Summary
The following contains spoilers for Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, Episode 6, “A So-Called Indirect Kiss,” now streaming onCrunchyroll.
In true romcom fashion,Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russianis gearing towards a heated love debacle as new developments rattle Alya’s sentiments for Masachika. With the series' sixth episode now airing, the show has completed half its run, meaning the stakes are only going to get higher from here on out.
As Yuki refuses to back down in front of Alya, despite her own blood relation to Masachika, a passionate love triangle has been set in place. Apart from these romantic developments, Masachika and Alya are in for a political conundrum as they face Yuki in the presidential electionsfor the student council. For Alya, however, school affairs are a secondary priority, with her sights being set solely on Masachika.
An Emerging Love Triangle
Yuki and Alya Fight For Masachika’s Attention
Yuki and Alya have been at odds over Masachika for a while now, yet they have only expressed their sentiments through subtleties. However, this week’s episode has upped the ante on the rivalry between these two love interests, with Alya outright confronting Yuki over her interest in Masachika. Yuki’s response, on the other hand, sent Alya over the edge, with the former confidently stating herlove for her very own brother.
I love him. More than anyone in the world.
Despite Yuki’s grandiose expression of love for Masachika, Alya refuses to back down with an equally passionate response. The silver-haired Russian has made it clear that no matter where she stands with Masachika currently, her end goal is to win him over. This confrontation has instigated a clear love triangle that is set to raise the stakes, though considering the pace of the series, this was a likely development.
Although I don’t know if I like him or not, I will never let you have Kuze!
While Yuki is merely playing the role of a love interest to tease Alya and keep her on edge, the eventual revelation of her true relationship with Masachika will surely be a rattling development for the cast. What seems likea love triangleto Alya is nothing more than a game for Yuki as she continues to revel in her supposed rival’s struggle. Yuki’s statement of being in love with Masachika is also true, since she intends to play it off as platonic love between siblings, turning this into another setup for Alya down the line.
An Unofficial Date
Alya and Masachika Have Their “First Date”
Alya and Masachika have already shared a few intimate moments, yet none of those events held any symbolic value in terms of conventional dating. Their unofficial date in the latest episode is the only thing that comes close to a relationship of sorts, and even this event was marked by awkward conversation, embarrassing remarks in Russian, and a mortifying moment for Alya.
Despite these setbacks, the “date” led to a significant milestone inAlya and Masachika’s relationship; their first indirect kiss. While describing their spoon-sharing escapade as an indirect kiss might be a bit of a stretch, it’s certainly a daring moment for Alya, a tsundere that refuses to be the first one to make the move. The evening was marked by a few more intimate moments, with Masachika sharing his meal with Alya.
Masachika’s chivalrous side is already quite apparent, yet it manages to shine through in moments of distress for Alya. After the spoon-sharing incident, Alya hesitated at the thought of reusing the spoon to eat her dessert. Noticing her distress, Masachika stepped in by ordering a new meal for himself, which was accompanied by a change of cutlery for the entire table. These minute gestures are what allow Masachika to stand out among asea of romcom protagonists, as his actions are nothing less than pure chivalry.
A Special Ending Theme
This Week’s Ending Features a Special Collab
Keeping up with the promise of featuring a new ending theme each week, Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russia’slatest ending theme features the J-pop song Himitsu no Kotoba. The song was released last year, yet it was specifically produced to be featured in the series. Himitsu no Kotoba is also special for another reason, as two famous J-pop names have produced the song in collaboration — KAF and Zookaraderu.
KAF is a virtual singer known for producingseveral iconic J-pop songs, while Zookaraderu is a rock band hailing from Hokkaido. With two iconic names collaborating solely for the series’ ending theme, Himitsu no Kotoba becomes even more of a treat for viewers. The decision to feature new theme songs might have been an expensive one considering the unique animation in each one, yet it has certainly paid off with the positive reception of these novel endings.
