7th Time Loop – 06 – The Princes Who Wanted to Disappear

I figured Theo using Elsie and Kamil to kidnap Rishe wasn’t going to go well for him. What I didn’t necessarily see coming was Rishe facilitating cathartic reconciliation between the two brothers, estranged on purpose by Arnold.

But I’m getting ahead of myself! I can’t tell you how cool it is to see a smiling Rishe barge in on Theo, just when he thinks he has Arnold on the ropes, not five minutes into the episode.

We actually began back at Rishe’s villa. She was only pretending to feel the effects of the sleeping drug, and confronts Elsie and Kamil. She realizes they’re not doing this because Theo threatened them, but because Theo is the slums’ top benefactor.

Then the episode uses Rishe’s detailed 3-point lesson in how to properly imprison someone to Theo as a framing device for showing her totally badass escape, which was inevitable considering her past lives’ experience and Theo’s failure to check any of the necessary boxes for a successful capture (including breaking the captive’s limbs and keeping at least two sets of eyes on them at all times).

Theo may have though he had this grand plan, but seeing it all turned to dust so quickly should be a hint to quit putting on the Unhinged Evil Younger Prince act. Rishe has already seen through it, just as his brother has: Theo doesn’t hate his brother, nor does he want him to suffer.

Rather, this whole overblown act was to create such a commotion and disgrace himself, giving him cover to abdicate his place in the line of succession. She’s done a little research, and can tell while his public acts of charity in the slums have cease, he continues to funnel his own money there. The Theo we’ve seen isn’t the real Theo: a kind an generous prince who also has a major brother complex (okay, that part we saw).

Ise Mariya does phenomenal work voicing the young prince as he insists that his brother hating him, despising, him, casting him out, even killing him is preferable to not being accepted. To this, Arnold only coldly repeats what he’s already said: he doesn’t care about Theo one way or another.

After Theo runs off, it’s time for Rishe to call out Arnold’s BS: he does care about his brother, otherwise he wouldn’t have ordered her to stay away from him. She also finally understands what he meant by her not needing resolve to be his wife—he intends to abdicate and disappear.

Arnold finds it “adorable” that Rishe can’t read his intentions, and that he’s better off not understanding, but whether he likes it or not, Rishe is someone who will never seeking understanding. She asks him to consider a possible future in his brother disappears, and to live a life where he has no regrets.

As for her, she fully intends to live her life (even if it’s her last) as his wife, with no regrets. And while her body is starting to give out after all that running and fighting, she still feels she has one more thing to do before going to bed, and climbs to the top of the tower where she finds Theo.

Theo was thinking about the one time Arnold praised him, after he used his own body to protect his vassals in a field hospital. Arnold is proud of him, but warned him never to put his life at risk like that again. Rishe confirms her suspicions to the one who has watched Arnold more closely than anyone: he’s trying to leave the throne to Theo.

Ever since that time he was praised, Theo watched his brother for the express purpose of determining the best way to be useful to him. He believes Arnold disappearing rather than ruling is a mistake. Even if it means disappearing before Arnold can, he’ll do it.

Rishe doesn’t believe that, and says she’ll need his strength as Arnold’s only little brother to keep Arnold from disappearing. But Theo’s mind is already set, and he falls backwards over the tower. Rishe lunges out to catch him, but her muscles finally gives out. It appears that Theo will fall to his death, but his brother catches him.

Once Theo is safe, Arnold slaps him, then repeats what he said in that field hospital: Don’t put your life at risk again. That his big brother remembered that moment brings tears to Theo’s eyes, and he reverts to a sobbing mess.

When Rishe sees that all is now well with the brothers, she finally lets herself pass out. Theo is concerned, but Arnold simply smiles as she rests in his lap, the scar from the wound he sustained saving Theo’s life fully exposed.

Moments after Theo sees his brother looking happier than he’s ever seen him look, he also gets to hear his brother say “I leave it to you,” referring to arranging the carriages. Becoming his big brother’s strength starts with making sure his fiancée gets home safe.

When Rishe wakes up the next morning, Arnold is writing at her desk, having stayed with her the whole time. He delivers a letter from Theo apologizing for how he treated her and telling her he’s in her debt. He’s also agreed to join forces with her (with the power of the slums at his back) her in ensuring Arnold doesn’t fuck off somewhere, but ascends to the throne, because he’s the best man for the job.

The episode ends on a cute romantic note, with Arnold asking her to think of something else he can do for her since he couldn’t resist kissing her in the chapel. This makes a flustered Rishe retreat within her sheets, and Arnold thanks her for looking after “his little brother.” Rishe smiles and tells him not to worry about it, since he’ll be her little brother too.

This was another fantastic midpoint episode that gave Theo a lot more dimension and further deepened Arnold and Rishe’s bond. We also got to see Rishe not only be a badass fighter, but use the interpersonal skills she’s learned to mediate the conflict between the brothers. All of this bodes well for a future where she’ll live beyond the limit of her past lives.

Ao no Exorcist: Shimane Illuminati-hen – 01 – Family Portrait

Hello, old friend. That’s not even a euphemism: I wrote about the first Ao no Exorcist episode back on April 17, 2011! I last wrote about it back in March 2017. When the second season came six years after the first, I said it felt like riding a bike. Now it’s been another seven years, and, as you’d guess, it’s still like riding a bike … Or like slipping on your favorite pair of pajama pants.

