Mission: Yozakura Family

Very interesting developments are starting to happen, ones that hint to more than just one-off storylines like we've had before these past two episodes. The action in this episode was actually crazy - basically didn't even get a second to breathe once it started - and all the layers to what was happening was insane to watch get unravelled. That being said, I, unfortunately, wasn't moved by Chicken Man's backstory - it is what it is. Curious to see what the next couple episodes are going to bring.

A very nice and clean ending to a season filled with crazy shenanigans. Not perfect, just because I felt like there could have been a slightly more satisfying way to deal with Tanpopo/Makoto, but it is what it is. There's really not much of anything set up for next season since we didn't leave on a cliff-hanger or anything, so we'll probably pick up one or another plot line a little bit into the new season, which I'm not complaining about. One of the strengths of this show is how everything manages to feel cohesive and come together despite how much is going on, and I think this finale showed that really well.

Honestly, not gonna lie, was a little bit confused at certain points just because it felt like a lot was happening and it was a lot to process, but a really interesting watch anyway. We get the major sort of reveal as to Tanpopo and its reasons for existing, which is a very neat reveal I think. It sort of shows different perspectives and points of view that one may never have thought of before, and those sort of reasonings are always compelling regardless of if you agree or not. The boss battle also begins and it very quickly gets intense as soon as it does. Final episode next episode, so I hope they round off this in a good way while still setting up for future arcs and endeavours.

Makoto is crazy and I love him that way, oh, my God. Also, I have a crazy emotional weakness for innocent, vulnerable, mistreated children, so we can imagine how I felt this episode. Yeah, this was an emotional rollercoaster. I got my answer regarding Ai and Mizuki's dynamic - well, as much as they gave me - and Ai's role in the future of this show could be very, very interesting if they go the way I want them to go with it. Then, we obviously have the conflict with Makoto that was set up last episode, and it looks as if it's gonna continue full speed ahead in the next one. I am very much enjoying this whole bunch of episodes, so keep it coming.

The match-ups we got to watch this episode were truly something. I did prefer the intricacies of Kengo's to what Shion was doing, but the two of them did work wonderfully in tandem to fight in the way they did; I feel myself having a greater appreciation for them both after this episode. We seem to be getting places by the end of the episode, so we have a lot to unpack and see in the next couple. Also, Tanpopo just get more mentally deranged with their plots by the minute - crazy.

Well, wasn't that a wondrous collection of sequences, one after another? So, obviously, we have Futaba and Flame Girl having their face-off, which is then followed by one and a half others. We get bits of insight into a couple of the characters and the sort of dynamics that are at play in Tanpopo, with the thing I'm most interested in is seeing more of Shinzo, and more of Ai and her carer(?). I think those have the most interesting aspects for me, and I know at least one will be directly addressed next episode, so I'm excited.

I mean, the first half was basically a filler episode, but the second, we started actually getting into the drama and what we've been waiting and planning for. Not to say that I didn't laugh or I hated the filler section - I definitely didn't - but the contents of it moved nothing along. However, we now start what could very easily be something we deal with until the end of this season, and there's for sure going to be so many interesting match-ups and so many amazing sequences; we already have one set-up for next episode, and I'm expecting it to be as great as I think it will be.

This episode was kind of mostly about Taiyo and training him to get better at owning and controlling his powers, so I think this sort of episode is warranted given the point of the story we're in. We also got a little bit of insight into Tanpopo (nothing that overly relevant, but that opening scene was surprisingly cute), as well as HInagiku and how they came to be - I didn't expect any of that, by the way, but it makes a lot of sense. Compared to the past two episodes, very chill.

A wild train ride of an episode if I've ever seen one. The amount of stuff that went on is ridiculous, and the amount of reveals we also got was ridiculous. Emotionally, they did everything right. I was so tense the entire time (in a good way) while watching the insanity unfold before me. Like, I feel like I can't even talk about this episode without it being spoiler heavy, but all I'll say is I wasn't ready for things to start kicking into gear, like, two minutes into the runtime. Absolute insanity.

So, indeed, we are back on track with the plot, and we truly don't elt anything in this series stop for too long, huh? Without spoiling too much of what happens, Taiyo is back on his spy missions and we have some more information regarding and conversations concerning Tanpopo. A new character emerges from backstage and, from what we know so far, seems rather interesting. Tanpopo just seems to be growing in threat levels, slowly but surely, so I'm curious to see where it all ends up.

