Zorome is one annoying little kid, but this episode was supposed to soften our views of him. Instead, we got a dose of what is really going on in the shadows and Zorome was just kinda there. Oops.

We already know that there is lots we are not being told and it’s not good. The parasites either have short lifespans, or they will not be expected to live long, or something like that. The elders are some creepy old men running things that have their own goals that they are plotting and it’s clear that “Papa” is shady.

Anyway, after a successful mission, the parasites are rewarded with a visit to the city which leads to Zorome ending up in the house of one of the residents. She clearly knows a lot and is only telling him so much which we only get tiny flashes of. At the end, she must tell Zorome what he truly is as he is shell-shocked and leaves in tears. Guards come and disinfect her house as if Zorome is some sort of disgusting existence and he is dropped off back at the house in the birdcage. We then see how big ZeroTwo’s fangs are getting.

Well well well, surprise surprise. We knew that there is some sort of plot at hand and it is evident that it is only getting worse. I imagine that with two cours, there will be a few more experiences like this for individual parasites. However, Kokoro was the one who found the book about birthing and kept it, so maybe the civilization and Papa is going to move to eliminate these two? Either way, the seeds have been sown. It is just a matter of time.

I know I wrote about Violet Evergarden last week but I just could not NOT be the one to write about Violet Evergarden this week. While last week ended wonderfully and made fans question what exactly could happen next, this week was quite touching even though it was clearly a filler episode for the most part. This week’s episode was about a little girl who wanted nothing more than to spend time with her mother, but her mother had some important letters to write with Violet. The mother was terminally ill and the little girl knew her time was limited and wanted to spend as much time as possible with her. Then at the end, it turns out that the mother had spent all that week writing letters to her daughter that were to be mailed out over 50 years after she passed.

As someone who has lost a parent at an early age, I couldn’t help but cry, which is funny because of how predictable this episode was. I think about how hard it is to be a child who is left behind by a parent who has passed away, especially when it is during such a young age like the little girl from this episode. I was also young and I still have a lot of issues with it. Then there’s the mother who actually knows she’s dying. She has to cope with the idea that her daughter will be left behind and she won’t have any guarantee about what will happen to her daughter in the end. It makes me tear up thinking about the ordeal parents go through when they have children that they will have to let go of someday, especially when it comes prematurely with their death. I think this episode will touch a lot of people who love their parents and know that one day, they will find them gone and cannot rewind time.

The story of Takagi-san and Nishikata-kun is coming to an end, and I bet many people will miss this two. Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san may not be the most popular anime but it’s a fine mix of comedy and camouflaged romance, and we all know that those relationships based in teasing the other are ones to admire. Even if it was obvious all along, Nishikata is finally accepting his feelings and finding the cute side of his friend, while Takagi-san on the other hand is becoming more direct on her advances. With a couple of mini-stories based on love and how to hide it masterfully, “Critical Hit” is definitely the cherry on top of this episode’s cake.

Let me be clear on this: if a guy prefers to take a walk with you instead of playing video games he is very likely in love with you, but if he even points it out unwittingly, as Nishikata did, well... there’s nothing more to say. The only thing cuter than the boy trying to explain it was a misunderstanding is Takagi-san’s reaction, followed by a gesture of disappointment as it could have been the best opportunity for kokuhaku. Chance missed, sadly. Still, the whole episode plays perfectly with the relationship between them without losing it’s style or becoming too cheesy, surely preparing for the grand finale. You know what they say, “those who fight, love each other”, but can we really blame the show for being so cliche? At least we got a nice unintended confession scene.