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「今日もまた, 鴨川で」 (Kyou mo Mata, Kamogawa de)
“Another Day in Kamogawa”
A wonderful ending. Though I was pretty down on last’s weeks episode, and was correspondingly worried coming into this one, I must say that the show recovered nicely and ended the series in true Rinne no Lagrange form. It was idealistic, it was upbeat, it was heart-warming, and it was full of wishes realized, friendships renewed, and a bright future ahead for everyone involved. Perfect.
Starting off the episode, we had the peculiar situation where the bad guy had been vanquished, yet the whole world was still going to hell in a handbasket. Yet I knew that Yurikano had to come back before the series could end, and so she did. Uncharacteristically, I don’t have much to say about this scene, though not because it doesn’t deserve it – it just speaks for itself. The atmosphere was right, the colors perfect, the music spot on…but most of all, it was the message that made me smile – forget your silly adult “realism” (cynicism, skepticism, your guilt and regret and pain) and come along with Madoka. She won’t leave anyone behind. Not Yurikano, not Dizelmine, not anyone.
The scene where they busted out of the Rin’Ne with the silliest of songs (the Jersey Club Anthem, yeah!) was perfect in its imperfection. Moid was right – the song of the Rin’Ne should have been something majestic, something grand. Yet subverting such things with the subtle is a trademark of this series, and seeing the sky bloom as their song came to an end was great. Youko-nee and Asteria were right to place their faith in Madoka.
Now let’s talk wishes. If most series did what was seen here, I would cry foul, with liberal use of the phrase “dues ex machina,” but here I’m going to allow it (I know Xebec’s shareholders are glad to have my approval). This series has always thrived on idealism, and the idea that if you wish hard enough in the Rin’Ne you can even turn back time seems par for the course. Plus, they gave themself a very subtle out – we knew what Asteria looked like, and that she used to be older, so once she explained the reason it was easily believed. Really though, I just love the imagery. Wish hard enough and you can turn back time…or even move planets.
Then there’s Moid. Last episode I was put off by how easily he went down, but Xebec apparently wasn’t done with him quite yet. I nodded my head approvingly when it was shown that he had broken free, only to crack up in laughter when he started ranting about how the Jersey Club Anthem was stuck in his head. That was the perfect punishment for him! Yet what it really did was expose how small and pathetic he was, that he would make up a legend for such a silly reason – which I’m beginning to think is exactly how it should be. I just can’t imagine Madoka inhabiting the same universe as villanous psychopaths and evil masterminds.
But of everything else, it was the end of the episode that brought it home to me. A good finale should wrap up all the loose ends and give closure to every character, and this one did. I loved seeing Izo, Kirius, and Array reunite with Yurikano, and grinned like an idiot at the four of them all bantering at Lan’s coronation. Speaking of, Queen Lan was a beautiful sight to see, but it was only right that the jersey came back out to keep the series’ down-to-earth tone going strong. Then there was Villagulio and Dizelmine able to be friends once again, Muginami seeing her home planet bloom, and Madoka juggling so many United Nations that she’s losing count of which is which, hah! But mostly, it’s the fact that at the end of it all, the Jersey Club is still going strong, and Madoka, Lan, and Muginami are still together. A good ending should give closure to the story, while still letting us wonder what could be in store for te future of these characters we’ve come to love so much – though we may never (and probably shouldn’t!) see those stories told. In this, Rinne no Lagrange delivered. More in my final series impressions below.
tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – #LagRin isn’t about grand things. It’s about little things – friends & giving & laughing together – b/c those are what truly make life grand
Random thoughts:
- The whole damn world is coming to an end, and they’re cooking. Love it
- As far as I can tell, Moid wanted to trigger the Rin’Ne just to see what would happen. Slap a sign on a big red button that says “Do Not Press”, and you can be sure that some fool human will do exactly that inside of 15 minutes. Sometimes I love our species, Orz.
- Speaking of, care to guess why Moid disappeared? (Ahhh, scary face!) Well, my guess is that if you wish hard enough whilst inside the Rin’Ne, you can turn back time, move planets…or perhaps rid of a pesky little villain.
