Shuri arc stabilizes Asura Cryin'

I was very much relieved to read that Aroduc approved, overall, of the past three episodes of Asura Cryin' :

Ep 4 - As surreal as much of this episode was, this show is actually turning out so much better than the first two episodes indicated.

Ep 5 - Not as good as the last couple, but still worlds beyond the first two episodes.

Ep 6 - A great episode marred only a little bit by somewhat anticlimatic ending, along with one of the more bizarre developments, even for this series.

After a great third episode, there was always the risk that things could have slipped back into the style of the first two episodes which put off quite a few potential viewers. But, despite a few niggles, I'm well pleased with the developments on several fronts including Shuri's back story, the introduction of two other competing camps with their own Asura Machina as well as Tomo x Misao x Kanade dynamics.

The taming of the familiar in Ep 4 was a convenient backdrop to introduce the Second Student Council as a force that is neither with or against Team Saeki or Team Tomo. Calvinists will probably not be pleased at the way they've been Dan Brown-ed but it's not as if Seven Arcs has to worry about getting permission to film at Geneva. The great mystery is why President Rikka feels that there's a need to have a megane-ponytailed persona when her 'real' form is so much hawter. Go banana milk!

I was also delighted with the demonstration of how Tomo trusts Misao's judgment. She told him to Open The Box. And now, despite Kanade's (albeit rather vague) warning, he believed in her when she asked him to call upon Kurogane. The warmth and closeness that underlies all their interactions always brings a smile to my face.

Like the lakeside conversation when Tomo asked Misao about whether she would like to be alive again and her oh so cute response to his jibe about him not even being to die in peace because she's always with him.

Even her disapproval at his alleged ecchiness contains just the right mix of righteous disapproval on general principle and possible jealousy that doesn't go psycho empty pot overboard.

Kanade grates less on me now that I know more about her. The hau-hauing helped somewhat. But I'm still a bit puzzled as to how the story will get Tomo to 'contract' (i.e. sleep with) her.

There's the obvious problem of Misao cockblocking though, in the course of six episodes, we've already seen her taken out of commission twice. In such a dire situation, the emergent feelings (stronger on Kanade's side) and the survival imperative could very well force a Rin x Saber FTW-type coupling.

I'm still certain that Tomo x Misao are the Promised Couple though. Loved their mutual laugh over Misao's oh so cuteness ♥

I was quite worried about the fifth episode. I dislike amnesia as a plot device too but thankfully it was resolved within one episode and it was actually important in revealing that Shuri has actually taken the identity of her older twin. But I'll continue to call her Shuri instead of Yukari because that's what everyone else calls her. Over the course of the revelation that the real Shuri is the burial doll and projection for Shirogane and Bishie Girl Susugihara (who also seems to have been a senpai to the twins) respectively and the struggle over the stabilizer, Tanaka Rie-ed fuelled Oneesama goodness was a force multiplier for all the explosions, boing and teasing that gave this arc its added bang.

And I also had a vision of Yukari-sensei walking past singing: 'Love letter~ Love letter~~ Lo~ve Le~t~ter~~' when Tomo picked it up and started reading it. Why does Susugihara have it? It seems addressed to the Real Shuri. Oneecon detected!? :-3

Ok, got the pyramids reference but the rest (before the flashbacks), I didn't get. I hope all this mysterious foreshadowing will actually lead to some explanation that will, unlike Kannazuki, make-sense (but not long winded Index-type exposition) and tie it all together. I'm cautiously optimistic at this point as it seems that all roads lead back to Misao.

Related posts:

1. Asura Cryin EX016
2. Asura Cryin EX014
3. Asura Cryin EX017