Filthy Casual for Life

Genre: Slice of Life, Sports Romance
Where to watch: Netflix
Episode Count: 25

If you haven’t already, check out my post reviewing the first episode. Blue Box Episode 1

In a turn of events, Chinatsu is now living in Taiki’s home. Taiki had motivated her to keep chasing after her dream of winning Nationals. Taiki and Chinatsu’s mothers were teammates in high school, so naturally, Taiki’s parents agreed to allow Chinatsu to live with them.

Living together brings it own challenges. Chinatsu is popular and Taiki doesn’t want people to know they live together. Chinatsu tells her teammates that she is living with relatives. The only one that knows the truth is Kyo, Taiki’s best friend. That doesn’t last for long as Hina, Taiki’s childhood friend, quickly discovers the truth.

Chinatsu is 100% focused on basketball and Taiki doesn’t want to get in the way. So, he focuses on his goal to make it to Nationals in badminton.

Chinatsu’s team makes it to Nationals, however, Taiki does not. In fact, he gets beat during the first round. Taiki is upset, but continues to work hard to fix his shortcomings. Unfortunately, Chinatsu misses the last-minute buzzer shot and her team loses.

Hina, princess of the school’s rhythm gymnastics team, realizes that she is in love with Taiki. She confesses to Taiki with the knowledge that he has a crush on Chinatsu. Hina tells Taiki that she doesn’t need an immediate answer and that she’ll wait as long as it takes.

Taiki struggles with his feelings towards Hina after the confession. Hina is really working her feminine wiles and it has Taiki finally seeing her a girl and less as a buddy. Chinatsu senses this and begins to feel uncomfortable with her own feelings.

Taiki is caught in a rut in badminton. He is too focused on what he can’t do, that he has forgotten what he CAN do. It isn’t until a practice re-match with Yusa, the one who ended his Nationals bid, that he starts to click again. He actually beats Yusa.

Chinatsu stays overnight with her best friend. It is here that she finally realizes that she has fallen for Taiki.

It’s fall training camp. The girls rhythm gymnastics team, basketball teams, and badminton team stay at a mountain-side resort to train. At the conclusion of the camp, there is a bonfire. Ayame, the badminton team’s manager, has sworn to help Hina out with Taiki. Ayame creates an opportunity to get them alone in the gym while everyone else is at the bonfire.

In the gym alone with Taiki, Hina, once again, tells Taiki that she loves him. However, Taiki calmly tells Hina that his feelings for Chinatsu will not change and finally rejects her. Chinatsu pleads with him that she’s okay with him loving Chinatsu as long as he eventually looks her way, but Taiki tells her that doing that only hurts the both of them. Chinatsu is crushed. She runs away and Ayame finds her and comforts her.

After camp, things are tense between Hina and Taiki. Taiki wants to remain friends but realized that it is Hina who has to make that decision, so he patiently waits until she is ready. Taiki makes the decision that he is finally going to confess to Chinatsu. He invites her to go tracksuit shopping with him and she counters with also going to a café that she wants to visit. They have a date planned.

It’s the day of the date. He quickly leaves badminton practice and meets Chinatsu. She’s looking at the clouds and tells Taiki they’re going fast today.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Honestly, there isn’t anything too in-depth about this show. There is a lot of Taiki working toward his badminton goals and a lot of Chinatsu working on her basketball goals. In between, they have cute tokidoki moments.

The sports action wasn’t overdone. I loved that! I love a good sports anime, but sometimes, they sacrifice story for sports action. I felt like the sports to slice-of-life ratio was good.

One thing I have to commend is the rejection scene. It tore my heart to pieces. I felt so bad for Hina, because I have had those feelings before as a young person. All you want is the other person at any cost. Hina was willing to sacrifice anything to have Taiki. I am glad that Taiki did not take a bite of the proverbial apple. He was mature and sensible with his decision although it took him quite a while to get there.

Chinatsu is great, but I am totally Team Hina. I know, I know. The childhood friend NEVER wins. But, I rooted for her. She’s such a hard worker and has a cute personality. I really wanted Taiki to give her a chance.

Anyhow — would I recommend? If you like a good slice-of-life, I totally recommend it. It was easy to binge watch. There is a good balance of romance, day-to-day practice, and humor.