「The Flame Sekirei」
The first thing you see in this episode, Minaka all spread out with the most giddy of faces, is the feeling I will have watching this arc play out. There’s so much being setup this week as other Ashikabi are getting involved in the hunt for Homura. Homura is fighting both his enemies and his own instability. Will someone wing him in time before he does something foolish?
Homura tests his fire against Akitsu's ice.
After the embarrasment of almost kissing Minato, Homura makes haste and leaves Izumo Inn to go kill Minaka, which is just what Takami doesn’t want him to do. If he tries to attack Game Master, the Disciplinary Squad will be waiting for him. Hey, maybe he could put up some kind of fight against Karasuba, but he’s got absolutely no shot in his current state. I feel Tsukiumi backs up my argument in considering him the strongest of the non-winged, and she presents his biggest elemental weakness. Tsukiumi seems to be able to handle him after their first encounter, but she still thinks highly of him in terms of strength. More on that later.
Minato had to hide his DSi XL from Kuu-chan.
So it looks like Minato is going to have to gay it up and make Homura his Sekirei, or so that’s what Kuu and Tsukiumi are pushing for. It’s a really weird situation to see two wives forcing Minato to kiss a dude. If it happens, it’s definitely gonna be a screenshot I’m gonna force you to look at! Mwahahaha! Anyways, moving along, this week we all welcomed Tsukiumi to the We Know Kagari’s Real Identity club. It was a funny moment of realization for her and just her awkwardness about the whole winging situation in general was enjoyable. While she rather keep Minato all to herself, she can accept Minato winging Homura so long as Minato can save him and maintain the rivalry Homura and her have. Tsukiumi is easily the most fun of Minato’s Sekirei to watch, whether she’s fighting or just angry about others stealing away her man. She had a number of oddball faces and bunching up of her breasts in this episode.
And you thought her happy face was frightening...
As the North’s Minato leaves with his ladies to find Homura, Miya & Matsu get a visit from Seo and Hikari/Hibiki. It’s interesting what Matsu said about Seo-san helping Kuu and Tsukiumi getting winged, as though he is involved in this scheme that Matsu is hoping pays off. She truly believes that Minato is the one to crush the whole plan and maintain not only all of his own Sekirei, but provide stable lives for all Sekirei. He did help Kunoh and Haruka escape, so why lose belief in him now? Miya also shows her strength in nothing more than an expression of anger about Uzume and Homura’s respective situations. Damn, she’s scary!
Mikogami, your fetish is approved!
We had some alright action in the Kazehana arc, but what we saw in this episode by itself blows it out of the water. Homura runs across Scrap Number Akitsu in a battle of ice & fire, and then Uzume breaks up the fight and she starts fighting Akitsu while Homura’s power starts showing instability. He seems pretty even with Akitsu, but it’s Uzume that gets the better of him before he goes ablaze. As I mentioned last week, it seems that season 2 has a little more funny to it, and comedy even butted into the battle when Homura pointed out Akitsu wasn’t wearing any panties. While we all can dream of having Sekirei and managing them the way Mikogami or Seo do, you gotta have respect for how high Minato’s self-control is. Ah, who am I kidding! This is all setting up for a barnburner of an episode 6 when Minato, the West Ashikabi Sanada and others arrive to try and trade spit with Homura.
The Veiled Sekirei appears.
Anime vs. Manga
Time for comparison. The conversation with Miya & Matsu on the front porch of Izumo Inn is different in that Seo and his Sekirei were not there and that there was just a bit more to the conversation. It’s something that can be held until a little later, so no biggie there. Animation wise, Seven Arcs is doing some great work matching shots and bringing the action scenes to anime form.