Summary
Summer 2024’s most-anticipated romcom,Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, has finally concluded, leaving viewers wanting more of this intriguing bilingual romance. While the confirmation of the series renewal has been lauded by most, the same cannot be said for the first season’s divisive ending. The first season ofAlya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russianhas only adapted the first three volumes of the light novels, leading to the ending being on a somewhat anticlimactic note.
However, the series’ slow pacing suitsthe series’ rom-com narrativeand slowburn theme, along with leaving enough breathing room for the characters to develop and grow. Moreover, the battle of wits between Yuki and Masachika lent a tense tonality to the finale, marking a stark difference between the final episode and its initial counterparts.
How the Concluding Speeches Impacted the Elections
Alya and Masachika’s Speech Confirmed Their Eventual Victory
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russiaconcluded its first season with anend-of-term student council speech, an event that also serves as a platform for future presidential candidates to leverage their standing in the elections. With Yuki and Alya’s ongoing tussle over the elections, the speeches became a battleground for both sides to strike down their opponents.
The cold and calculating Yuki opted for a sweeping victory with a political angle geared towards promising the masses a sound future, without actually expanding on her goals for the next term. Leveraging on her status as her middle school’s president, Yuki laid down the perfect setting to emerge victorious from this debacle.
However, Yuki underestimatedMasachika’s true genius, as his plan of utilizing Alya’s Russian to break away the audience’s attention from Yuki’s speech served as the perfect foundation for their victory. Instead of merely presenting false promises, Alya acquainted herself with the audience. This engaged the audience a lot more, allowing them to witness the true person behind the facade of a cold-hearted princess. With a roaring applause, it was clear that the masses resonated with Alya’s approach over Yuki’s cold and calculated strategy.
Nonoa and Taniyama’s Support For Alya
Alya’s Former Rivals Join Hands With Her
Despite being a minor reveal in the final part of the episode, Nonoa Miyamae and Taniyama’s show of support for Alya’s presidency was one of the most significant elements of the season’s ending. To pay Alya and Masachika back for helping her out,Taniyama was forced to joinforces with her former rival. With the support of her previous opponent, Alya’s selection as president became all the more concrete.
If Alya gets elected as the student council president, Sayaka Taniyama and Nonoa Miyamae will join our team as student council executives.
Yuki may have stood a chance against Alya before, yet the reveal of Nonoa and Taniyama’s complete support for their campaign took Yuki by surprise. With a former presidential candidate and the school’s most popular girl by her side, Alya’s victory in the future presidential campaign is surely imminent.
The Switch in Yuki and Masachika’s Characterizations
Masachika Reveals His True Genius
The tonality ofAlya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian’sfinalemight not have differed from the rest of the season, yet a few subtle changes in the primary cast’s characterizations made all the difference. Yuki has remained level-headed and composed throughout the season, even controlling the narrative from the backdrop with her covert antics. In the finale, however, her calm persona completely diminished, with fans seeing her distressed and paranoid side.
The reason behind this distress was Masachika himself, who decided to show his true colors in the season’s ending. With his genius and prodigal intelligence on display, Masachika was able to put Yuki on edge and force her to overthink the entire scenario. The switch in Yuki and Masachika’s disposition is arguably the most significant element of the finale, as it showcased whatAlya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian’sprotagonist is truly capable of.
The Aftermath of the Ceremony
Alya’s Speech Confirmed Her Eventual Victory
The result of the unofficial campaign speech was entirely unanimous, with even Yuki accepting defeat herself. Alya’s compelling speech, coupled with Masachika’s reasoning for choosing Alya over Yuki, cementedthe silver-haired Russian’svictory through and through. While the actual presidential elections are set to take place in the next seasons, the first season of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian ended on a much lighter note.
So… during summer break, why don’t we see each other more often too?
With the school term concluding and summer break kicking in, the series will likely continue the next season from volume 4, focusing on the summer vacation arc of the series. The season’s finale has already geared the series towards the oncoming summer arc, as the final episode concludes with Masachika subtly asking Alya to meet more often during the summer break.
Due to the entireseason being a slow build-up,Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian’sfirst season’s ending may have seemed rather anticlimactic. However, the ending perfectly supplements the show’s theme, leaving enough room for the next season to pick up exactly where the first season left off.
