Given – Anime Series Review & Episode Guide

Mafuyu singing

Mafuyu going up on stage and singing his song wasn't surprising at all. You could see this plot development coming from a mile away. Of course, he would sing now, despite never being inclined to do so before. That's just storytelling 101. After all, Given wouldn't have much to write about if Mafuyu just stood there and stayed silent.

Uenoyama, Haruki, and Akihiko all seem caught off-guard by his decision to sing. I'd be mad at him if I were in his band. Like, you couldn't decide to announce that you were singing the song earlier back when your band was stressing for days about what to do? Or when you guys were practicing in rehearsal? Or even in the moment right before you stepped onto the stage? You gotta pull this surprise here and now with no damn warning! 😅

With that said, I'm glad Mafuyu gathered the courage to sing. Vocalizing his grief is essential to his recovery journey, representing an iconic breakthrough in his character development. With the intensity and raw emotion he brings, this song is something I'll never forget from Given.

Mafuyu and Yuki

The flashback montage during Mafuyu's song is one of my favourite parts of Episode 9. It gave us quick but revealing glimpses into his relationship with Yuki. There's a childhood memory of Mafuyu watching his father's arrest while Yuki holds his hand for comfort. This small moment tells us that Mafuyu and Yuki have known each other since preadolescence, highlighting the strength of their bond.

They weren't just a brief fling from school. Yuki was Mafuyu's closest friend, someone who became his first love. Knowing this backstory makes Yuki's death all the more tragic, adding a layer of complexity to Mafuyu's grief. It's a touching sequence that lets us see how much Yuki truly meant to him.

Mafuyu and Yuki kiss

The flashbacks also convey the closeness of Mafuyu and Yuki's relationship, showing an intimate moment with a kiss. Previously, Given never indicated the couple was physically affectionate. But now, we see that they were intimate enough to kiss and have sex.

Yuki was not just Mafuyu's first boyfriend. He was also his first kiss and his first time doing it with anyone. All these notable titles make him an even more cherished figure in Mafuyu's formation years.

Yuki's last words

"Are you willing to die for me then!?"

This line, spoken in a moment of anger, becomes one of the most haunting parts of Mafuyu's story. Hearing the dialogue during the song sent shivers down my spine. Given that I didn't need to show the entire argument for me to feel the weight of this moment. Knowing what happened to Yuki afterward and seeing Mafuyu's grief gives us enough context to understand the intensity of this line.

It's one of those things people say when emotions are high, not realizing the full impact of their words. Had Yuki lived, this line might have been a passing memory. Instead, it becomes a tragic echo in Mafuyu's mind, adding to the complexity of his grief and regret.

Mafuyu's memories

Another detail I liked is when they showed Mafuyu looking at random people and associating them with his memories of Yuki. For example, he'd see two girls chatting at the train station, which weirdly reminded him of when he talked with Yuki in this location. The connection doesn't make sense, but that's the nature of grief. When you're mourning, something unexpected may trigger your memory. You suddenly get reminded of somebody or something that used to happen.

This brief moment during the flashback montage adds insight into Mafuyu's psyche. He sees Yuki in everything around him, even if his ex-boyfriend is nowhere to be found. It illustrates how Yuki's presence lingers deeply in Mafuyu's life, haunting and comforting him.

Yuki's death

Of course, we can't have a flashback montage of Yuki without the moment that hurts the most: his death. If you carefully watch the first scene in Episode 1, you will see that they hint at the circumstances of Yuki's death from the start. A floor sprawled with empty beer cans, Mafuyu looking up in shock, and Yuki's lifeless feet dangling in mid-air. You wouldn't understand it then, but these visuals register with you on a rewatch.

I bet there's a discourse about how responsible Mafuyu might be in Yuki's suicide, but pinning the death on Mafuyu is such an unreasonably enormous cross to bear. He found the dead body of the man he loved, which was already such a traumatic event. Our poor protagonist has already suffered enough without feeling like he caused Yuki's death.

Mafuyu's song lyrics

The lyrics of Mafuyu's song are another highlight of Episode 9. Watching foreign-language anime can mean losing some emotional depth in translation, especially with something as open-ended as song lyrics. But even translated, Mafuyu's lyrics capture his anguish, loneliness, and heartbreak. Every line in the song has a special meaning. Their impact only amplifies when you splice in Mafuyu's flashback scenes with Yuki.

The entire song was masterful. From the lyrics to the animation, Given polished everything to perfection. The anime did a terrific job with this episode, which resonated with me profoundly. They handled every detail with such care that it became a lasting memory.

Mafuyu and Uenoyama kiss

After the performance, Mafuyu rushed backstage, followed closely by Uenoyama, who immediately kissed him. Coming off stage from an emotionally charged performance, Uenoyama swoops in and claims a kiss in the heat of the moment.

The timing was questionable. Mafuyu was an emotional mess, so I don't know if kissing him would make him feel better. Nonetheless, it's an iconic moment that marks a milestone in the couple's relationship. Wow, the couple's first musical performance was followed by their first kiss!

Mafuyu's journey

After the emotional song and the exhilarating kiss, Mafuyu finally broke into tears and then fell into a catatonic shock for the rest of the show. His reaction made sense, to be honest. Mafuyu just bared his soul in front of a live audience, singing his innermost thoughts from the heart. It was painful, vulnerable, and as emotionally raw as we've seen his character.

This episode was compelling because Given had been building up to the moment. In the past, we've seen Mafuyu in a constant state of melancholy, wandering through life sadly and aimlessly. He never outright addressed Yuki's death, choosing to hide or run away when Hiragi confronted him about it. Mafuyu's defence mechanism seemed to be bottling up his feelings so that he'd feel numb about Yuki's death and life in general.

After repressing his grief for the whole series, this song was like Mafuyu breaking down his barriers and unleashing a tsunami of emotions. It was such a powerful release of all his regrets, sorrows, loneliness, and anguish from losing Yuki. It was the breakthrough Mafuyu needed to let go of Yuki's memory and move on with a new chapter of his life. This episode represented an enormous character development for Mafuyu, and I'm glad to see him reach this point in his personal journey.