Saki Episode of Side A

Guys please this is a spin off of Saki I need you all to please go watch that first *praying emoji*

Note: There are still 4 episodes to find out what happens at the end of the semifinals. I have mixed feelings about Ep 12. I think it was amazing how the story built such an intense battle. Toki completely pushed herself beyond her limits, and she is one of the best characters in the series. She tanked most part the anime. On the other hand, Kuro’s emotional struggle with the doras felt a little bland compared with all the development Toki received. I feel after battle the show was a bit ungrateful with Toki. Anyway, it looks like the end, but it isn’t. Let’s keep going (at least I will.)

What started out, for me, as a burden to watch has now turned into total admiration for the direction the story has taken. It’s very unconventional to see secondary characters become the main focus. The Achiga girls have almost no relevance here, but honestly, that’s fine. Between Kirame’s admirable sense of honour, Toki’s intense and life-threatening sacrifice, and Teru’s overwhelming presence, this part of the story has been an incredible surprise. I’m enjoying every moment. Kuro-chan, just hold on. It’s almost over.

We continue with the same dynamic, conflict, and tension from the previous episode. I like how Toki almost feels like the main character. Her background and character development are some of the most interesting parts of the series, even though I initially treated her like “another girl with health issues.” Sorry, Toki. Kuro remains trapped in the match, even though she’s actually performing better than before. The way the drama is visualized during the game, the effective bgm, and Toki’s story all make this a fantastic episode. Sorry, guys, this isn’t filler, this isn’t a cooldown episode. This is real anime.

It’s quite interesting how the battle escalates in intensity, with the players’ abilities represented through strong winds, fire, and intense power. And poor Kuro-chan is in trouble again. For the first time, I can empathize with a character. She already struggled against Toki in Episode 5, and now she’s once again unable to do anything. Even without understanding the game, you can tell that Kuro previously fought someone incredibly strong, and now she’s facing someone even stronger. She’s completely trapped by the limitations of her own ability. Best episode so far.

Our Achiga girls realize they aren’t strong enough, so they visit a bunch of other players from Tsuruga Academy to somehow become stronger in just one day. I feel like all these girls are characters from the original Saki series. Otherwise, their appearances probably wouldn’t feel so important. I know the story is in a hurry, but the training was incredibly rushed. Since I still don’t understand mahjong, I have no idea whether someone can improve that much in just one day, but I seriously doubt it. But hey, let’s believe in them. After eight episodes, I’ve grown a little fond of the girls (just a little.)

That’s exactly what bothers me. We finally get a normal pace where I can understand some of the drama happening during the mahjong match, but then suddenly, we get the “main character effect,” where our beloved protagonist somehow wins out of nowhere. I understand the whole “heart of the cards” idea (like Yu-Gi-Oh!), but here it feels like, “They have to win because the show must continue.” The good thing is that we now have a subplot involving Harue, which adds some extra flavor to the story.