REVIEW: ‘Let’s Make a Mug Too,’ Episode 12 – “A Smile for the Future”

Last time with the Pottery Club, Himeno, Mika, and Touka finally arrived at the 41st Minoware Contest. They set up their pieces for judging, and… waited. However, waiting left Himeno with plenty of time to fret over her abilities and her piece. Now, in Let’s Make a Mug Episode 12, we’ll end our time with the series and see how Himeno’s piece performed.

Episode 12, “A Smile for The Future,” begins with a much more serious tone. It’s fitting, given this is the finale and the finals for the 41st Minoware Contest. Himeno, who we’ve seen go from pottery newbie to artisan, looks over a fountain as she ponders her fate and how she might do in the competition.

But before we get any answers, she, Mika, and Touka enjoy lunch on the rooftop. Silently, Himeno mulls over how her ceramic cushion will do, unknowingly emoting quite obviously. Meanwhile, the judges get down to judging all of the student’s entries. We get a bit of insight into how they feel about Mika’s colorful piece. We also get insight into Touka’s craft ware, which gets high praise from everyone but her grandfather. And finally, the judges deliberate on Himeno’s unique cushion, which gets some laughs for its creativity, as well as its ambition. However, that’s not what catches one of the judge’s eyes. What does catch the judges is its color. 

In the live-action segment of Let’s Make a Mug Episode 12, the voice actors digest the two homemade curry they made in the last episode and reflect on their trips to Tajimi City. Both curry dishes look absolutely amazing! The voice actors also use their handmade mugs, which complete all the good pottery vibes that have permeated these segments. All in all, It’s a sweet and delicious way to end Let’s Make a Mug Episode 12 and the series by and large. In many ways, I’ll miss these segments the most, largely because I’m a foodie and because I love behind-the-scenes stuff. Still, if they had to end, this was the perfect way to wrap them up.

Let’s Make a Mug Episode 12 doesn’t waste too much time there, however. It quickly gets to the awards, which are tense but joyful. This is cut with scenes back at Himeno’s family cafe with her very tense father, her very chill grandmother, and Nao. The scene with her family provides quite a bit of levity, though that doesn’t take away from the “it’s a finale” vibes.

Let’s Make a Mug Episode 12 is, overall, a delightful way to end this series. It has a lot of heart, a good amount of comedy, and ultimately, ends on an incredibly high note. It’s not perfect in its execution, but it definitely did wring tears out of me. While I don’t think we’ll get a second cour, I did leave my watch of Let’s Make a Mug Episode 12 feeling satisfied. I’m okay with the story stopping here. And maybe, if this adaptation does well, it won’t. Maybe the manga will be localized. There’s a whopping thirty-three volumes thus far, and the series isn’t even done. Maybe there are digital omnibuses in our future.

I don’t think Let’s Make a Mug Too will be remembered too much outside of Spring 2021. However, it’s definitely one of the sweeter, more relaxing highlights of this season. I definitely recommend that you check it out: spend an afternoon binging the anime-only segments, at minimum. It’s not going to be on the level of some of Spring 2021’s more dynamic series, but it’s such a delight. I can’t help but recommend that you spend a little bit of time with it, if only to get some chill, crafty vibes.

Ultimately, Let’s Make a Mug Too demonstrates the power of a simple slice of life anime. It’s well done, well animated, and has a completely likable cast in a charming setting. It’s also got a lot of friendship, and aside from a very strange episode, it has been really enjoyable. But that’s the power of the slice of life genre. They don’t have to be big or grand or dynamic. Sometimes, the best anime aren’t high-budget or complex or even incredibly plotty. Sometimes, the best series you can watch are heartwarming, peaceful, and soothing. Let’s Make a Mug Episode 12, and the series overall, have that in spades, making it a perfectly peaceful way to wrap up this anime season.

Let’s Make a Mug Too is now streaming on Crunchyroll.