Takemichi really can’t catch a break, can he? I was right along with him thinking that if he was able to get the two to make up, the conflict on August 3rd wouldn’t happen. He deserves to have a nice evening with Hina!! But I suppose if the conflict was resolved by a single piece of poop stuck in his hair it wouldn’t have been quite ‘phew’ moment. I mean, the danger didn’t stop once they beat Osanai and Moebius, so why would it stop now?
Either way, I think this episode was a joy to watch. I wasn’t sure where we were going the whole time, but that was half the fun. We got to spend some more time with Hina and we got to watch Takemichi absolutely break down. I’m glad we got to take the time for him to realize that he isn’t physically stronger because he is with Mikey and Draken, but we also get the words of encouragement from Hina expressing that he doesn’t need to be like them. He’s Takemichi and there’s things that only he can do – quite frankly he’s one of the few people who is trying to solve things before they result in violence (is he successful most of the time? ehhh not really, but! at least he’s trying). I’m still rooting for them, but it really does seem like no matter what he does, there’s something right around the corner that’s going to cause problems. What’s a little challenge in trying to stop your friend from death?
I actually really like how this episode balanced the slice of life elements with moving the story forward. Having characters just interact in a fun environment is a great way to get to know them. Hina and Emma have become friends, which is fantastic! The two of them can support each other, and it also means that we (hopefully) won’t have any more funky misunderstandings between the two. And hey! at least Takemichi was able to make up for that first encounter by losing at the shooting gallery and also looking out for Hina when her foot was cut up. Takemichi you may be kind of a loser, but you’re a good kid. Sure, it helps that you know the future, but you’re still a good kid.
On that note, I just want to share my appreciation for Hina in this series! At first when she was the driving force to back in time, I thought she wasn’t going to play a major role in the story. That she was just going to be a character that is mentioned every once in a while. And I’m pleasantly surprised that she is more than that. Sure, she doesn’t get a whole lot of screen time and she’s certainly not a main character, but pretty much every time she’s in an episode she helps with Takemichi’s growth. Yeah, she’s just a middle school girl who just really likes her boyfriend, but she also has a good head on her shoulders and I really don’t think Takemichi would have made it as far as he has without her. And just from a viewer’s perspective, it really makes me want Takemichi to succeed in saving the future. Hina deserves the world! Please save her!
When they revealed Kiyomasa with the blade that caught me completely off guard! Sure, he would be one with a vendetta against Draken and we haven’t really seen him for a while, but I didn’t really just how mad he was about the situation. And on that note didn’t Mikey also contribute to Kiyomasa’s downfall? Why would he only go for Draken?? I suppose Mikey’s the leader… but his right hand on the other hand is fair game. But now I’m just more stressed! Who is going to give the death blow?? Kiyomasa (who we don’t even know where he is right now) or Peh who is standing in front of him ready to lunge. Draken!! Please be okay!!
I’m excited to see what the next episode will bring. I anticipate that we’ll make a jump back to the present very soon. We’ve made it to the date of interest. If all goes well, Takemichi will probably return to discuss next steps with Naoto… well… even if it all goes wrong and he’s not able to save everyone he’ll still probably have to go into the future to figure out what to do next. Takemichi I’m hoping for the best!
