The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behaviour! - Episode 11

We're now very much familiar with the cast of The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behaviour and their various foibles and weaknesses... except that is for Sayaka, who remains hidden beneath a mask of makeup and her abrasive personality.

However, the unexpected arrival of an old female friend of Sayaka's might hold the answer to all of these questions, and what's more she's looking to spend the night before heading to a high school reuinion the next day. Sayaka is understandably none too keen to have her friend stay over, but the other residents jump at the opportunity and spend the evening plying her with alcohol and questions about their mysterious housemate, learning some fascinating facts into the bargain. This is nothing compared to the revelations that Usa later learns, as he discovers Sayaka's one major weakness and also what she looks like sans makeup.

For the second half of this week's episode our attention switches to Ritsu, who actually seems to have made herself a friend within her class - another girl with a love of literature who is happy swapping recommendations with Ritsu. The next thing we know the two are spending all their time together - much to Usa's disappointment as he finds himself shorn of any time with Ritsu himself - but is this what Ritsu really wants? With no time to read, having such an over-bearing friend seems to be stressing her out, and those stress levels are about to come crashing through the roof as she's invited out for a day.

Its sense of humour has worn a little thin at this point - although it does still have its moments here and there - but I am at least hoping we get some kind of satisfying (if inevitably not decisive) ending to this series that tidies up the relationship between Usa and Ritsu in a satisfying way; it's been by far the best element of the series, and it deserves at least something worthwhile beyond the often cheap jokes at its disposal.