- I will never be put in a headlock by Youko-nee. So jealous! :*(
- So judging by how they wear their jerseys, Izo is the Madoka, Kirus is the Lan, and Array is the Muginami. (Compare.) I guess that makes Yurikano…Asteria? Youko-nee? Hiroshi-ojisan? Alright, so it’s not a perfect metaphor.
- Together forever, just as it should be. Maru~
Full-length images: 34.
ED Sequence
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Final Impressions
As I’ve mentioned before, when this series first debuted at the beginning of this year it wasn’t even on my radar. Yet now that it has finished, I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. Of any show I’ve seen this year, this one is perhaps the most encouraging about the state of the anime industry. From a storyteller’s perspective, this was simply a delight. The attention and care paid to the smallest of details is something that’s rarely seen in any medium, anime most certainly included. I remember thinking that on the first episode I blogged after taking over for Divine, and it hasn’t changed since the moment Izo stood outside the school saying nothing, and then turned to head home. Silence, facial expression, saying with images what a lesser series would have said with words. Beautiful.
This was not a series of grand moments. It preferred to use subtlety to tell a joke here, convey a feeling there, throw out some imagery there, or repeat on a theme over and over again until it was woven so tightly into the tapestry that the tapestry would have ceased to be without it. Yet there were a few moments that stuck out. When Villagulio turned on Muginami (in what we now know was all an act), when the girls played naked in the ocean, when Youko-nee went down and Madoka went berserk, almost ending it all. This season had them too, in the now infamous kiss, the other infamous kiss, the girls getting super embarrassed, and damn near everything that happened in Episode 10 (…crunch). I’m not sure if I had a point in mentioning all of those, save that it gave me an excuse to go back through all of our posts and relive the best parts of this series one more time. Wonderful.
But perhaps the most glowing best praise I can give for this series is that it swept you away. From the attention to detail to the ceaselessly and wonderfully idealistic worldview as embodied by Madoka, Rinne no Lagrange knew the world it wanted to paint and it did so relentlessly, and well. I say this because even a hardened cynic like me was swept up in it so deftly that every idealistic maneuver that would have usually sent me howling and cursing at a character’s stupidity passed by without complaint here. Villagulio probably would have been smart to not trust Dizelmine so far that he ended up in a hospital bed, but after getting punched by Madoka – that’s another one of those moments! – I can’t imagine him doing anything else. The music, the dialogue, the imagery, and every little detail on down to the personalities of the bridge crew and Izo’s career plans combined to make even cold-hearted bastards believe in a better world. Fantastic.
In the end, Rinne no Lagrange was not perfect. It nearly was, though! Save for a perhaps unwise dip back into slice-of-life in the middle of the season and the odd pacing in Episode 11 – and a similarly small number of missteps back in Season 1 – this series was almost unflinching in its ability to exceed expectations, no matter how high expectations went in response to its continual surpassing of them. And that’s a mark of true greatness, because it’s easy to be good when no one expects anything from you, but hard to be great when they do. Remarkable.
Earlier I said this was one of the most encouraging series I’ve seen this year, and here’s why: original series always have it tough, coming out without a set fanbase and having to fight tooth and nail to get people to even give them a chance, and that can cause some bad habits. They are liable to frontload the action, trying to draw people in by giving them what they want, without thinking about whether that’s the best way to tell the story. That the producers, writers, and directors of Rinne no Lagrange took the risk and greenlighted this show at all is worthy of praise; that they gave it enough time to slowly and subtly build up, so that it might tell the best story it possibly could – and gave it 24 episodes in which to do it – is worthy of something far greater. That’s worthy of our support. I will always be first in line to watch (and blog) original series, and I heartily suggest you do as well. Yet I’ll now also be on the lookout for the next shows that directors Tatsuo Satou and Toshimasa Suzuki work on. Superb.
At the end of the day, Rinne no Lagrange was an excellent series which I enjoyed watching and blogging, and I hope you enjoyed it all as well. I don’t think I’ll soon forget this one, from first hearing about it from Divine while I was learning how to make these posts, to typing these words today, to in the uncertain future ahead. It was a wild ride, a fun ride, and something I want to see more of – or rather, more like it – as soon as I possibly can. It was beautiful, wonderful, fantastic, remarkable, and superb, but above all else, it was one very simple thing: maru~!
