「浴衣と花火」 (Yukata to Hanabi)
“Yukatas and Fireworks”

At its core, this episode basically did all the same things, and said all the same things, as last week. The only difference is that it did everything way better.

Basically the Same Plot, Done Better

Last episode consisted of some slice-of-life hijinks, spliced with reminders that Miyu has not had a normal life up until now, and culminating in a crisis that seemed all important to the girls, even though it really wasn’t. This episode consisted of some slice-of-life hijinks, spliced with yadda yadda, you get the idea. It was basically the same episode, just with a change of locations, and an overall raise in the quality of … well, everything.

First of all, the comedy was better. It wasn’t top-tier—there were still some joke hooks they left strangely hanging (nothing on Mimi being gay? Really?), and some combos they dropped—but by the time Rin and Luvia showed up, and Tatsuko’s father was badmouthing his own daughter, it was going strong! And seriously, why has nobody thought to show characters actually stabbing people with their hair-drills before? (I’ve seen the twintail whip, but it’s still swiftly approved.) Or if they have, why isn’t it happening all the time! Solid comedy all around, with Rin and Luvia’s antics and Miyu’s discovery of conspicuous consumption taking the cake.

But There Was A Point, Too

Not that there wasn’t a point to last episode, though I honestly can’t say I remember what it was off the top of the head. This, though, was both clearer and more to the point of what so many of us are interesting: What the hell kind of life did Miyu come from? Both her clear lie, Illya’s clear evasion of the obvious question, and Kuro’s clear annoyance with both of them made it clear that Miyu’s past is the issue de jour.

It also deftly answered (or reminded us of the answer) to why the we don’t know where Miyu came from yet: Illya is too chickenshit to ask. The reason why she hasn’t done that is still an open question, though. (Mark and tag your spoilers, manga readers, or I’ll have Tatsuko cook a cake for you.) I think part of it is certainly that she can clearly tell that Miyu is evading the issue—that’s what her part of the argument at the beginning of episode three seemed to indicate. I think part of it is her old desire to retain some semblance of a normal life.

Either way, the episode did a good job of distracting us with the funny until it was nearly over, and then packing in a little meaning using the hints they sprinkled along the way. That’s a good way to do a funny-funny episode.

Looking Ahead – Back To The Plot

So I hear this episode was anime original? It’s harder to tell than it was last week, since it was back to form. Either way, it looks like next time we’re going to be getting back to the plot, and maybe getting some answers on this whole Miyu thing. Thank the gods! I enjoyed four of the five episodes we’ve gotten so far, but they really should have split them up (out-of-order fluff episodes at the end are totally viable. Like I said, C3-bu did that). This has just been too long of a break from the action. I’ll be glad to see the action and plot come back.

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – This was just like last week, except it was at a festival, and EVERYTHING WAS BETTER. Back on track #prismaillya s3e5

Random thoughts:

  • I’m honestly surprised that Rin’s Luvia-no-pantsu plan didn’t backfire by Shirou getting a full eye of Luvia’s bare oppai, which would understandably make him more conscious around her. Another fanservice chance missed, bah! (Ruby knows what I’m talking about.)
  • Miyu is like me at every tourist trap ever. I don’t understand why people will buy that crap! (Okay, I do understand, I just think it’s dumb.)
  • Tatsuko seems to have near-Keitarou (Love Hina, for you young’uns) levels of invulnerability. Put her in front of Bazett next time. She can tank like a BOSS.

My first novel, Wage Slave Rebellion, is available now. (More info—now available in paperback!) Sign up for my email list for a FREE sequel short story. Over at stephenwgee.com, the last four posts: Rejection, the secret place, & fundamentals, What are your two skills?, Passing the Bechdel Test, and Absence (from work) makes the heart grow fonder.

 

Preview

27 Comments

  1. Hey! how long are these “buddy buddy” shenanigans going to continue????? i distinctly remember some type of drama or battle type struggle going on…….is there gonna be a bad guy or what?

    BROOKLYN otaku
  2. Hopefully the plot does return next week because even though this episode was better in terms of humour (the water balloon stunt with Rin was pretty funny, although Shimoneta has stricken me with naughty thoughts regarding it) it still just seems like a halfhearted SoL at the moment.

    Oh well, still 5 episodes to make up for it. Curious to see what the Miyu reveal is now too since it’s being openly alluded to so much.

    Pancakes
  3. Still filler, but much better filler than last week. Previous episode’s problem was that they used old jokes of the series without going far enough with them. This time was still mostly old jokes of the series, but those were handled in better way and they used some of the less-seen old jokes (like Miyu stoic, cost benefit obsessed take on fun).
    Or maybe it just feels like that because I have soft spot for Tattsun slapstick and Rin/Luvia catfights.

