Thirteensugars is supposed to write the introduction of the entry, but she was a lazy piglet that refused to write anything. The honest truth was that I (Impz) procrastinated over the entry due to some unpleasant real life events during the previous week. Hence, I was not in the mood to write at all.

There is a quick recap of Episode 6. It turned that Paul Ferman was a spy for the Scarlet group. This Scarlet group is a resistance unit against Prince, and they mistook Edgar to be a lackey of the Prince. As Edgar confronted Paul about the ring, Paul tried to poison Edgar and he was unable to do it. However, it was too late as someone lurched at Edgar. The knife was poisoned, and Edgar’s life was in danger.

Summary

Lydia knew that the only way to save Edgar is Kelpie, since Kelpie’s blood has the ability to dispel poison. After Lydia promised to go to the fairy world with him, he gave a drop of blood and placed it in her mouth. He told her to give the blood to Edgar mouth-to-mouth. At the mansion, Nico knew what Lydia was going to do, and asked her whether she could leave her father. Lydia was embarrassed to give Edgar a mouth-to-mouth transmission, and realized she could kiss his hand. When there was no effect, Lydia got close to kiss Edgar. However, Edgar woke up. Edgar said that he was left behind by Lydia in his dream, and could not remember how he lost her. Eventually, in the dream, he realized that it was his forceful personality that made Lydia leave.

Edgar said that he was never troubled by the presence of Lydia, and begged Lydia to stay with him. He asked Lydia to try liking him. Lydia said that she might give it a try and told him to rest since he was weak from poison. Edgar was glad that it was the first time she did not outright reject him and went to sleep. The next day, Lydia’s father came over, and said that she chose to live among the fairies. Edgar asked if there’s a way to keep her in the human world. Lydia’s father said there was a way, but it was up to the fairy (Kelpie) who took her. He added that they could only accept it quietly.

Edgar wondered if Lydia really chose Kelpie. Raven mentioned Nico, and Edgar knew he had a source. Nico told him the story. Edgar was happy that Lydia left him in order to save him, and felt that Lydia did it for her love. Nico quickly reminded him that Lydia is very eccentric. Of course, Edgar asked if there is a way to get to Lydia, and successfully bribed Nico with some regal hood and boots to get the information he wanted. After thinking, Edgar promised Marigold to marry their queen and decided to get the ring back.

Edgar looked for Paul in the Scarlet. The Scarlet was surprised that Edgar was still alive. Edgar said that the Scarlet was an organization that protected the Earl, and asked them to support him. He said the proof of his heritage through the sword. The Scarlet group hesitated for a moment before charging forward. However, they were stopped by Paul. Paul explained that Edgar was not a lackey of Prince, and they were similar since Edgar and the Scarlet were persecuted by Prince. Edgar asked to join forces with Scarlet and get back the ring. Edgar proclaimed that he would retrieve the “white bow” and teleported into the fairy world.

Lydia was with Kelpie in the fairy world. Kelpie tried to get fresh with Lydia, only for Lydia to slap him. Lydia reminded that they were not married. Kelpie heard a distraction and left. Lydia suddenly heard Edgar’s voice, and thought it was a hallucination. It turned out that Edgar was really here, and Nico was the one causing the diversion. Edgar asked if he would do nothing after realizing Lydia did this for him. Lydia said that he already promised Kelpie to be here, and could not break any promise. However, Edgar said Lydia already broke a promise after agreeing try to love him. She denied it, saying that she might consider. Edgar said that she should not leave without giving an answer.

Lydia realized what Edgar did and told Edgar that he would have to be the husband of the fairy doctor after receiving the ring. Edgar decided to propose to Lydia, and told them that the agreement only worked if he wore the ring. He did not wear it a single time. Kelpie and the fairies finally found them. Edgar begged Lydia with a flimsy reason that an agreement with humans could be broken, and told him to accept his proposal to save him right now. He also mentioned how lonely Lydia’s father was to persuade her. Despite being reluctant, Lydia put on the moon ring. They then transported back to the human world.

The next day, Edgar thanked Lydia for saving Paul. It turned out that Edgar did not think that Paul’s drawings were great, but accepted it nonetheless (revealing his rather playful character). Edgar also asked why Lydia did not put on the ring. Lydia said that the ring was good as a prevention against playful fairies. Edgar replied that he would visit her father as a formal proposal. Lydia was shocked as she thought that the proposal was merely a human promise that could be broken. Edgar reminded her that she actually agreed to it, and he did not remember saying something like that. Lydia tried to wriggle her way out of it by saying she has work to do.

13’s thoughts

We do apologize for this much delayed entry. Impz thought it would be fun to strangle in anticipation those who were looking forward to reading THAT’s HakuSei summaries. I, of course, said that it was a terrible thing to do… Terrible!

And so, without further ado, knock yourselves out.

Okay, I was disappointed when I saw THAT kiss. I thought there would be more… but it seemed like Meirin from Kuroshitsuji saw more action than I did from HakuSei. Lydia’s act of saving Edgar in exchange for her going to the fairy world with Kelpie was something I pondered quite a lot. Did she do it because she was eccentric? Was it because she just couldn’t stand not doing anything to save someone? Or maybe, just maybe, there was something there that wasn’t there before that could mean more than just a charitable action on Lydia’s part? Had Edgar’s labors of love, if what he felt for Lydia was true love at all, finally gave fruit, even only for a tiny one? We, those who were unfamiliar to the novels, could only guess. And what a fun thing to do it was!

The whole Prince and Scarlet Moon thing became more interesting now. Why was the organization of the Scarlet Moon against whoever Prince was? I initially thought the Scarlet Moon group actually belonged to Prince. And also, it was clear to me now that being the Earl of the Blue Knights was a tougher job to take on compared to just a regular title, what with problems it entailed both in the human world and the fairy world, not to mention an eccentric sort-of-fiancée the current earl had to deal with. And of course, there was his past to consider. Who exactly was Edgar? Was he really a son of a duke who supposedly committed treason and murdered his own family?

My most enjoyable scene in this episode was when Kelpie made a scandalous advance on our heroine. I almost said, “Dude, you’re doing it wrong. Use the 90-10 rule on her!” Honestly, I thought every guy should have a book of Art of Seduction 101, or something to that effect. Then again, they would probably still make a blunder of it. It was also hilarious how Edgar tried to bribe Nico to help him get Lydia back, and how Nico almost gave in for the hat and boots he was being promised to.

Another interesting thing that piqued my curiosity was about the discussion between Professor Carlton and Edgar after the professor informed the earl that his daughter would no longer be working as the earl’s fairy-doctor advisor. I wondered how the professor made his wife fall in love with him and kept her by his side. Edgar could surely use some tips from him.

Oh, how I wish the novels get licensed here. Or if not, perhaps a kind saint would be gracious enough to translate it for poor unfortunate souls such as myself. My silly boyfriend was reluctant to indulge my request. Anyway, let us know what you think about this episode as well.

p/s: I am not silly. You are a silly piglet.

This episode was actually the story arc covered in the first drama CD of Hakushaku to Yousei. Hopefully, we would get to see some kissie-kissies between Edgar and Lydia later on. I remembered rendering Impz temporarily deaf after I listened to the drama CD even though I barely understood what exactly was going on then.

And yes, the epic Seiran vs. Sakujun seiyuus that I’ve waited for so long had finally started! Time to kya, kya, kya!

Summary

A black-haired man asked a little fairy for directions to London. After reaffirming his directions, the little fairy told him about her gift to the Earl in London. It turned out that the man swooped the ring. In London, Lydia was the official fairy doctor of Edgar for three months, and she was asked to go for a ball. Lydia was apprehensive about it since she could not dance, but Edgar already asked a dancing instructor to teach Lydia. He also warned Lydia not to accept anyone’s invitation to dance, because he would get jealous.

Lydia said she wished she could use the moon curse against his flirtatious ass. The moon curse is a challenge to fairies to get the moon for her if they want to marry her. Since no one could get the moon, suitors were feared off. Edgar realized that Lydia probably used that curse against someone else, and it turned out to be true as Lydia admits that one of those fairies probably wanted to get hold of her since she’s a rare being to capture. Edgar was surprised that someone other than him could love her so much. Edgar said that guys were silly creatures that played pranks to get attention from the girl he loves. Edgar held Lydia’s hand and he stated gladly that the guys who tried to get close to Lydia were silly creatures.

Edgar said that he felt that the queen was similar to Lydia after receiving a picture of Titania. Lydia said that she was unlike the queen, but Edgar insisted that she has similar qualities such as her cuteness and mysteriousness. Edgar was also about to kiss the painting due to its beauty, but Lydia stopped him. Edgar was perplexed why she stopped him, and asked if she was thinking about a particular kiss. Anyway, they were interrupted by the arrival of the dance instructor. After a few practices, Lydia was hardly improving and Nico said that Lydia’s dancing was more like an attempt to kill her partner. Marigold, the fairy we saw earlier, told Lydia that she was looking for Edgar under the charge of the queen’s orders. Lydia told Nico to bring Marigold to Edgar.

As they resumed their dance practice, the instructor suddenly lunged forward to attack Lydia only for Raven to fend him off. That assassin called Raven a dog of Prince, and ran off. Marigold met up with Edgar and talked about the marriage plans between Titania and Edgar. Edgar wondered whether the queen fairy was a loli because he had no interest. However, Marigold’s moon ring was stolen by the black-haired guy. Marigold was worried because she would be reprimanded seriously by the queen. Edgar told her that they would find it, and told Marigold to stay in the residence since it would take a while. The water moss on the counterfeit seemed to hint of a certain prankster…

At night, Lydia arrived to the ballroom and Edgar gave her a rose flower as the ornament for her dress. Lydia wondered if her dress was too boring. Lydia asked Raven whether her dress was strange, and Raven said that he did not know before correcting himself that she looked beautiful. Lydia knew Edgar gave Raven specific instructions. Another blond man heard Lydia’s comment and said that she was not strange. He added that he felt strange to be in a ball as it was his first time, and told Lydia that she was extremely eye-catching. It was because the rose flower was a pair, which meant that Lydia would be Edgar’s dance partner of the night.

