REVIEW: ‘Horimiya: The Missing Pieces’ Episode 10 — “Jealousy”

No matter the charm of the extended cast that the series has explored in recent episodes, Horimiya: The Missing Pieces Episode 10 is a great reminder that Hori and Miyamura are the greatest draws as the main couple. Their gravitational pull allows for other characters to get their chance at the limelight — for better and for worse — but “Jealousy” is demonstrative of why the leads shine the brightest. Written with distinctive personalities that play beautifully off one another in their peculiarities and a romance that’s anchored in mutual, palpable affection, Hori and Miyamura’s relationship is the show’s beating heart, even when they’re momentarily at odds. 

Of course, being at odds with this couple leads to those around them calling them “strange” which is a fair assessment as both spend a not small portion of “Jealousy” trying to distinguish the scents of others. The catalyst of this is a boy, Watabe, a classmate of theirs who seems to have an unhealthy obsession with Miyamura. When Toru asks him if he likes Miyamura, Watabe is quick to dismiss the question, saying that his infatuation goes way beyond liking. He finds Miyamura dating the opposite sex “adorable”, mourns his longer hair but appreciates this side of him too, and has an entire folder dedicated to pictures of him he’s taken. Watabe is, for lack of a better word, Miyamura’s fanboy. But it’s his interest that hangs heavy on Miyamura, something that Hori picks up on the second he steps inside her home. 

Horimiya: The Missing Pieces Episode 10 deals largely with Hori’s continued issues with jealousy and possessiveness when it comes to Miyamura and, largely, the other guys he hangs out with. While she’s used to the scenes of Toru or Shindo hanging off of him, Watabe sends her over the edge. It’s a dynamic they and their friends are so used to that Miyamura is able to walk in the next day with a bandaged cheek with little fanfare. Hori is abrasive, prone to shouting and fits of jealousy, but even she realizes, with the help of others, that she’s gone too far this time. 

It’s something the series needed to address because no matter the comedic light it’s painted in, it’s hard to just accept Hori slapping Miyamura as a laugh-it-off bit of physicality. Miyamura is adamant about not apologizing this time, knowing that it’s on Hori to come to him, even if he’s worn down by the day’s end. It makes their final confrontation stronger though, as Miyamura bears witness to Hori’s self-evaluation and breakdown as she cries about her own personality and how her anger and insecurity led to her treating him badly. 

The focus on the two of them in the sequence brings out what makes them such an intriguing yet complementary dynamic. It harkens back to our first introduction to these characters, where both wanted the private sides of the other kept to themselves. Hori might feel shame at some of her actions — and is valid in recognizing a need to change — but Miyamura has always loved the version of her she disliked and hid away from other friends. When he catches her crying and says “I guess even monsters can cry” there’s genuine care in the words. To an outsider, they might seem harsh, but the show has done such a terrific job in establishing the two as individuals and as romantic partners that we understand those are the words Hori needs to hear. She can be a “monster” who is still prone to crying and Miyamura also knows that she needs to apologize through anger. He apologizes for liking her, and she yells at him that he’s done nothing wrong. It’s their dynamic, their schtick, and it’s part of why they work so well together. 

Hori and Miyamura, like most teenagers, progress in small moments of enlightenment. Neither are going to be able to change overnight. And while Hori is the more aggressive of the two, it’s Miyamura who always initiates physical displays of affection, drowning her into a kiss when she says or does something he finds charming, even if it leaves him blushing and stumbling afterward. Hori may hate the idea of other boys draped over him (which seems unavoidable for him) but she also brightens when his clothes smell like him because that’s her favorite scent. They give and take and there’s subtlety and care in the writing so that the changes and growth the characters go through are always depicted in these smaller instances. They’d seem insignificant if we didn’t know how much they meant to the individual character. 

Horimiya: The Missing Pieces Episode 10 is a marked improvement from Episode 9. By refocusing on Hori and Miyamura, the series gathers itself, with “Jealousy” being one of the funniest and most heartfelt episodes of the season. Defined by the thoughtful and layered writing, these characters are messy and still trying to figure themselves out and how they fit in their relationships with others, and that’s part of what makes Horimiya: The Missing Pieces such an engaging watch. They’re works in progress, and that makes them relatable.

Horimiya: The Missing Pieces is available now on Crunchyroll.