REVIEW: ‘Too Many Losing Heroines’ Episode 4 — “When You Stare Into A Losing Heroine, The Losing Heroine Stares Back Into You”

Possessed with such heart and intricate character comprehension, Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 4 continues to assure viewers of its excellence. Based on the light novel by Takibi Amamori, the series adaptation from A-1 Pictures delights with its Makoto Shinkai (Suzume) sensibilities, intensive and detailed animation, and the emotional core that links all of its lead characters together. Displaying a shocking amount of care to the background settings and the tiny minutia of this world, Episode 4 wraps up the introductory chapter with a charismatic flourish.

Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 4 follows Komari’s (Momoka Terasawa) declaration to the Lit Club president, Shintaro (Yūsuke Kobayashi). However, much to her misfortune, this admission of feelings leads him straight into the arms of fellow club member Koto (Atsumi Tanezaki). Through these two characters, we see pieces of the romances Nukumizu reads about. They confess to one another in a moment of emotional upheaval as he and Yanami (Hikaru Tono) watch on. Komari is, understandably, heartbroken as she wilts before Nukumizu (Shūichirō Umeda) in a moment of vulnerability. But the episode refuses to lean on that melancholy.

Instead, Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 4 highlights everything that makes the series such a kinetic and winsome series. One of the most interesting elements of the series is our protagonist, Nukumizu, who so easily could drown under the larger-than-life personalities of the girls surrounding him. Instead, his personality stands out, too, as he seemingly resists friendship despite being initially friendless until Yanami and co. wear him down.

That burgeoning friendship makes the central drama of Episode 4 so impactful. Nukumizu begins hearing people spreading rumors about his relationship with Yanami, which often paints him negatively. People see her as out of his league and chalk it up to her bad taste. He’s hurt but unable to cohesively explain it to Yanami, which leaves her hurt, too. Throughout the first three episodes, we watch their relationship blossom from something beyond happenstance acquaintances to something closer to friends. Episode 4 solidifies that when Hakamada confronts Nukumizu.

Hakamada is the boy that Yanami still holds a flame for, and he’s trying to cheer Nukumizu on, believing the rumors that he and Yanami are dating. It all culminates in a three-person standoff when Yanami joins the conversation, having rushed to Nukumizu’s aid after falsely hearing he was getting bullied. The scene sums up the current emotional status of the characters, as Yanami and Nukumizu both tell Hakamada off for trying to rush Yanami’s feelings for him. It’s also where Nukumizu apologizes for how he’s been acting.

It’s yet another example of how well Too Many Losing Heroines animates facial expressions. We feel the abject horror that Yanami is enduring when she hears Nukumizu try to convince Hakamada that they’re not dating. And we understand how overwhelmed Nukumizu is when, for once, he gets worked up to protect Yanami. The characters are built with such distinctive qualities that it’s surprising it’s only been four episodes when we already know these characters so well.

This is true, too, with Lemon (Shion Wakayama) and Komari. Lemon, who always approaches Nukumizu with a slap on the back as a greeting, and Komari, who is perhaps most similar to Nukumizu and yet teases him mercilessly. The dynamics reach beyond the main characters, with one of the strongest moments taking place between Komari, Koto, and Shintaro. In a display of maturity, she rebuilds the bridge to ensure her friendship with both remains intact. It’s a sweet, understated moment that understands the messy intricacies of being a teenager.

It’s not just the character work, though. The background settings and interiors are breathtaking and detailed to the point of missing elements unless you pause on a certain screen. The rust on the pipes in the school, the scuff marks on walls, and the shadows that leak into a classroom during rainfall deftly aid in world-building. Their school feels lived in, and because of that, it grounds the characters and their relationships as they lean and hover over desks and back stairwells.

And perhaps most impressive isn’t just the superb animation but how the series can handle its inherent silliness with the genuine heart at its center. There’s plenty of comedy in Episode 4, from Lemon searching for stag beetles while others are having their hearts broken to Komari offering to run with Lemon as a way to give Nukumizu a chance to apologize to Yanami. But it never underscores the tension or drama of the moments. Instead, it just further injects personality into the story. And when those emotional moments hit with the score by Kana Utatane amplifying them, they soar.

Nukumizu and Yanami share a crucial moment at the end of the episode, though it’s built on a misunderstanding. Yanami believes she’s about to be asked out, but all Nukumizu does is ask her to be his friend. It’s a significant moment for both characters as they bond and look ahead to more moments shared together. It’s lighthearted and infused with the joyous sensation of developing new friendships in our adolescence, something so crucial to our foundations as people.

Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 4 continues to prove its might as a startlingly animated and profoundly written coming-of-age story. The series delightfully grasps the messy nature of being a teenager while delivering captivating visuals that are worthy of pause.

Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 4 is out now on Crunchyroll.