End Card
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Madoka Kyouno, CEO of Jersey Club Intergalactic Co. and backed by two planetary monarchs. That ending alone is so ridiculous and great that it puts a smile on my face. It reflects the optimistic stance that the series takes and never lets go. Madoka’s intergalactic hero status also gives me hope for a MadokaxLan end.
I had hoped for a better explanations for the Rinne and the Vox though. It literary solved everything because “FLOWER MAGIC” and the Jersey Club Song. Even the 1000 Polyhedron problem was solved….. because. Lagrange is an optimistic series though, so in the end it felt like it didn’t matter.
Overall, despite some pacing issues on the seasons 2 I’m glad it was able to wrap up a satisfying ending. That’s something not really common in the anime I like.
What a wonderful way to end this awesome anime. The RGB trio saves the world with their and yuri power and their Jersey Club has gone intergalactic. Madoka is helping out everyone in the entire universe with the aid of two planets Le Garite and De Metrio and her waifus Lan and Muginami.
MadokaxLan ending? Hey, you forgot Muginami. I was a LanxMuginami shipper. But as this show came to an end, I realized that it is very difficult to imagine two girls of the OT3 getting a happy yuri end while the other one is left in the dust. Muginami/Madoka/Lan RGB OT3 FTW!!!
Great to see Yurikano back again and Dizel and Villa being friends for real. Izo, Array, and Kirius join Madoka’s universal club, along with Dizel, Villa, Grania, and probably Yurikano. It is kind of amusing how Moid quickly gets over the three girls saving the world and is suddenly gone for good, getting owned by the Jersey Club’s song. Youko and Asteria are going on an exploration to find more about Rinne. So much for Machiko and her love for Youko.
I am so happy that Madoka, Lan, and Muginami are still together and they will be together forever. That is how this anime should end. I wish them well in their future as they keep on helping everyone out, beat all evildoers, and eventually have a OT3 yuri marriage.
Lagrange is one of the coolest anime shows in this season and also this year. Good plot, well-developed characters, and stunning visuals and effects. I can compare Rinne no Lagrange with Mouretsu Pirates in terms of their qualities, especially with colorful effects and yurilicious subtexts. I am going to miss this series a lot.
Well, they pulled off about the opposite of the end of Evangelion: Everybody Lives (T), and it’s Perfect!
Whatever you can say about Rinne, we need such dose of heartwarming in our own world that is so imperfect, where petty warlords slay people by thousands, money is worth more than work, and ignorance beats knowledge with a rock.
Not sure if more uplifted by Lagrange or more depressed by this comment, Orz.
I should make a postcard out of this.
Jokes aside, this episode was great. Despite a few plot holes (concerning the Voces), it was one of the most enjoyable shows this season, for me that is.
Great post! And congrats; another show finished! :]
Moid, you have such wonderful eyes.. you should open it more. It also goes well with your smile! It makes for a nice grad-pic!
It reminds me of this guy. Sorry, had to do it
…..And thus the Jersey Club song became an international heroic theme for earth.
AS IT ALWAYS SHOULD HAVE BEEN!
So, the series ends with Madoka as effective ruler of the known Galaxy via the Intergalactic Jersey Club. I guess that makes sense given the military power of the Vox.
Stilts, thank you for covering.
Rinne, I think, speaks to many of our social desires that I believe, at some level, we all wish
for in our world. This is the idea that serious problems can be managed if we all had the right
disposition to the problems at hand – and someone 110% honest (Madoka) to keep us in line if we
stray. I think we’d all like to see leaders put on some sweats and “get to work”, rather than
the nonsense and failed decision that negatively affect our lives.
I’m not saying Rinne was a political statement; I definitely felt the social implications of the
events portrayed in this wonderful series. And who among us wouldn’t like to turn back the
clock – keeping our accrued knowledge, and re-do something – restart some portion
of our life? And most important of all – do our jobs dressed comfortably (except those employed in
California where this is the norm and, by statute, people with greater than 15% body fat are banned
from wearing Spandex).
Great series – I really enjoyed the ED music (I love those slower ones, very nice). Even though
everything worked out dandy, I could see the possibility of more things for Madoka to do for
future adventures. But maybe not given the series basically resolved all of the tensions between
each of the characters…
Hahaha. I completely agree. Moid’s death was disappointing by other standards, but here, it fit so well and was absolutely hilarious.
