The new season of "Blue Box" has arrived on Netflix, with the premiere featuring Taiki and Chinatsu's first official date. Their time together captures the shyness and sweetness of a first date, but by the end, the conversation shifts to their respective athletic goals.
In the first episode, a character directly tells Taiki that romance might interfere with his athletic performance. Taiki insists he can balance both. Critics note that his response isn't entirely without hesitation; Taiki's feelings for Chinatsu were originally tied to his admiration for her dedication to sports.
Yumeka, Chinatsu's basketball partner from middle school, also appears in this episode. Yumeka gave up basketball after entering high school. Seeing Chinatsu and Taiki at the date spot, she assumes Taiki is Chinatsu's boyfriend and concludes that Chinatsu has quit basketball. This is Yumeka's assumption, not an indication that Chinatsu has actually given up basketball.
Thus, this date is not just about the progression of their relationship, but also brings the issues of continued training and competition to the forefront. The new season continues "Blue Box"'s approach of revealing characters' emotions through their choices in sports.