The man introduced himself as Paul Ferman, the artist who drew that painting. Paul asked if Lydia liked fairies, and he said that fairies were beautiful to draw because it was up to his creativity and it was interesting how a selected group could see fairies through their soul. Lydia also realized that Edgar felt like a stranger, and Paul invited Lydia to dance. Just when Lydia was about to dance, Nico alerted the arrival of Kelpie. Kelpie was here to bring Lydia back to Scotland, and wondered about her strange dressing. He then flipped her skirt in curiosity, earning him a slap from Lydia. Kelpie said she was as brutal as usual. Paul appeared, and Kelpie wondered if Paul was the Earl. Kelpie also found the moon for her too, which was the ring she stole. During their struggle, the ring was slipped into Paul’s finger and Paul could not remove it. Kelpie also tried to assault Edgar, only to be stopped by Raven. Kelpie decided to flee because it was an disadvantageous battle.

Edgar asked Lydia for a dance, and wished that they could be with each together forever. Edgar was concerned about Kelpie’s proposal, but Lydia said that Edgar was not serious about her. Edgar was taken aback and started insulting Kelpie for having no taste, properties or fame. However, Edgar understood that love made no sense. Lydia said that he only did stuff to be the center of attraction. Edgar was also worried over Paul’s compatibility but warned that artists are eccentric. He said he did not expect Lydia to believe his love but he hoped that she would understand one day. Lydia replied that she had no time for his love game, and told him to stop flirting. Lydia started remembering a sad flashback and it was clear she shed some tears. When Tomkins came, Edgar said he might be hated by Lydia. Tomkins gave a letter to Edgar and it seemed that Edgar was threatened. At the end, another fairy came to find Marigold.

Thoughts

A bit of Lydia’s past was shared in this episode of how she was played the fool by a boy when she was a little girl who had yet to be Fairy M.D./PhD, thus, her disbelieving attitude towards romantic approaches of the opposite sex. Now this reminded me a bit of Sunako from The Wallflower. Such incidents were quite heartbreaking and traumatizing for a young miss as some of us would know from firsthand experience.

Luckily for our heroine, our deceitful Edgar realized he had met his match and decided to be honest about his feelings towards her. He came with an arsenal of flirty and cheesy pick-up lines. He saw to it that all pick-up lines shot the target with perfect precision. Alas, he did not conquer Lydia’s heart. What irony for our suicidal-hero! He had been a liar most of his life, yet when he decided to be true to the fairy-doctor, she did not believe him. If she made it easy for him to woo her, this series would end sooner than we would like it to.

And, oh snaps! I saw the slut from episode one dancing with Lydia’s earl, and I wondered if Lydia was jealous then because she seemed quite jealous over the Titania portrait Edgar was about to kiss before. And if she was, why didn’t Lydia go, “Whore, get yo’ hands offa ma boo! Ya ain’t got a pinky rose like I do!” We could’ve had a cat-fight scene, or not. Oh well, I guess Lydia still did okay for making Edgar jealous over Paul Ferman, the meddlesome painter whose finger got stuck with the real moon-ring, and Kelpie, the black-haired fairy/horse who seemed to be madly attracted to Lydia.

I found it very amusing how Kelpie embodied the things Edgar told Lydia; about guys who weren’t great at expressing their feelings clearly to their lady-loves and end up annoying said lady-loves more. I initially thought Kelpie was a puca, but Wiki told me a kelpie was somewhat similar to a puca but were totally different creatures. Either way, these new personalities would definitely be something to look forward to, especially Lydia’s Kelpie. Her interaction with him was the most hilarious scene in this episode.

Speaking of new characters, I was quite curious about the fairy-queen whom Marigold mentioned as a total babe. Why would she want to propose to the Blue Knight Earl with the moon-ring no less? Did the fairy-land run out of noble bishies or something?

This episode left us with a few more questions to ponder. Why was Edgar targeted by this Prince person? Who was he? How was he related to Edgar? He couldn’t possibly be the blonde bad-poochy owner because the official web site of HakuSei said the blondie’s name was Ulysses. Could Prince be one of his pseudonyms? Could the web site be deceiving us? Oh my!

And the winner is… Loli-Merrow! That’s not her on the image though.

Summary

Lydia was waylaid by a sinister dog. At the first sign of danger, Nico escaped and it was left up to Raven to save our Lydia. After a major battle, the dog returned to its realm. After that, Lydia was locked up along with her father while Edgar managed to elude Huskly. Her father asked if Edgar was serious about the marriage, and said he would not oppose Lydia. Lydia scoffed at the thought. Outside the cell, Raven (who supposedly escaped during the battle) informed Lydia to wait for their rescue and added that Edgar did not lie about needing Lydia. Lydia said that Edgar simply needed her as a fairy doctor, but Raven included more information about a key and the need for a blood sacrifice.

Huskly ordered Lydia to guide the way to the treasure at night. When Lydia brought Huskly to the area where Raven and Edgar knocked him unconscious. Edgar was about to kill Huskly but he was stopped by a distraught Lydia who was worried that her father would be harmed. Edgar said that Huskly would keep her father alive as long as the mystery was not solved. They found the clue of the cross, and Lydia said that the spirit mentioned in the clue was scared of mahogany crosses. Following the various clues engraved on the coin, they found themselves on a cliff edge.

At the cliff edge, there was an opening the size of a coin. Symbolizing the leprechaun’s liking to hide coins beneath the sea, Edgar placed the coin into the hole to create a new underground path that leads to a winery. At the sidelines, Nico warned Lydia to grab the sword and kill Edgar. Behind a door, they found a three way crossroad. Lydia told them that they should follow the direction of the banshee’s wail. After crossing a chasm, they found the slot for the silver key. Edgar was surprised how Lydia knew about the key. Raven bowed down and admitted that it was his doing. Raven did that on behalf of Ermine, who did not want Edgar to be hurt. Edgar was about to explain “Noblesse Oblige (the requirements of a noble) to explain Raven’s actions but they were interrupted by Huskly.

Huskly threatened to kill Lydia’s father but Lydia warned that he would get no benefits for doing that. Ignoring Huskly’s threats, Raven inserted the silver key and the drawbridge across the chasm collapsed. Edgar decided to push ahead and told Lydia that giving Huskly the sword would not ensure her father’s safety. They then saw a young girl, and Lydia confirmed it was Merrow. Edgar rushed forward to grab the sword, but it turned out to be a mirage. Lydia, with her eyes, was able to see the real sword.

Lydia said she knew about the sacrifice, and Edgar told her that she won. Edgar also told Raven not to do anything as he moved closer to Lydia. Edgar said he really could not lie to her, and grabbed the blade of the sword. As the blood flowed onto the sword, Edgar disappeared into thin air. Merrow could recognize that Lydia was a fairy doctor, since there were no longer any descendants of the Earl. Merrow asked Lydia to release them to fulfill the former Earl’s promise, while Lydia mentioned that the sword did not have the star sapphire. Merrow said that the descendant of the Earl had a carving of the Star Sapphire on a part of his body as evidence. Hence, Edgar did not need a blood sacrifice but needed to find the person with the mark of the Star Sapphire.

Just then, Huskly caught up and threatened Lydia again. However, Nico and other fairies impeded them. Lydia then told Raven that she would be negotiating with Merrow for his master’s return. Under the sea, Lydia found Edgar’s soul. Edgar thought he was in a dream, but realized that Lydia was really here to save a man who threatened to kill her. Lydia demanded Merrow to replace the sapphire in exchange for Lydia’s soul. However, Edgar stopped Merrow in time by noting his tongue’s sapphire mark and Merrow agreed to bestow Edgar as the next Earl. Edgar started to hug Lydia when the waves appeared, and mentioned that it was for his safety. A few days later, Edgar officially gained the rank of a Earl and invited Lydia to become the official fairy doctor.

13sugar’s Kyaaing thoughts

So in this episode, I concluded that Raven was an action hero, Edgar was the suicidal-romantic hero, and Nico was the smartest character of the lot. In the whole four episodes, Nico didn’t get into a fight. He ate and drank whatever he wanted, and the best part was that he appeared and disappeared whenever he wanted. Back in this episode, when Raven pulled his trick-or-treat demon-spirit-within on the bad dog, poochy retreated and left, which actually made me wonder what exactly did bad poochy’s master want him to do.

The blood sacrifice tidbit was part of the riddle engraved on the silver key which Edgar already kept with him. Its purpose was to mislead people who plan to abuse the earl and all that come with the title. It really served well since everyone believed there must be a blood sacrifice to fully acquire the sword.

Raven, in fear for his master doing a noblesse oblige stunt (It’s kind of like the Spider-Man quote, “With great power, comes great responsibility.), hinted to Lydia while she was locked up that as a noble, Edgar might make himself the blood sacrifice to fulfill his duty to those below his status. But Nico thought otherwise and warned Lydia to kill Edgar as soon as they get the sword of Merrow because Lydia could actually be the blood sacrifice Edgar needed to possess the sword.

When Edgar and Lydia finally found Merrow and the sword, Edgar ended up killing himself not because of Lydia or the blood sacrifice riddle but because he noticed that, just like Lydia did after he disappeared; there was no star-sapphire on the Merrow sword. His hope of becoming the earl and gaining a new noble identity completely fell apart in that instant. He got so emo about it and decided to welcome death at that point. And of course, if Lydia hadn’t rescued him, this anime series would’ve ended on this episode. As an audience, I was grateful that some typical shoujo-heroine traits were in her character. Otherwise, I would throw my b/f (Bitch-fit, boyfriend, I’ll throw them both.).

Anyway, what Merrow really wanted was the person who possessed the six-pointed-star mark on his/her body. It meant that, since the previous earl’s descendants were all deceased, anyone who possessed a six-pointed-star mark can be acknowledged by Merrow as the true Earl of the Blue Knights. Unfortunately, Edgar only had four points on his “star” mark, but Merrow probably thought that it was better to have a four-pointed star mark of a hot bishie than a fairy doctor’s soul.

