Insomniacs After School

Episode 8

Someone, hug my man Ganta because, wow, there is a lot to unpack in this episode. Last week, we got the big reveal about the source of Isaki's insomnia. Due to being born with a weak heart, she gets anxious when she sleeps because there's always a chance that her time on this earth will be more limited than others. Ganta himself hasn't given us a definitive reason, but we've gotten hints here and there about it being tied to his family. He lives alone with his dad, but they don't seem to have the best relationship. I can't tell if his dad is neglectful or if something happened that's causing Ganta to keep his distance. One thing is clear, though, and that's the fact that the mom is not in the picture. I don't think she's dead, but the few brief flashbacks we've gotten involving her are all from Ganta's perspective when he was a child. I like the symbolism of him looking up to her while also looking up at the stars, which could explain why astronomy both puts Ganta at ease and makes him feel anxious.

Regardless of the reason she's not around, it's clear that Ganta is harboring a lot of guilt. His line in the middle of the episode, where he thinks that the meteor shower being canceled due to the rain was all his fault (even though there is no way that can be true), feels like an extension of that guilt. It's pretty typical for children to blame themselves for situations they had no direct input on during the developmental stages of their life. If those issues aren't treated or addressed, it could lead to some pretty bad self-deprecation. Maybe Ganta blames himself for why his parents are no longer together and, by extension, blames himself whenever something major goes wrong, even if there's nothing he could do about it. Hell, maybe it's easier for him to blame himself instead of accepting that there are things in life beyond our control. It would mean Ganta would have to accept that something traumatic as losing a mother could be just a natural occurrence. It's kind of heartbreaking, and I empathize with his anxiety and self-doubt. I like the direction and writing that conveyed that sense of self-isolation even if you haven't been in his circumstances. If anything, I felt pretty called out a couple of times while watching this episode, but that's only half of the impact here.

The second major takeaway from this episode is how Isaki steps up to the plate in being there for Ganta, like when he was there for her in the last episode. Not only does she go out to find him in the terrible weather, but she makes it clear that he is someone special who is worth caring about, with the two being just a hair's breadth away from kissing each other and affirming those feelings. Normally, I would be pretty pissed at the usual cliché of a friend interrupting the main couple having a moment together, but I think the show has already established that these two are a perfect match for each other. So even if we reach the end of the season without any physical confirmation of the relationship, I think enough goodwill has been accrued for me to be comfortable with whatever direction the relationship takes. Besides, the philanderer callback was pretty funny and felt incredibly fitting for this helpless group of awkward teenagers.

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Insomniacs After School is currently streaming on HIDIVE.