Madoka’s “graduation plans” turned out to be so outrageous like the rest of the series. Can’t help but to smile at that!
By the end of the episode, I couldn’t grasp at the fact that I was watching the world on the brink of annihilation ~10 minutes ago.
I thoroughly enjoyed Rinne no Lagrange! It was my favorite jump-boost to the week…every week! Thanks for your work on this show, Stilts!
The moment when Moid goes DAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Is absolutely priceless though. I wish I could get a GIF of that LOL.
Haha, agreed! Just so funny to have his dreams shattered like that. Need to put that on loop somehow…
argh i never got my gattai scene… too bad but it was still a great ending none the less!
Looks like Voxes are really Evas in disguise, Madoka went into the water to find her mum, nearly drowned and she found Midori.
I like the positive tone of the show.
CONFIRMED THAT MOID IS THE BIGGEST TROLL EVER.
I never thought that guy is the only one who can steal the show all the time & ‘trolled’ everything till it kills my mood to watch every episodes.
I mean we have NO idea but why did he got away so easily?!
didn’t we really see that coming! But seriously, they (Madoka, Lan, Muginami & others) didn’t really aware that it was him all along who started behind all of this MASSACRE but most of them didn’t really care!?
WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?! #sarcasm
YAHOO, Spread the Jersey Club all over the UNIVERSE, ALIEN!!!!
Is this show really that good?
I asked the same question back when first season finished, and people said it was. I watched it until the last episode and all i felt that it was medicore at best. Am i missing something? Will I enjoy this season if i didn’t feel anything special about the first one?
Well, I hate to be the voice outside of the chorus but I must say that this series was a huge disappointment for me.
I started following this show in the hope that it was going to be a sci-fi mecha anime with epic space battles and a touch of silly girls antics on the side. Instead it was 99% silly girls antics, contrived plot twists and a sugar-coated ending that would make Walt Disney cringe. I can’t believe that there are people who find this sort of magical deus-ex-machina finale satisfactory.
At least I take solace in the fact that the show bombed in DVD/BD sales. Using the anime to advertise the city of Kamogawa was their biggest failure. So long, Jersey Club.
The fact that you use a pathetic choice to replace a hero as an avatar shows that you’re as bad as Moid, Gohan. So, for the good of the universe, STFU.
2nd season deceived. It looked a bit out of pace, but the final episode made for everything. Forget that is a deus ex-machina, is a well made deus ex-machina (Sunrise, take note). All in all, Madoka is the Hal Jordan of anime: she has the will of the galaxy (and her waifus)
Maru!
Another forgettable show comes to end. Phew!
But I’m sure there will be more
utter crap, ahem, I mean forgettable shows will come to replace this in no time. Sigh…That’s right, I wrote a bad thing about a show in RC! Gasp!
You see this is the problem here as evident on the above post; RC has sadly become a cheerleading site since Divine’s departure and if any one smells even a hint of negative vibe from a comment, they all come in mess in no time, form an instant lynching mob and bury it with negs with collective disapproving head-shakes. It’s always “why bother writing “any” bad thing about my favorite show and insulting “everyone” (actually meaning “me”) who likes it, you jerk! leave us (again “me”) alone to enjoy our (my) show!” comebackers. Sigh…
Even bloggers are either downright shameless cheerleaders for their respective shows or shy away from writing anything remotely negative about the episode/show in fear of the powerful RC visitors. Double Sigh…
I am actually mildly surprised that two negative comments here didn’t get buried under negs. I guess lesser popular shows are a bit more fair games? You try to say “anything” bad about a popular
utter crap, ahem, I mean forgettable shows, you will see what I mean. Or maybe RC posters haven’t caught to this comment section just yet. Who knows? Geez….Your broad sweeping generalizations are cute. I want to hug you now.
And clearly you never saw the Aquarion EVOL posts. The bile of that show at the end was potent. Or for that matter check out the Kokoro Connect posts, since the resident blogger hasn’t been very happy with it.
I’m quite fine with everyone, even people with negative opinions on something I enjoy, voicing their opinion here. You’re entitled to your opinion, which hopefully will make the conversation more dynamic and interesting, or at the very least will let those who share your opinions know they’re not alone.