Merrow in this episode was quite a mystery to me. After all, the previous earl gave his sword to her for safe keeping. Who was she? Our guess was that she was the leader of the fairies, or Merrow’s Secret’s top model. It could probably be the latter; a bishoujo mermaid who could turn into a loli-fairy found in a cave if one followed the direction of the banshee’s wail. But as far as I knew when it came to fairy tales, mermaids were usually the sirens, and banshees usually were the cursed sisters of sirens. I could be wrong on this.

The best kya-kya moment for me was when they copied Jiro and Mimiko’s water escape in Black Blood Brothers. Only, Lydia wasn’t limp from an orgasm of losing blood like Mimiko was.

Merrow Island had lots of green things like green-eyed people and green fields, and maybe that was why the black fearsome-looking poochy was at odds with Lydia’s expectations.

Sit, boy!

Summary

Three fairies were discussing whether Lydia can help them return home, and they were overheard by Nico. The three fairies told Nico that Merrow was weeping the whole time, and they hoped that Lydia can release him. Nico decided to bring the three fairies along. The group reached the hotel in the island while Lydia suffered from a bad case of sea sickness. In the hotel, they are received by a butler. Edgar asked the butler about the old castle, and he immediately realized that Edgar is trying to prove his identify as many had done earlier. He added that he was the butler for previous Earl rulers, and would be his assistant if Edgar could prove that he is the real Earl.

However, the butler warned that many before them were killed by Merrow and all islanders were descendants of Merrow. After the butler left, Lydia made a trail with the water, and she explained she was using the droplets to guide a lost Brownie. Edgar decided to try it as well, and successfully guided the brownie out of the room. Lydia thought Edgar did not believe in fairies. He admitted he did not, but added that Lydia is different from others. Lydia started stuttering when Edgar stared at her lovingly, but eventually thanked him for saving her.

Lydia also said Edgar will lie just to please her, but she shyly admitted that she was easily tricked by his charms. Edgar started holding a fistful of her caramel-colored hair, and asked if her hair would taste sweet. He kissed Lydia’s hair, rendering her motionless and open to his seduction. He was about to get closer but they were interrupted by Raven. At night, Edgar complimented Lydia’s innocence and straightforwardness. Edgar said even a bad person like him cannot resist her pureness. Edgar mentioned that Lydia’s eyes were able to pierce right through him. It scares him because everything about him was a lie.

Raven asked if Edgar would tell Lydia the truth. He said he wouldn’t, and they would resume their plan. Edgar said he cannot lose anyone anymore after losing Ermine. Raven said it was not Edgar’s fault. Edgar said he was pampered by Ermine, and did not know how to take care of himself. Edgar ended the conversation by telling Raven to escort Lydia back to her room. It was clear Lydia was eavesdropping on their discussion.

Lydia hurriedly ran off, and was terrified by Raven after remembering how he killed their pursuers. He apologized for causing her shock. Lydia said that she would do what is right, and asked if Raven would kill her. Raven said it would benefit no one if he killed her now. Lydia started to question Raven’s loyalty by implying that Raven would kill anyone under Edgar’s orders. Raven revealed that Edgar would never order him to do so and the spirit within him would instantly cause a massacre to anyone who threatened his master. However, Edgar accepted his uncontrollable murderous spirit.

Lydia said anyone could be his master. Raven asked if she was able to teach him right from wrong, or prevent him from ever killing anyone if she was to be his master. Lydia was left speechless. The next day, they discussed about “Spunky’s basket”, and searched for it. Raven went ahead to find it, and Edgar asked Lydia to join him. Lydia asked why she had to accompany him and Edgar replied that she might get lost. While they searched for Merrow, Lydia asked if Edgar was scared, and Edgar flirtatiously asked if Lydia would be sad for him. Lydia replied that Ermine would be sad for him, since she assumed that Ermine was Edgar’s previous lover.

Edgar simply teased her, but told Lydia that Ermine was Raven’s sister. Lydia then mentioned that people around Edgar would be blessed. Edgar was surprised and wondered if Lydia had wings behind her back. Lydia replied that Edgar does not seem like a bad guy. After a search, they found the grave of Merrow’s child. Edgar reaffirmed his beliefs about not believing in fairies. The next clue, “Pixie”, hinted at the creation of a fairy ring. At the far end, they found a door that was drawn, as they tried to find the entrance to the true fairy ring.

Just then, Huskly came and asked for Lydia’s release. With Raven’s distraction, Lydia and Edgar were able to escape. They were waylaid by Lydia’s father. Lydia’s father asked Edgar to release his daughter. However, Edgar explained that he was in fact proposing to Lydia, and asked Lydia’s father for her hand. Huskly caught up with them, and was about to shoot Edgar. Lydia’s father tried to stop Huskly but he was hurled aside. Edgar and Huskly were then struggling with each other, while a single gunshot echoed. While Lydia and Nico ran away, they were stopped by a vicious fairy dog.

13’s and Impz’s Little Thoughts

As 13sugars is now kyaaing her life away watching Sesshomaru (she calls him Fluffy Sesshy), I am forced to write the thought section. See, people, this is why you should never have a lazy fangirl who is more eager to kyaa at bishies than sharing the joy to others by writing an entry. The fact that I can waste my first paragraph complaining about her tells you how much I wish to kill her while she’s mumbling “Sesshy” in my ears now.

Anyway, I think that Hakushaku To Yousei has pulled out all the stops to make sure that their target audience will feel the love with every single episode. There are so many kyaa-kyaa moments in the episode that 13sugars feels like throwing herself at Edgar because he is so gorgeous. Correction, she states that Edgar is DROP-DEAD GORGEOUS! I have to admit from a guy’s point of view that this strong personality of Edgar and his strong conviction to be the Earl is total hot man territory.

I think the yin-yang combination of the two main characters make the relationship so interesting. One is a liar that cannot stop lying, while the other is so honest and sincere that you can see her mind on her heart. Moreover, the sweetest and most interesting line is when Lydia has a flutter of jealousy when they talk about Ermine. I bet all of you who likes the romantic part of this scene turned into goo.

The compelling scene for 13sugars is the talk between Raven and Lydia. Lydia, in her naivety and ignorance, automatically assumed that Raven is merely following Edgar’s orders in killing people. And to her surprise, Raven reveals that Edgar had never ordered him to kill anyone, and that Raven himself was under duress of the spirit within him trying to protect its master from any threat. This and the provoking questions Raven tossed at her that rendered her speechless made us see how innocent of worldly themes Lydia is. I think Lydia cannot imagine how humans can be enveloped into such an uncontrollable rage to kill others. A killing machine is one thing that does not exist in Lydia’s life. Maybe that’s a trait all fairy-doctors have. It may be annoying and ridiculous to many, but it may actually be the very trait that makes fairy-doctors special.

For me, it is in the flirty scene where Edgar fools with Lydia in the middle of the episode. Let me just say that I feel like I am writing a smut novel when I write the summary for 13sugars (who is supposed to fill in the gap here). I actually wondered if I should mellow it down. I like such scenes because it makes Lydia feel like a prey defenseless against the charms of a big bad wolf. In addition, it’s cute to see her blush and vulnerable. It’s the man in me that wants to play with a girl like her. Heh!

Of course, let me end off by asking you about the giant spirit dog. Will Lydia be able to pacify the dog? Where is the dog from too? Of course, what is your favorite scene in this episode?

First and foremost, just so we’re all clear here. I’m neither a pervert nor am I an otaku. Liking the ED of this anime series simply shows I appreciate art. How can anyone not appreciate such a fine piece of exquisiteness all laid out on white linen sheets? After all, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and I’m definitely beholden.

Impzie Summary

Edgar showed an ancient coin inscribed with fairy language. After magnifying the words, Lydia noticed it was English and wondered if Edgar is testing her ability. The words on the coin seemed to hint that the Noble Sword of the Merrow is hidden in one of the Earl’s territories. Lydia stated that an island in Ireland has various legends about mermaids. Since the Irish meaning of Merrow is Mermaid, that might be a location. Edgar and Lydia then had a contract, where Edgar paid Lydia 500 dollars.

Their discussion was interrupted by the captain who was searching for a dangerous man. The captain asked who Lydia was, and Edgar replied that he was escorting her to her father. The captain stated that the suspect took a girl as a hostage. Edgar asked if the suspect was the same as the mass murderer in USA (depicted as a blond with purple eyes). One of the sailors hinted that Edgar might be the suspect, and Edgar said his features must be very common to be similar to the suspect. The captain stopped the sailor immediately and left. After they left, the captain said it was impossible for them to ask the Earl to stick out his tongue to verify his identity because the criminal had a cross branded on his tongue. Moreover, the murderer in USA was said to be dead.

The next day, Nico and Lydia discussed about the cross marked on his tongue. Lydia tried to check him out when he was asleep, but he was merely faking it. Edgar said that if she wanted to kiss him, she could. She muttered “tongue” and Edgar was surprised she liked a French kiss more. At an awkward moment, Lydia asked Raven to help her against Edgar’s advances. Lydia tried to splash hot tea on Edgar, but Raven used his body to block the hot tea. Lydia went over and apologized. Raven said he would have stopped Edgar, but he was surprised a lady did that.

It turned out Raven is 18, while Lydia is 17. Lydia thought that Raven would look very cute if he only smiled. Lydia asked if Raven would not stop Edgar if Edgar killed someone. Raven said he would kill the person himself for Edgar. Lydia said she was ostracized for her green eyes as they resembled those of fairies. Raven added that he was a half devil, and only Edgar accepted him. He said that Lydia cannot detect his powers as a fairy due to the overpowering aura of other fairies. Lydia felt that he was somewhat complaining about his fate.