While this latest Exorcist features some re-introductory exposition, it feels like the previous episode only aired a couple of months ago, if not more recently. Rin gets what he thinks is a love letter but is just an invitation from Mephisto to join him for a “Congratulations on Getting a Stay of Execution” banquet.

On the way, he encounters his classmate Gedouiin being harassed by a demon only the two of them can see. Rin kicks up the intimidation to spook the demon away, and Gedouiin is grateful, and Rin is excited to have made a new friend, and wants to help him more by finding a way for him to stop seeing demons if he doesn’t want to.

Before Rin can bring it up to Mephisto at the banquet (which consists of instant ramen), Lord Pheles temporarily transports them to Gehenna, where he has a bit of news for Rin: Mephisto is just the name he’s used in Assiah for the last 200 years. His true identity is Samael, King of Time and second most powerful person in Gehenna.

Despite Mephisto being a demon, he’s on humanity’s side. As a member of demonic royalty and master of time and space, Mephisto wants to make sure Rin’s head didn’t grow too big after defeating the Impure King in the last arc. He also notes that most demons tend to hide their horns and hearts as a matter of etiquette.

Mephisto offers to give Rin a vial of eye drops to help his new friend if he can accomplish a mission for him. That mission turns out to be an extracurricular class involving Rin and all his friends: Bon, Koneko, Shima, Shiemi, Izumi, and Takara.

The class consists of the group dealing with a demonic painting called “Family Portrait” that has been causing several students mental anguish (among them Gedouiin). Rin’s first instinct is to run at the portrait and slash it, saving everyone else from getting into danger.

This…doesn’t work, and indeed only makes things worse for everyone. Rin himself ends up in some kind of dreamscape in which none of his friends remember him and recoil from his presence. Then Koneko pulls him back to reality, something he did for the others.

The spirit possessing the painting is a shape-shifter that projects peoples’ worst fears. When Bon suggest taking it down with fatal verses, Konekomaru interrupts him, and takes charge. Thanks to his poor vision, he didn’t look at the painting, so he’s not suffering any effects.

He proceeds to bark out frank but accurate assessments about everyone else, one by one. In doing so, he shows them how well he knows them, making it easier for them to trust him as their strategist. The group is packed with talent, but need someone to direct and coordinate.

That’s what Koneko does. Equally knowledgeable about their abilities as their personalities, he’s able to deploy the right people at the right time while keeping Rin in reserve as their trump card. Discerning that the “Family Portrait” is actually four separate paintings, he has Rin, Shima, and Izumi launch a simultaneous attack.

After a brief glance at what Arthur is up to in Yemen, Rin gets the drops from Mephisto and gives them to Gedouiin. When his new friend asks about his tail, Rin comes clean: he’s a half-demon. When Gedouiin asks if he’s scared, Rin’s answer is pretty much Ao no Exorcist’s mission statement: “Sure I’m scared. But I’m lucky, because I’m surrounded by some great people!”

Those people—Shima, Bon, Konekomaru, Shiemi, and Izumi—are waiting for Rin outside, all wearing the same paint stains of victory on their uniforms as he is. Seeing that they waited up for him brings a smile to his face. It’s a great group—at this point, they feel more like a family—and the main reason I keep coming back to this show even after multi-year breaks.

Jujutsu Kaisen – 46 – Who’s the Boss?

Before getting back to “Getou” interrupting Yuuji’s defeat of Mahito we check in with other parties still breathing after this ordeal: Kusakabe and Panda (now in Gorilla Mode), Meimei, who is in Kuala Lumpur with Ui Ui telling a friend to divest from Japan, and Chouso is skulking in some subway crawlspace.

Yuuji’s plan is very direct, and dumb: Run as fast as he can towards “Getou” so he can punch him really hard. This doesn’t work, because “Getou” is too clever, and has all of Getou’s tricks up his sleeve, including cursed spirits that make Yuuji think he’s falling into a massive chasm that doesn’t exist.

“Getou’s” battle with Yuuji is suddenly interrupted by Mahito trying to grab him. Instead, “Getou” turns Mahito into a tangle of ribbons that are absorbed into a glowing orb “Getou” identifies as Uzumaki, a Supreme Art that enables him to compress many spirits into one dense attack. In the time it takes “Getou” to explain all this, he and Yuuji are surrounded by members of Kyouto Jujutsu High. The cavalry has arrived.

After Momo gives the signal, Kamo and Mai unleash their ranged attacks, while a Kasumi who just may have revenge on her mind comes in close with her sword. “Getou” shatters her blade, and prepares to unleash Uzumaki on her, but she swept away to safety at the last moment by Kusakabe, Utahime, and Momo. Kamo and Panda prepare to press their attack to get Gojou back.

The battle is interrupted unexpectedly once again, this time by Chouso. Under the influence of those weird grainy dreams of halcyon days that never were, he declares Yuuji his little brother and swears to protect him. He also enlightens everyone by identifying the entity within Getou’s body: one Kamo Noritoshi.

