Kageki Shojo episode 11 features yet another twist in the tale for the Kouka girls! With the second years’ graduation ceremony looming, the first years are given another opportunity to act. It’s time for some Romeo and Juliet once again, and auditions are open for the roles! Who gets in? How do the auditions bode for our favorite characters? Let’s talk about the episode’s key talking points in a spoiler-filled discussion!
Auditions are open!
The auditions open once more for the Kouka girls! They are to act out the same scene they did from a few episodes prior, and must audition for the roles! The roles that are available are those of Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt, and Juliet’s nurse.
These auditions serve as a good measure to see just how far the girls have come since the last time they acted. For example, the Sawada twins both choose to audition for Juliet this time around. The timid Ayako Yamada does so as well. Sarasa is torn between the choice of auditioning for Romeo or Tybalt. It’s just interesting to see what has stayed the same and what has changed for the girls, and further cements their growth as characters.
What this also does is heighten the sense of competition between the girls at Kouka. When the show first started, that’s the direction the show looked like it was going to go. However, throughout the story, the show chose to flesh out the friendships between the girls. This time around, they are all competing for four spots to perform. It cranks up the tension a bit and makes things more interesting moving forward.
With a new sense of competition, who knows what’s in store for the Kouka girls? What’s guaranteed is that they’ll all give it their best and certainly make an eye catching show!
Romeo or Tybalt?
Sarasa finds herself torn between playing the two male characters in the performance. When she brings up her conundrum to Ai, she suggests that Sarasa audition for the role of Romeo. She recounts how much she enjoyed seeing Sarasa’s impromptu performance right after seeing the Romeo and Juliet play, and says she’d be great for the role.
However, Sarasa remains unconvinced by Ai’s words, and thanks to a call with her boyfriend, ends up deciding to give Tybalt a second shot. Viewers will remember that Sarasa’s first time playing Tybalt did not end well. Though the performance was good, it wasn’t original, and Andou-sensei called her out on that. This time around, Sarasa intends to avoid making the same mistake.
Unfortunately, coming up with an original performance isn’t something that comes naturally to her. Tybalt is a dark character with a lot of hatred, and Sarasa has never really hated anything. However, she recalls a time when she was jealous of Akiya, when she found out she couldn’t do kabuki. She recalls how despite loving kabuki, she had to be apart from it and resented Akiya for going through with pursuing it seemingly without a care for her. It’s these emotions that she taps into to find a Tybalt of her own.
Sarasa seems like she’s on the right track! Hopefully, when her time to perform comes around, she’ll knock it out of the park!
What is love?
Ai also has a similar conundrum on her hands. Following the advice of Hijiri, Ai auditions for the role of Juliet. The problems arise during the auditions when Ai dreads the moment that Romeo’s monologue ends. When Romeo utters his last line, Juliet must speak. And for her, bringing to life Juliet’s lovestruck nature is a big problem. She’s never been in love before. How can she elicit the same emotions?
It’s this thought that brings back memories of her first days at Kouka. She recalls the relief at seeing Sarasa come to her rescue many episodes ago. She recalls how happy she was to see Sarasa’s rendition of Romeo’s lines. When she asks herself what love is, she thinks of Sarasa. And it is thanks to these memories of hers that she’s able to deliver a killer performance as Juliet in the auditions.
Who would have thought? Even the rest of the Kouka girls are shocked at how much Ai was able to disappear in the role. It’s a really touching moment for Ai and Sarasa’s relationship, and more importantly, gives Ai a great chance at being the main performer at the graduation ceremony!
As the show winds down, it will be interesting to see where this final audition and performance takes the girls. They’ve been through a lot in their time at Kouka, and though it’s just the beginning, it’s great to see just how far they’ve come. Hopefully, the show’s ending does these wonderful characters justice and brings a sense of catharsis to this wonderful tale they’ve woven so far!
Kageki Shojo episode 11 is available to watch on Funimation! Episode 12 will premiere on September 19, 2021.
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