Watari-kun’s ****** Is About to Collapse [Season 1 Episode 24]

Watari-kun’s ** Is About to Collapse: Episode 24 – The Garden of Unspoken Truths

When the credits rolled on Watari-kun’s * Is About to Collapse Season 1 Episode 24, I sat back and thought: Finally. After weeks of teasing, bleeped-out titles, and that infamous garden incident* hanging over every scene, we got answers—sort of. But let’s be real, this show was never about neat resolutions. It’s about messy feelings, broken memories, and the kind of chaos only a childhood friend with zero filter can bring. And for fans who stuck around through the cringe and the confusion? Episode 24 delivered exactly what we signed up for: heart, humor, and a whole lot of “wait, what just happened?”

First, let’s recap the basics (for anyone who binged the first 23 episodes last night). Naoto Watari is your textbook overprotective brother—parents dead, sister Suzushiro (Suzu) is his entire world, and he’s got a “no friends, no fun, only Suzu” policy that’d make even a helicopter parent blush. Then Satsuki, his chaotic childhood friend, crashes back into his life like a tornado in a crop top, and suddenly Naoto’s rigid routine (school → work → Suzu’s homework → repeat) is in shambles. The core conflict? That garden. The one Satsuki destroyed when they were kids, the one Naoto still can’t forgive her for, the one that’s been the show’s biggest tease since Episode 1.

And in Episode 24? We finally learn why Satsuki wrecked it.

Let’s cut to the scene everyone’s talking about: Naoto and Satsuki standing in the rain (classic anime drama, but hey, it works), yelling at each other like they’re back to being 10-year-olds. Satsuki’s voice cracks as she admits it: her family was moving away that day, and she was scared. Scared Naoto would forget her. Scared the garden—their secret spot, where they planted sunflowers and made stupid promises—would just… fade. So she destroyed it. Not out of malice, but because “if I can’t have it, no one can.” It’s petty. It’s childish. It’s so Satsuki. And Naoto? He just stares at her, rain dripping off his hair, and says, “You idiot.” But there’s no anger in his voice—just relief. Because after all these years, he finally gets it.

Fans on MyAnimeList are losing it over this moment. One user wrote, “I cried. Like, actual tears. Satsuki’s not just a troublemaker—she’s a kid who was scared to lose her best friend.” Another added, “Naoto’s reaction? Perfect. No over-the-top yelling, just… understanding. Finally, these two aren’t just bickering—they’re talking.” Even the haters (and let’s be real, this show has its fair share) are admitting it: that scene hit different.

But let’s not forget the other star of the episode: Suzu. The 10-year-old who’s been treated like a 5-year-old all season (we see you, MyAnimeList commenters calling her “unrelatable”). In Episode 24, she finally gets her moment to shine. When Naoto and Satsuki are stuck in the rain, Suzu shows up with two umbrellas—one pink, one blue—and says, “You guys are being stupid. The garden’s not gone. We can plant new flowers.” It’s simple, it’s sweet, and it’s the wake-up call both Naoto and Satsuki needed. A user named “MenchiK1” summed it up best: “The garden was never about the flowers. It was about the people who planted them.”

Of course, no Watari-kun episode is complete without some chaos. Remember Yukari, Naoto’s classmate with the not-so-secret crush? She shows up at the garden with a trowel and a bag of sunflower seeds, saying, “I heard you’re replanting. Can I help?” Cue the awkward silence. Cue Satsuki grinning like a cat who just found a fishbowl. Cue Naoto’s face turning the color of a tomato (but hey, at least he didn’t do the “Na-na-na-NANI?!” thing—fans are loving that he’s not your typical flustered protagonist). The love triangle is officially in full swing, and honestly? I’m here for it.

But let’s address the elephant in the room: the bleeped-out title. We still don’t know what that ** is. Is it “Garden”? Is it “World”? Is it something way more chaotic? MyAnimeList commenters have theories—one says it’s “Ego,” another swears it’s “Sanity”—but Episode 24 doesn’t give us a clue. And you know what? That’s okay. The mystery is part of the fun. As one fan put it, “The bleep is like the garden—we don’t need to know what it is to feel its weight.”

Now, let’s talk about the production. The studio (S, whoever they are—details are scarce, but hey, it’s 2025) knocked it out of the park with the animation this episode. The rain scenes are soft and dreamy, the close-ups on Satsuki’s tear-streaked face are raw, and Suzu’s smile? Pure sunshine. The voice acting? Chef’s kiss. Satsuki’s VA nails the line between tough and vulnerable, and Naoto’s VA finally gets to show some emotion beyond “protective brother mode.”

But not everyone’s happy. Some fans are calling the episode “too predictable.” One user ranted, “We knew the garden backstory would be about fear of abandonment. Yawn.” Another complained, “The love triangle is cliché.” But here’s the thing: Watari-kun never pretended to be groundbreaking. It’s a slice-of-life with heart, and sometimes, clichés work—especially when they’re done with this much charm.

So, what’s next? The season finale is next week, and the stakes are high. Will Naoto and Satsuki fix their friendship? Will Yukari finally confess her feelings? Will we ever learn what that ** is? My money’s on more chaos, more tears, and maybe a few more sunflowers.

If you’re a 20-something (or younger) looking for an anime that’s equal parts funny and heartfelt, Watari-kun’s * Is About to Collapse* is worth a watch. It’s not perfect—some episodes drag, some characters are a little too tropey—but Episode 24 reminds us why we stuck around: because at its core, it’s a story about love, loss, and the people who help us grow.

As Satsuki says in the final scene, holding a sunflower seed up to the sky: “Let’s plant something new. Together.”

Yeah. I’m definitely watching the finale.

— A fan who’s now obsessed with sunflowers.