[Kaoru Chujo]

This episode made me extra glad that this is a two-cour show. It was almost perfect.

I say almost because I also thought the confession to Nanami came out of left field. Yes, we'd seen the guy before. If we were sharp, we might have realized that he was the one who shouted to stop embarrassing her. But it still just leaped at us from nowhere, in this episode. Nevertheless, it may have been needed to help give Nanami a soft landing. And to show that she has definitely not totally given up on Sorata.

I also wondered at her being so ready to help Sorata go after Mashiro. I can just about believe it, and it makes her a veritable angel. Now she deserves all the good luck in the world. Maybe the game producer will hire her for a role.

And it was a bit too obvious that the way to get the crowd going was to have the group themselves prime them with their own shouts. Taking so long for Mashiro to think of it was frustrating, but did generate tension whose release was very enjoyable.

I was maybe happiest when Jin gave Misaki that pendant. Yes, boy, that's the way. You may not be good enough for her, but she wants you, so go.

For some reason, this time around I was especially struck by how much I love both the OP and (especially) the ED. Great stuff, both as musical entertainment and as themes for the show. Young Suzuki Konomi just gets better. Wonderful singer.

Anyway, what an enjoyable episode. Good feelings from start to finish.