Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-San - Episode 7 - [Review]

By: v.o.lynnIt’s the beginning of Summer break for Koizumi and co! Get out into the summer heat for a theme park and... what’s this about summer trips? This episode comes in one big piece under the name “Nationwide”, so recap/review below!

Episode spoilers ahoy!

The end of school has arrived, and Yuu and Misa are excited about the potential of a summer trip. Armed with a homework assignment that nobody wants, they all immediately focus on the summer ahead.Yuu’s typical attempt to gain traction with Koizumi-San (an invitation to go out with the group) is turned down flat.  Koizumi departs, and the other three girls make plans to meet and go to an amusement park instead.Despite Misa’s initial complaints, the girls go to the closest amusement park, Asakusa, with the normal sorts of attractions: Haunted houses, festival rides, dress-up booths, photo walls, and eventually a stop off for shaved ice.Jun’s ongoing concerns about what to do after college has been a bit of an interesting plot point to unpack. She doesn’t know what to pursue, or what life looks like beyond the “right now”, and even then she’s entrenched in constant studying and the duties expected of a class rep. Misa considers skipping college altogether, and Yuu – is, well, herself.The girls part ways, after which Yuu runs into Koizumi and, with a “do as you like” from Koizumi” begins to join her local tour of “Ramen from across Japan”. Trying out flavors that like Toyama Black (a pepper-accented flavor). According to Koizumi, Ramen in its original flavor – soy sauce-accented broth, began in Tokyo, so the concentration of unique flavors that changed and shifted over time are all fairly accessible in the metropolis that is Tokyo, and not far from each other, too.My favorite part is when Yuu asks Koizumi if she remembers when they first met. Koizumi pretty flatly tells her no – It’s played for comedy, but it’s a little heartbreaking: Yuu is so invested in her friendship with Koizumi, and Koizumi, while defrosting in an “I suppose it can’t be helped” way to Yuu’s constant requests to join her on her Ramen quests, is very much not.