Kurenai - Episode 7

Following on from last week's musical interlude, Kurenai returns to business in its usual dazzling fashion courtesy of its seventh episode. Much of this episode is devoted to Tamaki, who decides to take Murasaki to university with her for the day. Here, we learn an awful lot about Tamaki - From outwardly seeming like a highly independent woman of the world who uses men as little more than playthings (to the point where I was starting to develop rather a distaste for her character for a while), we actually get a glimpse of the true person underneath that façade, a girl who is just as eager to change and work hard to keep a guy's attention as the very people she so often criticises.

As per usual for the series, this particular scenario is delivered brilliantly thanks almost solely to its dialogue, which one again proves to be frequently hilarious (on Murasaki's part in particular) and occasionally poignant. Perhaps the funniest moment of all is the fact that this episode has no qualms about bringing up the 'lolicon' possibilities of Murasaki and Shinkurou's relationship - When have you ever seen any anime openly posit something upon dodgy ground that we've all been wondering (nay, worrying) about for most of the series? Seeing Tamaki mention this was one thing, but Murasaki brazenly bringing it up in an argument with Shinkurou (coupled with his expression) made my week.

Beyond this, the episode also has serious business to attend to, concerning both Murasaki's mother and her future away from the Kuhouins, developments which may well signal a forthcoming change of pace to the series. Funnily enough, I find myself wanting to resist any such change, such is the joy that has been wrought from watching Murasaki and company doing the most mundane things. Never mind her kidnapping, this series could easily get by on more episodes surrounding shopping, watching TV and just generally watching Murasaki attempt to learn about life. Once again, Kurenai has proved itself to be pure genius using little more than some interesting characters and sharp dialogue, which at the end of the day is always the real foundation of good anime - A foundation which so many series sadly seem to forget, and which they would do well to learn from a show such as this.