Komi Can't Communicate Episode 9: Shenanigans continue as Komi and Tadano grow closer

Episode 9 of Komi Can't Communicate has aired, bringing with it more fun characters with clever wordplay in their names. The episodes are split into small anecdotes and moments connected to each other, often repeating established gags from previous ones. These gags are as entertaining as they are a marker of Komi's slow progress in coping with her issues and moving forward in her quest to make 100 friends.

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What happens in episode 9 of Komi Can't Communicate?

The episode begins with the end of the summer vacation and Najimi attempting to boost Komi's social skills with another one of their extremely specific, long and complex orders, this time for a sandwich from Subway.

Najimi's sandwich order (Image via Komi San Manga Online)

A classmate, who had recently moved from the countryside, appropriately named Inaka Nokoko ('inaka' meaning 'rural area' while 'no koko' means 'of here', together translating into "from the countryside") follows Komi to learn the ways of the elegant city woman from the unanimously voted "goddess of the class." She, of course, completely misinterprets Komi's silence.

Najimi's order is also, once more, wrong as Komi had been unable to say a word at the store, similar to Komi Can't Communicate episode 2.

The second part of Komi Can't Communicate episode 9 shows Komi getting invited to Nakanaka's house to play video games, who quickly gives up on attempting one-on-one conversation and ends up inviting Najimi to dissipate some of the tension, who promptly drags Tadano along as well.

While Nakanaka and Najimi get into an intense video game match, Tadano and Komi share some moments as he tries to teach Komi how to play.

The final highlight of the episode is when Komi notices Tadano continually referring to Najimi by their given name, and wants him to call them by their chosen name.

Her conversation with her grandmother in Komi Can't Communicate episode 8 reveals that Komi is developing a crush on Tadano, which makes her wish for him to call her "Shouko" even more meaningful.

But this budding romance between Komi and Tadano is sure to be a slow one as Tadano stutters and fails, while blushing furiously. Komi backtracks saying that she doesn't want to force him if he doesn't want to, and Tadano quickly says that he does want to but loses steam after that.

Najimi suggests Komi lead by example, and she fails as well, going back to calling each other by their titles.

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Komi Can't Communicate airs on a weekly basis on Netflix, with episode 10 scheduled to air on December 9, 2021. The anime has been reported to have 12 episodes in the first season, and thus, only three more episodes remain.