「たいふうゆうれい、今日のオモイデ」 (Taifu Yuurei, Kyou no Omoide)
“A Typhoon, Ghosts, and Today’s Memory”

The Big Rock sometimes seems to act like a classic “monkey’s paw,” where wishes are fulfilled in ways the wishers didn’t intend. Well, except for the fact that here they usually lead to a fun little adventure, instead of soul-shattering horrors the likes of which man was never meant to experience. So I guess it’s nothing like it at all. What was my point again? Oh, right, this episode’s wish. Instead granting their wish to remember what happened during the last typhoon in the typical way (with images popping into their minds, you know, like memories), the Big Rock decided to go for the much more entertaining route of summoning the girl’s loli-selves from four years ago and letting the girl’s current selves stalk them.

I don’t know if I’m getting kinder in my (comparatively) old age, but while time travel stories used to piss me off, I’ve been fine with them as of late. There’s probably a fair amount of fridge logic (trope!) in how the girl’s older selves ended up being the ghosts that saved their younger selves four years ago, but I’m just going to completely ignore that in order to preserve my positive impression of this episode. Let’s start with the fact that the girl’s loli-selves are total brats, chief among them Saki. I can’t believe she maced her (older) self! With Takagaki Ayahi in full Mitsuba-mode, I got a kick out of her determined, nunchucking antics. What a difference four years can make.

As for the others, loli-Natsumi and loli-Yuka were about as bratty as Saki, whereas loli-Rin stole the show with her meek, clumsy, and innocently cute behavior. More than anything though, seeing their younger selves again reminded me of how close these girls have been for so long. I mean, they didn’t hesitate to attack what they thought were ghosts in order to save Rin! I don’t really know why they thought those weapons would work against traditionally incorporeal creatures, but hey, they’re kids. The friendship point was still touching.

One thing I enjoyed about this episode was that there was some uncertainty, and even a little danger. Not that it was terribly hard to figure it all out – it didn’t take long after their younger selves appeared for me to realize that they were going to be the ghosts that saved themselves. Still, there’s always a little thrill in figuring such things out. Besides that, seeing them saving their loli-selves, and then actually disappearing (making it quite natural for their younger selves to conclude they were ghosts) was all done really well. Even the reason why their parents couldn’t reach their loli-selves on their cell phones was justified well, since they were, ya know, four years in the future. I’ve given this show a fair amount of crap for when it slacked in the storytelling area, but I am nothing if not fair – Sunrise did a good job this week.

Finally, there’s the idol audition. *adjusts glasses* “I can see the ending!” No, but seriously, this is what I’ve been waiting for – the way out. Will this become just one more pleasant memory, or is it the way for the four of them to stay together after the series comes to a close? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out. This is the kind of stuff that makes covering original shows so much fun! Let’s take it to the comments, people – will Saki move with her family, or will the four of them become idols together? Place your bets!

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – This time, we travel back in time. Or, it travels to us. Not all of it, just the loli parts. Just…just watch the episode #NatsuiroKiseki

Random thoughts:

  • I loved the older girls getting mad at their younger selves. “Yuka, that was you.” :3
  • Loli-Saki was quite perceptive. I think she have had it all figured out, or at least suspected…until their older selves disappeared, and gave even cynical lil’ Saki good call to think they were ghosts.
  • Even as a loli, Yuka loved to glomp Rin. D’awww!
  • My big question is, did the Big Rock work for the girls back then, or has it only started working now, but because they would make that wish now, the results happened for them back then? Or did their wish back then trigger what happened now, thereby also triggering the second wish, which is what made it so that they would…ow. I said I wasn’t going to think about this stuff dammit!!
  • Hmmmm, all the previews scenes were from past episodes. That makes me veeeery interested to see episode 11. That means they didn’t want to spoil anything, right? Oh man…kininarimasu!
  • Just kiss, already.

Full-length images: 11.

 

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16 Comments

  1. Ah, the ghost-house episode…

    I really liked the flow of this episode. And I loved Saki beating herself
    with nunchakus! And she doesn’t defend herself against herself! Funny.
    At 1st I thought the girls went back in time, but quickly realized what
    happened.

    It seems the older girls actually inspired the loli version to work to become
    idols? A self-made prophecy? The idea in this episode was well executed.

    Off-topic. Any word on the Summer Preview?

    mac65
  2. am i the only guy who noticed the /other/ wish they made on the rock?

    it’s in the flashback, when the younger girls said they wanted to make their debut 4 years later on the rock. turns out they DID make their debut 4 years later… performing to their younger selves.

    Nitro
    1. Actually,the wish that the rock granted to loli is for “Four years, I wonder what we’ll be like”

      Basicly, the loli what to see how they will look like in the future, and the older want to remember what happenedwhen they were kid.So, the rock made them meet.

      Holy cow, the rock can grant 2 wishes across the time!

      Marina2
  3. I think…The wish to remember the past did not work because there were another wish running at the time.

    Maybe there were no typhoon four years ago and they remember the time travel as in their time line.

    Syrus
  4. Even as lolis they totally wanted each other. Sorry goggles are talking.

    Its funny that Saki, the stereotype ojou, used to wield nunchucks. Mace I could buy, but she was beating other people mercilessly with those things!

    Seriously though, I thought this was the best episode so far. For once, the Big Rock didn’t feel like a perverted Yuri shipper. Not that I mind the yuri, but this is the first time since the first episode where a wish that actually felt like a magical adventure.

    fragb85
  5. Loli Rin is a troll! In the scene where the older girls disappeared, and the younger selves were wondering what the heck just happened, Rin said they were ghosts, and had an evil smile to boot!

    Taiakun
  6. oh my just went marathon watch on this show yea so bit remind of yuru yuri & ten dollars yea yuka is the TOSHINOU KYOUKO of it.

    yea this ep yea meet younger 4yrs ago with nun-chuck, maced, fire crackers, paper ghost attack & bottle rocket yikes all for ghost hunting?

    give wonder how this big rock works yea not even either doctor who or den-o crew can’t solve it.

    overall 10eps in still worth some watch.

    KLAC_OF_PERSONALITY

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