No, not that one; apparently another Noritoshi who was disgraced and would be 150 years old. He’s been extending his life by taking Getou’s body, and there’s every indication Getou wasn’t his first host and he’s a lot older than 150. Chouso unleashes the full power of his blood manipulation, unfazed by the arrival of Uraume, who is apparently on “Getou’s” side as well as Sukuna’s.

Uraume uses ice-based techniques to freeze everyone in place, but Yuuji isn’t affected (probably due to Sukuna) and frees Chouso. Momo, who was airborne, joins them, but Uraume simply uses a even more powerful ice technique to immobilize them.

They would be goners were it not for the timely arrival of one more player: a woman we haven’t seen since the Star Plasma Vessel arc: Tsukumo Yuki. If she’s confident enough to blow “Getou” a kiss, she must be pretty powerful. We’ll see how she and the others fare against him.

Jujutsu Kaisen – 45 – Another Cog in the Wheel

The battle with Mahito continues on street level, and the iconic 109 tower is finally collateral damage. Yuuji doesn’t let the sign go to wast, as he ends up throwing it at one of Mahito’s mouth snakes. Mahito beheads himself and the head runs around while his body continues fighting. He creates some super-offensive transfigured humans, but while they pack a punch they can’t take but one from Toudou.

Up against the wall and running out of options, Mahito uses Doman Expansion, hoping that 0.2 seconds will be enough to unleash Idle Transfiguration, or something. Honestly I’m so focused on keeping up with the splashy battle animation that the narrator’s attempts to explain what’s going on goes mostly over my head. That said, it is fun to watch Toudou and the towering Takada-chan pair up to beat the shit out of Mahito in Toudou’s imagination.

By slicing off one of Toudou’s hands, Mahito thinks he had the guy beat, only for Toudou to clap Mahito’s hand. This fucks up his one remaining hand, but lets him swap with Yuuji, who delivers one hell of a punch directly to the face. Mahito, apparently sufficiently warmed up, casts Idle Transfiguration, and reaches the “true form of his soul”, which is a lot more monster-y and tough. Yuuji’s punches bounce off his skin like it’s hardened steel.

Mahito drives Yuuji underground, creating a massive sinkhole that reaches several hundred feet belowground. But Mahito ended up creating the perfect enclosure for his demise, as this sufficiently beaten-up Yuuji discovers he can pop off a Black Flash at will. Toudou returns and claps with his stump, switching Yuuji back into the perfect position for a decisive blow.

Now apparently running on soul-fumes, Mahito is suddenly terrified of Yuuji, who declares he no longer needs a reason to kill him or any other cursed spirit; he’ll simply kill and kill and keep killing until he “rusts” away to nothing. The setting changes to a cold snowy forest, with Mahito scampering away with rabbits while Yuuji and pack of wolves slowly stalk him. Ya know, subtle stuff.

Then Yuuji makes the mistake of hitting Mahito in such a way that he’s driven several dozen (or hundred) feet away from him. That allows Getou—or rather the entity that has hijacked Getou’s body—to appraoch Mahito and consider whether he should “save” him. I vote “nay”.

Jujutsu Kaisen – 44 – Brotherly Love

JJK twists the knife one more time to open this outing, showing us a random but beautiful memory of Nobara spilling coffee on Gojou’s $1,700 shirt, then hard-cutting to Juju looking down on Nobara’s lifeless body, a gaping bloody hole where her left eye once was.

Yuuji is, as you’d expect, extremely torn up about this, to the point he loses all will to fight or even dodge Mahito’s blows. Mahito, who has already well outstayed his welcome this season, starts waxing philosophical at the top of his lungs while beating Yuuji to a pulp.

His main point is that this is a war, whoever wants it more wins, neither of them have counted the ones they’ve killed, and eventually Mahito will even forget Yuuji. But before he can deliver a fatal blow with an arm-blade, Mahito hears a “clap” and suddenly Yuuji’s on the other side of the platform. His big brother, Toudou Aoi, has arrived.

Yuuji tells Toudou how not only Nobara, but also Nanami died, and he himself killed countless others as Sukuna; so many that he may never be able to save enough people to even it out. His convitions turned out to be nothing but an excuse.

Toudou, accompanied by first-year Nitta Arata (probably Akari’s brother), tells Yuuji what he needs to hear: the two of them are Jujutsu Sorcerers, not bound by “sin” or “punishment” like ordinary folk. And even should their comrades die, they are never truly defeated as long as they keep fighting.

Buoyed by Toudou’s inspiring words and partially healed by Arata (who also “freezes” Nobara in her current condition, telling him she has a “non-zero” chance of surviving), Yuuji snaps out of his funk and joins the fray, delivering Black Flash body shots to Mahito while Toudou keeps the two of them clean with clap switches.

Whither Miwa, Mai, Kamo, Nishimiya, and Utahime? Mechamaru made sure they were on a mission south of Kyoto on the day of the Shibuya Incident. He tells Miwa this while she and the others are on a train (presumably headed further away from the battle). In the last moments his device is still activated, he essentially tells Miwa he did what he had to do to protect the girl he loved. Now that he’s gone, he wants her to find her happiness anew.

Then we’re back to the beefy Toudou (who naturally shed all clothing above the belt) and a revitalized Yuuji continuing to go at it with Mahito, whom I am now on record as being completely and utterly done with. I’m just so sick of any and all attacks seemingly having no effect on him.