As they came down the ship, they were waylaid by Huskley. Huskley said Edgar is good at playing this “sir” game. Edgar said he was a lord, not a sir. Huskley said Edgar killed his father, but Edgar retorted that Huskley’s poor marksmanship was the reason why his father got shot. As Edgar was surrounded, Raven easily cleared the thugs. As Edgar and Lydia tried to escape, Lydia fell and she was taken hostage by Huskley. Huskley mocked “John”, and Edgar took a wound meant for Lydia before managing to escape.

They escaped to a shack, and they found out that Edgar was in fact that mass murderer. Nico asked Lydia to feed Edgar some sleeping pills to escape. Entering the shack, Edgar stated he was surprised Lydia was still with him after knowing his identity. He said that he was from a royal family suspected of treason. His father massacred his family before he killed himself. He luckily survived and was then sold to a slaver. After escaping from his slaver, he did everything to survive. The doctor he assaulted in the first episode experimented on human brains, and wanted to purchase Edgar.

Edgar said it is useless for him to regain a title which is marked by treason. Hence, the only way for him is to become Earl of the Blue Knights. When Lydia gave him some tea, he realized Lydia slipped in something else. Edgar said that if Lydia wanted to poison him and escape, he would rather die now. Lydia said it was only sleeping pills, and he said he would die nevertheless if Lydia left him then. When Edgar woke up, he was glad Lydia was still around. However, he could not get rid of his flirtatious habit.

13’s Musings

So in this episode, Edgar revealed a little bit about himself and his past. For someone to have his family massacred, to have his identity stripped off of him, to be turned into a slave and escape it only to be hunted down as a murderer because he was framed, no wonder he was so desperate to assert himself as the real Earl of the Blue Knights. So much so to the extent that he took a fairy doctor with him for help even though he didn’t believe in fairies himself. Of course, this was assuming he told Lydia the truth.

So if he was not the earl, then who was he? Who was John? Did his family really commit treasonous acts? How was he involved with Raven, the awesome half-demon butler? Why was Raven’s loyalty to Edgar/John absolute? Who was that girl in his dream? Where was he getting the money to finance his very expensive charade of being an earl? So many intriguing questions!

As for Raven the butler, he was more awesome than Sebastian in my humble opinion. Yes, I humbly said that so as not to offend Sebastian fanboys and fangirls. He seemed like a mix of Sebastian from Kuroshitsuji and Lin Koujo from Ghost Hunt. His loyalty to Edgar and his half-demon self are fascinating mysteries to me. Oh, and he was so darn hot! Another interesting thing was the glimpse of a man hiding in the alley with a fearsome looking beast who seemed to be spying Edgar and Lydia from afar during their escape from Huskley. According to ANN, the voice I’ve heard and the official HakuSei site, his name was Ulysses. I could spoil you of what I know about him, but I would rather not. I could definitely say he would be so darn hot too!

I found the chemistry between Edgar and Lydia very appealing. Lydia Carlton, for all her naive, child-like personality and clumsy self, did not really fall under the typical damsel-in-distress or dumb category of shoujo heroines. Heck, that girl didn’t blush or bat an eyelid when Edgar took off his shirt in the shack! I, on the other hand, stopped, stared, drooled, had a nosebleed and fainted, which really meant I kya-ed my soul out. She was more like a combination of Shuurei and Jyuusan-hime, leaning more to the latter, from Saiunkoku Monogatari. And as for Lydia’s plan of making Edgar fall asleep and escape, I was appalled! She should have taken advantage of his delectableness at that point, especially when he was so willing to do the same to her during their ride on the train.

Lord Edgar J.C. Ashenbert was a typical male protagonist of the shoujo genre which was quite forgivable. Beneath his dashing, handsome-as-hell, charismatic and angelic façade laid the heart of a manipulative, rakish, deceitful and ruthless scoundrel. However, one would be heartless not to pardon him especially with that tragic past of his. He reminded me so much of Tamaki’s appearance from Ouran High School Host Club and Seiran’s personality from Saiunkoku Monogatari. He was really made of smut just how I liked ‘em!

Hakushaku to Yousei was really the only anime series I was looking forward to watch and follow this fall. The creator of the light novels and the overall production group for the anime adaptation was of high caliber that I was beside myself with anticipation and fascination, something only a few would share the sentiment. Though the anime had a few flaws here and there, I was not disappointed at all. And because I was so captivated by the anime, His Evilness took advantage of it and forced me into blogging.

This is my first time blogging an anime series, something I was supposed to do at another blog, so please don’t be gentle. Though this first entry of mine is very mild, I promise to shock you scandalously on the next one.

Yes, believe it or not, THAT trap has left stage 25 of his life to stage 26. Heck, I can’t believe it either. He still acts the evil brat towards me. And yes, Impz is evil, pure evil! May lightning strike me dead if I’m lying about his malevolence.

Ha! I’m still typing!

Anyway, I’ve come to realize that I’ve done a public service to (wo)mankind by sticking with THAT trappy blogger as his girlfriend. Well, I actually think I’ve done a saintly deed by keeping him away and making sure he does not do evil things to all of you. And because of my saintly self, it is my duty to greet and celebrate the Impz’s birthday, even if he is evil incarnate.

I’ll continue this little greeting by posting something quite special tomorrow. It will kill me. It will stun you, but it will make Impz very happy. (lulz, lulz, lulz!)

P.S. To the author whose entry is supposed to be posted at this time, I apologize if I messed up the timing. I’m still new at this… and come on, you have to forgive me! This is an annual-only chance to greet/annoy/embarass Impz on his birthday!

Sadly, this is not Thirteensugars writing this entry. It is still Impz, due to the fact that my stupid girlfriend wriggled out like a piglet from the review of the first episode. She literally frustrated me with her inability to keep with the schedule, but she will be back with Episode 2 when it comes out. Please reject her claims that she is supposed to start only at the second episode. Which reviewer starts reviewing a series at the second episode anyway?

Lazy Thirteensugars. At least a consolation is that you know who to blame for the delay of this entry. Anyway, personal vendetta aside, Hakushaku To Yousei is the third shoujo series in this season, other than Nodame Cantabile and Skip Beat. As expected, we will be covering this series until it bores us. That said, will the first episode turn us off already?

Summary

In a dark room, a blonde man threatened a doctor with a gun, and asked for the whereabouts of the “ancient sword.” The professor said he did not know about the sword, but Lydia the fairy doctor might know. A gunshot then resounded in the night sky. In Edinbergh, Lydia received an invitation to England by her father. Huskly, a ship mate, brought Lydia on a ship to London. Nico said that the man was rude to identify Lydia just from her hair. Nico also pointed out a mass murderer suspect (blond hair and purple eyes) on the newspaper. After that, Huskly told Lydia to move to another room that is arranged for her. Describing the lush new room, Lydia wondered why her father booked such an expensive room. Not long after, she heard a knock on the cupboard.

She opened the closet and found nothing. However, a man suddenly grabbed her from behind, and she wondered if she will be killed. The man simply murmured, “Save me.” He said that Huskly is evil and he is enslaved by him. Huskly will kill him, and will deal with her after that. Despite being unsure of the threat, Lydia believed him. Lydia and the man made a plan, and they managed to escape. He asked if Lydia was worried she might be abducted by a pervert, but told her not to worry because he will save her. During their escape, her bag fell into the sea.

It turns out this man is an earl, with a dark skinned servant named Raven. He introduced himself as Edgar J.C. Ashenbert, Earl of the Blue Knights. Lydia said she had no time to deal with him, as she had an appointment in London. However, Edgar said the ship left. She realized that she is being abducted by Edgar and asked if his kidnapping is a ploy to capture her. Edgar said that it was the only way to be deliberately caught by them, so that he can get close to her. He also asked Raven to prepare an evening gown for Lydia for the ball later.

After she changed to her gown, Edgar complimented her. He added that she would be prettier if she smiled. She asked why she had to smile, and Edgar said the reason is for him. In the ball, Edgar suggested that he is interested in Lydia, but she sternly rejected his advances. They also talked about the Earl of the Fairies, with everyone thinking it is a joke. However, Lydia raised her voice, and said that it is the truth. She continued to say that it is an irony that they believe in the existence of the Earl, but not the fairy kingdom. Edgar, after being questioned by the others, said that he believed of this world as well. He said that he can only bring his bride back, so he is waiting for Lydia to accept his offer. Lydia realized he saved her from the awkward situation since she raised her voice.

At the deck, Nico was appreciating his wine and he asked what Edgar wanted. Nico said if he is the Earl, he probably wanted her help but told Lydia to stay clear. Nico added that he felt that Edgar looked pretenious but Lydia felt that Edgar was handsome. Edgar then appeared, with Lydia explaining that she was talking to Nico. Edgar simply said that fairy doctors can see things humans cannot, and asked for her help to retrieve the lost heirloom, the sword of Mellow/Merou. He also admitted he did not have the power to see fairies (the Earl should have the powers) and she said that she cannot believe or help someone like him. He told her that she does not need to believe him, but she lost all her valuables. Huskly is also hunting her down.

Thoughts

For me, one of the key things that I like about shoujo is the character chemistry between the main female and male. In this, Hakushaku to Yousei hits the right spot with two extremely likable main characters. Lydia is the strange girl who is misunderstood due to her talent. I hope she does not turn into the standard damsel in distress role in the later stages of this series, but it seems that this girl has more spunk in her than the many spineless female leads in shoujo series. Lydia possessed that quirky feel that makes her rather different. I hope it stays that way

Edgar, on the other hand, is a standard scream-at-your-face guy that is extremely mysterious and attractive at the same time. My girlfriend has many k-moments in the kyaa-o-meter, mostly due to the tension between Edgar and Lydia. I have predicted a 6th round TKO by an extremely powerful 8.7 point punch in the kyaa-o-meter for my girlfriend. I mean, these two have a chemistry that is already apparent in the first episode.

My girlfriend also noted during our shared viewing that the animation for this series is simple but effective. She added that she is surprised at the quality because there is a lot of detail put into the dresses and background in this series. I did not really take look of it until she mentions it. Surprisingly, she is right. I find that if Skip Beat (still bitter about the animation level) had the animation quality of Hakushaku To Yousei, it will be awesome.

