This next term might prove to be a difficult one.

I’m not going to be taking Final Fantasy XII with me back to Waterloo since my brother just bought some new games for the PS2. I’ll probably pick up the console when I return home for Reading Week though. It’s not really a big deal, IV and Ring of Fates will probably keep me busy for a while. I don’t plan on playing Revenant Wings until after I’ve beaten XII.

Well, this episode was a lot better than the last one since there were some interesting developments here. Takano’s personality is particularly noteworthy since it is kind of difficult to see that Irie never really second guessed Takano’s actions or thoughts. Does he feel that he is too indebted to her?

As expected, Takano was shot down by the higher-ups, giving a “positive” spin to her to make her seem less of an evil person and merely trying to complete the research that the professor had originally started. It’s played out quite well and you’d find yourself hard pressed to not want to pity her.

We should be back with our protagonists after Satoshi dies, which will probably happen in the next episode or two. You would think that Hanyuu would have seen how Rika’s parents were attacked (or whatever) by the Yamainu, but I guess not. However, if the opening is any sign of what’s to come, she’ll be playing a big role in good time.

Well, this episode moved along rather slowly here. I’m going to guess that it’s because there are still many more episodes to go? I mean, there’s not much you can do if Rika actually remembers what happened in the previous arc, right? What kind of conflicts will our protagonists have against Takano? Wouldn’t they just call the cops?

What does Hanyuu having faith in anything have anything to do with anything? What kind of role will she play in the upcoming episodes? I don’t find it likely that she’ll materialize to the natural world like what happens in the opening since I do not really see how that’s going to affect anything.

Given the current time line of the story, I’m guessing that they’re going to explain what really happened to the victims of the supposed “curse”. This should be pretty good and is a good way of advancing the story over simply jumping ahead to the time when Keiichi moved to Hinamizawa.

Okay, so I did get what I wanted by getting to see Hirono and Miyako on screen together. And how! The scene was a little unexpected but I guess that it’s only natural for Hirono to come to realize that the feelings he’s been harbouring for Miyako were actually romantic feelings.

Renji and Chihiro’s story continues to move along. Unlike the bit with Hirono and friends over on the other end, I’m foreseeing a “bad” ending for this arc. Although, to be fair, I can’t really see any possible endings for this end that seems remotely “happy”. I really don’t see Chihiro recovering from her current condition, so what kind of ending would you coin as being “happy”? The completion of her novel? Sorry, but I just can’t see myself getting excited over that unless they play it out properly.

Just like any other anime series, they pulled a fast one on us with this episode’s ending. I was slowly leaning over towards the screen bit by bit and then you realize that Kei was just getting ready to leave instead of opening Hirono’s door! What a curveball.