REVIEW: ‘Horimiya’ Episode 7 – “You’re Here, I’m Here”

A LOT happens this week in Horimiya Episode 7. It is an intimate exploration of the entire cast and sets up an incredibly realistic love triangle. The anime is from CloverWorks (The Promised Neverland) and is based on the manga series of the same name by Hero, with art by Daisuke Hagiwara. The English edition of the manga is available from Yen Press. The story follows Hori, Miyamura, and their friends as the navigate new love and their final year of high school.

The first half of Horimiya Episode 7 puts the focus on the supporting cast. Sakura has feelings for Toru, but is incredibly nervous to act on them. The viewers have already seen another side of her best friend Remi, and this time Sakura goes to student council president Sengoku for advice. Sakura also asks a question many viewers probably had: what does Sengoku see in Remi? His response is thoughtful. It is a nuanced response that breaks down toxic masculinity. Sengoku sees Remi as a strong person. He wants to protect her, not because she needs protecting, but because Remi makes him want to be a better person. It is an incredibly mature example for a young couple to have such a healthy, mutual respect for one another. It also once again breaks any initial stereotypes that Sengoku and Remi’s characters may have initially presented as.

It’s also revealed that Sakura isn’t the only one who has feelings for Toru. Horimiya Episode 7 really shines because so much is focused on body language. The subtlest of looks from a character tells so much more than dialogue would this week. Many people will likely relate to Yuki this week. She is the perfect example of how a selfless person can go too far to the point where they are hurting themself in their attempt to always consider others. What I really appreciate about how all this is handled, is while it is technically a love triangle, there isn’t a toxic competition between Sakura and Yuki. Both girls clearly respect and are trying to consider the others’ feelings during all this.

The other half of Horimiya Episode 7 is back to the star couple. More miscommunication antics occur, with Hori becoming incredibly self-conscious. The show does very slightly play into the “not like other girls” mentality, but not much. More so, it fights against that. Hori loves horror movies, but she and all her friends grew up in a society that told them they had to be the timid ones or they would push men away. It isn’t a perfect response, as it still requires validation from Miyamura, but it is overall a very heartfelt approach to being yourself. Once again, the show isn’t afraid to let the teens explore all facets of being in a relationship, which is healthy and deserves applause.

Horimiya Episode 7 is another wonderful installment for the series. It can almost be divided up into two separate stories, but both are executed very well. Viewers finally get a glimpse into Yuki’s mind, and a depth is added to her character. Each character continuously breaks expectations around who they should be, and that should be praised.

Horimiya is streaming now on Funimation.