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This is probably the worst episode of the series so far, and I wholeheartedly hope there won't be any episode any worse than this one.
I'm all good with transitions between IS training/competitions/real fights and romance/comedy school life.
However, this episode was reaching the peak of tedious content:
As I was afraid of, they made Cecilia going through a 180° change. Although I welcome it as a development so she will be less annoying, it is however way too steep, and her gunning for him that much isn't really convincing to say the least. Considering her pride and characterization in Episode 1 and 2, it is basically flipping a switch.
Meanwhile, Houki definitely lost of a lot of points. Props that she actually thanks and apologizes in due time. However, I believe her reactions are way too extreme, and because of the lack of slapstick effect on it (the usual over-the-top-reaction-attack-that-deal-lethal-looking-damage), it definitely bring questions to what she was thinking when she was picking her shinai (as a Kendoka, I understand full well that you should -never- swing your shinai without the purpose of practicing kendo. Venting your rage or attacking someone with it is ridiculous, and that kind of straight "Men" might leave a serious bruise if it did hit Rin).
I personally have no idea what they are trying to do with Houki: she doesn't have to follow textbook the tsundere archtype reaction pattern, but frankly she is so unpredictable that it is just going further in the annoying treshold.
But the noticeable issue was probably Ichika. Aside of his sudden collapse of performance in IS piloting, I must say that the characterization and interactions he had hardly flatter him. I won't question the convenient setup he had when he activated that IS (no trespass sign? who cares?), but the level of denseness is so incredibly high that it isn't even a character issue but a convulated plot device.
I do not expect such kind of character to realize the harem members feelings, but frankly, the lack of reactions and attempts of toning down the situation is nearly astonishing.
The only saving grace of this episode is perhaps Rin's characterization and interactions, although the start was scaring me for a second ("a new challenger appears" syndrome).
Truth to be told, I was wondering why the author decided to make TWO tsundere as osananajimi but at least, Rin is by far less extreme. That being said, I still have hard time to consider her seiyuu as a good choice (no matter how I watch this episode, I have a incompatibility feeling when Rin's speaking).
At least, her straight attitude and punchlines are welcome. I daresay she might actually lead to interesting situations for the whole group, so long Ichika stops being as clueless as the deepest darkest depth of oblivion.
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in fact much more than the other two girls
