Lunar Subs are out... I thought this was kinda funny.
I can't decided how to score this episode. I kinda like it, but there are some technical reasons to mark it down. The artwork does seem problematic, and it's inconsistent: Matsuri stepping into the boat was nice, but them walking on the hill was rough. And the music at the end is annoying.
What this part of the story makes me think of is a musical technique of foreshadowing. (I think there's a specific term musicians use, but I haven't been able to recall it.) In one movement the composer will briefly insert the theme for the next movement, then return to the first theme to finish out. The end of the episode is not the beginning of the intense part of the story, there's still too many things to work through before we can get there. What's Takeshi's backstory? How will Aono react to Matsuri? Will Mana start feeling stronger for Yorito with Matsuri threatening to take him away for her?
This episode is the hook that will hang us in suspense until the climax.