I must admit that I am a bit confused at the start with the appearance of that man who is looking for Lydia. Is that Huskly? Is that Edgar? I am still trying to figure that out. The OP is very nice, and heads up to the wonderful seiyuu voicing the two main characters. They seem to fit the characters to a book. A quick look at ANN confirms my suspicions that it is Mizuki Nana in the main role. No wonder it is so good.

So, is it worth watching? Yes, if you are a shoujo fan. There is absolutely no reason for you to reject this. However, I cannot recommend this to any action fans. This is strictly shoujo material. Stay tuned on Saturday for a female perspective on this series by Thirteensugars.

Verdict: Good shoujo fare. Others need not apply.

It’s always good to have a chance to laugh at your dumb girlfriend when you wake up in the morning. Here is the tale as re-accounted by my girlfriend on a private chat online. For some reason, she is speaking in the third person. A warning ahead of time: whatever sweet compliments she has subtly (well, not that subtle) implanted about her are hopelessly false and forced.

Here’s her tale of epic proportions, her journey into a world unseen, untouched and unheard in her life.

Thirteensugars’ little adventure into the wild

One fine late afternoon, when 13sugars was about to go home after work, she decided to go to Borders Book Store and there she was, happily walking, thinking about the manga which she will use to pop her manga-reading cherry. 13sugars entered the book store, all smiles and rainbows in her aura. She walked and started looking for her beloved Vampire Hunter D manga by Hideyuki Kikuchi-san. And suddenly, she came to an abrupt halt, there it was, standing in the shelf in all it’s beautiful, steamy, hot and sexy glory; her first manga!

She reached for it with shaky hands, weakened knees and dry mouth; the first volume… with the sexy damphir on the cover. She gazed at it lovingly with adoring eyes. She gently touched the cover, her fingers light and silky. Then she sighed, and it sounded like the sweetest hum of an anime fangirl. She turned around to get the second volume, but to her shock, horror and dismay, there was none! She quickly scanned the shelves as thoroughly as she could have, but the second volume of VHD was not there.

She immediately ran to the counter and asked for help. The guy scanned their stock and told her a sad report, “We don’t have that volume here, but if you like, we can order it for you. We’re supposed to have a stock of it by now, but….” Perhaps it was the shock, perhaps it was the sorrow, but the sweet girl suddenly answered, “Well, I’m looking for it but it’s not really for me…” The guy at the counter smiled and said teasingly, “Yeah right, it’s for you.” But, the girl, so intent upon her lie, insisted that it was not for her, and left the bookstore without even getting the damned first volume.

Sadly, she then realized that she had failed. She failed as an anime fan for lying and denying that the VHD manga was for her. Her only excuse was that, at that moment, she felt like she was buying pornography, something she ought not to be buying at all.

The poor girl…. so poor thing.

Afterthoughts by Impz

Have you ever felt like that? I know that I was very embarrassed when I first bought my manga or anime. Well, it’s not in the same degree as Thirteensugars. Are you ever embarrassed about purchasing anime merchandise or resisted against it in common public areas? Tell us your tale, and vote in the poll!

P/s: In the end, I have to purchase the manga online for her, so that she can read her manga. What a silly girlfriend.

Since Impz is busy “trap-ing” his silly tushy in Lisbon, I’m here to announce that Neo Angelique Abyss Episode 4 is out.

Hyuga-sama!!! KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

…I still have no clue how I made the image above pop there….

You can find the episode torrents here, or any of your friendly sources. Cheers and tell them how it is on their #whitelight @ Rizon.

Feedback welcome as usual ^^

Finally it has come for the more anticipated shows to arrive to our little screen. With glee, THAT Anime Blog welcomes the two hotshots of the Fall season, namely the lolicious Shana in Shakugan no Shana II, as well as the boob-filled (I am not kidding) Dragonaut. I will build on the anticipation that I really enjoy both series, even though for rather different reasons. I will not be doing a shorter summary for Shana II by the way, since the english subs are on their way for release and a zillion over people have blogged about it.

Well, let’s cut to the chase and tell you about my experiences after watching it. I hope you also had the chance to watch it before me so that you can correct my errors! If there are any, that is! I hope not

Dragonaut

Episode summary

Jin was ready to board a shuttle captained by his father, and bid farewell to his friend Kazuki. However, a asteroid shot three fireballs at Earth, and it struck the shuttle, bursting it into flames. Jin somehow survived, but everyone died. Two years later, Jin was on his way to school, and felt that he was all alone. Cromwell, the leader of the Lindblom Unit of the International Solar System Development Agency (ISDA), was interviewed on television about the Thanatos asteroid. He said that despite its orbit, it was possible that it might approach Earth. That was why the D project was conducted. While Jin traveled, a man named Kou tried to get some details from Jin but was ignored.

Kou noticed a girl across the girl that looked familiar, but she vanished in a flash. Kou then tried to take a picture of the girl, and showed it to Yuuri but it was too blur to tell whether she was a “Communicator”. Yuuri then returned back to the ISDA, and they are doing a new Resonance tonight. She also added that coming over ISDA made her feel that all meetings have deeper meanings. Kazuki was brought to the ISDA, and was close to a dragon embryo. Nevertheless, the reasonance that caused Kazuki some pain was a success, and he was happy. At night, Jin heard a scream, and moved over, only to see her attacked by a huge creature. He ran away in fear and escaped to a nearby building, but the creature continued to gave chase.

As he was struck out of the building, he was reminded of how he was in the same situation two years ago. His mother and sister were falling, but was hit by the debris. As he was about to fall then, a bright light saved him. In present time, a girl then saved him and fended off the creature enough for it to crash against a truck. Nevertheless, the creature looked unharmed as it ran off. A loli called Sieglinde, and her attendant Amadeus came out and she said that it escaped. As Jin woke up, he remembered what happened as the girl who saved him stood nearby. She introduced herself as Toa, and Jin felt that he was no longer alone in this world.

Thoughts

Everyone has boobies. The end of the review.

Well, if anything, this show has quite the extensive amount of fanservice but it is luckily not detracting from the actual story plot. I am pretty much amazed at how this show has been shaping up, and it has to be one of the better shows that is released in this season’s offerings. There is a good pace on the story telling, particularly that when a joyful situation like flying along a space shuttle turned into a total disaster within the matter of seconds. That hook got me immediately in the story, and he is well known in a wrong way.

All the characters seemed interesting enough, and the male protagonist is brooding, yet clearly lonely. In a way, he is not the typical main character that is a lone ranger, but was forced to be so by one. Toa is also seemingly interesting, and I want to know what this Resonance and Communicator is. There are enough plot holes to be discovered, and I want to know more about it. I am somewhat surprised at the amount of subtle/non-subtle fanservice in the show that can be a bit obstructive for viewing pleasure at times.

The graphics are extremely consistent, and it is with high hopes that I say that the series will maintain this standard of graphical excellence. I also dig the OP quite a bit, as well as the ED! This is a series with good stuff all around. If I have to be nit picky with the episode, I find that there are too many characters introduced at the start of the show for people to catch on. A slower approach to the story, and centralizing it to a few characters at the first episode might be a better option. Yet, that is for me only.

Shakugan no Shana II

Episode summary

It was September again, and the same cast returned to us. However, Yuuji realized that he had a similar conversation with Ike in the classroom. The appearance of Friange confirmed his suspicions that they are fighting something that is already dead. The confusion continued when he asked Ike about the cherry blossoms in September, only for his words to be ignored. He also asked her mother about where she bought the coffee, and his words are ignored. As Sorath and Tyrael appeared with vines, Yuuji realized that Shana could not see him because he was not there, but he determined that he was in his own dream.

Finally, he snapped out of it, and returned to reality. Shana was screaming at him and they are fighting against a Tomagura. It seemed that this Tomagura had the powers to make Yuuji go into dream land, but the Tomagura was dispatched easily by Shana. At the end, Yuuji asked Shana about the thing she said during the last battle. Shana blushed and made an excuse that she complimented him on being useful. As the school season started, it is clear that Kazumi is ready to fight with Shana for Yuuji. It is business as usual!

Thoughts

Yes, I am going to stick with the typical comment that all Shana fans will say. URUSAI IS BACK AND IS POPULAR AGAIN. The people out at J.C Staff are definitely pulling all the stops to make this Shana franchise working fine and it is clear to see that this is likely to be another fan hit sequel. The coming back of Urusai has been anticipated, and they made a bit of a recap in order to allow the viewers to remember what has transpired in the previous series.

I also enjoyed how the plot started out like a partial recap but it also has a bit of fresh material in which it is assumed into the true plot of this episode at the very least. The storytelling is definitely magnificent, and I really like it when Wilhemia comes back with her bag, de arimasu~. Nevertheless, the star here is definitely Shana, and the fans of Shana are even given fanservice on her blushing when she was asked about her confession in the previous series.

The graphics, unless I am mistaken, has been up by at least a few notches. I find that the fluidity of the graphics is clearly different from the last season, and this bodes well for our cute loli who is going to have a nice fight ahead of her. I really LOVE THE OP for this, simply because it is very appealing for the ears. The ED is also done in a very excellent manner. There is little doubt in my heart currently that Shakugan no Shana II is the show for the fans, and it will be a spectacular success if it can keep this thing up.

Yes, after a zillion people have done their summary of sorts on the new offerings of the fall season, I finally got my hands on the following three animes. To be honest, I am not really keen on any of these shows except for Blue Drop. However, I think I am in a pleasant surprise for two of the three shows that have been listed in this look. For now, we have an interesting mix of school life and kendo in Bamboo Blade, a group of artistic painters in Sketchbook and an alien with female yuri hot love in Blue drop.

Let’s see if they are going to be a pleasant ride for Impz, or he will squirm in total agony and asking “WHY, WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE! YOU BELONG TO LAST SUMMER!”.

Ok, bad joke, let’s go into the real details.

