+ | N o v a s t o r m | +

Rating: 9.7/10

Impressions:

Ok, so I went braindead after reading Darkshaunz’s NGE post and took an hour nap. Even now though, I feel very sluggish and drained, the feeling you get when it’s 40 degrees celcius and you just can’t rejuvenate your energy no matter how much you sleep. So yeah, my new theory is that Ayu died when her parents went on vacation. I’m pretty sure she’s a spirit, so that would also explain why she suddenly ‘forgot’ about her parents. BUT, I find it much easier to just enjoy the show, instead of thinking too deeply about what the deal is with everyone, since everyone’s starting to act up. Kaori somehow made her line important too, when she says that miracles don’t happen so easily. Garten also mentions that Nayuki is dangerous and he’s afraid for Ayu for sleeping with her. Hmm, I dunno about that; either something happens in the future, which I obviously wouldn’t know, or I missed some significant indication in the past. But what does this mean? Does she go psycho from jealousy of Ayu being friendly with Yuuichi or something?

Anyway, I have to say the comedy this episode is a welcome though unexpected change from the sorrow of last episode. Now Kanon really knows how to make things funny, and none of it is in the crazy, exaggerated way, like Tokimeki Memorial and Sumomomo both try to do. However, some comedic parts are based on pure randomness, such as Yuuichi’s macho talk with who seems to be his only male acquaintance in school, as well as when he starts dancing with Ayu, which results from a fight over a piece of steak. Hilarious! The episode did suffer from a little lapse in good character animation though, and they ended up looking slightly different at times. Yuuichi goes back to his old self rather quickly too, trying to get in the bath with Nayuki and Ayu. Even though he’s not serious when he says it, it gives the indication that he’s over Makoto’s death already. It seems a lot faster than I thought, and I’m afraid Amano has already become absent. I am glad the other characters come back though (of course they would) since it’s been too Makoto-centric lately.

With this episode, Mai’s arc has finally begun! Hey wait, why am I saying ‘finally’? It’s only the second arc! I’m pretty sure I will enjoy this arc more than Makoto’s. As tragic as it is, Makoto’s arc just isn’t broad enough, if you get what I mean. It’s too isolated to Makoto and Yuuichi, so hopefully the future arcs won’t be like that and actually include more than two main characters. Mai’s warming up to Yuuichi rather quickly too. I think it corresponds with Rei warming up to Shinji in the NGE manga I’m reading right now. Ah heck, that has nothing to do with this post! Ayu is back too of course, my favourite character, though I think I might like Nayuki and Shiori just as much if they got more screen time. Ayu certainly is the most playful, followed by Shiori, who is playful but in a more lustful way, and finally Nayuki, who’s seems (and most likely isn’t) perfectly normal. There’s also the discussion about how Yuuichi gets his money to buy the things he does. He probably has a part-time job or something, but it’s never shown on screen. I doubt his methods will ever be revealed though.

Plot Outline:

- Yuuichi asks Akiko to keep Makoto’s room as it has always been as a memorabilia
- In class, Yuuichi starts a stupid conversation with his friend about nothing -_-;;
- Outside, he visits Shiori and treats her to ice cream when she says she’s hungry
- During lunch, he finds Sayuri outside the staff office, where Mai had been taken because she broke another window during her nightly demon hunts (makes me wonder why they don’t try and improve security in the school)
- Yuuichi then has lunch with Sayuri and Mai, where an incredibly stupid predicament occurs where everyone starts passing around their bentos like idiots ^^
- After school, Yuuichi decides to get Mai to attend a dance party and runs off to tell her and Sayuri
- He forgets about Nayuki, who’s been waiting for him to go home together, and treats her to icecream to make up for it
- They bump into Ayu along the way, and so finally she and Nayuki meet

- At home, it’s decided for Ayu to sleep at the Minase house, and it’s also revealed Ayu’s parents are on vacation
- When Ayu gets the bath ready, Yuuichi playfully asks to join in with her and Nayuki
- After being rejected, he heads back to school to see Mai
- The next day Nayuki and Yuuichi hurry to school but arrive their ten minutes early (while Ayu stays home)
- Yuuichi comments on how it’s a miracle they arrived so early for once, but Kaori overhears
- She tells him in a cold voice that miracles don’t happen that easily
- That lunch, Sayuri announces that she’s secured a dress for herself and Mai, as well as a tux for Yuuichi (meaning he has to go to the party as well)
- At night when Yuuichi visits Mai again, they get attacked by another demon
- Mai swings at it but it gets away

Preview:

Next episode – #12
Nayuki goes dancing? o_O

Popularity: 7% [?]