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「存在了解のメルト」 (Sonzai Ryōkai no Meruto)
“Being Meltdown”
There should be something to please everyone in this week’s Steins;Gate. It’s a near-perfect blend of the hard-core character drama of last week and the plot-driven intensity that marked the end of Suzuha’s arc.
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「慟哭ノ砦」 (Doukoku no Toride)
“Fortress of Lament”
After rewatching the final movie of the Break Blade series almost two months later, I still can’t shake the feeling that it lacks a sense of closure. It wasn’t all that unexpected given that the manga doesn’t conclude where the movies did, but it does leave something to be desired when Rygart, Zess, Hodr, and Sigyn’s backstory is left completely open-ended.
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「秋風切って」 (Akikaze Kitte)
“The Fading Autumn Wind”
This was definitely an episode for the hard-core fans, but I think it’s nice to see Natsume’s progress in building a normal life take the spotlight.
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「ウチと日本と知らない言葉」 (Uchi to Nippon to Shiranai Kotoba)
“Me, Japan, and Words I Don’t Know!”
Could you become my friend?
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「決意の片思い」 (Ketsui no Kataomoi)
“A Determined One Sided Crush”
I should have figured that something was afoot when Takako was so energetic about her wedding preparations. Not only did I not consider how ambiguous last week’s ending could have been, but I think I missed a lot of different clues that were shown throughout this arc. Then again, hopefully you readers out there were just as caught up as me with Ohana and Minko’s constant fighting.
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「日常２２」 (Nichijou 22)
“My Ordinary Life 22”
Hey, it’s another episode with a lot of focus on side characters!
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「秘密 Jardin secret」 (Himitsu)
“Secret Garden”
The flashbacks continue to reshape my image of Camille ever so slightly but this latest one has me fairly convinced that she saw Claude as much more than a plaything. The look on her face when she peered into Enseignes du Roy was clearly of a girl who had feelings for the person she set her eyes on.
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「転石するイシ」 (Tenseki Suru Ishi)
“Rolling Darkstone”
It may have been a little cliche and predictable, but for a series that’s going for the reluctant superhero approach, it’s hard to fault Sunrise for using some of the staples of the genre. This includes the tried and true mustering strength out of nowhere and coming in the nick of time to save the heroine.
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「假面」 (Kamen)
“Mask”
A-1 steps up to the plate with some outstanding anime-original material in episode 20 of Ao no Exorcist. I’m assuming this was anime-original anyway – I’m sure someone will correct me, if not. But more so than the last couple of episodes, this anime-original story seems to set the table for a real conclusion of some sort, building on some old plot points and adding in a few new twists and ending with a major cliffhanger.
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「Episode 5」
I don’t recall ever watching a beach episode in a drama, but Ouran presses on with its own version of an anime mainstay. It’s just too bad the only glimpse of Kawaguchi Haruna in a swimsuit came as a Tamaki’s imagination.