Have you ever felt that accepting and trusting yourself is even harder than trusting others? What about when it comes to asking your loved ones for help—has that ever felt just as hard? The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity episodes 5 and 6 explore these two questions with an emotionally charged narrative that may surprise both newcomers and manga readers.
Both episodes explore the consequences of Subaru and Rintaro’s conversation, as well as Saku’s reaction to learning about Rintaro and Kaoruko’s friendship. Watching both episodes back-to-back is not only an emotional rollercoaster, but also a journey into the characters’ most personal thoughts and feelings. Even though we’re only halfway through the season, the story is already revealing deep layers of the characters.
For the present review, I will focus on the main theme of each episode: the trust we place in friends (Episode 5) and self-confidence (Episode 6). Let’s take a closer look!
Episode 5: Crossing the Bridge of Trust
We pick up where we left off in the last episode. Saku is frustrated by Rintaro’s reluctance to talk about Kaoruko, even after his friendship with Kaoruko has been revealed. While Ayato and Shohei try to mediate, Rintaro and Kaoruko meet again at the bakery, helping ease Rintaro’s burden. His mom, Kyoko, takes the opportunity to speak with him about his worries. By the end, Subaru and Kaoruko are about to talk in the park at night, leaving us all in suspense.
The main theme of the episode is trust. It explores how difficult it can be to trust others, not because we doubt their intentions, but because we fear burdening them with our problems. We have seen this kind of challenge in adventure or action anime, where the protagonist gradually learns to rely on his companions. Fragrant Flower’s greatest contribution lies in addressing this theme in a realistic way, emphasizing how hard it can be to open up to others.
Saku is the clearest example of this. He’s angry at Rintaro, not because he’s interacting with a Kikyo student, but because he struggles to trust his friends. We catch glimpses of their past and see just how important Rintaro has been as a friend. I can relate to Saku’s perspective. When someone close to you keeps important matters to themselves, it’s easy to feel excluded from their life.
Although this conflict remains unresolved, I identify parallels between Saku and Subaru’s situations. Both have introverted personalities and find in their friends—Rintaro and Kaoruko, respectively—a guiding light and a sense of home. Rintaro, however, is incapable of seeing himself as a “light” for his friends, which explains why he can’t understand Saku’s frustration.
Trust is further explored through Ayato and Shouhei, who make efforts to mend their friends’ relationships and lighten the mood. After school, they accompany Saku to better understand his perspective, culminating in Ayato’s observation that they should all learn to trust Rintaro as well. Ayato notices the subtle change in Rintaro, as he is now comfortable enough to state openly that he doesn’t want to talk about his relationship with Kaoruko.
Trusting a friend doesn’t mean expecting them to share everything all the time. It also means giving them space and letting them open up when they feel ready. Everyone moves at their own pace for doing things, and that’s a recurrent message throughout the anime.
Kyoko also shows us a third meaning of trust: the trust a parent places in a child they know so well. In the bakery scene, she notices her son is troubled about something and tries to lighten the mood in her own way. Yet the key moment comes when they are at home, where Kyoko admits she is worried about Rintaro’s tendency to give up. At the same time, Kyoko trusts in her son’s kindness.
The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity is innovative in its portrayal of a healthy family relationship. Kyoko wants Rintaro to build a good life, but she knows he must accomplish this in his own way. Yes, she occasionally mediates or gives Rintaro a push (like when she leaves Rintaro and Kaoruko alone in the bakery), but the main effort has to come from him. So far, she has been right to trust him.
I appreciate how each episode reveals new dimensions of their mother-and-son relationship. The anime’s narrative invites us to feel proud of Rintaro’s growth, almost the way a parent would feel.
The power of a smile
While the main theme of the episode is trust, we shouldn’t forget this is also a romance anime! I don’t consider the growing trust between Rintaro and Kaoruko as a specific theme for this episode, since their story still has its own path to follow. Even so, it’s worth noting the significance of Rintaro’s smile.
After their meeting at the bakery, Kaoruko is overjoyed to see Rintaro laughing and smiling. As a spectator, I was surprised as well, since he usually has a blank, stoic expression. For Kaoruko, seeing him happy is a source of motivation.
And this goes both ways. When Kaoruko smiles, even the animation changes—we see colors surrounding Rintaro. He admits that Kaoruko has eased his troubled heart, though he still can’t identify what that feeling is. In this sense, the anime truly honors its title, as this scene perfectly illustrates the blossoming love between them.
But it’s not all happiness… the last scene is Subaru meeting Kaoruko in the park, and she’s about to confess that she met with Rintaro (in Episode 4). Fortunately for us, this is a two-episode review, so you don’t have to wait a whole week!
Episode 6: The Slow Bloom of Self-Confidence
Half of Episode 6 is devoted to Subaru and Kaoruko’s emotional conversation in the park, and and it later ends with Subaru and Rintaro talking in the park. I found the contrast between these two moments interesting, since Subaru is already in a lighter mood when talking with Rintaro. I also have to praise the engaging narrative and dialogue, considering that almost the entire episode consists of conversations. Not much happens on the surface, yet emotionally, a lot is going on.
After watching the episode, the main theme is clear: self-confidence. Identifying it is even easier than in Episode 5, since it is repeatedly emphasized. What matters most, however, are the different lessons about self-confidence that the anime presents, and the way they connect to Subaru’s situation.
