WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki Episode 7, "When a Mentor Character Becomes the Boss, They'll Push You to the Edge," now streaming on Funimation.
In Episode 7 of Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki, Tomozaki and Mimimi continue their hard work preparing for Student Council Election Day, aiming for an off-the-cuff strategy to defeat Hinami's campaign. Tomozaki knows Hinami is an expert at everything she does, including public speaking, so he brings his sharpest gaming instincts to Mimimi's election day speech -- with memorable results for the entire school.
Hinami and Tomozaki haven't seen each other much since the election got underway. When the big day arrives, they head to the assembly hall together. Surprisingly, Tomozaki is feeling confident -- not because he's sure Mimimi will win, but he knows they've given it everything they have and relishes the challenge of taking on his mentor. Both girls' election speeches bring surprises and delight -- but a landslide victory in the end.
Tomozaki knows Hinami's popularity and uncanny ability to relate to her fellow students can't be beaten with a typical campaign speech, so he approaches Mimimi's speech from a different angle: humor. While Mimimi is making her pitch to the student body, Tomozaki sneaks off to an upper balcony above the audience. Suddenly an alarm goes off and the electronic voice of Navi (the show's off-brand version of Amazon's Alexa) comes over the speakers to converse with Mimimi. She has Navi shut off the alarm as the sudden interruption turns into a witty back-and-forth conversation that delights the audience.
Tomozaki's goal is to show that Mimimi's quick thinking and calmness under pressure allow her to handle problems as soon as they arise and that she can do the same for her fellow students if elected President. The ad-libbed chat with Navi portrays her as both a leader and a sharp speaker, leaving the audience laughing in delight.
But Hinami is the toughest opponent imaginable for a reason, and she knows Tomozaki well. Her speech references an electric ball pump for the sports clubs and air conditioning in classrooms -- Mimimi's two main campaign promises. Hinami either predicted their strategy or overheard other students talking about it, and she attacks without mercy. Whereas Tomozaki's plan was to campaign the AC issue to first-year students, Hinami publicly guarantees it to the entire school. She even takes the bold step of chastising their teachers who may laugh off her promise -- from their fancy, air-conditioned break room. Her skillfully crafted presentation is strong, memorable and convincing.
In the end, Hinami becomes Student Council President, winning the vote by a nearly 4-to-1 margin. Tomozaki remains upbeat despite their defeat, knowing he and Mimimi did their very best to win. Mimimi appears her normal self on the surface, but her best friend Tama can tell something's off. Tama is very guarded and rarely opens up to others, but Tomozaki's listening skills shine as she discusses her unlikely friendship with Mimimi. Although Tama is the introverted one, she watches over Mimimi and sees that she's been going to track practice even earlier than Hinami and staying later after school.
Mimimi has been in competition with Hinami many times but always comes in second place. She represents the most difficult challenge that Mimimi desperately wants to overcome. Tomozaki learns that people are not always as they appear on the surface as Mimimi, despite her normal cheery exterior, is fast pushing herself to the point of burnout. He understands the desire to push one's limits and, thanks to Hinami, knows the value of setting hard but attainable goals. Despite his still low-level people skills, can Tomozaki help his friend through her internal struggles?
