WARNING: The following contains spoilers for My Senpai Is Annoying Episode 10, "Autumn, or Ordinary Days," now streaming on Funimation.
Igarashi Futaba yearns to prove herself as a capable, reliable office worker, and has a stubborn and proud streak to match. But she's not the only one with something to prove in My Senpai Is Annoying. Sakurai Toko's kid brother, Yuto, faces some insecurities about his physical strength and athletic ability -- something Igarashi can relate to.
Fortunately, Yuto has plenty of new friends to encourage him and help him practice, and an afternoon game of basketball serves as the perfect time to see how much he can "man up" and make something of himself. It might not be that easy, though.
One afternoon, Kazama Sota meets Yuto at the local outdoor basketball court and generously offers him some free practice, though it doesn't go so well at first. Yuto had already received words of encouragement from Kurobe Natsumi, but the lessons haven't yet taken root and he still doubts himself. Yuto later mentions this to his sister, who volunteers to join in the next session -- complete with riceball snacks.
Soon, the whole gang comes together to play a friendly game of basketball, with Sakurai Toko staying on the sidelines to serve as referee. Yuto finds himself on a team with Igarashi and Kurobe against Takeda and Kazama, and the game begins. It's a casual bout with a score of five to win, since no one here is especially competitive about sports or basketball in particular. The real goal is for everyone to get some exercise, have fun and teach Yuto some self-confidence and sportsmanship. The good-natured game gets somewhat derailed, however, when Yuto is eliminated, and the remaining players bend the rules a bit.
After failing to confront him earlier in the game, Igarashi takes center stage and challenges her senpai, Takeda. She pushes herself to overcome this massive obstacle, and as the good sport he is, Takeda crouches to even the odds. Igarashi throws the basketball, only to knock both herself and Takeda out, and only Kazama and Kurobe remain in the game. This may represent Igarashi's fierce but overly ambitious attempts to impress everyone, most of all herself, and she clearly has a long way to go in both sports and life. Fortunately Takeda takes it well, watching happily as the two remaining players compete for two solid hours.
Yuto ends up mostly watching others play but already feels empowered and confident, and may have overcome his mental blocks to proceed with confidence while playing sports at school. More than just physical exercise, Yuto needs examples of teamwork, good sportsmanship and courage in the game, and he can apply those lessons to not just basketball, but life itself.
Igarashi, Takeda and the rest also show their best sides during the game, thematically tying in to Igarashi's and Kurobe's middle school days in particular. Back then they made a good team, with Igarashi's passion for art prompting Kurobe to devote herself to running and fitness rather than being a delinquent. Today, everyone is to Yuto what Igarashi had been for Kurobe, and it pays off handsomely as My Senpai Is Annoying continues.