Perhaps the clearer lesson is that true self-confidence is not about being cold towards others. Subaru is aware of her cold attitude—and even her height—yet it doesn’t change how she feels: she believes she hasn’t progressed since childhood. She is tormented by what she sees as weakness, especially when contrasted with Kaoruko, who shines as a light in her life.
The anime shows that being excessively distrustful often stems from a lack of self-confidence. Subaru is so focused on protecting Kaoruko, and for that, she reshapes her entire persona. However, Kaoruko is encouraging her to embrace the version of Subaru that she loves so much, instead of hiding behind an “ice queen” attitude.
Along these lines, another lesson is that true self-confidence often involves taking risks. A flashback offers a glimpse into Subaru and Kaoruko’s childhood: Kaoruko has always been an intrepid girl, while Subaru often asked her from taking risks. And the current risk involves meeting with a Chidori student.
Kaoruko understands why Subaru tried to stop Rintaro from meeting her, having already seen how their classmates react. Yet the lesson here is that sometimes you have to take the risk. Kaoruko doesn’t act recklessly; she believes this is worth fighting for and knows she can count on Subaru, who has always looked out for her.
For this reason, a third lesson is that true self-confidence involves not hiding your problems from your friends. Just as Saku wants Rintaro to be more open with him, Kaoruko wants Subaru to lean on her more. Rintaro and Subaru share a similarity: they don’t want to be a burden. They fail to see how important they are to others, which ultimately ends up hurting the very people they are trying to protect.
The animation strengthens the idea of Kaoruko being “light” for the people around her. But she finds it unfair that Kaoruko doesn’t let her be her support, since Subaru is also her light. I find it very beautiful how the animation conveys this concept throughout the entire conversation in the park, to finally end in an image of two flowers together.
And the conclusion of this heartwarming conversation between two old friends is that gaining self-confidence is a long journey. Subaru is reassured by Kaoruko’s words and concludes that she wants to be a person that can walk proudly alongside her. I personally consider that she already made a big step forward, but I understand that internally she’s keeping many doubts and insecurities, in particular towards men.
The conversation begins with Subaru weighed down by guilt, made worse by the fact that Kaoruko isn’t angry at all for her attempt to separate her from Rintaro. Yet the anime delivers a satisfactory—even cathartic—resolution that marks a milestone in their friendship. When Subaru was first introduced in the anime, she came across as intimidating and cold, but at the end of Episode 6, we can empathize with her situation and feel happy about her growth.
The big question
I’m sure everyone who watched Episode 6 was overjoyed. Subaru asks Kaoruko about her feelings for Rintaro, and she confesses her love! It’s a big surprise for mid-season, but a coherent response for a character like Kaoruko. She has been taking the initiative since Episode 1, so this outcome feels natural.
Kaoruko was happy to learn that Rintaro didn’t want to stop meeting her, even after Subaru’s insistence in Episode 4. In contrast, Rintaro hasn’t fully sorted up his feelings yet, but he’s in the right direction. Now we have to wait to see how Episode 6 has changed both of them and how this will affect their interactions.
Subaru’s approval
The final part of Episode 6 is Rintaro meeting with Subaru, as he seeks her approval to meet Kaoruko. He recognizes that Subaru’s concern is genuine, so he wants to put her worries at ease. Subaru agrees, asking only that they meet far from their schools. I have to say many things about this.
First, Subaru’s voice actress, Aya Yamame, does an excellent job! I was impressed by the range of tones she delivered just in this episode. From an emotional conversation, to her cold demeanor during a phone call with Rintaro, and then ending with a friendly, even playful, conversation with him in the park. I’m excited to see more of these different facets throughout the rest of the season.
In that sense, it seems CloverWorks (the studio behind the anime) really loves Subaru’s hair. We had many shots of her hair blowing in the wind. What was a scary detail in her first apparitions now feels cozy and a good way to follow her conversation with Rintaro.
Regarding the conversation itself, there’s not much to comment on, as it’s simply a consequence of everything that has happened so far. What stands out is how fresh and relaxing their conversation feels, especially compared to their cafe meeting in Episode 4. I think this is because they are so similar, yet Subaru can also be teasing towards Rintaro.
By the end, Subaru hopes that someday they can become friends, but for me, they already are. Having followed both of them in the previous episodes, seeing them interact so naturally is refreshing. They are neither love interests nor longtime friends, which makes their conversations feel realistic and adds depth to the anime as a whole.
Conclusion
Episodes 5 and 6 focus on the trust between the characters and offer many lessons about self-confidence. The plot also progresses, even faster than expected, building naturally thanks to previous events. Our main couple, Rintaro and Kaoruko, continue to develop more and new feelings towards each other.
Subaru’s change in attitude is consistent with her past and her relationship with Kaoruko, while Rintaro’s developing feelings follow a realistic pace. Even minor dialogues support this, and everything feels purposeful. This is especially important in an anime that relies more on conversation than action. If you think about it, not many days have passed since episode 4, yet for the characters, it could feel like months.
The conclusion of Episode 6 is satisfying, yet many questions and plot threads remain. I hope you all stay attentive to what comes next!
The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity is streaming on Netflix, where all the images are from.
© Saka Mikami / Kodansha / The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity Production Committee
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