I really feel like I relate so much to Nakano from Sewayaki Kitsune no Senko-san. In a way, it’s kind of fun to watch Sewayaki Kitsune no Senko-san because it’s my way of destressing, while it’s also an anime about Nakano destressing from the everyday life of a salaryman. Ironic, isn’t it? Then Nakano said this week that he has this pile of games that he had purchased that just piled up because he got too busy. I completely relate to this and it’s soooooo sad. I had to laugh out loud about it. I have like 4 games piled up that I haven’t gotten a chance to play because, like Nakano, I get busy with life and when I finally have some free time, I do things like lie around in bed exhausted from life. What a conundrum!
Watching Nakano with Senko and Shiro is fun since they truly seem like a family, something Nakano stated in this episode. Senko and Shiro are a combination of pet cats and wife/daughter to Nakano, so they have different healing effects. I’m in that same boat where I can now see how adults feel some sort of healing effect watching their kids behave like kids and marvel, but I also look at my dog and think how wonderful it is that these actions of mine can result in so much of his happiness. It’s funny how we grow up and want nothing more than to have the time and resources to do these things we love as kids/young adults, but as we get older, we find joy in other things instead.

Last time we checked, Carole and Tuesday were singing in front of thousands of people (an angry mob, though), in one of the most important venues. But hey, that doesn't mean anything, and so they keep pursuing their dream following their manager's ideas. And what's the new plan? Well, it's all about making it big on TV! And that's how our two favorite starlets end up auditioning for Mars Brightest, the most popular reality show on the Red Planet.

Although this episode is the perfect excuse to uncover some of Carole and Tuesday's secrets of the past, it's also a wonderful chance for the team behind the show to have some fun. We got a glimpse of Pyotr, a social media personality that may or may not have a bigger role in the upcoming episodes, but we also met a lot of weird people at the auditions! There's this old woman performing the song her mother used to sing for her, there's a native Martian in an extravagant purple suit, and let's not forget about the Hindu guy with the giant ball-like turban. I mean, even IDEA the swindler AI makes a cameo here, and Tuesday's (a.k.a Monday, when in shades) part in the auditions is so funny too!

Look, I know they're very talented and all, but if you look at the competition, there was no way that the girls didn't rank above those weirdos, right? Now we just need to wait for Angela's performance, and only then will we have a better idea of ​​Carole & Tuesday's true level.

As a long time anime fan there were several moments in this week’s episode of Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari that had me thinking of other series highlights. Nevertheless, episode 20 was still amazing and truly had some hot moments we need to go over. As Naofumi and the other heroes try to take down the Pope, they see their amazing feats--accompanied by the epic first opening soundtrack--become futile. That forces Naofumi to use his Chaos Shield in its newest form but quickly the dragon within attempts to consume his mind and it takes all the girls of his party to keep him from losing his mind. The heroes are luckily aided by the Queen who is able to use her magic to break the Pope’s defense allowing Naofumi time to use his newest skill. This is where Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari goes dark as Naofumi loses a ton of blood with his latest attack--that Berserker armor reference--but equally unleashes a powerful attack where his blood literally summons a giant snake dragon that devours the Pope and ends his evil reign! After such an amazing episode next week’s will probably be laid back to let us recover but that episode was all around too good.

After Senko gives Nakano a massage using her adept and light feet, Nakano departs for work once again. And once again, he is left working late, resigned to another night of sleeping in the office--until the great Shiro steps in!

Though we love Senko and her relaxing presence, Shiro provides a different kind of kindness in Nakano’s life, focusing on the bigger picture while Senko provides for the little moments. We have seen Shiro use her power previously to read minds and walk through walls, but this is the first time she has done something so blatantly powerful for Nakano. She also tells him a little about why Senko is so set on helping him, because of his ancestor and their relationship in the past. Nakano is a little sad at the thought of this, but he quickly cheers up, saying Senko’s happiness is most important to him. And thanks to this, Shiro knows that he is good enough to be with Senko! We’ve grown more fond of Shiro as she continues to show a more vulnerable side to her personality. Sewayaki Kitsune no Senko-san has been a relaxing break of an anime, but this episode focused around Nakano and Shiro’s discussions shows that the series can have more substance as well.

It’s always nice to disembark from the suffer train for a little while, and this is the best breather episode Dororo has had thus far – it also might be the last one we get, so let’s try to savor it. Our two heroes visit a small town blacksmith to have Hyakkimaru’s swords repaired after the calamitous clash against Tahomaru, but things quickly go awry thanks to a demon’s curse that causes everyone to say the opposite of what they really mean. The blacksmith’s adorable daughter Okowa decides that Hyakkimaru wants to marry her because he nuzzled her face as a greeting (a hilarious habit he picked up after visiting the doctor who raised him), and he’s unable to refuse because of the tongue-tying curse.

The original manga had tone problems because it clumsily tried to combine slapstick comedy with the horrors of war, but this anime adaptation knows how to use humor intelligently. Hyakkimaru plays the socially inept straight man, Dororo tries to figure out what’s going on while flustered out of her mind, and Okowa keeps a positive attitude even after she finds out the truth. Even so, this episode pays homage to its source material by slipping in a few classic Osamu Tezuka gags like his signature frustrated pig face. It reminds me of how Hiromu Arakawa manages to instantly switch back and forth between comedy and drama in Fullmetal Alchemist without cheapening the integrity of either. Dororo has tapped into that same magic to create a perfect balance between wildly different emotions over several episodes, far outclassing what the 1967 manga gave us.

With her eyes set on Kako, Bocchi misses out on the friend right in front of her. Bocchi continues on her quest to befriend Kako and begins to make a little progress in cracking her rough exterior. While Bocchi is working hard on Kako, Sotoka struggles with her desire to move up from apprentice to a friend. With the support of Nako and Aru, Sotoka is able to hold back her desire to hang out with Bocchi while she focuses on Kako. In the end, Sotoka decides that it is best for Bocchi, if she holds off on asking to be friends until she is ready.

The episode opens and closes with shots of Sotoka's lonely home life, setting us up for a slightly depressing episode. Although the episode mostly focuses on Bocchi and Kako, the Sotoka moments really steal the show. Even though Bocchi and Sotoka are basically friends already, it still hurts me to see how sad it makes Sotoka hold back on her desires. Despite the sad moments throughout for Sotoka is was nice to see all of her friends text her, "Welcome home" after they found out she lived all by herself. I can't wait to see what kind of situation the girls find themselves in next week.