    No objections against plot moving forward though.

    Tatsuko seems to have near-Keitarou (Love Hina, for you young’uns) levels of invulnerability. Put her in front of Bazett next time. She can tank like a BOSS.

    Just an aside, one comedy element that was cut from the beach episode was Show Spoiler ▼

    (not really a spoiler, but better to be safe with manga comparisons me thinks)

    Erimaki
  4. I liked Kuro’s use of tracing, since Shiro would never use it in that manner. I always find it interesting to see how different personalities would use the same abilities.

    Someone has really good aim with a ramune bottle. Where did that even come from?

    Can’t wait for the plot to finally come back, there’s been far too much downtime.

    SK
  5. I’m going to miss the filler. Any new original SoL content for Prisma is always fantastic.

    Say what you want but it’s been god knows how long since 3rei started and I’ve been genuinely starved for some of the simple antics Illya and friends did. Sure the extra chapters were a thing and we’re probably going to get little snippets of fun in the BD specials but these past few episodes in Herz have made me deeply appreciate it all. I’ll miss it but the ride is finally about to start and there’s no stopping it once it does.

    Platypus
  6. I enjoyed four of the five episodes we’ve gotten so far, but they really should have split them up (out-of-order fluff episodes at the end are totally viable. Like I said, C3-bu did that)

    For reasons that I dare not speak of, that option while preferable is not a valid option in this case. I don’t blame anime-only watchers for any complaints, but manga readers would tell you the way they SL has handled this season is about as well as they could have.

    Anyway, excited for the last arc. Given the previews and how even these SOL episodes look really good, I have no doubt whats upcoming will be glorious.

    atram151
  7. Miyu’s obviously lying about becoming a magical girl by chance, which means she has something to do with what’s been going on, which given the overall arc of the season means she’s somehow connected to the eighth class card. So either she is the eighth servant (though let’s be honest, given who the other 7 servants were in comparison with Fate/Stay Night, I’m guessing the 8th will be the same one it was from those stories), or she created it and/or all the class cards somehow (maybe she’s some kind of left over partial grail from when Iri and Kiritsugu apparently got rid of this timeline’s grail war? or another Angra Mainyu manifestation?), or Miyu’s something really bad for the planet and the class cards are some sort of Counter-Guardian Force sent to kill specifically her, or she’s has some kind of relation/enemy/descendant of the Eight class card, something like that.

    In any case, things are probably going to get quite interesting from here on out. After building up this long to the mystery of Miyu, that can’t leave us hanging, right? right?

    Ashlay
  8. When Miyu said “I’ve never had my eyes for anyone but Illya”: I was just going “ALL ABOARD THE SHIP NOW! FORGET ONII CHAN AND ILLYA, MIYU AND ILLYA IS WHERE IT’S AT!”

    Trap Master
  9. I been great, great, great, good, and good for these episodes which is very hard to do as it’s comedy and in this case translated comedy. But yes I could see where a person with sophisticated tastes like Stilts could be thrown out of the mood last week. Saw a Japanese promo clip and the battle looks like it will be glorious.
    Yes I was surprised that Rin after the water ballon did not immediately take Luvia out of her Yukata.

    Such beautiful colors and patterns. Ok Japan, I say this about all non English and American cultures, stop being the victims of cultural Imperialism start wearing modernized spin offs of your traditional garb make the world less drab and ordinary and be true to your pasts, and Japan the younger women colors are wonderful. The mini skirt length Yukata is wonderful as seen on web and a few anime and there are no physical movement restrictions like traditional, there are already tons of modern spin off looks with slits on longer and practical shoes. And the male version looks a lot more comfortable than suit and tie. At least Latin America and Hawaii break with the male suit rules.

    Now the Yukata and Kimonos were invented way before bra’s and panties were brought to Japan by the west. Yukata literally means bath(ing) clothes” from Wikipedia, and clearly worn without undergarment then. Hiyoku a under Kimono and Juban a undershirt are worn with a under Kimonos but note no underwear mentioned in Wikipedia. Best to infer that yes some modern Japanese women cheat like Rin and wear something underneath but traditional nothing but the under layers sometimes worn, the facade modest culture would claim undergarments, but as Illya showed the traditional wear idea is still common.

    RedRocket
    1. To be fair, it’s a squirrelly argument to say it’s traditional not to wear them with underwear when underwear didn’t exist yet. (Or at least, not around there.) You could also say it’s traditional not to wear them and ride in cars, since cars didn’t exist way back when either. That’s accurate, but a bit deceptive.

