After some sincere conversations and a few punches, The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity Episode 7 reminds us that true friends can make amends. At the same time, this installment also delivers shonen-like moments that fit perfectly with the episode’s theme and atmosphere. Instead of focusing on romance, the finale rewards fans of the Chidori quartet plot.
Building on previous developments, the central theme of Episode 7 is friendship and trust. This theme emerges through Rintaro’s worries about the situation with his friends. After asking Kaoruko and Subaru for permission to reveal their secret relationship, being tailed by Saku, Shohei, and Ayato, and unexpectedly encountering some bullies, Rintaro reaches a breaking point. At last, he and Saku have an honest conversation and make amends.
Fragrant Flower‘s Poetic Narrative
This episode shows why each installment can be analyzed and discussed as a separate thematic piece. When you notice the foreshadowing and contrasts between the start and end of each installment, there’s a beautiful symmetry. The anime invites you to discover it.
For example, Episode 7 starts with Rintaro at home, still anxious about his fight with Saku, setting the stage for the plot. By the end, the episode closes with a final shot of the friends celebrating at the Sports Day. Yet the most emotional moment comes when Rintaro reflects: “This was a good day.” Even in this single episode, we can see the characters move from conflict, and after talking heart to heart, to reconciliation.
The poetic style of the The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity anime becomes even clearer when comparing two different episodes. Episode 6 explored the bond Kaoruko and Subaru have, while the last episode is about Rintaro and Saku’s connection. The girls’ friendship is a catalyst for Rintaro, whose new goal is to build a bond based on trust, like theirs. In both cases, there was a barrier broken by the characters opening up to their friends.
The friends’ perception of the protagonists also reflects this poetic symmetry. Shohei, Ayato, and Saku notice Rintaro’s distraction during baseball practice. Meanwhile, Subaru finds Kaoruko’s nervousness evident when they meet Rintaro. In both cases, we have close friends who can easily read the couple. This is no minor detail. Despite their differences, both groups are marked by care for their loved ones.
An Unexpected Yet Epic Encounter
Rintaro accompanies Kaoruko and Subaru on their way to the station when a group of bullies appears before them, looking for problems. Fortunately for Rintaro, his friends have been tailing him. For us, it leads to an amazing sequence. While no fighting is shown on screen, the tension reminded me of many traditional shonen moments.
One of my favorite scenes is when Shohei stops one of the bullies when he touches Subaru’s hair. This is no mere coincidence. For Subaru, her hair is deeply important, since she was bullied for its color as a child. The fact that it is Shohei, and not Saku, who steps in first is also significant. Subaru and Saku still need to make amends, yet we see her direct a glance toward him.
The star of the show, however, is Ayato. While we already know much about the other members of the Chidori quartet, Ayato has remained a mystery since Episode 1. Finally, we see him in action: after Rintaro leaves with the girls, Ayato directs a menacing glance, and the screen turns black. Later, we found out he single-handedly took down all the bullies.
The growing tension highlights Ayato’s fighting prowess, which stands out even more in a romance story. Yet he isn’t portrayed as a madman. He only reveals this side of himself to protect his friends, since he’s a pacifist. Now we have a new reason to look forward to Ayato’s role in the future.
Nakamas Reunited Again
The circle is complete: the friends are together again, and the main aspects of their personalities are set. At this point, there’s room for individual and group development—for both the Kikyo and Chidori casts. I also want to share my interpretation of one of the episode’s key lines.
After the bullies’ defeat, we close with a phrase: “Rintaro is the coolest guy you will ever meet,” which is probably true, but the general feeling was that Rintaro has the kind of friends anyone would wish for.
Do they fight with each other? Yes, but for a noble reason that the label “fight” should not apply. The conflict arose from the desire to strengthen their connection. Saku wants Rintaro to trust him more, and after secretly listening to his conversation with the girls, he understands that’s what his dear friend wants too.
More importantly, they don’t need a big explanation or a grandiloquent speech. Just the sight of Rintaro in trouble was reason enough to spring into action. All of them earned my respect, not for the fights, but because they had the courage to accept their friends’ feelings.
The restaurant scene illustrates this better. When they heard that Rintaro wanted to have a relationship based on trust with them, they looked down. Their downcast expressions suggest a mix of remorse and surprise. Whatever their thoughts, they demonstrate that they also want to be the coolest friends for Rintaro’s sake.
Conclusion
This week, full of emotions, Fragrant Flower continues to resonate with viewers. In just seven episodes, we have already explored many nuances of human bonds: familial, platonic, and romantic. There are only six episodes left, and CloverWorks has laid the groundwork for emotional storylines, and their additions to the manga’s plot demonstrate a deep understanding of the source material.
With Episode 7’s developments, the audience has more freedom to pick their favorite character. It makes us eager to see which character will shine 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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