Spoiler warning: this article reveals the ending of the series S&X, including the resolution of Shimotori’s family history and the final scene of episode 7.
The final episode of “S&X” concludes Shimotori’s emotional journey by revealing the truth behind his family’s trauma. The ending focuses on how the protagonist reinterprets his parents’ actions and moves forward with his romantic relationship with Yumi.
The series concludes its storyline without leaving any unresolved investigative mysteries, highlighting Shimotori’s transformation and his new perspective on his past.
The past of the Shimotori family
The truth about Shimotori’s family is revealed during a hospital visit, where his mother, Sanae, remains in a persistent vegetative state with little chance of recovery. Professor Toyohara explains that Shimotori’s father, a perfectionist surgeon, controlled every aspect of his wife’s life. He attempted to shape her clothing and appearance according to his own ideal image, a behavior the episode describes as a “Pygmalion complex.”
The emotional pressure eventually led Sanae to have an affair. As a result, 17 years earlier, Shimotori’s father attacked the other man in a fit of rage. After learning the full context, Shimotori realizes that the true issue was not his mother’s sexuality, but his father’s abusive need for control. The script also confirms that, emotionally, Sanae’s memories remained frozen before the tragedy occurred.
The live television confession
The series’ public climax takes place when Yumi invites Shimotori to appear on a television program discussing taboo topics related to sexuality. During the broadcast, he openly shares his traumatic past with the audience. Shimotori reveals the assault committed by his father and explains that this event became the deciding factor behind his career choice as a sex therapist.
He uses his appearance on the show to explain that sex should never be used as a way to hurt oneself or others. He then discusses important topics such as communication between partners, masturbation, and consent. His final message is that people should not suffer alone in silence, reinforcing that sex is about more than reproduction and that everyone has legitimate questions, struggles, and uncertainties.
The final scene at the festival
The story concludes at a night festival. While watching the lanterns with Yumi, Shimotori uses a metaphor to describe his emotional recovery: the clock of his life, which had been frozen for 17 years because of his family trauma, has finally started moving again.
The series fully establishes the bond between the two characters. They thank each other for listening and supporting one another throughout the story, and the final scene shows them sharing a kiss. The ending makes it clear that Shimotori did not erase his past — he transformed it into a conscious decision to help others, while beginning a sincere and meaningful relationship with Yumi.
Source: Episode 7 S& X Netflix