REVIEW: ‘Twilight Out Of Focus’ Episode 8 — “A Real Trashy Boyfriend”

The inconsistent quality of Twilight Out Of Focus means that, despite some continued visual wonkiness, it delivers some strong humor in Episode 8. “A Real Trashy Boyfriend” introduces our new central romantic duo, Shion (Soma Saito) and Rei (Takuya Eguchi). Their personalities are the most polar opposites yet. Their divisive differences and Shion’s direct and confident nature generate some of the most significant laugh-out-loud moments of the series to date.

Shion is unlike the other leads we’ve witnessed in the story. While the other protagonists keep their desires — at first — close to the chest, Shion is brash and forward about what he wants. Namely, a boyfriend. Twilight Out Of Focus Episode 8 wastes little time in establishing as much. He introduces himself to the film club by telling the members he only wants to join to find a boyfriend.

After facing bullying for his sexuality in middle school, his transfer to an all-boys high school opened up his possibilities. A lover of shojo, his goal is to mimic that type of romance, seeking a prince to come and whisk him away. The reality is more challenging, though, as Twilight Out Of Focus flips the script on our expectations.

His first objective is to find a club and a boyfriend soon after. The problem is that each time he joins a club, he finds out he’s shockingly capable. He becomes the hockey and baseball team’s star player before being recruited to join track for his strength. Yes, he gets physically fit as a result, but none of them bear him a romantic partner.

This sequence is hilarious as our expectations are avoided for sillier, friendlier approaches. And Shion’s strength continues to be a running gag throughout Episode 8. It makes his final decision to join the film club all the better, too, because he initially dismissed it, wanting instead to go after “cool” types rather than movie nerds. But after seeing the members themselves, he’s ready to join. Former club VP Rei, however, quickly sours Shion’s potential meet cute. He tells Shion there’s no chance of him finding a boyfriend in this club.

It’s just one of many misunderstandings made more difficult by Rei’s deadpan nature versus Shion, who wears his heart on his sleeve. Rei didn’t mean to insult Shion; he just figured none of the members would be his type. But still, after finding him crying, Rei offers to be his boyfriend, and they kiss. It’s sweet but almost too convenient. Until we, along with Shion, realize that Rei is a “piece of trash” and are unwilling to budge on his personality to accommodate any partners.

It’s a hilarious realization especially as it’s first delivered by Rei’s friends. All of them advise Shion to run and break things off. It’s not that Rei is a bad guy, but he’s inattentive and stuck in his own head. Much to his friend’s dismay, he can’t be bothered to clean up after himself or even eat properly. Soma Saito delivers a superb voice performance, perfectly infusing the character’s mix of desperation and defiance in the face of this new relationship hurdle. Sure, Rei won’t return his texts and yes, he only kissed him initially to get him to start crying, but Shion won’t be stopped.

Twilight Out Of Focus Episode 8 succeeds because Shion is so fully formed as a character. He’s not hiding his sexuality. Nor is he hiding from Rei’s inability to be a good boyfriend. Instead, he proclaims that he will make Rei a better partner, no matter the Herculean effort it might seem. While the series can’t shake its shortcomings, it at least understands how to write engaging and, often hilarious, characters.

Twilight Out Of Focus Episode 8 is out now on Crunchyroll.