Although this episode was arguably a little heavy on the flashbacks, it otherwise proved to be another excellent example of what this series has been all about from the outset. On the one-hand (and despite its sombre tone) we had a couple of brilliantly uplifting and funny conversations, while on the other there were some really quite emotional moments that were subtly played without ever feeling overblown. To add to the ever-superb dialogue and characterisation, we learn a little more about Yayoi, and I also get a chance to gloat about reading Benika's true intentions regarding taking Murasaki away from the Kuhouins correctly - In short, it was never about allowing her to escape their grasp forever, but simply for long enough for her to experience the outside world and real love, as requested by her real mother. A very odd thing to ask for your seven year-old daughter (although I suspect her mother knew it was the one thing that would make her fight to achieve a proper life for herself), but I think I can let it go for what is otherwise a most excellent episode of an amazing anime.
My only concern at this point is that, with two episodes to go, there simply doesn't seem to be enough time to wrap things up tidily. Admittedly I'm not familiar with the light novels so I'm not entirely sure what direction the series is headed, or whether they're hedging their bets on a second series (which I certainly wouldn't object to, far from it), but right now I can't imagine so much of importance being neatly closed off in what amounts to about forty minutes of running time. Having said that, I find it equally unimaginable that they'll screw up the series after reaching episode ten with nary a mis-step, so hopefully my fears aren't justified.
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For them to have spent quite some time stretching the first volume of the novel, to the extent of adding anime-original scenes (and a whole episode, the great musical ep), the director has better planned out things up until the end of this series to wrap it up well, or else...!
I'm not really happy with how they spent an entire episode just for Shinkurou to finally decide on going to the Kuhouins and save Murasaki, that should have happened right after Shinkurou went to ask Benika about Murasaki and the Kuhouins the first time (in the novel, Murasaki was first taken back by his pedo brother, before he went to ask Benika about the Kuhouins).
So given that they have changed the original novels this much, the anime adapation deserves nothing less than a well wrapped-up ending to this great anime.
It's certainly interesting to hear a view on this series based on someone familiar with the novels, especially considering how things have been changed around for the anime.
As someone who hasn't had that experience, spending this episode watching Shinkurou bash out his thoughts about what to do next was a good one for me, although of course if they end up rushing the end I might change my tune and wish they'd condensed all his prevaricating down to almost nothing. ;)
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