At least we hear his thoughts as he assesses the situation: Toudou’s at full strength, Yuuji’s around 10%, and he’s down to 40%. So even if he doesn’t look it, he’s in pretty bad shape. Of course, that’s when one needs to be most on guard against someone as crafty as Mahito. Toudou rises to the occasion, using a Black Flash for the first time (though it apparently doesn’t affect Mahito’s soul).

He decides to take things up a notch, summoning a whole damn train made out of transfigured humans, eventually forcing the battle to the surface right by the 109 building and coming at Yuuji and Toudou with a many-headed monster. Here’s hoping we can wrap this up soon.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury – 23 – Sisters and Brothers

A number of plotlines come to a head this week: Suletta begs Eri and their mom to stand down. Eri doesn’t want to hurt Suletta, but she will if she doesn’t stand down. Suletta won’t. Lauda is convinced Guel is in the “thrall” of Miorine, whom he blames for bringing Gundams back into the world, resulting in the death of their dad and the wounding of his beloved Petra.

Chuchu pilots Demi Barding without Permet (which she learns is a tall order) into the data storm, carrying a module containing an infiltration team including MioMio, Elan, and Belmeria. You know: the type of defenseless module famed throughout the Gundam universe for not being blown up and everyone inside them killed…right?

Delling manages to get out of bed and gather enough strnegth to call for an emergency session of the Assembly League to reconsider intervening in Benerit’s affairs. One of Eri’s avatars finally insists that Suletta stop interfering. To show she means business she prepares to blow up the module containing MioMio and the others.

She’s stopped, presumably by the real Eri, and the info density of data storm around Quiet Zero begins to degrade. The infiltration team uses this hiccup in the storm to continue on and board Quiet Zero.

But while the defenseless module is safe, no one anywhere near Benerit or Quiet Zero will be for long. The Assembly League president, now fully in the pockets of the Peil Group sisters, are preparing to use a megaweapon located in Lagrange 1 called the Interplanetary Laser Transmission System.

Unbeknownst to that threat, the infiltration heads to the necessary control panel to initiate the shutdown sequence, but they’re pinned down by Haro-piloted security drones, and Prospera herself heads down there with a pistol in hand. All the while, the Jeturk brothers continue to duel.

Lauda resents that Guel kept his role in their dad’s death secret, believing Guel’s need to bear the burden of everything to be a sign he doesn’t have confidence in him. Lauda manages to chop Guel’s suit into pieces, but the Gundam seems to be taking its toll on him.

They draw their energy swords for one final joust, but at the last moment Guel retracts his blade and lets Lauda impale his suit. Lauda flashes back to the first time they met when he was adopted. Guel immediately embraced his new little brother and put him at ease.

Now Lauda wishes he hadn’t stabbed Guel’s suit, which is sparking and leaking oil and poised to explode at any moment. It doesn’t, thanks to Felsi sortieing, shooting Guel’s suit with firefighting foam pellets, and telling the brothers to end their stupid sibling spat at once. Thank you Felsi!

As Suletta continues to distract Aerial, Mio and Bel find the old shutdown code doesn’t work. Prospera arrives on the deck with security drones to tell them she changed it. Mio tries to get around the admin path, and remembering what Suletta said about words in the genetic code of the tomatoes, responds to her mother’s words by saying “I love you too” in DNA code.

The code works, but Prospera advances on Mio and Bel, who fires her gun until it’s out of bullets. It doesn’t stop Prospera, who is prepared to kill MioMio, but she’s stopped by Elan, who shoots her mask off.

With Quiet Zero and its data storm shutting down, and a dazed, maskless Prospera no longer a threat, the Assembly League fires the Interplanetary Laser at Quiet Zero to destroy it, Benerit Front, and everything in Lagrage 4. They’ll sort out the mess and Peil will rebuild as the leader of a new Benerit.

This too doesn’t come to pass. The laser blast is stopped before it can reach Quiet Zero by a shield…put up by Eri. She wasn’t ordered to do this by her mother, but she’s certainly doing it to protect her, if not Suletta and her friends.

The laser packs one hell of a wallop, however, and in the ensuing blast that dissipates the laser and saves everyone, Aerial is critically damaged. Did she decide, with her mother’s plan to build a world she could live ending in failure, that she would at least ensure Prospera would survive? Whatever her motives, will her apparent sacrifice be enough, or will the Laser just charge back up again? There’s just one episode left of this season to sort it all out.

Hell’s Paradise – 04 – I Have So Many Questions

This week we get little vignettes of the various convicts who have survived, starting with the Dragon Blade Tamiya Gantetsusai, who was appointed the officer of a lord. When the lord said that surely Tamiya couldn’t cut down a real dragon, Tamiya cut him and his house down. Now he’s on the island, accompanied by Fuchi, who among the Yamada Asaemon seems to be the most devoted to the dissection and medical research part of their clan’s job.

When the giant monsters appear, Gabimaru makes a business decision not to overthink things and simply kill first and ask questions later. Because of this, both he and Sagiri are able to live longer. He’s able to take immediate action to neutralize the threats before them, and he even rescues Sagiri from being killed because she’s so overwhelmed by the situation that she freezes.

