REVIEW: ‘The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity’ Episode 7 – “Coolest Guy Ever”

The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity Episode 7 demonstrates an important truth. While it’s not a hard rule, there’s a general idea that to be a great anime, you need a good ensemble. Yes, a strong protagonist is necessary, but the anime worth remembering beyond their flash-in-the-pan moments of success are the ones we return to because their individual worlds are well-developed and fleshed out. We need more than just a central couple to root for because it’s through the other friendships and dynamics that we truly see characters begin to grow. 

It’s little surprise, then, that The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity Episode 7 is the strongest episode of the series to date. While there have been hints of what makes the manga it’s based on so popular, “Coolest Guy Ever” really drives the points home.

Because we’re no longer just watching the developing flirtations between Rintaro (Yoshinori Nakayama) and Kaoruko (Honoka Inoue), nor are we watching the immediate, melodramatic fallout from Subaru (Aya Yamane) learning the truth. This is the closest we’ve gotten to seeing a fully developed ensemble on screen, and the effect is winsome. 

The adaptation maintains the sense of authenticity.

The characters in the world created by Saka Mikami feel like real teenagers. This is already clear from the over-the-top reactions of some characters when placed in emotionally fraught interactions. But we see it too in their strength and strong bonds as they champion one another forward.

From the start, it’s been evident that Rintaro is reserved, especially in contrast to some of his more boisterous friends. Now we get to see why his friends rally around him and watch as it happens in action. 

Shohei (Kikunosuke Toya), Saku (Koki Uchiyama), and Ayato (Hiiro Ishibashi) trailing Rintaro to his meeting with Kaoruko and Subaru is a hilarious way to flesh out their personalities, with Shohei and Ayato being much more game for the task than the reluctant Saku. And while it could have set the story up for some forced fight between friends, The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity Episode 7 instead surprises us by leaning into sincerity instead. 

Rintaro reveals his genuine emotions.

The three overhear Rintaro telling Kaoruko and Subaru that he wants to be open with his friends, influenced by the two girls’ own friendship and trust in one another. While there have been suggestions of Rintaro’s isolation, it’s more directly laid out here, as he admits that the judgment of others made him stop caring. It wasn’t until high school and meeting his three friends that he felt seen and accepted. This, along with his recent passing of the test, makes him want to try again. He is open with his friends about his friendship with the girls from their rival school. 

As always, the linework and character details work wonders. The voice work from Nakayama subtly weaves in Rintaro’s fears as he waits to see what Kaoruko and Subaru will say. Of course, they’re fine with the idea, and the animation beautifully brings Rintaro’s relief to life through minute hints of movement. And the scene where we cut to the other three in the booth next to them is another moment where the series defies our expectations. They’re moved, but none of them can look one another in the face, taken aback by Rintaro’s not often-offered sincerity. 

That sincerity is the backbone of the series, which is why it’s funny when the story tries to lace in moments of action. While it’s fun to see Ayato take on the group of teens who’ve been harassing Rintaro, this element of the story doesn’t gel with the rest of the tone and narrative. 

The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity Episode 7 bottles the spirit of the series.

What does work, however, is the Chidori sports festival, where Rintaro makes amends with Saku after the tension that was straining their friendship. Saku’s confession that he trusts Rintaro, Ayato, and Shohei from the bottom of his heart is a genuinely sweet and well-earned moment, establishing just how close this group is and how formative their friendship is. 

So much of The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity deals with the idea of protecting and championing the young to allow them paths to health, happiness, and personal success. Yes, it’s all wrapped up in a romantic bow, but the heart is the relationships between unlikely friends who routinely go to bat for one another. 

With some strong, yet soft-lit animation and genuine character interactions, The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity Episode 7 is the highlight of the series to date. Now that the ensemble is formed, the series can take off with more compelling stories grounded in established dynamics and reasons to care. 

The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity Episode 7 is available now on Netflix. 

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