Bamboo Blade

Summary

In a kendo club where there is only one second year student (and the captain) Miyako, she is faced with a completely out of sorts advisor in Toraji. Ishida Toraji decided to improve his little penniless life by having a bet with his senior. His senior has a group of excellent kendo students, and they have a bet on a free year supply of food as the reward. With that, Toraji became much more committed, surprising even Miyako as he needed to find four more female members. However, he chased away some male students who are interested in joining kendo. Nakata and Eiga, friends of Miyako came over to look.

Just when Toraji was about to reject them, Miyako gave him a swift shot and they were forced into the kendo club. In the streets, Miyako and Toraji was hoping to have a talented student to join them, and Miyako wondered if they could do a test of throwing tons of things at a person and getting her to parry. As they said that, things started to fly toward them and a small loli-like character parried them with a broomstick. However, she said she was not interested to join the club. It seemed that Tamaki learnt Kendo in her dojo as part of her family work, but she was not interested at all.

The next day, they trained, as Eiga wondered why he could not practice like Nakata. When Toraji realized that Nakata was in the same dojo as Tamaki, he begged him to get Tamaki and told him about the bet. Nakata met Tamaki on the way, but did not tell her about the recruitment. The next day, Eiga brought his extremely beautiful girlfriend to the club, shocking both Toraji and Nakata due to his chibi fat looks. As the gangsters of the kendo club came in to bully Eiga, Tamaki who was approached by Miyako was annoyed how the strong was bullying the weak. Hence, she spoke out as a temporary club member, due to her sense of justice.

Thoughts

I actually enjoyed this quite a bit. I mean, the story is not exactly the most complex ever (and will never be in my speculation of the future). However, Miyako and Tamaki are pretty interesting characters and they are lively enough to capture my attention for the show. It is not exactly good as well, as I find that there is little substance in the show. It is the kind of show that you watch just for the fun of it, to pass time decently. However, this is not taking away any credit from the show, because it made me laugh.

The graphics are consistent, with little loose ends most of the time. It is not top notch for sure but at least the graphics have been bloody much smooth for the whole time. The OP is quite a nice catchy song, and I like it quite a bit. The ED did not do anything to me though, since it feels like rather generic pop. I am hoping for a better ED at least but nothing can really kill my eardrums like the Zombie Loan OP. Oh good, no hard rock please, thank you.

On the whole, this show will be good to watch if you want a few laughs, decent characters that will not annoy you that much and you are not looking for something that is too deep in symbolization.

Sketch Book

Episode summary

Not bothering. (read Jaalin’s review of it)

Yes, slice of life series are just so darn hard to do summaries.

Or the motivation to do it when you do not feel like doing one.

Thoughts

Some anime fans have called this an Aria that is snappier. I cannot disagree more on it. People who read this blog will know how much I adore Aria, but I really do not feel any vibes at all from this show. If you do remember, I really love such slice of life shows that are therapeutic in nature, but it has to do with loving the environment, as well as the characters that are surrounding the plot. That is perhaps the good and bad thing about slice of life: The characters and environment are the life of the characters. Not one main character must annoy the viewer, for it will result in the depreciation of the series.

I found that the importance of Aria is that even though it has an idyllic environment, it is not boring. They also do not have an extremely annoying main character in Sora, that literally annoys the hell out of me with her character. I really dislike this show big time. Sora has one of the most significantly ridiculous characters. I do not know why but characters such as Sora inhibits all the good points about the show. I actually like the other characters, but they are overshadowed by how much annoyance I got from Sora.

It’s like how Mugi is made to seem like a talkative chatterbox. That is never a good sign when you want to make a silent character, yet having rather ….well annoying monologues. It is a kind of bias from me, and I really think that this will be an excellent show if you like Aria. It is just the same reason why School Rumble is so hilarious, but Tenma annoys me so much that I do not watch it to avoid her presence.

I find that the production values for the show is very high, and I can really see why some people enjoy it. I also feel that the OP is really comfortable and nice (even though I do wonder if the accompanying music is the OP). Due to my hatred of the main character, I am not going to watch any more episodes of this. However, if you are fine with Sora, this show is a must-watch.

Blue Drop

Summary

Mari was forced to move to a dormitory after her grandmother sent her to a faraway school to study. She did not want to leave, as she felt that she was being thrown away by the family. On her travels, she saw a flock of birds, with a mysterious girl standing among rocks on the water. She finally reached the school, but was clearly not in the mood to listen to the disciplinary master, Maiyama when she explained about how prestigious the school was. That earned a retort about her attitude, but she simply said sorry nonchalantly. The principal tried to diffuse the tense situation by saying that Mari had not experienced campus life and asked a girl gardening downstairs to guide.

However, Mari was not interested in Michiko since she did not want to stay here, and ran off. She wanted to leave the place but realized she had no place to go as she stood alone in the classroom. Michiko brought Mari to the dormitory on Maiyama’s instructions, while Mari’s teacher Yuuko discussed about how Mari had no memories of the incident five years ago during the third war. Mari was in her room alone when Hagino introduced herself. As they shook hands, Hagino had a vision of a large ship, and a young crying Mari around a fire. Hagino’s eyes glowed blue and tried to choke Mari but returned to normal when a vision of Mari crying appeared.

Mari finally regained her breath and was reasonably angry. However, Hagino kept quiet even with Mari’s questioning and Mari was so frustrated that she knew the hydrangea flowers at Hagino. As the dorm leader came, Mari ran off crying, stating how she could stay in such a place. Michiko ran after her and found Mari sitting by the lake. Michiko revealed that she was from a normal family, and passed the exam for the school even though most students here were upper class ladies. Michiko felt that it was definitely a misunderstanding, and Mari eventually returned to the dorm. However, when Hagino tried to shake Mari’s hand, Mari slapped the hand away and threw water into Hagino’s face. The other girls in the dorm were annoyed at what Mari did and got into a fight but was stopped by a senior. Late at night, Hagino ran out of the dorm and Mari gave chase, only to see a giant spaceship appearing…

Thoughts

This is everything I expected, and it is as good as it gets. I can truly say that this is the anime that is good at least for the first episode. There are interesting mysteries that are not that complex as yet, as well as curious subplots that bodes well for the show if it is done effectively. I find the premise to stand out quite a bit, simply because I like how there is perhaps a yuri twist to it. I am not the biggest fan of yuri to be honest, but hardly the biggest critic as well.

The graphics are not the best that is available, but it’s pleasant to the eyes. I like how there is little graphic degradation and it seems like a good deal for now. I do not think that it will fall that badly by any chance, since there is quite a bit to cover. All the characters are actually very interesting, and there is quite a complexity in each of them that endears them to me already. There are no standout characters currently since Mari seems like just an emo girl, Michiko the classic weak spectacled gal, while Hagino is just downright queer.

The senior actually catches my eye. When I meant the senior, I mean the one that stopped them and punished with a “no dinner” clause due to the fight. I actually like how Hagino had seemingly no clue what is going on previously, especially when she tried to strangle Mari. Is it part of a supernatural power, or that she is unconsciously trying to kill survivors of something? To add on, I love the OP AND ED a hell lot. I am so waiting for it to be released!

In the last episode, Nishiura finally took off as they regained the point lost to bring the score to 3-3 in the eighth inning after a lucky break from Mizutani. However, it is now Tosei’s turn to stage a return to the lead. Oki, their short stop no. 14 is next and he will be batting to bring some points to Tosei. Will Nishiura, a fresh and new young team, be able to prevent the onslaught coming their way?

It’s time for battle as the match reaches a climatic end.

Episode summary

Oki is the next batter for Tosei. Kawai felt that Oki’s battle senses would help to detect the special movement of Mihashi’s fastballs. Mihashi threw a fastball that was good, and Oki was surprised that it was in. Oki then swung and missed the second pitch. Abe then deliberately asked Mihashi to throw a bad ball. Oki thought that the deciding factor was the curveball, but Mihashi struck Oki out with another fastball. Tosei’s coach also noticed the gradual increase of fastballs pitched. Kawai was next, and he remembered that the only batter who hit Mihashi’s fastball tried to hit it like a cutter.

Kawai started to guess what Abe would do, and realized that Abe would ask Mihashi to throw his fastball for a strike. Kawai realized that the ball did not float up, but simply did not fall like the usual throws. Kawai swung again with that in mind but suffered another strike. The next ball was a foul hit, as Kawai got the contact. Abe then tried to trick Kawai with a curveball, but Kawai adjusted his position in time to get to the first base easily. Tosei’s coach was starting to be concerned how the slow pitching was causing so much strikeouts from his team too. Kawai thought that Abe was a born catcher with his tactics, but he won the battle against him since he was on base.

First baseman, Motoyama, put up a bunt pose. Abe decided to use a ball with normal spin, as it seemed way too risky for them to do anything else. However, when the ball was thrown, Motoyama hit the pitch and ran, as Tosei reached first and second base. Momoe was worried as that meant that there was a clear chance of getting the points, but felt that the hit and run strategy was very dangerous at this point. Abe now wondered what form of pitch to ask Mihashi to throw, as the next batter posed a punting pose again. Abe decided to get a curveball to get the second out, but the next batter also did a run and hit.

The ball escaped Nishiura’s infield as it rolled outfield. As the ball was thrown back to home base, Abe tried to stop the incoming runner but was shoved aside by the body momentum of the runner. Tosei now lead 4-3. Mihashi passed back Abe’s helmet, and Abe encouraged Mihash by telling him that there was still time. The situation now was a runner at second and third base, and it was important to stop the third base runner from hitting home. Mihashi threw a ball out of the zone, as Momoe murmured that the run was not the first pitch this time. However, Tosei tried the hit and run method, as the ball flew toward Mihashi’s body. Mihashi managed to fend to deflect the ball with his glove, but it fell behind him.

It took a while before Mihashi realized where the ball was, but he hesitated to throw the ball back to Abe. Eventually, he did and Abe just managed to get the touch on the incoming batter. Abe immediately called for a timeout as he screamed at the about-to-cry Mihashi and tugged on his shirt. He could not understand why Mihashi hesitated, as Mihashi somehow gestured that he feared Abe might be shoved aside since the runner to home base was very huge. An increasingly annoyed Abe said that Mihashi should concentrate on the game itself, and that he did not forget his promise not to get injured at all for the three years of partnership.

