Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun season 2 finale – The end of summer vacation approaches, with the corresponding rush to get all the summer homework done. What better way to spend one of those last precious days than with some quality granddad-grandson time at Diagon Alley Magic Street?
It all turns serious when the topic of the Demon King comes up. Sullivan dodges the question of why he won’t go for the top spot, but you get the feeling he simply doesn’t want the job. Iruma, though, is starting to wake up to the possibility that he could try it. He’s finally read the prophecies about the next king, and has to be thinking about how much they seem to describe him. And if all he needs to do is get 13 specific people to like him, winning people over is what he does. That would be a shoo-in. Well, okay, mostly a shoo-in since one of those people is Ameri’s dad.
It looks like Iruma has more immediate concerns, though, with extra classes, big events, and a new challenge for his entire class to reach graduation rank by the end of their first year. Whatever life brings him next, we can be confident he’ll continue to tackle it with kindness and humility. And we’ll get to watch it, too— season 3 has already been announced.
(Crunchyroll — Shahiid Anime — Bahamut Anime Crazy)
Sonny Boy #9 – Nagara and his core group catch up with the students who went off with the fake Ms. Aki and find them trapped in a cycle where twins wage war on each other to prove which is better, until they both destroy each other.
Meanwhile, Mizuho’s cats are fussing over her and worrying what she would do without them. Picking up on the theme from last episode, they want to keep protecting her, still seeing her as the little girl who was scared of climbing up the stairs in the dark. It’s implied that they’re the ones who actually have the power to copy things, and they are responsible for the entire class being copied, except we don’t get an explanation of why they would have copied everyone.
Set against the theme of becoming independent, Nozomi is trying to find her purpose in the world. She thought she had the power to help bring everyone home, but all she could do was see how far they’d drifted from a world they couldn’t return to. Does her power have any other use? And what can she do in a world where people are being defined by their special powers?
(Funimation — Wakanim — Bahamut Anime Crazy — bilibili — Laftel)
Peach Boy Riverside #11 – Sally and friends troop off to the Western Wood where they meet Winnie the witch, who is not only Berett’s savior but also an old friend of Frau’s and familiar with Hawthorn as well. But no sooner has Sally revealed that she wants to learn magic and started a training montage than everyone has to go attend to the release and slaying of a major ogre, and learn that there are a lot more people involved than anyone expected.
Even though we largely know the outcome of this fight, Peach Boy Riverside has a few crucial details it’s been holding back. The biggest surprise this time is that Sōmenki didn’t fall in battle, he just got stupid and wound up decapitated before he ever knew he was in danger. This episode is also the first time Sumeragi hasn’t looked confident that he has complete control of a situation. It’s right after this that Sumeragi will be presenting his alleged argument for coexistence to the gathering of remaining ogres, presumably figuring that dealing with two people with massive ogre-killing powers head-on will be a bit much.
That may be inspired by him seeing what Sally is up to in this fight. Persuading the elves and lizardfolk to not kill each other (at least for now) is fairly easy, as Carrot acidly notes, when there’s an obvious enemy to band together against. And it’s that comment which Sally takes as a challenge to aim for peace with the ogres, too. We know she’ll be at least halfway successful, since Hatsuki/Millia is still more or less with us later, but I’m guessing this is going to be fatal for the giant tree guy.
(Crunchyroll — Bahamut Anime Crazy — Laftel)
Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story season 2 #7 – With every heroine who can be wrangled at the scene, it’s time for a full-on assault of the Magius tower where Nemu and Tōka are holed up. After that fails, they regroup, gather some more intelligence via Mifuyu, and return to the battle with the knowledge of how to rescue Tsuruno and Mami. Which also fails…
In between the battle scenes, we get an in-depth look at the Coordinator and what motivates her. She didn’t get any powers that would be useful in battle, not even a defensive one like Felicia’s, and so all she can do is keep looking into the darkness which is slowly devouring the soul of every magical girl. The therapist desperately needs a therapist of her own. But being able to talk about it a bit seems to help enough to explain what’s happened to Tsuruno and Mami.
In addition to capturing helpless mundanes, the Uwasa can also be fused with magical girls. This twists them to Magius’s side, and also amps up their powers dramatically. Theoretically this can be undone if someone knows the magical girl well enough, but even the person who knows Tsuruno best can’t manage it.
There are two possible ways this can go: either Iroha has to inspire everyone to try harder, or Nemu, the creator of the Uwasa, can intervene. Nemu does want to talk to Iroha, and she’s begin voicing her doubts about the current plan, so I’d bet on the second option.
(Funimation — AnimeLab — Wakanim — Aniplus Asia — Animate Gamer — bilibili — Crunchyroll — HIDIVE)
Higurashi: When They Cry – SOTSU #12 – On returning to the in-between world, Satoko and Eua eavesdrop on Hanyū’s revelations about the sword which can kill even a looper. So on the next time through, Satoko makes sure to remove it, to crush Rika’s spirit further.
Now Rika thinks the sword was removed long ago, but that’s okay, there’s enough of a fragment for her to kill herself. Far from pulling the last prop out from under Rika’s hope to escape, Satoko has just stiffened her resolve. Now is when Rika starts counting down her five more loops before she takes herself out of the game entirely.
We still have to get to the one where Rika wakes up to being disembowled, and then the loop where Rika calls Satoko out as her adversary, and whatever happens after that. At the speed SOTSU is going, we may only just make it back to the confrontation and have to wait for another season for the resolution.
(Funimation — Wakanim — Bahamut Anime Crazy — Laftel)