That said, even Gabimaru is momentarily distracted to the point he almost gets killed, so he’s lucky to be bailed out by the kunoichi Yuzuriha (Takanashi Rie, killing it as always), who is in the running to be Best Girl of the Season. Not only is she extremely deadly, but she’s also funny as hell. She also makes sure to at least try to seduce Wife Guy Gabimaru to bring him under her control. She fails, but better to have failed than to have never tried.

Yuzuriha now has not one but two Yamada Asaemon minders, as the one who was assigned to another convict she tricked and killed believes she’s too dangerous to have only one Asaemon guard. She also proves she’s able to at least put Gabimaru into a position where he has to listen to her, but fortunately for him, she doesn’t want to kill him, she wants to work with him and Sagiri. The five of them have a better shot at finding the elixir than just Gabi and Sagiri.

As for Sagiri, she’s so overloaded by weirdness of this island that she ends up passing out, so it’s fortunate that Gabimaru isn’t a dishonorable fellow, and that Yuzuriha is accompanied by two of her clan-mates. The balance of the episode involves a unique pairing of convict and Yamada Asaemon guard: Aza Choubei and his little brother Touma, who became a Yamada Asaemon executioner for the express purpose of providing support to Coubei.

The two were once the sons of a powerful samurai, but when their father was disowned by his lord they became beggars, then bandits. Touma remarks on Choubei’s preternatural ability to assess and adapt to any situation that comes their way, and believes his older brother is always right. This pair, along with Tamiya Gantetsusai, will surely be tough customers to the new alliance of Gabimaru and Yuzuriha—but I trust them to rise to the challenge.

In / Spectre – 23 – The Merciless Protector of Order

Kotoko’s Columbo-style “One More Thing” involves the remainder of her interrogation of Fubuki, the yoko with whom President Otonashi contracted to murder Sumi. At the end of their chat, Kotoko deduces that Fubuki didn’t actually kill Sumi. He was about to, but someone beat him to it. He kept this secret from Otonashi so that he’d hold up his end of the bargain.

Fubuki also transformed into Sumi to scream out that the killer was a man in black in order to obscure the true killer: Kaoruko. She was able to fake the time she broke her leg after all, and made it look like a burglary. She now points out that Koya knew about Kaoruko’s role in the murder before this meeting, which is why Kaoruko wasn’t present, and yet Koya was willing to let his father-in-law take the fall.

When Koya scoffs and reminds Kotoko that Sumi screamed that a man attacked her. Kotoko can’t mention that a yoko actually screamed that, but it’s just as plausible that Sumi was protecting her daughter and the Otonashi brand. As Koya gets more agitated, Kotoko gets him to slip up and confirm Kaoruko wasn’t able to confirm Sumi’s death—a combination of her inexperience with murder and the gloves she wore that wouldn’t have been able to detect a pulse or faint breath.

As all of this unfolds, Rion realizes Kotoko guided her to the wrong answer in order to corner Koya and Kaoruko. Now that she has achieved this, awakened the truth, and protected the order of things, Kotoko starts to take her leave. But then Koya pulls a gun, and when Kurou approaches him, he shoots him in the head then aims for Kotoko’s. He can believe his family won’t tell a soul, but doesn’t trust her or Kurou.

As you’d expect, Kotoko doesn’t flinch for a moment. The following exchange is a standout of this arc:

Koya: Now there’s no turning back for me. You and that boy were wrong.

Kotoko: I am correct, and you can still turn back.

When the resurrected Kurou comes from behind and disarms him, Koya, like the others, is somewhat shocked. Kurou’s half-assed period drama explanation doesn’t hold water, and Kotoko saying they’re “people who live in a daydream” for which normal laws and reality don’t apply, isn’t any more reassuring.

Some time passes, and Rion narrates the aftermath of Kotoko’s awakening of a long dormant truth. An always guilt-ridden Kaoruko tried to take her own life, but failed, and Koya remains steadfastly by her side. Her father and Susumu have become closer, something she deems to be a saving grace.

Her grandfather the president’s health took a turn for the worse, as he deals with both his cancer and wrestles with his own guilt and doubt over whether it was the right thing to even approach Kotoko. She and Kurou actually visit him at his bedside, where he admits he’s always both believed in and been fascinated by the supernatural. That’s how he came into contact with the person who referred him to Kotoko and Kurou: none other than Sakuragawa Rikka, who told him they’d be able solve his problem.

This new kernel of information irks Kotoko, who wonders if Rikka was merely trying to bully her. Kurou thinks it could be Rikka wanted Kotoko to get all tangled up in this case to distract her from whatever Rikka was planning. He also believes Rikka wanted him to see Kotoko at work, and in particular how jealously and mercilessly she would protect order by revealing a truth, no matter the cost to her audience.

Kurou silently recalls Rikka telling him he still hasn’t realized how “terrifying” Kotoko is, and as he remembers this, Kotoko falls asleep beside him, looking like the very picture of an innocent angel. Whether this case was meant to be a diversion for Kotoko or not, it is true that Kurou learned more about his girlfriend. But I don’t think it hurt his opinion of her like Rikka probably wanted.

Quite the contrary: it’s surely better for one’s partner to be terrifyingly just than boringly corrupt!

