Another week, another relaxing camping trip.

Compared to last week where I outlined why I think this show is actually really darn good so far, I have far less to say about this week’s episode. There were no major character moments, no major plot progression, and nothing that we haven’t already seen already, but the show continues to be fluffy, warm, and a good, wholesome time.

The episode opens with a laugh out loud sketch about the Outdoor Activities Club using various creative methods to winterize their summer sleeping bags because they are too cheap to buy winter ones. This manifests in a hilarious sequence of Chiaki getting wrapped up in an immobile camping burrito made of aluminum foil, bubble wrap, and cardboard.

And it works! There are just a few problems…

The bulk of the episode switches back in forth in perspective between the OAC girls and Rin going on camping trips to different areas; OAC to Fuefuki Park in Yamanashi and Rin to Lake Suya in Nagano. We get to experience these two excursions simultaneously through LINE messages between Nadeshiko and Rin.

Their choices in campsites are fairly indicative of the girls’ personality differences. The OAC girls basically go to a lodge, with a hot springs close by, just a stones throw from the nearest city. Rin goes a little bit further out of the way, driving herself out into the country via vespa, to stay in a more rustic, less touristy camping location. It isn’t much, but the differences keep the episode’s locations and situations lively throughout and highlight some basic character distinctions, prepping for when the whole group inevitably finds themselves all camping together.

For fans of Your Name., the lake that Rin goes camping near is the same one that inspired the lake near Itomori in the film. Also, the live cam that Rin appears on is one of many live cams (some of which you can watch from the US) that you can stream online of various scenic places in Nagano. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the exact one they were referencing in the show, but here’s a list of them if you want to check them out.

Episode 4 is more of the same. Same good stuff, nothing really new. I do fear that if the show focuses too solely on relaxing camping scenes, it may end up falling flat as a complete work by the end of its run. I hope to see more of what we saw in episode 3 with each of the characters having heart-to-heart moments with each other to really nail that theme of friendship, beyond just the camping stuff.

Here’s to next week!

Laid-Back Camp is available for streaming on Crunchyroll and VRV on Thursdays.