      I, however, am in favor of the lie, as long as we keep getting fanservice-y hijinks >:3

      1. Well it is traditional to wear a kilt without underwear and there are plenty photo’s to show that Scots even in the military stick with tradition. 😉

        But yes as far as I can tell modern Japanese women are more often supposedly are like Rin wearing underwear at least when not coming out of a hot spring. I was simply exploring the history of the gag they were pulling. With further research there really is little information what if any is worn other than the sometimes traditional undershirt or under Kamono. So I suppose it is a running gag that at least with underwear not mentioned anywhere someone like Illya might end up going traditional with no better data. On the other hand I’m sure in Japan that men always speculate what if anything is under that and some wilder women go traditional at least part way.

        RedRocket
  10. Caught the last season Ova. It has some good comedy sort of like these episodes at a hot springs of course.

    Let me say be prepared. Yes below does happen it may blow your brain like Mimi.

    Wet naked Kuro saying needs mana takes down and slides onto a wet naked Illya and they start even better then before french kissing, then Kuro states I need more mana than can be gotten by kissing and starts on Illya……

    RedRocket
  11. I can understand why the anime team puts so much Sol in this season, It’s their last chance for a long time afterall. When the hunt for the eight card begins there will be pnly plot for the next two/three seasons.

    dean
  12. https://randomc.net/image/Fate%20kaleid%20liner%20Prisma%20Illya/Fate%20kaleid%20liner%20Prisma%20Illya%20Zwei%20Herz%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2015.jpg
    Kuro is definitely an Emiya now for finally having chanted “Trace on”. Saitou Chiwa must have wanted to say that line at least once.

    https://randomc.net/image/Fate%20kaleid%20liner%20Prisma%20Illya/Fate%20kaleid%20liner%20Prisma%20Illya%20Zwei%20Herz%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2021.jpg
    For a short part, this was surprisingly animated well. The animators and/or the director must love Tatsuko. Probably also explains the change in the beach episode on her part as mentioned above.

    https://randomc.net/image/Fate%20kaleid%20liner%20Prisma%20Illya/Fate%20kaleid%20liner%20Prisma%20Illya%20Zwei%20Herz%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2026.jpg
    Itou Shizuka really nailing the ojou-sama laugh. It’s like Luvia was made for her to voice. Dem Luvias though, accented by the fact that she’s bra-less. Dayum. It was definitely a shame that Rin didn’t pull her obi to spin her and expose her as revenge. It’s a staple gag in yukatas after all. Guess the almost naked strip was reserved for Illya.

  13. Oh Miyu. How can a character amuse me and frustrate me so much? It wasn’t until now that I realized that if they wanted to sink this anime into filler hell they could use Miyu as a catalyst. Hey Miyu! Have you ever seen the burning man? Let’s go see it! Hey Miyu! Have you ever seen a movie in a theater? Let’s go try it! Hey Miyu! Have you ever taken a shit in a public bathroom? Let’s go do it!

    Gah the idea of that happening just sickens me. Not to mention they can just keep shelving her past with the frustrating vagueness that has surrounded it. Kuro might be an insert for the audience. You aren’t the ONLY one who is annoyed by it Kuro! When you build up a mystery for so long you build up anticipation. Which can very easily lead to disappointment over the final reveal. This is what happened for me in particular with the whole Kuro issue. Luckily Miyu is a much more likeable character so I’ve been able to tolerate it much longer.

    All that said I found Miyu to be particular funny in this episode. Her rant about all the stands ripping people off? Priceless. More classic Miyu that is needed in the show. That straight up no holds barred delivery is what makes her funny. It never feels over the top either which is more than I can say for the rest of the humor in the show.

    The whole Luvia setup kind of seemed like it could have been solved if she had just looked it up. I mean she may be a rich person who doesn’t know about normal people life but that doesn’t mean she’d be stupid enough blindly trust Rin (who has constantly been at odds with her) over the matter of her undergarments right? RIGHT?!!! >_>…………….damn it.

    Oh well, I guess canon is supposed to be back next week so I should be relieved. Though the preview seems to show more fanservice antics before that happens.

    leatherhead333
  14. I came to many of the same conclusions you did, Stilts. All the things, and more! And better! It even hit a thematic pitch. I won’t use spoilers, won’t need to, but they’ve set up a very good set of Calls…once they change gears to more action oriented stuff, we’ll get a Responses.

    That makes this anime original something of a rare bird. It actually folds into the larger story.

    skylion
  15. remember jim hawking from outlaw star, yahiko myojin from rurouni kenshin, or toboe from wolf’s rain why don’t we see characters like that anymore? otaku would vomit at mere prospect of something that is different from what they want(the free betrayal thing). ryu from shirayuki is the first little boy character we’ve seen in a while(hopefully he’ll get more episodes dedicated to him) I hate how grade school boy characters have become a shadow in the industry for a decade back then there was a good balance between little boy/girl characters now otaku pretend only one gender exists in the grade school set… sorry just had to get that out

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *