ホワイトアルバム Episode 18
White Album Ep. 18 review

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

While tutoring Hana, Touya learns of Rina’s departure from Ogata Productions to Hana’s mother’s label, M&M Music (“3M”), something Hana thinks is a mistake. Yuki meets Touya at the hospital where they discuss this on the roof. Yuki wants to see Rina at her final job for Ogata Productions but Touya passes, citing work and his father. Yayoi confronts Touya about avoiding her and while she reveals a scary side of herself, Touya does not resist her as she deep kisses him, all of which a photographer somewhere manages to catch on film.

Yuki visits Touya’s father where they have a little talk about Touya. Meanwhile, the members of Sakura-dan have a tearful press conference to announce their breakup, only few in the press even attend. On her way to a meeting with some TV execs, Yuki learns some things from Yayoi. At dinner with the execs and Ogata, Yuki bails on them to go see Rina. Meanwhile, Touya can’t stop thinking about Rina and ends up going to see her. Rina initially pretends to be neutral about seeing Touya but before he can leave, she tearfully asks him to kiss her, which he does. Yuki arrives to see Rina and is horrified to see Touya leaving Rina’s dressing area.

Thoughts/Review:

You know, I wondered when Rina would get back on the action with Touya. Last season, it seemed like she might have a casual relationship with Touya on the side behind Yuki’s back but then things changed, especially after she learned that Touya was banging Yayoi. However, the moment he shows back up in her life, she lets her own loneliness and whatever other feelings she has for Touya come out by kissing him so passionately. So, I expect Touya to start banging Rina pretty soon. *_*

Yuki and Touya’s father’s conversation was rather strange. I’m not sure what happened in the past or what thing Yuki is waiting on, but I do know that Yuki is so devoted to Touya that as she told his father, she’d fall in love with Touya all over again if he left and came back. I guess that means that once she learns how Touya has been banging her manager and her best friend (but I don’t think Yuki and Touya have ever consummated their relationship), she’ll be very hurt but she’ll forgive Touya and still say “yes” if he asks her to marry him. *_*

Yayoi is coming off more and more like a psycho. At this point, it almost seems like blackmail with Yayoi’s unspoken threat to reveal all to Yuki should Touya not play ball. Well, that’s what happens when you sleep with someone like that. *_*

Which reminds me — just how did someone manage to get rooftop photos of Yayoi and Touya playing tonsil hockey on the hospital roof?

I felt kinda sorry for Sakura-dan even though they’ve been naught but brats for the whole series. One thing this anime does is give a glimpses into the harshness of life as an idol — popular today, in the trash tomorrow. When the leader of the group gave her statement, she knew that they would be forgotten but made a final appeal to keep something of what they had in the way of fame.

I have to say that this is the first one of these harem titles where I don’t want the lead to hook up with anyone. We’ll see if that changes in the future though. In the meantime, nothing to do but wait for the next episode.