My Deer Friend Nokotan Episode 3 - Human<Deer

My Deer Friend Nokotan episode 3 is out, and it reminds us that even the best of us may be more than human, but we’ll always be less than deer.

The Woes of a Delinquent

One of the hardest pills to swallow is that you may care about life, but life cares nothing about you. Things will constantly happen that will test your patience and break you, and it’s not part of a grand scheme to make you stronger; it just is. And in My Deer Friend Nokotan episode 3, our deer Koshitan learned this lesson the hard way.

As she heads to the Deer Club, hoping for an afternoon of peace and relaxation, she’s met with… a deer. But not the regular deer, or is it? If two plus two is four, and minus three is one, then shouldn’t the deer currently in the Deer Club be the deer who’s always in the Deer Club? Well, that’s the logic Koshitan goes with; she’s convinced it’s Nokotan in disguise. After all, Nokotan is a devious one. She’s as crooked as Araragi’s morals when he sees a minor.

So, how does Koshitan try to coax Nokotan out of her disguise? By using the 3 S: sex-hara, sweets, and singing. The first option results in her getting kicked out of the club; the second is a dud; but the third is where it’s at. For it’s a well-known fact that deer enjoy hearing songs about one’s sordid past.

A Life Fulfilled

Do you know what’s something I always think about? Tornadoes. And not just in general, but in a specific scenario. Imagine making your way into the great plains of North America after a long and arduous Atlantic crossing. Back in unjolly ol’ England, the most unusual weather you get is five straight days of sunshine in the summer. Yet here, out of nowhere, the sky comes to life, clouds seem to reach the heavens, and above you, that never-ending azure turns green. Then you see it—a tall, spherical behemoth heading towards you. How would someone who’s never heard of or even imagined a tornado react to that grandeur?

I’ll never know that wonder. But, with My Deer Friend Nokotan episode 3, I came close. Seeing Koshitan sing the cringiest of songs while punching a deer which was at that moment contemplating murder. Why that was enough to make me believe in the glory of god.

The Deer Club Expands

The passing of time is like that one riff in Funeralopolis; it goes from slow and steady to a crescendo so staggering that it drops you to your knees. In the blink of an eye, Koshitan and Nokotan are third years, and the Deer Club begins to grow. But, there’s no refuge for Koshitan, as one of her new colleagues is an obsessed sis-con, and the other used to be Magia Baiser.

But, while there are now more people, fewer things are being done, and this causes dismay in the maidenly heart of Koshitan who tries to rally her club. In moments like this one must always ask, “y tho?” Koshitan seems hell-bent on making her life miserable. If you’re the only one who finds something strange, you’re the odd one. If deer want to frolic and no-one but you sees a problem with it, the problem is you. Still, darker clouds are on the horizon, and soon the Deer Club will have to face them.

My Deer Friend Nokotan Episode 3: Comments

As a person, I’ve gained a lot from anime. Yuru Camp taught me the joys of camping, Yama No Susume gave me the love of mountains, and NekoPara is why I can’t get within 50 feet of anyone wearing cat ears. And now My Deer Friend Nokotan is giving me the most precious gift of all, it’s giving me a new outlook on life. It’s easy to lose oneself in the depressing news stories of our day. And with news constantly bombarding us 24/7 with updates from (insert whatever war fixates you the most here), it’s hard.

But it’s just hard because we want it to be. We refuse to accept that at the end of the day, the best of us and the worst of us are both less than deer. And what do deer do that man does not? They live in harmony with nature. They also destroy Ford pick-up trucks with vigor. That is something I’ve learned as I watched this show and something we should all emulate. The more I wander about to find out “why humans are not deer.” The more I realize that the question is less biological and more philosophical.

Screenshots via Crunchyroll
© Oshioshio, Kodansha / Hino Minami High School Deer Club