Produced by Doga Kobo, the finale of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian (episode 12), titled “Chin Up and Face Forward,”delivers a powerful conclusion to this rom-com anime from the Summer 2024 season. Released on September 18, 2024, this episode showcases Doga Kobo’s exceptional production quality, featuring Alya’s heartfelt speech that resonates deeply with the audience during the closing ceremony.
From the fitting background music to the meticulous camera angles, fluid animation, and beautiful art, the finale of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian stands out as one of the remarkable titles in the Summer 2024 anime lineup.
Doga Kobo deserves credit for ensuring that the finale checked all the essential boxes. While the central plot revolves around the closing ceremony, the episode seamlessly weaves in smaller narratives that illustrate Alya’s character growth and other key elements. The episode’s remarkable production quality puts this series on par with Doga Kobo’s other popular title, Oshi no Ko.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the finale of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian (episode 12).
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian Finale Review: Evaluating Doga Kobo’s Production for the Closing Ceremony
Doga Kobo maintained a strong adherence to the source material throughout the series, and the finale of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian was no exception. The esteemed studio captured the events from volume 3 of SunSunSun’s light novels, focusing on the pivotal closing ceremony and Alya’s impactful speech.
Aly Mikhailovna Kujo, also known as Alya, under the mentorship of Masachika Kuze, delivered an inspiring speech on stage, illustrating to the audience why she could be a leading candidate for the student council presidential election. Alya’s speech during the closing ceremony was a true reflection of her character—a dedicated individual striving to achieve the best outcomes.
Despite experiencing setbacks, Alya has learned valuable lessons from them. A key element of her speech was her authenticity—every word she uttered stemmed from her heart. She openly admitted her lack of experience necessary for becoming an effective president.
Nevertheless, she vowed to improve and become a worthy student council president for everyone’s respect. Alya even mentioned that if she didn’t feel deserving by the next year’s elections, she would step down from the race. Clearly, the finale of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian granted the heroine the attention she merited.
This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without Masachika’s guidance. Prior to Alya’s moment, Yuki Suou and her running mate, Ayano Kimishima, captivated the audience with their speeches. Yuki’s touching oration, along with Ayano’s carefully constructed speech, initially overshadowed Alya.
However, Masachika expertly anticipated Yuki’s approach, advising Alya to start her speech in Russian to capture the crowd’s attention. This tactic was successful, causing the audience to become quiet and intrigued by Alya’s unique introduction.
Doga Kobo effectively incorporated these subtle yet critical moments from the light novel, showcasing Masachika’s strategic acumen. It was as if he had Yuki’s entire plan mapped out and knew exactly how to counter it.
Alya’s speech provided Masachika with a foundation to present his own arguments on why the audience should support the silver-haired candidate as their next student council president. He presented a compelling case for Alya’s charisma, highlighting it as a key quality for any student council leader.
Additionally, Masachika strategically revealed that their rivals, Taniyama and Nonoa, would join the council if Alya were elected president, enhancing their appeal. Alya’s heartfelt speech, combined with Masachika’s strategies, garnered them more applause than Yuki and Ayano.
While Yuki’s speech was succinct, it lacked depth. As noted by Masachika, Yuki’s presentation was filled with promises but lacked genuine substance. In contrast, Alya’s speech was sincere and heartfelt. It was evident that together, Masachika and Alya made a stronger impact than their competitors.
From a production standpoint, Doga Kobo delivered a masterful finale for Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, featuring fitting background music, dynamic camera work, and beautiful animation. It is worth noting that the studio made some edits to tighten the pacing, which resulted in a polished episode.
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian Finale Review: The Dynamics Between Alya and Masachika
As previously mentioned, the central narrative of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian‘s finale contains multiple smaller storylines that enhance character development. One particularly notable aspect is the unique chemistry between Alya and Masachika, which remains a focal point throughout the series.
Despite the finale not showing them as a couple, it certainly illustrated their growth in friendship. After the closing ceremony, Alya finally referred to Masachika by his first name and he expressed his desire to spend time with her during the summer break.
The Masachika from episode 1 would likely have never asked Alya such a question. Therefore, within the context of the student council narrative, the finale of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian emphasized the evolution of their dynamic relationship.
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian Finale Review: Yuki and Masachika’s Rivalry
Even though Yuki and Masachika are siblings, competition runs deep in their relationship. Masachika recognizes Yuki’s capabilities and welcomes the challenge. Though he was ill leading up to the ceremony, he managed to outsmart the situation with brilliant strategies during the closing ceremony.
This finale of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian reveals the true essence of the sibling rivalry, highlighting that Yuki genuinely cares for her brother, despite the competitive backdrop. She successfully kept her competitive spirit separate from her familial love for Masachika.
Although the episode didn’t overtly emphasize this, Doga Kobo has consistently reflected this dynamic throughout the series with a faithful adaptation of the light novel. Masachika’s competitive nature towards Yuki stems from his understanding of her strengths.
The opening scene in the finale of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian illustrated his eagerness for the closing ceremony while showcasing his strategic plans.
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian Finale Review: Missed Opportunities
Some aspects of the production studio could have been handled differently in Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian. A significant deviation from the light novel occurred during the closing ceremony when Masachika Kuze offered Alya the encouragement to “Chin up”in Russian.
However, this phrase was not delivered in Russian in the anime version, detracting from its emotional impact and the nuance of their relationship. Hearing Masachika say this phrase would have suggested he learned it specifically for Alya. Furthermore, the production team condensed the speeches to suit pacing needs, but overall it was a tightly woven episode with minimal points of contention.
Conclusion
Doga Kobo’s production of the finale of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian was nothing short of excellent. When considered alongside the overall series, it truly shines next to Oshi no Ko, another renowned title from this esteemed studio.
From the production quality to the voice acting, every element contributed to the finale’s success. With the anime already renewed for a sequel, fans are left to wonder what lies ahead for Masachika Kuze and Alya’s journey.
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