This episode felt a little like a filler just because of the context of what was happening, and mostly because a lot of the actual content given to us didn't feel relevant to the characters or plot as a whole. It was still enjoyable, but one of the weaker ones in this series so far. I mean, I know we got the little titbit regarding Mutsi, but it really wasn't anything that couldn't have been said in another episode in thirty seconds. Next episode seems like we may be getting back on track with the plot, so I'm looking forward to it.

Nanao episode, and I truly felt as if I could appreciate him so much more after this one. We delve into his own personal problems, own personal circles, why he is the way he is, and it's all just such a treat to watch unfold. Nanao is such a sweet soul, honestly, and I think he needed the full runtime to let us see all his complexities. Really cute.

Genuinely a kind of sweet ending to an episode where the rest of it is crazy and intense. The transpirings of this episode will most definitely have consequences on the future of this series, so that'll be really interesting to watch unfold because there's at least four massive things we could be following at this point in time. However, now that the (what feels like) continuous conflict from the past couple episodes has, for the most part, come to a clean end, I wonder which direction we're going to go in and where we'll start diving into the mysteries and questions. I mean, we might slow down again for a little bit, but I really, really want them to focus on the consequences of everyone's actions.

Literally amazing. I was watching this on the train and I had to refrain gasping audibly, and so I ended up holding on to my arms for most of the episode. This is the exact sort of thing I love - when a story starts to come together and everything starts to make sense once and for all - and the action we were invited to watch was something so truly entertaining. There's just so many things at play right now, so many people in play, and it doesn't feel overwhelming, which is very commendable. As for the development at the end of the episode, I'm not sure how the family are going to get out of it, because it really doesn't look favourable for them, but I will most definitely watch and find out.

And, so, we continue on with the Tanpopo plot and start looking deeper into them. You know, Makoto is really intriguing me right now, and I think he's making himself a very interesting person to watch. He also happens to clearly be an antagonist and that definitely doesn't influence my liking of him, not in any way at all. Regardless, I (a little selfishly) like that we're moving away from the episodely shenanigans and are starting to delve into a full plot - not that I necessarily disliked that, but I will always prefer a massive, overarching thing. Very much looking forward to the next episode given the note we left this one off on.

Finally, we get a little bit (a lot) of information pertaining to the mystery of Taiyo and his family - like, the entire episode was revolving around that, and I love it. We got some reveals, some new leads, some new aspects that are going to be very relevant in future - extremely well fed this episode. I think I'm most curious to see how the revelations towards the end of the episode are going to come back in future, because I sense a lot of potential for interesting developments.

Grandpa Yozakura makes his grand entrance, proving that he is just as crazy as the rest of this family's whacky members. He has a decent amount of substance attributed to him in his half of the episode, which is shocking because he doesn't come off that way initially. The second half revolves the family going to a shopping centre and doing some regular degular shopping with absolutely nothing going wrong, I promise. I don't think this episode was overly funny, but that doesn't stop it from being enjoyable.

Sort of two separate episodes with that interlinked plot as well. First half focuses on Futaba and learning about her fears a little, while the second we have the spy license exam and Taiyo taking on that challenge. The new character introduced from the exam is fun as well - he's kooky crazy, but he's a vibe. An episode filled with fun goofs, as usual.

Pretty interesting revelation to do with the box, and also starting to incorporate Ayaka a little more this episode. Obviously, the hijinks were in high gear - most specifically in the second half - and I loved it. The second half was more my style than the first; I thought the jokes were funnier, the payoff at the end felt worth it, and we even got a Goliath character arc. I hope we keep this pace of having revelations to do with the overarching question of what's the deal with Taiyo's family alongside all the craziness because that sort of balance is wonderful. Absolutely am living for Taiyo's insane goings on in the second half though.

So, yes, we do get Rin, who I was expecting to get introduced to this episode, but we also have who I'm going to call Chicken Man. Chicken Man is a specimen like no other that I've seen in this show, and I feel like that says something. The guy is probably clinically insane and you kind of have to vibe. It seems like he's not going to be a one and done kind of character, which makes me intrigued given how the episode ended. Also, we all just have to accept that the characters in this series are superhuman because how are these people surviving a three hundred metre drop? It's not like it matters, it's just ridiculous in the best way.