Vinland Saga S2 – 10 – Getting Ahead in the World

We open with a couple of bare-chested swole lads chopping wood and shoving trunks. Three years of hard work have honed Thorfinn and Einar’s muscles, and the result of all that labor is that they have turned a forest into a wheat field. What felt impossible by design when a newly-enslaved Einar arrived has become reality. And yet, at brink of gaining their freedom, and both men seem…tentative.

As much as being a slave sucks, it steered a bloodthirsty hate-filled warrior Thorfinn was from a certain early grave and into a transformational brotherhood of two with Einar. Just still being alive is a gift; will freedom lead him back down darker roads? Einar’s reticence is simpler: he can hardly be over the moon about winning his freedom when Arnheid will remain slave. Even if he and Thorfinn could afford to buy her, Ketil wouldn’t sell.

What Ketil does offer is to give Thorfinn and Einar their freedom once they’re done sowing their latest crop. But first he and his son are headed to Jelling to see King Harald, who has taken ill. Also returning to Denmark is our boy King Canute, who day by day is carrying himself not just more like a king, but more like the king.

When he spots childrenin town playing a ball game, he remembers how his brother Harald used to play with him, and trusted him to get up even when he fell. His brother was a strong, kind young man, the kind of person who would, and did, make a good king. The pleasant dream is interrupted when the kids’ ball rolls towards Canute’s feet. But he doesn’t see a ball. he sees the severed head of his slain father Sweyn.

Canute’s demeanor is solemn as he greets Harald, who is barely able to speak and lift his hand. Their sister Estrid is also there, trying to stay in good spirits. With what little strength he has left and with his court as witnesses, Harald offers the crown of Denmark to Canute without conditions. Canute refuses it, urging his brother to rest up and get better.

But King Harald won’t get better. He’s been poisoned. Canute is the one who had him poisoned. We learn this from Sweyn’s head, which only we and Canute can see. Sweyn mocks Canute’s show of sympathy, modesty, and above all innocence when yet more royal blood of his family stains his hands. Sweyn promises his son that with the dual crowns of England and Denmark on his head, he stands to endure twice the weight and torment.

That night in the room prepared for him, which overlooks the spot where he and Harald used to play, King Canute reclines in his chair, the head of his dead father his one and only true confidant. A serving woman knocks with refreshment, but Canute, who has poisoned all of his political rivals, is not about to accept a drink from uncertain source or purpose.

Sweyn’s head says he is a curse, and if he’s appearing in the afternoon, it’s getting worse. The head is the manifestation of Canute’s amassed trauma and guilt, always there to remind him how he comes to wear one crown and is poised to wear another.

Canute wants to build a peaceful utopia, and he may be right that such a wish is impossible with two kings hanging around. But ambition and ruthlessness have crept into his once gentle heart. If he keeps down this path, he’ll surely end up in that godforsaken place Thorfinn narrowly escaped…or worse.

Heroines Run the Show – 12 (Fin) – Feeling the Love

A little while after punching Hiyori, Chizuru starts eating alone. The feelings that led to her taking photos and causing a scandal have subsided, but she feels both her relationship to Hiyori and LIPxLIP have been irreparably shattered. But Juri knows Chizuru still cares, because she was genuinely worried about Hiyori after the punch.

Despite what she did, Chizuru is still deserving of redemption, but knows she has to change. The boys, meanwhile, are prepping for their Countdown Live performance, but when Uchida gives them comp tickets, they hesitate to give them to their former manager-in-training, and settle for their respective brothers.

In the midst of kicking her LIP fandom entirely, Chizuru is surprised when Hiyori pops by her place with the ticket Chizuru had bought and then left with Juri. Chizuru maintains she doesn’t deserve to be a fan anymore, and in any case won’t listen to Hiyori and promptly kicks her out.

Things seem grim, until Uchida does what the boys couldn’t and stop by her place to personally deliver not just a comp ticket, but an all-areas staff pass: they won’t admit it, but they need her to be their manager-in-training for this one. Now that both she and Chizuru have he means to go, Hiyori returns to Chizuru’s house, reveals she knows she’s Chutan, and finally tells her the truth about being their manager-in-training.

Chizuru accepts this truth, and understands why Hiyori had to keep it secret. With that, Hiyori leads the two on a mad dash to make the concert on time. Yuujirou and Aizou scold Hiyori for being late but are clearly glad she’s here, while Chizuru finds her seat among all their other classmates and their friends/dates also in attendance.

Invigorated by the sounds of their awaiting Julietas, Yuujirou and Aizou put all the pieces together and deliver perhaps their best performance, one that’s not about advancing to the top of the idol mountain, but performing for the fans and showing their love for them.

AT4 praises them for this, as they finally seem to “get” what being an idol on stage is about. Chizuru is moved to tears by their passion, and Hiyori also feels that this concert hit different, likely because she’s happy to be back by their side as manager-in-training.

After the show, the managers offer Hiyori her old job back, which she accepts with her usual enthusiasm. After AT4 counts down the new year, things go back to normal with Hiyori both on the track, with her two besties, and back at work with LIPxLIP. Presumably Hiyori also told Juri about her job, while Chizuru openly shares her Chutan persona with her friends.

Whether LIPxLIP could actually get away with having Hiyori fill in as a backup dancer with absolutely no training is a little doubtful, but it’s fun to finally see the Heroine take the stage, if only under a mascot costume. No doubt the boys wanted to share with their future full manager what it felt like up there, to be cheered and adored by the masses.

