Welcome back to Anime Rants. Tasokare Hotel episode 9 is the continuation of the story of Kaneko Konomi. She was a young idol who died from a sleeping pill overdose. Neko wanted to help put her soul to rest by holding a mini-concert where Kaneko could sing for everyone. Will Kaneko remember what’s most precious to her and move on? Let’s review what happened in this installment.
Episode 9: The Girl’s True Face
Episode Rating: 8/10
It took considerable effort, but Neko managed to convince Atori to play the saxophone at the mini-concert. She did it by dramatically groveling on the ground and begging. In addition, she admitted that she was only interested in the concert because she wanted to hear Kaneko sing. It took maturity to admit that. Atori recognized the fact and agreed to her request. We’ll discuss Atori a little more at the end of the post.
Before long, it was time for the performance. The man with the briefcase head still hated idols and had a terrible attitude, but most of the hotel guests were eager for the entertainment. The Manager was nervous about playing the drums right. However, he did fine. Kaneko sang a melancholy love song called “Daydream.” It was a very pretty song. Seeing Neko’s delight was great, too. The performance was a major success.
Thanks to Kaneko’s emotional song, two other guests recovered their memories and faces. One was the man with the briefcase head. He had been killed by a motorcycle rider on his way to make up with his girlfriend, who loved idols. The man moved on to the afterlife without much to-do. The second person was the makeup artist who did Kaneko’s makeup. She remembered that she was alive, and the song made her feel inspired. The lady thanked Kaneko before checking out of the hotel.
After the performance, Kaneko started remembering something important. The mask that was her face began to crack. After hearing a radio broadcast from Yuria – the rival of Kaneko – the truth began to come clear. Kaneko insisted that she hated Yuria, but it was an obvious lie. Neko correctly guessed that Kaneko actually loved Yuria and their public fights and rivalry were just for show. Gasp! Lesbians!
It was interesting when Kaneko’s face crumbled off, revealing another Kaneko underneath. Although she looked the same, something was definitely different now. It was because she remembered her original dream and her emotional connection to Yuria. The two girls stuck together through the stressful life of being idols. Kaneko’s initial face represented the false self that Kaneko kept up as a celebrity. It would be scandalous in Japan if there was an openly lesbian/bisexual idol, so I understand why Kaneko had to “mask” as a normal hetero idol.
As a queer person myself, I appreciated seeing a love story that wasn’t hetero. It also gave another dimension to Kaneko’s song, since it was probably written about Yuria. It’s a shame this story ended in Kaneko dying, but that also happens to many of the hetero characters in this series, so it’s fair. Anyway, the photos and flashbacks of Yuria and Kaneko together were precious and romantic.
It was confirmed that Kaneko died of a sleeping pill overdose. It was a tragic accident. Even though she had to move on to the afterlife and check out of the hotel, Kaneko was happy that she remembered Yuria. It was an incredibly sweet line delivery when Kaneko held Yuria’s picture and said softly, “Even now, I love her.” Rest in peace, Kaneko.
Let’s talk a little more about Atori before we wrap up. He had a talk with Neko in the courtyard while practicing the saxophone. He explained that, in his view, he failed as a musician despite putting so much time and effort into it during his college years. Picking up the saxophone as a hobby would mean facing those memories and feelings of failure again. That’s why he was so against it at first.
Thanks to Neko, Atori was able to face his discomfort and find pleasure in music again. This character arc was rather rushed and it was more “told” than “shown.” Still, I like Atori and Neko, so I’m happy when they’re getting along and maturing individually. That’s all for today.
~Thanks for reading~
Written by 7Mononoke
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