Mihashi realized that he could not survive without Abe since it was Abe who made full use of his control. He would not be able to get any strikeouts without Abe. Maikawa (no. 9) is the next batter, and he was the first batter in Tosei’s team to hit Mihashi’s fastball. However, this time, he was struck out by Mihashi. Kawai observed that no one really hit the fastball, and all the hits were from curveballs. Kawai was sure that they could keep Nishiura out. Abe also realized that no one knew how to hit Mihashi’s fastball, and told Mihashi to rest for the next inning. The others also realized that they would lose the game if they were unable to put points up. Abe was the next batter in the last inning, the 9th.

Thoughts

Ok, this anime can really stop all forms of cliches. I mean, it’s really exciting when the opposition team is no stuck up elite team (even though they are a top team) but one that is just as normal as any high school team. I feel that Ookiku Furikabette gives more life to everyone, even the opposition. Most anime just really make the opposition look totally horrible, or like total evil people. That is sometimes too exaggerating, and much of a stereotype. That is perhaps why it’s hard to hate Tosei at all, but you will still root for Nishiura due to the amusing characters they have.

On the game itself, I am really pleasantly surprised that Tosei took the lead because that will make the perennial question appear: Will Nishiura fight back enough? I got a feeling that Mihashi’s limit seems to be getting very close considering how much he is fast fading. Despite his insistence that he is all right, I have a feeling that Nishiura has to somehow finish it within nine innings. Mihashi’s grip might just disappear on him since he does not look to be in the best of shapes.

I am also amazed at how Tosei took such a risk, assuming that they will be hitting all shots properly. They opened themselves to a risk of getting both players out for a double play, but they did it very successfully twice. That takes some huge courage to do something so risky, and do it twice at this time when it’s the clincher. So, I really applaud Tosei for trying so hard, and fulfilling a huge gamble by putting one point on the chart. It’s a pity they did not get two. Tosei’s coach was dead on: “We need at least a two point buffer”.

Well, the last part is reserved for Mihashi and Abe. I think the two of them have a very funny relationship, especially when Abe went all “I GONNA KILL YOU, YOU STUPID IDIOT” when Mihashi hesitated to throw the ball. However, any normal guy would too, considering it might mean that the game was out of range, and a possible comeback. It’s so typical Mihashi nevertheless, the very fact that he worries over really strange things.

As the rain finally came to a drizzle, the two teams are ready to face off once again. Nishiura is now down by 3-2, but there is always a chance with Suyama coming on as the third batter in the eighth inning. It is coming close to the end of the match, and the knowledge that Kanou’s team has reached the next round definitely motivated Mihashi to do better. However, Tosei is clearly gaining some momentum, and it will not be easy to break this elite team apart.

Will Nishiura gain this one more point, or will the title refer to Tosei getting the point instead?

Episode summary

As the rain stopped, Kawai was wondering about Mihashi’s straight ball. It was strange that it felt like it traveled faster than the estimated 120km/h speed. Kawai tried to intimdate Suyama by getting Junta to throw a foul ball very close to his head. Suyama was thinking how unstable the ground was at the pitcher’s area, and even Mihashi threw a wild pitch. Nevertheless, he convinced himself as he tried to hit a good pitch by Junta. Miscommunication from the outfield players meant that Suyama got to first base. It was Tajima’s turn.

Momoe was thinking that they could not steal a base, not with Tajima observing Junta’s body movements. Kawai realized that Tajima had a relaxed posture, and looked like he would hit any pitch. He wondered if it was because Tajima was incompetent, but his body movements stated otherwise. The first shuuto pitch was nearly hit for a line shot, as Junta explained his shuuto had a bit of swerve to make it hard for the batter to hit it. The next pitch was a ball to unnerve Tajima, while the third pitch was hit back for a foul ball. Junta tried fastballs but Tajima continued to hit foul shots, extending Junta’s throwing count.

Both teams started to rope in their support for the batter (Tajima) and the pitcher (Junta) and Kawai was glad that Junta was relaxed at the start of the game. That meant that he still had enough energy to continue pitching. The slugging fest continued as Tajima continued to hit foul balls. Kawai decided to hit a sinker to disrupt the pattern. Junta pitched the sinker, and it was a ball. Tajima was unable to see the exact swirl of the ball, but he knew when to time his swing. Kawai realized his attempt to break Tajima’s concentration failed. Junta threw to catch Suyama but failed.

Kawai realized that it was impossible to beat Tajima with a fastball, as he decided to ask Junta to pitch a slider right at the middle. Junta was shocked but trusted Kawai as he struck out Tajima and let out a huge shout of celebration. Tajima was crestfallen, shocked at how he was not good enough for high school batting. He returned to the bench, with Momoe noting that he was completely down. However, he quickly apologized, and got ready to go out to assist at the first base. Momoe realized that the fourth batter got to pick his spirits up because others will be affected if he was down.

Junta made two balls, as he was a bit too relaxed after the tension with Tajima. However, Tajima’s nice coaching meant that they were able to steal base from first to second. Tosei’s team wondered why Nishiura did not steal base previously in the inning. Tosei’s coach thought they could do it when Tajima was batting. As Suyama stole third base, Tosei’s coach realized that it was Tajima who knew the instructions. Hanai was then allowed a base as there were four foul balls. Oki was next, as Tajima gave Hanai instructions to steal base. Now, Nishiura had second and third base. Oki was allowed a walk to let Mizutani play with all bases filled.

Momoe realized it was too stressful for Mizutani to play a squeeze play, and asked him to bat. Mihashi also gave him moral support, but Mizutani remembered the Renren nickname, and started to giggle. Mizutani realized that Mihashi worked hard to be where he was, and worried if he could hit the ball if even Tajima could not. The first ball was out of the zone, but Mizutani was unable to stop his swing. Suyama was wondering what Mizutani was excited about, as he reminded Mizutani with a shout of “third base”. Mizutani returned to his senses and Kawai decided to give Mizutani a slider, and make a double out.

Mizutani hit a ground ball around second base, and it passed through as Suyama ran in for a point but Hanai was not in time. Mihashi was next and he was struck out easily. As they returned to the bench, Tajima told Mihashi not to mind, and had to tell himself not to mind too. Tajima was sad that he proclaimed to get the points back, but was struck out so easily. Mihashi added that they would stop Tosei from scoring any points in a stumbling mumbling way. Hanai told Tajima that he had no time to be depressed, and the ninth inning would need Tajima again. Tajima regained his energy, as they got ready to defend against Tosei.

Thoughts

This is a very interesting scenario. Considering how Tosei has such a huge momentum, the way that Nishiura returned back with such a huge confidence and not letting their heads go down is a great achievement. I mean, I have my share of playing sports, and the pain where the opponent got up with you after you are leading is a tremendous stress for any player. Nishiura really proved themselves as a mentally strong team, and every member is willing to support anyone who falters.

I really like the ending when Tajima realized that even he has limitations. I fully expect and thought that Tajima will be the player that will regain the point for Nishiura. It is good to see that the anime knows how to play with your logical influence, and used Mizutani, the least likely to be a hero to be the one winning the point for Nishiura.

Tajima must be perplexed and lost much of his confidence. I mean, he is batted out so many times by the pitcher, and other Nishiura batters that should not be of his ability are hitting pitches very well. It must be a huge pain to his ego, as well as the sudden realization that he is on a different ball game. I still think that Tajima is the best batter for Nishiura, just that he lacks a bit of luck and that he has been a bit over confident during the past few innings. With his confidence rather in check, I am sure that if he still has any chance to get onto the batter’s field, he will hit a sinker. For sure.

I am also rather impressed nevertheless by Tajima’s coaching for the steal base. Stealing a base from a top team like Tosei is hard enough, much less stealing a bloody base at third. I mean, I cannot imagine how difficult and daring it is to actually try to steal something like the third base. It’s just pure genius stuff, if you ask me. Tajima’s strength of observation will probably be the clincher for Nishiura, if they are to win this Tosei squad.

Next week’s preview title is “Defend”. Let’s hope Nishiura nicks this but with this anime being totally unpredictable, you never know when the direction will be.

Hah, I have been a little slow with writing out entries, especially when the workload is starting to increase bit by bit. Nevertheless, it’s a good thing that I am still not drained enough to stop blogging. The summary will be shortened since I am somewhat lacking in time, but it will cover most of the important details. As the previous pilot died after accepting her fate, the only way to go is to bring in the next pilot. The game still goes on, and this time, Takami Komoda is the next pilot.

How will she face this task?

Updated list of Bokurano kids after Episode 18: Click here

Episode summary

As Komoda bathed, she saw the mark at her back. It looks like Komoda’s mother was a bit down, as Komoda was forced to step down from his role in the government after the scandals. Nevertheless, Komoda’s father told his wife to keep her spirits up, since Komoda was the one who was suffering more. As Tanaka came with some food, she also apologized for her insistence with the children, causing Komoda’s father to lose her job. However, he said that he understood that Tanaka simply wanted to protect the children. He also added that the appearance of Zearth was not only causing damage, but also affecting the whole Earth in a big way.

He decided to tell that to the citizens in his last press meeting, and then told Komoda to play the piano for him before he left. Tanaka also bought some winter clothes for Jun and Kana. She was panicking over Jun’s clothes, and tried to get the gangster to bring it to them, eliciting laughter from him. Kanji’s mother was also deciphering the codes after the last battle, but did not find anything to save Komoda yet. Komoda’s father also told Kanji’s mother that he was going to tell the world about the truth, and she argued that her research might be affected. Komoda’s father was angry, asking if she cared about the children at all.

