YOO, the whole thing was a trap? Well played, well played. I actually thought the same as Rikka and Saki. That she was trying to chip away at the audience theory by theory and weaken Nanase just enough that Kuro would be able to defeat. I guess that means I was the loser. Well, instead she decided to sweep them up all at once, with a verbal beatdown that totally left Rikka speechless and defeated. So, let’s talk about it.

Claim 4: Nanase Karin is still alive.

After running away from the idol life, Nanase was able to convince someone who looked like her to ‘distract the media’ so she could escape, wait it out, and rebuild her life eventually. Instead, she killed that girl and stole her identity. When rumors that someone that looked like her began to crop up, she decided to don the Steel Lady outfit and prove to the world she was dead by associating her name with a ghost. Terada was able to deduce it was her, by his… discerning gaze so she struck him unconscious in his state of confusion. With a flashlight. Well, let’s ignore that. The final piece was that the site that has spread all of this information so conveniently and so fast, is run by none other than Nanase herself! But for real, could you imagine having a chest so voluptuous that a detective literally stops his car to get out and investigate you? ‘No no no, I’ve seen those boobs somewhere before.’

So many lies. Eh, she did say she’d lie. 

I’ll admit when I’m wrong. This was actually a really nice payoff episode and I have been giving it shit for a few weeks. I thought her strategy of putting out easily refutable theories, so that the conclusion could be rejected but key elements would stay was actually pretty legit. Then those unrefuted elements ultimately connected into a brand new theory. Kotoko was able to use Rikka’s powers and information manipulation tactics against her to convince everyone all at once that Nanase was alive and well. Well, not well because now she’s a murderer in everyone’s eyes.

While I won’t argue that it was a satisfying payoff, did it really need 3 episodes? And watching Kuro get his face beat in on loop for a few seconds in between an internet debate. The show was 98% talking with a, welcome back to your regularly scheduled viewing of Kuro dying vibe. I dunno… It could have been so much shorter. The intensity, it just gets lost when the whole thing takes so long.

At least they injected a bit more humor this week. Saki’s face when Kuro just gets yeeted onto the hood of the car and then dragged away by his feet, more of that please.

I liken this show to something like Bunny Girl Senpai or Monogatari. The issue is that the shows, for me, were leagues better than this one was. There’s a heavy focus on dialogue, the mystery theme, a lot of deductions and logical debates. Frankly, compared to what I think this show resembles, I just find it lacking in a lot of ways. Plus, not a single girl in a revealing bunny outfit? And no tsundere girls stapling the inside of your mouth? It’s like why am I even here you know?

Jokes aside, yeah it was pretty good. If this show does get a second season, I’m 100% down to check it out. Not that the show is over… I just realized I’m talking like it’s done. I guess next week is just a wrap up anyway. Well, there goes my final impression thoughts. Whoops.