Summary
With Teiichi now having a “copy” of Yuuko’s negative memories, Yuuko has regarded him as something she’s discarded as well, preventing the two from talking to each other. They communicate through writing, and while Teiichi can see and hear Yuuko, she doesn’t notice his presence at all. Asking Kirie for help, she brings him to the now old Kanoe Yukariko, who has only seen her older sister as Shadow Yuuko all this time. Teiichi confronts Shadow Yuuko and normal Yuuko together, accepting both of them as the Yuuko he loves, allowing them to merge for good.
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Impression
Yuuko has always clung on to Teiichi a bit too much, but its drastically different when Teiichi isn’t even able to talk to her at all, and we end up missing her even though she’s right next to him, but unable to communicate. I do understand Kirie’s unwillingness to let Teiichi give up on Yuuko so easily (for the 2nd time now), but I understand his point of view this time, since he causes her pain when he touches her. Having a copy of her discarded memories means he’s an entity like Shadow Yuuko – something that the original Yuuko forcibly cast away and is not willing to remember, meaning that no matter how hard Yuuko tries, her subconscious is ignoring Teiichi’s existence.
I never thought we’d get to meet the Yukariko right now – who is now an old woman, working at the school near where her older sister was sacrificed. It made sense that she would see the restless spirit of her leftover anger instead of the friendly ghost that got to know Teiichi, since I’m sure she slightly regretted not saving Yuuko either by convincing her not to go or by rescuing her. Though in her defence, there’s not much she could have done. Coincidentally enough, Teiichi is Asa-chan’s grandson, which meant that Yuuko being the sacrifice indirectly assured Teiichi’s existence. Coming to think of it, they do look quite alike – wow, I should have noticed it earlier.
Teiichi accepting the two Yuuko’s was the best way the situation could have turned out, I think. Shadow Yuuko was more reasonable than I thought, and she’s (slightly) more than a mass of hatred that can’t stop hating. Even after joining with her dark side, Yuuko still seems…normal, to put it simply. I guess she’s accepted her past, but I thought at least something about her personality would change. For some reason, I can’t get it out of my mind that she might disappear, given that ghosts usually linger because of something missing or dying while unfulfilled. Now that Yuuko’s back together again…
