REVIEW: ‘Insomniacs After School’ Episode 11 — “The First Stars of Dawn”

Insomniacs After School Episode 11, “The First Stars of Dawn,” is a triumphant series highlight. The Yuuki Ikeda-directed series continues to strike a strong balance of heartfelt levity along with the challenges Nakami and Magari face, interweaving both so that the characters are grounded. These are teenagers, and no matter the hurdles they’re facing, personal, romantic, or all that falls in between, they act their age. The depth in which the writing allows the characters in question and how their personalities contrast yet complement one another make it so some of their most intimate moments — sharing secrets, heartaches, even a kiss — sing with greater profundity than one might expect when first starting the series.

In “The First Stars of Dawn,” we meet up with Nakami and Magari as they’ve just arrived at the bus stop on their second training camp day. Their destination is Mitsukejima, where they’ll bustle around the area, awaiting nightfall to capture the night sky and, as Magari puts it, “the blanket of stars.” Magari’s exuberance of wanting to explore the area they’re in against Nakami’s hesitance, a worrier through and through, is exemplified in these moments, though he always caves and tags along.

Her confidence is seen in how they clamor over ocean-dusted rock paths, her footing steady, and he slips and slides and nearly crashes into the water below him, rescued for the first of two times by Magari’s strength. This, too, could be perceived as a throwaway moment, but considering what we learned in Episode 10 about the hardships she faced as a child and how she’s often challenged her physical capabilities, seeing her grab him to steady him before he plunged into the water below, or drag him out of the water after he walked off into a drop of it, possess necessary, small, character beats.

And there are many this week. Insomniacs After School Episode 11 is a touch heavy-handed when utilizing montages as a plot driver. In this case, it plays more like snapshots of the moments Nakami and Magari get to share together. The moments where we see them interact, behind still frames of them taking photos at shrines and sunflower fields, are the ones that signify a real shift in their relationship. They remain one another’s sleep-deprived confidantes, sending one another funny texts while laying just one room over, their shared presence enough to lull them into a peaceful slumber.

But it’s through actions that we see the change, too, as they shop together for groceries, cook dinner together, and even wash their laundry in the same load. It’s a chance for them to be on their own together just to enjoy being in the same space as they embark on their mini adventure, pursuing both a shared interest while also getting to be their most authentic selves. These domestic beats of choosing to spend time together while partaking in the mundanities of daily life deliver an abundance of joy.

However, Nakami and Magari struggle, as evidenced in the prior ten episodes, from insomnia that plagues them to Magari’s childhood health condition. In “The First Stars of Dawn,” the episode opens with a flashback, focused on a much younger Nakami as he awakens to realize his mom isn’t home — has likely left for good based on the disarray and clear abruptness she took off in — and it’s clear that moment has tremendously altered his life. He broaches this topic in an exposing moment of vulnerability, telling Magari that since she shared her secret with him, he wanted to share his own with her to explain why he can’t sleep. To him, the moment his mom left is fuzzy, so he can’t fully recollect what triggered his sleep disorder, though as viewers, the signs of abandonment issues are clear.

His description of what pains him is made all the more poignant, considering just moments before, he’d told Magari that since arriving for their trip, it’s like his anxieties have faded away. Usually, he tells her, mornings scare him, believing that tomorrow must be worse, so he lives an “extended today.” It’s a devastating assertion of his fears and the way his anxieties manifest, and the show honors the moment while refusing to allow us to wallow in it. Instead, in an act of impulsivity, Magari kisses him.

Their relationship is changed — though she does say things should stay the same until the end of the trip. Nakami is encouraged to put into words exactly how he feels about her. His troubles aren’t gone, and he’ll still have to continue to face the burdens of his anxiety. Still, with Magari, he’s found someone safe enough to him, someone he can confide in to alleviate the weight he’s been bearing, even if it just means someone to listen and sit nearby as he cries.

Insomniacs After School Episode 11 is another strong episode of character introspection and gorgeous landscape animation. With greater emotional confessions and a romance further ignited due to shared summer days and watermelon slices, “The First Stars of Dawn” is a series highlight due to its tender heart and delicate artistry.

Insomniacs After School Season 1 is available now on HIDIVE.