more, but whether it’s how she’s wired or just something she loves, it’s an interesting wrinkle to her character.

While she appreciates Hiro helping her out, he teases her about being able to catch fish but not do math, which sticks in her craw. When Hiro later complains about not being able to memorize all of the lures in the shop, she brings him out for an after-work fishing lesson and demonstrates a few different kinds.

Like my fellow Con Artists, I’m not much of a fisherman. I do, however, have fond memories of fishing with my dad when I was younger, and watching Hana demonstrate various fishing techniques and tools brought back a wave of nostalgia I hadn’t expected. The show captures the sensation of fishing incredibly well – the repetitive, almost meditative action of casting and reeling, the long stretches of monotony broken up by sudden strikes, and even the smell of the water that permeates everything in the tackle box.

After Hana leaves him to his own devices for awhile, Hiro is joined by Machida, the store manager. When Hiro asks why a high school student like Hana lives alone above the store, Machida tells him that her grandmother owns the building, and that her parents are divorced. He claims that he can talk about such personal things because he’s a divorcee himself, though I’m not quite sure that’s how it works.

Again, we’re learning more about Hana through the eyes of those around her, creating a more three-dimensional view of her as a person. The show is taking its time to flesh out the cast, but if it keeps going like this, I’ll be thrilled to see it. I already got to see Hana razz Hiro for not being able to catch anything despite knowing math, so I’m here for more banter between these two crazy kids.

Summary:

We take a step back from the heavier side of the show with this episode, which gives us time for some lovely character-building and real slice-of-life entertainment. While the show revels in the love of fishing, it’s never smothering or obnoxious about it – much like the folks who are taking Hiro under their care, it’s demonstrating kindness and patience. In this exhausting world, we can always use more of that!

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