Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian ‒ Episode 12

As much as I liked this episode, it almost feels like a waste that this was the finale of season one. This definitive turning point marks the end of the season while also opening the doors for future events in season two. However, I wish we had all the elements in this episode earlier in the show. The idea of a debate-styled underdog story with an outsider slowly bringing people together through her unique charm is a great premise. Why did I have to wait twelve episodes before it finally feels like we got the beginning of that story? This type of finale makes me go back through the entire show and realize that not only was there a lot of fluff, but there were things that contradicted what the show was trying to set up.

I loved every second of Kuze and Yuki’s dynamic. They give off some of the strongest sibling rivalry energy I’ve seen in a while. I like how the show blurs the line between what Yuki wants and what role she’s trying to play. There’s little passion behind Yuki wanting to be student council president, and you can tell that she’s just doing this for the sake of her family. Still, she also wants to prove herself an adequate opponent to her brother. Maybe there’s a little bit of an inferiority complex going on there, and by the end of the battle of wits, it’s revealed that she wasn’t trying to play the bad guy as much as she was trying to win her way. The show can break down the different modes of communicating with the audience in a very digestible way, which shouldn’t be understated. We are getting a simplified version of political theater. The fact that I was engaged with student council introductions and campaign announcements is a testament to how strong the writing can be.

But then we get to Alya, and I am mixed at best. I love the idea of her using her fluency in Russian as an icebreaker to de-escalate the situation. This is supposed to be the moment when Alya solidifies her resolve, yet the speech isn’t nearly as profound or inspirational as the show tries to make it sound. Alya thinks she’s the best person for the job because she works harder than anybody else. While she’s aware she lacks the skills necessary for being a good council president, she’s confident that she will eventually reach that point. I don’t think I have any reason to think Alya works harder than anybody else in this show, especially when Kuze has done so much of the heavy lifting for her. While she’s the one who calls the shots, he’s the one who comes up with the plans, he is the one who is responsible for keeping them on task, and even the praise I just gave her about starting her speech in Russian was HIS idea.

If anything, we have seen just as many instances in the show where she has borderline compromised herself with distractions or falling for other people’s instigations. Twelve episodes gone, yet I can’t think of a worthwhile accomplishment she fully achieved through hard work or perseverance. If the idea is that she’s going to keep working hard to win everybody over, that’s fine, but that doesn’t feel like a speech that should happen at the end of season one. This speech should’ve set the stakes earlier on in the show, and then we could’ve seen the gradual buildup to that ideal.

Kuze makes a speech about how Alya draws people together and how he found himself attracted to that, but she doesn’t have any friends outside of the student council. I don’t know if he was hyping her up or if he genuinely believes that, but I’m unsure is part of the problem. I’ve given this show chance after chance to win me over on its titular character, but it hasn’t succeeded. It has shown various things to appreciate in Kuze and Yuki’s relationship. Still, I would much rather watch a show about them than watch Alya eventually turn into the better character that the show keeps promising. Maybe things will get better in season two, but I’m not holding my breath.

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AJ also streams regularly on Twitch as the indie Vtuber Bolts The Mechanic where they talk about and play retro media!

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