English Dub Review: My Senpai is Annoying: “Here and Now”

Overview: Futaba (Risa Mei) and Natsumi (Erica Schroeder) take a trip down memory lane, reminiscing how their friendship came to be and how important they are to one another. 

Our Take: Since they were first introduced, Natsumi and Futaba have been the best of buddies and this episode finally gives us some deeper insight as to just why that is. 

As long as we have known her, Natsumi has been a mature and dignified woman, one who Futaba compares herself with, especially in regards to certain *ahem* physical characteristics. Besides Natsumi’s well-endowment, Futaba’s influence on her is also far-reaching along with that of their loving friendship that started all the way back during their middle school days. From there, the one sweet constant is how much Natsumi teases her about her size and/or demeanor, even when they were kids, serving as a precursor for the playful chemistry they are known for. Igarashi’s persuading of Natsumi to join a club acts as a great opportunity to understand the impact Futaba had on Natsumi during her formative years. Futaba’s advice for her to commit to her passion for track and field, no matter how little confidence she has in her ability, is a lesson that is shown to be one she still carries with her into adult life and cherishes. But also one that was crucially kindhearted and meaningful when Natsumi was at her most insecure about her ability and needed it the most. 

Natsumi returning the same encouragement to Futaba, reinforcing her love for drawing when her spirit was broken by ridicule from mean boys degrading her skill, is an endearing way of extending the same understanding and warmth she was given. The culmination of their friendship acts as a beautiful sunset to the origin of the girl’s relationship in how they cherish one another, celebrate their unique interests by pursuing them and, in classic Japanese fashion, forgo the formality of using each other’s last names. It becomes more tender when Futaba takes a moment, during a cherry blossom lunch with Takeda, to appreciate Natsumi’s role in her life. Lastly, Futaba’s infectious kindness that was bestowed upon Kurobe is able to come full circle as Natsumi inspires Yuto to fully commit in his desire to join his school’s basketball team, despite how little he believes in himself, a feeling that she is all too familiar with and empathetic of.