Rating: 7/10

Impressions:

I once thought that Hayate would turn into an action-shounen after the introduction of the other combat butlers and their finishing moves, but I guess it’s just going to remain a parody the entire way. Everything is so random, I don’t know what to think. It’s best to simply watch and laugh as I do, as thinking about it seriously would surely ruin all the fun. Anyway, I like both the new OP and ED, though the OP wins out by a little for me. Compared to the first OP, I would have to say that this one is far better. I never liked the first OP anyway, even when the show first started airing.

Rating: 7.5/10

Impressions:

This episode turns out to be quite fun, especially as how Nishizawa plays a part as well. Nagi is still under the impression that Hayate likes her, but the recent events make me wonder whether this will last for the entire duration of the show. Being such an episodic comedy, I doubt anything drastic will happen. The current arrangements are likely to remain, but it would be interesting to see how far Nagi or Nishizawa takes it. It’s a shame how Maria is never anyone significant, despite her constant appearances. Perhaps certain developments between her and Hayate will change that. =D

Rating: 7.3/10

Impressions:

An unsuspected powerhouse—Ishtar, eh? I would’ve liked to think it would be Sussano, but this at least creates a third major power, that could probably throw the entire assumed story off balance. There aren’t many episodes left, so the pacing should really be speeding up now, especially as there are only four players left in this war. I can’t tell yet, but I’m having doubts that Gigantic Formula will properly finalise the problems presented by the erosion, which not only places characters’ lives at stake, but also generates a large amount of negative emotions. A prime example would be Kana—are they (the show) even going to do anything about her?

Rating: 7.5/10

Impressions:

So they go back to resonant sympathy, and automatically, my enjoyment of the show goes down. Sigh…At least these resonant sympathy sessions are proving to drive Suwa’s mental growth. And it’s also necessary to progress the overall story and weed out the weaker Gigantics, setting the stage for the final arc, which I assume will involve Japan vs. America. Of course, they’ll have to resolve all the characters’ qualms and sentiments. I doubt anything will happen between Suwa and Mana, though it would be nice if they seriously started to get closer to each other. The fact that nothing’s happened between them so far makes them seem like clueless children.

Rating: 8.5/10

Impressions:

This episode is surprisingly very good. The sheer level of explanations and revelations given is astounding, when compared to previous, action-laden episodes that don’t achieve much. But after watching this episode (and knowing that there are few episodes left), I’m highly interested in seeing how everything comes together in the end. The isolated chambers and life-sustaining pods in the lower levels are a nice and blunt way of showing how serious the erosion is. However, it seems that Suwa is a lot less affected, and Mana’s initial (but baseless) deduction of him being special may turn out to be true (well, he IS the protagonist after all).

Rating: 7.5/10

Impressions:

Though this is probably how viewers are supposed to feel, I find the American pilot extremely aggravating. Sigh…and I was hoping for the loli-shota combo to set them in their place. It seems like their Gigantic is unstoppable, but it is likely that the apparent must-be-wary-of enemy that the pilot speaks of is indeed Susano, it would indicate the USA might be the main antagonist in the show. And revealing this would also signify a turning point in the show, where a goal is created for the protagonists. I just hope that this actually lasts, and any build up caused by this episode won’t simply dissipate in the next episode.

Rating: 7.5/10

Impressions:

Heh, more lolis and shotas! While this show already has plenty of young kids, a story involving a little boy trying to be wise, and a girl whose role must either be to makes fans fawn or to make them cry, makes for a nice break from whatever was happening before. Ok, I say that because I seriously can’t remember much from the previous mini-stories. Anyway though, hopefully there will be some serious plot progression soon, now that we know a fair bit about the war and the Gigantics through resonant sympathy. Ahh…how convenient! And I was hoping for a new OP…

Rating: 9/10

Impressions:

It’s surprisingly soothing when I see Soujirou and Kanata together, despite the incredible difference in outward appearance (in terms of apparent age). It’s basically Konata’s dad dating a more refined Konata. I was rather surprised when they showed Kanata as a spirit, still wandering the Izumi household, but the idea is pretty touching. That is, if you get over the hilarity of the fact that Soujirou is a paedophile, blatant and proud of it. Still, the segment where Konata asks about her mother is extremely well done (yes, expect no less from KyoAni), and it’s that kind of stuff that should be in final stages of the show. I wonder how everything ends anyway…

Rating: 7.5/10

Impressions:

Hmm, doesn’t look like Lunar is subbing this series very timely, which is quite a worry as I’ve grown pretty fond of this anime. I never had a problem with the face designs, so it’s really just been a matter of the character constructions and plot developments that have gradually built up my interest in it. It’s a shame that Lunar’s taking so long. I hope they haven’t dropped the show. As for the actual episode, a few new questions arise—both concerning Suwa. What exactly is happening to Suwa, and why does Mana persist in mentioning sacrificing him. Ahh, things are pretty confusing at the moment, though at least the plot isn’t hectic.

Rating: 7.9/10

Impressions:

Ah, the conclusion to one of the better mini-arcs of the manga—it’s always sweet (and extremely funny) to watch the bonds (and misunderstandings) between Nagi and Hayate strengthen. The animation quality is again rather high, and the purple lighting used for the underground scenes are particularly effective. I have to wonder how long this will last though. Aside from the quality, I’m also hoping for some extended arcs as well—not serious ones which build on plot or anything; just something like this episode and the last one. Oh, random note: being the Neon Genesis Evangelion fan that I am, the cross-shaped explosion is priceless. xD