Tanaka was on her way to Kanji’s mother, and met up with Kasaragi. When he denied her entry to listen to the findings, she suspected Kasaragi and the government behind the cover up of Zearth. Kasaragi denied all relations of Zearth with the government and said that Tanaka was way too rash with her actions. In the press meeting, Komoda’s father told everyone about the game, the children and the government’s interest to tap onto Zearth’s power. However, it was interrupted when someone splashed paint outside the conference hall. Komoda was advised to leave by Seki, and they sent Komoda’s car ahead of them to get rid of the reporters before driving away. Nevertheless, the reporters were still tracking them.

As Seki tried to brush off the trackers, Komoda’s father insisted on returning home to see Komoda one last time before she pilots Zearth. Seki said that the trackers would realize that they came back home within five minutes, and told them to hurry. Komoda’s father asked his wife to leave with Komoda to spend Komoda’s last moments. His wife refused to go as she could tell that Komoda’s father was going to give his life away, but Komoda convinced her to go with her. As they left without her father, Tanaka’s car was going toward the house. Tamunu rushed back to save Tanaka.

In the house, the gunmen opened fire on Komoda’s father (off-screen), while Tanaka fired a few shots as she entered the house. However, she was cornered and was shot a few times. Tamunu arrived to see Tanaka down, as Tanaka was still conscious. He carried her out, saying that her wounds were very light as he pulled her into the car. Tanaka pointed inside, as Tamunu thought it was the scarf but it was the gun that she pointed. She told him to pass the gun to Jun as she died. On the news channel, the truth was disguised as Komoda’s father was said to suicide, while Tanaka tripped on an electric wire and died.

They were fighting on another Earth, as Dung Beetle taunted Komoda that she could vent her anger. As Zearth moved forward, they dropped into a hole and the enemy poured acid into the trapped Zearth. Machi wondered who would have dig the hole, and Komoda said it was likely to be the inhabitants of this Earth. Kanji said that it was ironic how people in this Earth tried to help their robot, while Tanaka and her father were betrayed and killed. Tanaka said that compared to them, being trapped in acid was nothing as she fought hard with a laser at the enemy, eventually defeating the enemy. In a press meeting, one of the economists supported the government’s decision to use the technologies, and Dung Beetle wondered whether to get Kana to be one of the pilots.

Thoughts

Ok, I am very surprised that they killed off Tanaka just like that. I mean, I hardly expect her to be killed, especially when she is perhaps the fulcrum and support of the remaining children. Nevertheless, Bokurano killing off Moji and so many other good leader-type characters rather early in the series means that I should not be that surprised at all. In this episode, I find that there is a strange look to some of the characters, as though the animation quality keeps going up and down.

On the story itself, I really do not know what possesses Komoda’s father to tell about the truth of Zearth to the press. I mean, it seems like the most stupid step ever. It’s almost like asking for the underworld to come kill him and silence his bloody mouth. I really think that if he had kept quiet and see how he can salvage some way to spread the word, he might still live. The problem is that with the government in strict control, Komoda’s father words can only be blasphemy. It was surprising that he is an excellent and intelligent man, but failed to consider such consequences.

I personally find the death scene of Tanaka to be rather poignant. Initially, I thought she has some bullet vest or something, but it seems like she is merely dying. I am quite pissed off when I realized that the news has been covered up, which makes it apparent that the government has tried to cover up its own dark tracks. This is always the greed of men, to try utilizing something that they have, and ignoring the words of the wise until it is way too late. I guess that is a huge moral of the show, in which emotions, flaws and feelings of men are shown in full display.

Lastly, I cannot for the life of me fathom Kana joining into the mix. It will be scary, and I think Machi will be the one entering it since they have one pilot less. What do you think?

Everything seems to be going very smoothly for Nishiura as they scored their second point. This happened after Sakaeguchi got a sacrificial bunt in the last episode to allow Mihashi to run back onto base easily without requiring to slide onto home. However, Tosei is not your run of the mill weak team. They are considered to be the hot favorites, and they must be trying to exploit the inexperience of Nishiura.

Will they be able to fight back the two point deficit? If anything, it will not be hard when they get their momentum since if they are simply going for base hits, it will spell trouble for the inexperienced team. Let’s go into Episode 19, and see if Mihashi and company will be able to keep their opponents at bay!

Episode summary

After the good bunt, Mihashi returned to drink some water as he seemed very thirsty. It seemed like he was sweating a lot, and wondered if he had to change his clothes. He decided that he could change it after the next inning, as the third batter was struck out. Mihashi immediately ran out to the pits, with Abe surprised at his enthusiasm since Mihashi could only train when he wore his paddings. Mihashi had some practice throws with Tajima. Tajima wondered why he was nervous when he was doing the practice with Mihashi, and Abe came for practice.

Mihashi smiled a lot, and this was not lost on everyone. Mihashi’s mother thought that he was happy, but his cousin was surprised as Mihashi had a very terrible experience in middle school where he was crying for a second and smiling the other. As Mihashi pitched, the first batter hit a curveball and it seemed that Tosei’s coach sent the third year batters who were more experienced in slow breaking balls. Junta was next and he did a sacrificial bunt to bring the first batter to second base. The next batter also hit a curveball that was out of the zone (a ball that would not be a strike), as there were runners on first and third base.

Momoe realized that all the batters seemed to be waiting for curveballs, with no high flying balls. Abe decided to go for Mihashi’s fast ball. The next batter is Maharaba, as Mihashi threw two fast balls. Tosei’s coach wavered for a second, before thinking that the constant strategy of using variety would not be changed, as he instructed his batters to wait for the curveball. As the third fast ball came, the batter had no choice but to hit a flyball. As Izumi received it outfield, the third base runner ran for home, and the ball to return home was not in time. Tosei scored one point now and two out. Abe realized that the batter did not use full power, but as it was a clean contact, it was hit well for the run back.

It was the next batter for Tosei, as he heard how the previous batter was screamed by the coach for not following instructions. The batter returned the fastball of Mihashi back to Mihashi as the inning was over. As Mihashi left the course, it seemed that he was nosebleeding, as Hanai told him to wipe the blood when he returned to the bench. When Mihashi started squeezing his nose, Hanai told Mihashi that he could breathe with his mouth.

Back at the benches, Abe realized in shock that Mihashi was down, but Momoe reassured him that Mihashi was simply suffering from bad weather. He would recover with some rest, especially since the ground was being tidied up after the fifth inning. At the spectator stand, the aunties were gossiping that Mihashi was too excited with all the girls supporting him. It seemed that the last time Mihashi had a nose bleed was the third year of middle school, before the sound of a ball in the distance alerted Tajima as he observed the training of Junta.

Abe was worried whether to reduce the number of balls thrown to reduce the physical strain on Mihashi because the team would lose without him. However, Mihashi eventually got up and said that he was fine, and no changes to the tactics were required to be made as long as Abe gave him instructions. Junta’s practice showed that the forkball’s control was hard with the rain, but the sinker was still fine. With the next inning, Tajima hit for a base hit but Hanai, Oki and Mizutani were struck out. No. 7 (2nd hitter) of Tosei was next as Abe gave instructions to hit a foul ball, then a shuuto at the same position which was good. Eventually, no.7 was struck out.

No.4 (3rd hitter) of Tosei was next, as he hit a curveball out of the strike zone, but still managed to run safely. No.14 (4th hitter), the shortstop of Tosei was next, which started with a bunt position. It was the same position he did in the previous game, and Abe ordered for a shuuto close to him. However, it was a fake as he swung his bat for a outfield hit and there were two runners at second and third. Kawai, the catcher (5th batter), was next as Abe asked for a timeout. Everyone in the team then met in the middle, discussing the tactics. They wondered about whether they would play a squeeze, while Momoe’s guess was that it would be a squeeze.

Mihashi then talked about the third base runner, as everyone stared at him. As Mihashi strew a fastball, it was a run and hit as Tajima threw it to the home base. However, it was not in time as Tosei scored another run but Abe was able to throw out Kawai. Tosei’s coach was glad that they finally got back on level terms, even though that would relieve the pressure from Nishiura. Momoe said that they did whatever that they could, with Abe angry that he was unable to prevent the score. However, when Tajima smiled at Mihashi for two out, Mihashi screamed out “batter showdown!” and everyone was motivated once again. The mood was improved by Mihashi’s morale boosting shout, as everyone concentrated for the inning.

Thoughts

I am not at all surprised how Tosei returned back to the game so smoothly. They are a top side with good batters all around, and hence it is perhaps quite expected that they would return level with some ease. It’s also cool how they made it look just so simple when it’s down to the tactics of Tosei’s coach. It’s smart that they are aiming for base hits with a curveball as curveballs if managed well, I presume will be easy to hit good grounder shots.

That is why Abe noticed that all of them have been watching and waiting for curveballs. In a way, I feel that Mihashi’s ability as a very good pitcher is never in doubt, as it is simply problematic that he requires quite a bit more speed even with the supreme control he has. I like how this episode brings the perspective of a star team that has way more experience and talent than Nishiura’s squad. Nevertheless, it is clear that Nishiura is not overawed and they still have a good fighting chance to remind in the game if they can find some way out with Tajima’s talent.

I actually enjoy the antics of Mihashi for this week, particularly with his amusing reaction after the nosebleed, as well as the “batter showdown” at the end of the episode. It is clear that Mihashi is growing in confidence, and I am very happy for this growing comfort in his ability. I am glad that Abe has kept Mihashi’s fragile soul to be in a state where he can support Abe as well. The last part clearly shows how his strong mental strength to be the pitcher of his team is leading his team on mentally and emotionally.

Is it just me but anyone feel that Junta is not as amazing as he was touted to be before the game? I mean, he seems like rather fallible when he looks like someone who can do a total clean up of the Nishiura batters. Maybe, it is the initial nerves but it is still surprising how he can be shocked by various plays in this game. I do not know, but he is not really impressing me that much other than the fact that he is a fastball specialist. I guess Mihashi is really an amazing pitcher.

Next week’s title is “Caught up”. Who is being caught up? I hope now that Nishiura pulls off the most unexpected victory over the team, but realistically, it seems that the curtains are down for them this season.