Is this also a bit of a neat and tidy conclusion, what with Hiyori and Chizuru mostly making up off-camera? Are a lot of the issues about parasocial relationships, stalking, and other obsessive behavior mostly tabled in favor of Chizuru’s personal redemption story? Perhaps, but on the other side, I never liked Hiyori’s decision to quit, and I’m glad she’s back on the job. In the end, she really did run the show.

Heroines Run the Show – 10 – The Stir

The rumors of a LIPxLIP member romance around going away, as evidenced by the appearance of the photos on television, with Hiyori’s face pixelated. That makes it so Narumi Mona can’t quite recognize the girl she met a few weeks back, while Sena insists neither of the boys would be incautious enough to date a classmate.

But while the rumors and nasty online comments abound, it’s not that bad for our LIPxLIP and their manager-in-training. Her support network was already established last week, but the three also have the support of their teacher and by extension the school. Yuujirou’s father also sees this as evidence his son actually is making something of himself, and that the Someya family is far tougher than these petty rumors.

That said, Hiyori decides to keep her distance from the two and encourages them not to talk or interact with her, which they rightfully consider to be a pain. They may not admit it, but Hiyori is not just their manager-in-training, but a friend. Speaking of friends, Hiyori feels terrible having to lie about her connections to the boys, even to Chizuru and Juri.

Back at the studio, Uchida outlines the steps being taken to reduce the damage to the LIPxLIP brand, including explaining and apologizing to all of their corporate sponsors and supporters. Yuujirou’s kabuki prodigy brother Kouichirou makes a surprise appearance to help the lads track down whoever did this and punish them.

But for Hiyori’s that’s, as she would say it, crossin’ a line. Idols shouldn’t be accusing or fighting with fans. She’s read their fan mail; she knows the genuine love and support they have for LIPxLIP, and she knows that even if it was unintentional, she damaged that bond by simply being in those photos. For that reason, she decides to quit her job as manager-in-training.

It’s a very Hiyori move, putting the fans of her charges ahead of her own dreams, even if the boys remark that she’s not one to back down from a race or a challenge, considering they were that very thing at the beginning. But ultimately it’s a decision they let Hiyori make because it’s hers to make.

Suddenly bereft of their chipper manager-in-trainin’, Yuujirou and Aizou end up hanging out with their respective brothers. An odd shot of Ken earlier in the episode had me suspecting him as the sneak photographer, and his making what looks like a huge homemade meal of Aizou’s favorite dishes look like an apology.

As for Yuujirou, we learn the reason he got in trouble with the police: he was covering for his younger brother, who had been led astray by his senpais into a club where he was underage. It’s why Kouichirou wanted to help Yuujirou out with the scandal; he owes him.

But Yuujirou decides to hold onto that chip; he’s got this, along with Aizou. After all their time together, it’s amazing they don’t have each others cell phone numbers, and even though Aizou sneaks onto the Someya compound and climbs a tree as if to meet with his Juliet, they make no effort to exchange them.

That said, with help from Uchida, they set up a press conference in which they bare themselves to the masses salivating for content. All of their responses are quick, calm, well-rehearsed, no doubt also due to Uchida, but also the boys’ consummate professionalism, even when backed into a corner.

It’s also easy for fans and onlookers alike to relate to their situation: they could have gone full-in to professional entertainment, but chose to balance that with a legit high school life, and all the fun, simple little moments that make it. Moments like the ones the photos captured. At the end of the day, the photos tell the truth: these three are good friends.

The press conference invites the public to see their side of things, and their explanation of their “precious classmate” with whom they share their high school life is largely accepted, even embraced. But Hiyori watches it all in her darkened apartment, suddenly out of the picture and out of action. Again, this was her choice, but if she hadn’t made it, no one would have asked her to give up her job.

Uchida wasn’t being nice when she said she was glad she hired “Hiyako”. I just hope Hiyori comes to her senses and returns to work. If nothing else, her living expenses ain’t gonna pay for themselves!

Heroines Run the Show – 04 – Two Grooms

Clearly more moved than she expected by their princely defense of her against the vile Yumeru, Hiyori has a dream about marrying Aizou and Yuujirou, and the two of them almost kissing her. Naturally, the first time she sees the two she can’t quite look them in the eye. They seem genuinely miffed by this, as who averts their eyes from an idol? But it’s also because they know something’s up with her.

While Yumeru was thoroughly unpleasant, the result of their collab is a lot more fangirls flocking to the boy’s desks at school. Aizou is so overwhelmed he seemingly passes out, and Yuujirou makes mention of some “trauma” that makes Aizou especially lady-averse. While grabbing lunch for herself and Aizou, she meets his big brother Ken, who assumes Hiyori is Aizou’s GF and explains that both he and their mom are super-comfortable with the opposite sex, which might contribute to the straight-laced Aizou.

Hiyori proves her manager mettle by securing the counseling room for Aizou and Yuujirou to hide out whenever things get too hot. Aizou is clearly still a little off after being so surrounded by fans, and clearly loathing leaving the room to buy lunch, so it’s a good thing Hiyori bought him a cutlet sandwich! Yuujirou shares some of the massive lunch his mom made with Hiyori.

