Subculture Anime Blog

This much love…in the mouth.

Summary:

After their previous engagement, Noriko notices that Touko has simply reverted to her usual self. On the day of the card searching event, Yumi takes the chance to give chocolate to Sachiko. The two meet in private to do this, happily exchanging their Valentine’s gifts with each other. Sachiko wonders if Yumi wouldn’t be giving any chocolate to Touko, and because of the previous misunderstanding Touko seemed to have, Yumi confirms that she would leave her alone for now. Yumi walks in on Shimako giving chocolate to Noriko, resulting in her usual embarrassing giddying. When the girls meet a waiting Yoshino in the mansion, they learn that she does not even know if Rei would be appearing.

Sachiko eventually passes Touko in the stairwell, then asking if she plans on running away. Touko wonders what she means by this, as this would not be appropriate if she simply weren’t entering the search, so Sachiko describes her belief that Touko is running from Yumi. After confirming that Touko is afraid of meeting Yumi, Sachiko states that she is as well. As Yumi is straightforward, it was if she was a mirror that could reflect all of the flaws in a person. When Touko then wonders why Sachiko is with Yumi, she replies that it is obviously because she likes her. If she were to show her current flaws to Yumi, she would simply change them. Sachiko goes on to describe Touko as the only rival she could see, since there was no mistake in Yumi’s choice of an imouto. Before Sachiko can leave Touko with these words, she stops her with determination.

As the competition starts, the Roses are surprised to see that Touko is actually entering the race. With the rules explained and clues spread throughout the school, several of the school’s girls search throughout the campus. As Rei arrives with hopes that she would still be able to find Yoshino’s card, she notices that it is taped to a wall nearby a calling student. Sachiko sits down for tea with many of her fans and the Roses around her, explaining that she has not given up with confidence. Touko meanwhile researches maps, with the conversation she previously had with Yumi in mind. When Noriko finds Touko in the small room she is in though, she expresses that Yumi would not have hidden her card in a place only Touko would be able to find. As Yumi’s heart is much larger than the small room, Touko is currently unable to understand her. Noriko believes that Touko has escaped such confinement though, giving her encouragement before parting with her.

Rei surprises the Roses by appearing at the mansion, but although it appears as if she has found Yoshino’s yellow card, this turns out only to deal with information about the treat she planned on making Yoshino upon returning. Rei had certainly found the card, but the actual carrier walks in next. This is a girl named Chisato – the girl Rei had seen earlier. While recalling her memories of Yumi, and realizing the meaning behind Sachiko’s liking of her, Touko runs towards the mansion. At the same time, Sachiko starts to take action. By the time Touko reaches the mansion in a rush, Yumi can only greet her with a surprised face.

Preview: BE MY IMOUTO.

Impression:

Mmmm. Sachiko’s lips. A cliffhanger!? In MY Marimite episode? I was clearly watching this show at a bad time during my last review, because I was loving this week’s episode. (1:00 a.m. in the morning clearly gives me a much better view.) Apparently I wasn’t the only one getting giddy, because watching Yumi have fantasies about herself and Sachiko had me rolling in my chair. So did her face after walking in on Shimako and Noriko, which was brilliant. It was nice to see Touko finally take some initiative as well, and the play on maps and rooms played in nicely with what we have heard from the cast earlier in the season. Sachiko and Touko’s “rivalry” makes for a nice theme too, though it’s clearly a super friendly one in this anime’s environment. Next week is the moment we’ve all been waiting for…..since the very beginning the season and earlier. Bring it on, already!

Also, I’m pretty sure Sachiko decided to have tea time because she just didn’t want to get up and walk around. Don’t listen to her lies.