As for RC writers cheerleading or not, realize that we pick the shows we blog based on what we’re excited about (because interested writers are better writers), so there’s a high chance that we’re going to end up liking them. Not always, of course – fragb85 pointed out a few examples, and I can think of others as well (Campione, the early posts for Famigilia, or even me last episode on this very show, for instance).
As for me in particular, I’m apt to focus on the good parts because I genuinely like most anime. I like to joke that I have terrible taste, and there’s truth to that – I can enjoy nearly any story, because I’ve seen / read / heard so many that the crappy stuff mostly just earns a shrug whilst I enjoy it for what it is. I just find the whole thing more enjoyable if approached that way, so that’s what I’ll continue doing.
I hope this has been informative ^^
I don’t think Moid died, I think he got transported into the Rinne (possibly to listen to the Jersey Club song on repeat for the next 20,000 years!)
No I think Moid died or should I say timed out! He got his wish to hear the song of the Rinne. Not the sing he wanted to hear but that was his wish and it was granted so he nolonger has a reason to stay in our would. lol
That was a sweet ending. the end of the first season was bitter sweet, but I can accept the way things ended
If you’re going to be complete dick about your criticism of a show and those who liked it, you might as well stop pretending to be polite and be an ass all the way.
Well i can understand why some people might be disappointed by this ending .When i start following this show from Season 1 , i was kinda expecting it to be epic galaxy story type of show as well . After watching just few episode from season 1 , i knew this would be dreamy show with cute girl antic . But i still keep watching it , so the way season 2 ended is just what i expected since season 1. So i wasn’t disappointed.
Agreed. While it still woulda been awesome to have some big, epic, galaxy-spanning climax (we did to a degree, but you know what I mean), anyone who truly grasped the kind of show Lagrange should have seen this type of ending coming. I don’t blame anyone that didn’t, though – there were a few times I thought the epic galaxy-spanning climax was coming myself, haha
Maru!
what more is there to say?
Wan! Kashikomari!
Oh, yeah… that ^^;.
And thus it ends ^_^. Perhaps simplistic, but still a wonderful series that warmed your heart with its relationships and it’s humor until the very end. From seeing Madoka hard at work, to Laffinty in her jersey at her coronation, to Muginami’s smile for the apple orchards on her planet.
Kuruguru mawase~ kono mahou no tsue de~~ … OH!. YURIKANO! WHOOO~! Dizel pays for his mistakes with a drop in age, and Yurikano gets a hearty welcome home from her boys >). The story of the character that silently drove everything comes to an end ;). Welcome Home Yurikano, Welcome Home.
In parting, I had no intention to watch this series until I picked up the pre-air and it tickled me into sticking with it the whole way. Thank you to Divine and Stilts for covering it, it has been a pleasure sharing in the joys and trials of this series week in and week out. Onto next season!
~Kuma.
OH! I loved that as the Rinne unfolded, You saw, Madoka’s Green, Muginami’s Orange, Lan’s Blue… somewhere, AND Yurikano’s Red >D… and maybe even Asteria’s yellow depending on how you look at it <<;. … Did we ever learn where on her body and what shape Yurikano's Memoria took <<;? … let me guess. it's in that prequel manga =3=… nrrr freakin curiosity.
You touched on one of the things that irked me…Dizelmine got off after starting back up an intergalactic was and nearly murdering his fellow king (and best friend) with a demotion from the throne and…nothing else. Sure, Lagrange’s is an idealistic universe, but I’m not sure…that one might be taking it too far.
Still, a fun ride, and I’m glad to have (partially) covered it. *bows*
Now that Dizelmine is a child again I can ship Yuikano/Izo in full force. The prequel was shipping it hard anyway.
One thing that sucks is that they remove the romance element out of the window.
Wow this franchise has been great for both seasons it’s been on. Really nice ending. Definitely one of the most enjoyable shows in their seasons. Will miss madoka’s craziness.
Sure there’d be detractors along the way but at the end of it, for an original, it did its best and it certainly did. Might not have been the top of the season, it’s still one of the top few.
Seriously speaking, I wouldn’t be surprised if Lagrange sets the style for future mecha shows. One where its girls that are in the lead ehile the guys take a back seat and most importantly, minimal or no pairings between both male and female pilots!
And lastly…. MOID OPENS HIS EYES! THOSE EYES!
P.S. How do you guys put in the HTML tags w/o showing the long URL address?
