Switched Season 1 Episode 4 Recap – Trap

Umine listens to Koshiro’s plan to make Ayumi and Kaga switch bodies, but she tells him it’s almost impossible. Koshiro simply says they can trick the two. If the switch fails, then they‘ll call it suicide. Umine hugs Koshiro and says she’s even more in love with him. They don’t notice the parrot watching them from the tree outside. While Ayumi and Kaga eat, Mao approaches them. She points out how they can still have fun. “You two are going to lose your lives like this,” she says. Ayumi can’t believe Koshiro will do anything to hurt them. Mao tells them that Amagase, the parrot, heard the conversation. Mao says Amagase was once a human who committed suicide because of all his problems. He died in front of the parrot watching him. Ayumi realizes that because all switching conditions were met, it was possible that Amagase was once a human. But regardless of their efforts, Ayumi and Kaga refuse to believe them. Ayumi tells them Koshiro already saved her life before when she was a kid. Later, they talk to Koshiro and tell him they trust him. After they walk away from him, Koshiro smirks and says, “How stupid can you be?”

The entire school finds out that Kaga likes Umine. They can’t believe Kaga likes someone like Umine. Three students approach Ayumi and tease her about it. When Ayumi tries to explain that it’s not what they think, they just laugh at her. “Is she even aware that she’s ugly?” one student says. Ayumi looks at herself in the mirror. She starts to think about how people see her and Kaga when they are together. She thinks she’s ugly. Ayumi looks around and realizes that everyone is laughing at her. “Why did Kaga say that he’s okay with me, even when I look like this,” she asks herself.

After school, Kaga asks her to join a pudding eating contest. People look at them and laugh at Ayumi. Kaga ignores the mean things they hear and even jokes that he‘s lucky they look like a couple. Ayumi realizes she doesn’t care about her appearance because Kaga is always there for her. Meanwhile, Mao waits for Umine at the school gates. She asks her to exchange information with her. Mao shows Umine the video of a failed attempt to switch back and asks her if she regrets switching. Umine says she doesn’t because she has everything, including Koshiro. Mao replies, “But despite all that, you don’t seem very happy, do you?”

Umine walks home thinking about what Mao said. When she sees Ayumi at the pudding eating contest, surrounded by her new friends, Umine gets angrier. When she gets home, Ayumi’s parents greet her. She shouts at Ayumi’s parents when she finds out they cooked Ayumi’s favorite food.

On the day of the Red Moon, Koshiro hands the plan to Umine. Koshiro assures Umine that their plan will work because he knows Ayumi and Kaga the best. Kaga tells Ayumi to wait for him in the classroom. When Kaga leaves, Koshiro approaches Ayumi. He tells her to meet him in the art room. While Ayumi sits inside their classroom, she thinks about whether to stay or go to Koshiro. When Kaga comes to pick up Ayumi, she’s not there anymore. Ayumi decides to go and meet Koshiro in the art room. When she opens the door, she finds Umine waiting for her instead of Koshiro.

Koshiro goes to Kaga and provokes him. He tells Kaga to prove that Ayumi matters a lot to him. “Who gained the most from them switching? It wasn’t Zenko Umine. It was you,” Koshiro says. Kaga gets mad and punches Koshiro. While they fight, Koshiro pins Kaga against the railings. Kaga looks horrified that he might fall if Koshiro keeps pushing him. Umine tells Ayumi to look at the two while they fight. Umine tells Ayumi that she should look at Kaga because that’s the only way to save him. Ayumi tries to go to them, but Umine stops her from leaving. She slaps Umine. Ayumi tells her she‘ll try to be as happy as possible to make Umine regret her actions.

Koshiro lets go of Kaga to let him fall, but Kaga grabs Koshiro’s coat. Ayumi closes her eyes, but then she remembers that looking is the only way to save them. She opens her eyes wide and watches her friends fall to their deaths. When Kaga and Koshiro both hit the ground, Ayumi looks surprised that she hasn’t lost consciousness. Umine runs to help Koshiro. Ayumi runs to help Kaga. When Koshiro opens his eyes, he sits up and looks at Kaga. “What the hell is going on?” he asks. Ayumi looks at Koshiro and calls him by Kaga’s name.

Our Thoughts

Ayumi finally realized how difficult life is for Umine. She just didn’t realize it sooner because Kaga was always with her. But it was really rude for all those students to call her ugly. Not even one student defended her. How could they all be so mean? The difference between Umine and Ayumi is Kaga, not Koshiro. If Kaga was there for Umine, we doubt she‘d feel bad about her appearance. Whenever she sees Ayumi making new friends and being happy, she just can’t believe it’s possible. But we understand why she’s so angry. It’s because she didn’t have friends, not because she was ugly but because she was herself. 

It’s also disappointing that Ayumi’s parents haven’t realized it. We get that Umine’s mother doesn’t care about Umine, and that’s why she hasn’t paid any attention. Did Koshiro really try to kill Kaga to make her switch with Ayumi? What if it failed? They said they would call it suicide. But what if someone else was watching? He could get in trouble for killing his friend. We can’t wait to see what they‘ll do about it. If Kaga is now in Koshiro’s body, will Umine still like Koshiro? We know she was against the initial plan. We wonder if she can still love Koshiro or if she‘d try and find a way to switch them back. We are also curious when Koshiro and Kaga were both falling to their deaths, who was Ayumi looking at?