天下制覇

Rina continues her power play for Shiika and Daisuke continues his seduction of Rina.

Impressions:

I’m still annoyed about the timeskip after episode 4, but we’re actually developing Rina rather nicely. She’s a lot more generally good natured than your average feisty ladies and does respond pretty quickly to Daisuke’s flirtations. In general, I think one of the biggest strengths of the series at the moment is how good natured an empathic all the main characters are. Asami being all Mushied speaks poorly for her survival rate in the near future, although her power seems to be the fairly worthless thus far, along with her Mushi being tiny. Who knows, maybe she’ll learn to control electricity or something. I am looking forward to the eventual realization of everybody’s alternate identities… and the powers of the Snow Firefly a lot more than whoever this new antagonist is though.

Summary:

Shutterbug girl (I should really figure out her name) is writing up her observations on the Mushi that she recorded. Right as she finishes, a teacher comes in and asks what she’s doing… and then as insects buzz… asks what her dream is. Shutterbug passes out as we see static and images of insects.

In Rina’s apartment, she wakes up alone and looks at the clock. She’s running absurdly late. Pulling her clothes on, she sees that Shiika has tried her hand at making food for Rina, but has produced some badly animated whole CG fish in sandwiches. As Shiika picks up Rina’s student ID, she notices that it’s the same school that Daisuke goes to. Rina barely stomachs Shiika’s horrible food before telling her to be careful and heading off. Shiika’s way of being careful is to hide under a ski mask. As Rina leaves, Shiika thinks how she wants to see the school as well.

Both Rina and Shutterbug (Asami) barely make it to school, though Rina is still ill from Shiika’s food. They try to quiz Rina on who her new friend is, but class starts. Asami is still bothered by something, but we see a tiny Mushi on her neck as she settles down in class.

Later, Daisuke is staring at the door to a room when Rina comes up and starts giving him a hard time and tells him to go home. She goes through her normal tsundere routine with him and he compliments her and turns to leave. She immediately turns and runs into a door.

Back at Rina’s apartment, she continues to work her magic on Shiika. Rina demands a hint about the guy that Shiika likes. Shiika turns the tables on her and asks the same thing with neither getting an answer. Minmin meanwhile floats malevolently outside.

The next morning, apparently a weekend, Rina takes Shiika to school. Daisuke is lurking about as well, and catches a glimpse of them, but doesn’t follow. Rina introduces Shiika to her friends and vice-versa. Rina has Shiika sit wherever, and she immediately makes her way to a seat… I’m pretty sure it’s Daisuke’s. She starts rooting around in it at the books while they play at school. Daisuke can hear their voices outside, but just walks off.

Rina keeps showing Shiika around the school, to the art room, and the roof. Asami excuses herself for club activities while the rest try to decide what they want to do. Shiika of course wants to do it all, so to the karaoke for some truly terrible singing then pictures together with a really irritating and poppy song in the background.

The other two bugger off after the pictures, but Rina and Shiika continue the date with ice cream. Shiika’s lost in thought about Daisuke though, and drops her ice cream as she says his name. She borrows Rina’s cellphone and calls Daisuke. He asks if she’s okay and she apologizes for making him worry. As the two talk, Rina smiles to herself. As Daisuke hangs up, a guy comes running out, terrified and screaming about something “not human.”

Daisuke keeps thinking about the ghost of the school he heard Asami talking about earlier, and goes on his own investigation that night. He sees a light on and finds Rina painting. He tells her to go home, and when she asks him what he’s doing, he honestly says that he’s searching for a ghost. He keeps bugging her until she leaves, though he says that he’s not heading out just yet and walks off. Rina starts to leave and comes to a stairway where Daisuke jumps out to surprise her. She ends up falling down it, but he catches her and supports her body with his.

At the nurse’s office, Daisuke is getting all bandaged up. The two get ready to leave again, but Rina trips and the two headbutt, requiring yet more bandages, but no ‘humorous’ close up faces moment.

At the photo club, Asami is checking out her camera. Suddenly a picture of a static bug appears and then the clubroom is empty.

Asami appears in a static world of pictures. She sees her dog barking and moves to him, but passes through the picture. The world then disappears into darkness and she falls into oblivion.

Or out of her chair. She thinks that it was just a neat dream though.

The next day, Daisuke is missing from class. Rina goes to check on him, and is surprised that his house is so run down. Daisuke is inside, on the phone with his boss. He hangs up when he hears her knocking. She does the whole “I was just worried about you, and now I need to make you dinner” routine before handing him some food.

He remembers back to another girl watching over him in the same way… his sister, Chiharu. He runs out to the landing and thanks her. She gives him her best smile as she walks off.

That night, Rina and Shiika are in the bed of love once again engaging in a little pillow talk about how Rina is feeling a bit better and happier now.

Over the cityscape, another woman looks over theworld with a smirk and says that she’s back.