You mean this -> I love RC!
You need to use the <a href=”www.link”> text you want displayed > </a>
For a better explanation google: how to make a html link
lots of info with practice pages.
Finally as a courtesy open the link in a new page
like New Browser Window
Honestly, i really did like the ending. even though there were some parts that I wish they showed a bit more it was still Maru(they answered most of the questions and showed an ending that will still remain in my head for quite some time. 🙂 I hope this series comes out soon in the USA even though theres an english dub set for it(no release date set yet from what i saw), I cannot wait to purchase this dvd set and share the maru with some friends and anime fans who like something that is different in a way(creative and unique) as well as awesome.
Side note: thank you STILTS for blogging this series 🙂
Yeah, coulda used some more romance (and yuri! :3), but overall a great ending. And thankee *bows* ^_^
This is a great show that have been consistent in what it stand for;
Comedy mix with some light actions, casual mix with good plots, romance mix with a little…Yuri.
I stumble upon it with little expectation at first, liked the first episode, and that feeling carried on throughout all seasons. Maru~!
Fuck you, Moid. Just… Fuck you.
I hope you’ll BURN IN HELL someday.
https://randomc.net/image/Rinne%20no%20Lagrange/Rinne%20no%20Lagrange%202%20-%2012%20-%20Large%2026.jpg
Pffffff, this has to be the most priceless pose done by a villain. I was worried that we were dealing with another Aizen from Bleach, but I guess Madoka is in the safe zone. There are two priceless things about Moid, one where he was kicked by Madoka for stealing sweets on one of the specials, the other is his reaction to the song of the Jersey Club.
Anyway, I can see where that legend came from of “the Oni tearing the heavens and the Oni spewing darkness.” If that was made up by him then it seems we have nothing to worry about when all three girls work together and bring peace to the world.
Damn, if only the SOS brigade exists in this world, Haruhi would beg Madoka to let her join.
Though there are plenty of things I can’t get over. One is what is that thing Moid got from the relics, was that the Vox Lan’s bro flew in a pokeball form. Next is how Moid stayed alive for so long; I get that feeling where Moid was merely a pawn that was given immortality but was discarded when the real mastermind was done with him. Next is our lovely little queen that is 20,000 years old, what is she going to do?
Decent episode. Goodbye Moid…no one will miss you.
Would be so Maru if Yurikano if Wears a jersey too.
I feel like Rinne no Lagrange was an idealistic show done right, unlike another certain show that was out this year…
Finally! It ended. And they were able to bring back the princess from the Rinne too.
There are more thumbs down than thumbs up from the user’s comments -.-
I enjoyed this show as well – but I still liked Mouretsu Pirates better.
That said, both were shows where I never expected much, but I surely enjoyed both of these shows throughout the season. Unlike the crazy build up and twists from other shows, these two shows pretty much chugs along with no care about the world (well.. actually that’s true..) and goes on smoothly 🙂
I have an idea as for why did Moid disappear. 20000 years ago he did go in the Rinne whishing to “hear the song” didn’t he? Now that his wish has been completelly fulfilled the Rinne doesn’t have any reason to keep him in the world…
Or something along those lines. Asteria must think there’s still a lot to do so that’s why she wouldn’t disappear like him?
why didn’t the trio have sex with each other?
My last impression of that show is that it was really original. Almost everything didn’t go as I expected it to, or more like, the ends did, but not the means. I mean, as an example, anyone who at least watched the first episode will guess Moid is the final boss, but who could’ve guessed he would go down like that.
The originality is what made me like this show, but also what made it dislike it a bit at times. You know, to sum it up, at around half the show, at lot of things happened, but in the end nothing got resolved. Then when the 2nd part started, everything got resolved so fast, only to then get tangled up again in the last 3 eps, to again get resolved once and for all. Some would call this having weird pacing but the more I think about it the more I think it’s more because we aren’t accustomed to things developing in such a way. That’s why we found it weird. I pretty much think the “pacing issues” are in fact originality.
My favorite scene in the whole show has to be Villaguilio’s act to Muginami in episode 5. I don’t think I’ll forget it anytime soon. Villaguilio and Muginami are pretty much my favorite characters. Watch the OVA if you haven’t already, there’s a scene when they both go back to Muginami’s home planet.