The day somehow gets worse for LIPxLIP when an article comes out exposing Yuujirou as the heir to a famous kabuki actor and living national treasure. Hiyori volunteers to shoo away the reporters, but Yuujirou decides to face and fight them head-on with his famous smile and politeness. Hiyori is literally moved to tears when she watches Aizou come in at just the right time to have his partner’s back.

Yuujirou and Aizou come up with a piece of rosette ribbon swag for their fans at their next outdoor concert, and were clearly inspired by their track-running manager-in-training; a way of making every fan “1st Place in their hearts”. But when it’s time for the show, the staffers forgot the ribbons. No matter, Hiyori uses those track legs to race to the nearest taxi, and when the taxi gets stuck in traffic on the way back, runs the rest of the way and gets the swag there in time for the boys to distribute it.

Yuujirou and Aizou can’t help but be impressed by Hiyori going the extra mile for her. They all exchange “good works” and are ready to part ways, but the boys notice that Hiyori is reacting like she’s in pain. Indeed, she sprained her ankle while racing there in time, and now that her adrenaline levels are dropping, she’s feeling the pain even more. So she’s working so she can run track in Tokyo, but now she can’t run. Hiyori doesn’t deserve such misfortune. Maybe the boys can carry her around like the queen she is on a palanquin until she recovers!

The Genius Prince’s Guide – 10 – Cooperative Relationship

Princess Falanya leads the people out of Mealtars, past the armies of Lowa’s brothers, and into the waiting arms of Caldmellia and King Gruyere, who were not prepared to deal with so many refugees. The stunning move, made possible thanks to Falanya’s charisma, essentially freezes all parties and gives Wein ample room to negotiate a way out of this that’s acceptable to all, yet still takes advantage of his opponents’ disadvantage.

As the officially sanctioned negotiator for Mealtars, Wein makes use of the city’s ample treasury and offers to buy Levitian’s surplus surplies with both gold and the promise of a memorial and temple to Levetia. With the Levitian army hanging back in reserve, Wein uses the supplies to raise a militia the princes won’t want to fight.

But his true masterstroke comes when he meets with Lowa’s brothers, who like the Levetians have limited room to maneuver due to the sensistive military scenario that has been created. With a knowling Lowa present, Wein dusts off the “trial in absentia”, pinning the blame on the assassination  and the war on the absent Demetrio and forcing his younger brothers to agree, as it’s the best option they have.

As a result, the armies end their siege of Mealtars, the Levetians return home, and the people of Mealtars are cemented not only as a strong friend and ally to Natra, but in Lowa’s faction as well. The mayor tells Lowa over tea how he asked Wein “why are you doing this?”, and was charmed by his response: to gladden his little sister’s heart.

As we know, nothing is more important to Wein than his family, be it Falanya or Ninym, so we know he was being sincere. But there’s no denying siding with Mealtars in their hour of dire need paid huge dividends for Natra and Marden, as imperial exports, passed off as Marden exports, are now flowing through the vassal state and into the west.

Ninym rightly brings up the fact that the richer Marden becomes, the more likely it is they’ll desire independence again. Sure enough, Marchioness Zenovia is encouraged by her advisor to take advantage of their newfound prosperity to “extract a commitment” from Natra when Wein pays them a visit on his way to Soljest.

The advisor proposes that Zenovia ask for Wein’s hand in marriage…which is exactly what Wein thinks she’ll ask for when he visits. Only…she doesn’t? Wein is totally thrown off as they discuss only matters of state such as a conservative western nation sending a letter of protest regarding trade goods.

Wein lets his hair down and be his impetuous self in front of Ninym, as usual, assured that the next day Zenovia will broach the topic while giving them a tour of her capital. But once again, Zenovia—disguised as Zeno and fooling no one—simply gives him a tour…no proposal.

Wein is the one to broach the topic, but when they have a seat on a bench in a park, Zeno pivots by asking why Wein is so “oddly distant” from his people. Wein proceeds to give a cautionary lecture on the responsibility of nobility and royalty to maintain a certain mystique and remove from their people.

This is for a reason Zeno hadn’t considered: she, as well as Wein, Soljest, and even Lowellmina Earthwold, can trace their venerable royal and noble lines all the way to commoners. That means all of the people in one’s kingdom could one day become the first humble branch of a new royal tree…hence his vigilance. He must be the best prince he can be, because he’s surrounded by potential replacements.

Zenovia acknowledges that Wein is a great man, even greater than she initially believed, and that’s the reason she’s happy, for now, with Marden remaining a loyal vassal of Natra (also, she jests that his face isn’t her type). But as she confides to her advisor, Zenovia also feels that marriage with someone like Wein, someone she lionizes as a hero, would be impossible.

I feel she’s selling herself short here, but it’s not my place to tell her how to feel! Even the advisor concedes that she should trust her heart in this matter, and it doesn’t make her a bad leader to refuse the clever play of strategic marriage.

I’m usually not a fan of characters running themselves down to prop up ones they idolize, but considering what she’s witnessed Wein achieve in the time she’s known him, it’s hard to argue with her feelings of inadequacy. Such is the sold writing of this show that I can both disagree and respect her position. Now, what’s up with Delunio?