天下制覇

I knew it. I bloody knew it.

Blame a particularly vexing Sudoku for why I’m actually awake and amped up enough at this hour to feel up to watching this episode.

Impressions:

I already declared victory at the suppository episode, but this just cements it. Keizou Kusakawa cannot direct a show without inserting either Nanoha or half-naked burly men humping something. Frightening.

As trivial and unrelated to the plot as this episode ended up being, it was still probably the most enjoyable episode since… well… the suppository episode. The story ground to a halt and we just got some really nice and touching character development for both Reishirou and Saeki… mostly the latter. It also helped that Saeki is absolutely adorable in her ponytail. Reishirou in a hawaiian shirt was also worth a few giggles and Higuchi actually went off on a somewhat humorous tangent for once with his fantasies about what morning-Shuri would look like… as opposed to the slovenly oaf that she actually is.

My main complaint is that we’re down to two episodes left to pull some kind of finale out of the hat, and I really don’t think that’s enough time to pull it off. At least the preview for next week shows that it’s going to be against the ol’ Asura Cryin’ League of Evil again and that Kanade will finally get to cut loose for the first time in the series, so maybe it’ll at least turn out okay, but just like Sekirei, I think I’ve just about given up on having any kind of closure here whatsoever.

I hadn’t realized that the subs were a few weeks back, so I guess I can be nice and not be lazy/get back in the summary habit. However, I stopped taking notes about 3 minutes in, so… well… we’ve already seen how bad my memory can be.

A flashback to the Reishirou/Aine past, and Aine’s mother watching over them.

Back in the present, the whole school is preparing for the upcoming beach bonanza. Kanade’s teaching An to sew, although it’s not going too well. Shuri’s just slacking off while Reishirou, in a hawaiian shirt and shorts, has… business with her.

Back in class whatever-whatever, Higuchi rants and raves about how great it’ll be to get to see Shuri in a bathing suit. He’s already seen her in states of undress in the morning and is underimpressed, but Higuchi goes off on another tangent about how that’s just as awesome. Saeki interrupts the ranting, and when she slams her hand on Tomo’s desk, that sets off a chain of motion leading to a lot of Takatsuki jiggling and then Tomo accidentally knocking Saeki over and hurting her ankle.

As an apology, he carts her home on his bike. The two flirt/argue a little bit along the way as they struggle to find something to talk about. Tomo brings up her change in hairstyle, prompting more of a beating, which Misao interrupts. When they get to Saeki’s place, she hobbles in, but trips and Tomo catches her. They share an awkward moment as Reishirou comes out of the elevator. They both protest that nothing’s going on as he just harumphs. He’s glad that Misao and Tomo are there though… they’re invited to a party.

Later, at the party, the entire gang of Asura peoples are there and dressed up. Rika and Shuri start squabbling. Nia just wants cake. You’s there too, and teases Shuri a little bit as well. The Saekis finally welcome them. Reishirou chastises Saeki for being so forward, and she blushes and stammers at him while the gang laughs at her.

Takatsuki notices that Aine’s glancing at Saeki’s ribbon and fixes it for her.

The hostess of the party arrives to a drumroll of her own voice, Aine’s mother, Kirie, the Saekis’ aunt. She happily greets all of them and thanks them for coming. They realize that it’s a party for Aine as we get to see the flashback to Aine’s transformation to a burial doll again.

In the kitchen, Misao chats with Kirie. Misao performs her ghostly parlor tricks as they gossip about Reishirou and how he used to be in the past with Aine and Saeki.

They then move on to the main event… the talent show. Rika’s up first, and she does a simple little magic trick and attempts to steal Tomo’s money in the process.

He demands the cash back, and her double bluff doesn’t work either. Next up is Nia and Shuri. Nia kisses Shuri all over (and I mean ALL OVER) and then Shuri goes into full assault mode. The rockets all pop harmlessly from Nia’s bad luck. Most of them clap, but You can’t resist getting a dig in, so Shuri goes berserk at her.

You effortlessly dodges all the rockets and they explode harmlessly outside. She calls that her trick. Rika somehow gets Viviana to carry Mahiwa through a flaming hoop (which sets him on fire) for his trick, and Shuri unsuccessfully tries to set up Kanade for her trick, to Saeki’s annoyance. Misao and Tomo perform really really bad comedy for their act.

However, Kirie and Aine both laugh at it, and Kirie says that it’s the exact kind of thing that Aine enjoyed.

A little later, Reishirou brings Kirie tea in her room. She grabs his face and forces a smile out of him. Misao and Tomo come in, and Kirie tries to touch Misao. Seeing that she’s really a ghost, she thinks to herself that she’s happy that Aine’s still alive and with Reishirou, even if she can’t see her.

Aine hugs her mother while Saeki looks a little dejected in the hall.

Out in the garden, Saeki mopes. Tomo and Misao attempt to comfort her, and she tells them that she wonders what things would have been like if she had been the one that became the burial doll. Misao tells her that it wouldn’t really have changed much, except that there would be oh so very many more perverse situations. Tomo glares at her, but Saeki giggles and tells them that they’re really fun to be around.

Inside, Kirie declares Misao and Tomo to be the winners of the talent show. Rika’s not content with that and snatches the trophy… a golden man air humping… god only knows what. Startled, she throws it away, only for it to land in Takatsuki’s chest. Kirie explains how wonderful it is while the Saekis and Aine facepalm.

 The guests all excuse themselves and leave. Saeki and Reishirou sit together briefly in the backyard until Kirie calls them over. Saeki happily runs off, while Reishirou hesitates. Aine had taken Saeki’s place when she got up. Reishirou asks her to go with him as they go to join their family.

Preview:

Takatsuki’s moment in the sun.