We’ve got ourselves another lull episode. True to form, this show spent its downtime efficently, focusing on the relationships of several key players in this game with the titular one.

For all her status as of the main characters of the primary series, Kaoru’s relationship with Hyoubu is somewhat hopelessly one-sided. The fact that she could only beg in vain for him not to chase after his revenge on Saotome after being the one to enable him with a blood transfusion. The hopeless friendship speech she delivered in that scene really gave the impression of a heroine in way over her head. If that is foreshadowing for the main plot, props to all involved. Speaking of that blood transfusion, this show’s biotechnobabble sort of breaks down a bit when confronted with actual science. I’m not a Doctor or even a Biology major, but I’m pretty sure it takes more than a blood transfusion to fix telomere decay.

Hyoubu’s relationship with Andy is ostensibly repaired. With the knowledge that they shared a backstab and were going out for revenge against the same guys, they seem to have set aside Andy’s betrayal like it’s old news. Doing so really fits both with Hyoubu’s goal-oriented personality and the fact that this show is begging to have an action finale. That scene with them in the jeep reminded me a lot of the final arc of s-CRY-ed, and not just because Saotome is armed with a telepathic female child strapped to a chair. This one might actually be edging more and more towards Lupin/Jigen territory, what with the credits shamelessly panning over the two driving into the sunrise.

What really stood out this episode, though, was Hyoubu’s relationship with Fujiko. They’ve known each other a long time, and this anime’s version of the Generation Zero story really played up their relationship. So I was stuck by just how coldly professional their actual conversation this episode was. It just makes the two of them feel a lot more like the protagonists of a tragedy who recognize what their roles are and can’t change them. If I was still in doubt about that, well, Fujiko tearing up right before a smash cutaway after Hyoubu ran away really hammered the point home. Kudos in the characterization department.

The odds of Hyoubu getting his creative-kill shot on the series’ boss villain just got a sizable boost with the revelation that it is in fact the same person who shot him way back when. I feel realllll good about my chances of going 3-for-3 in predicting this show’s ending. Of course, time will tell.

(Apologies about not having pics this week. I would have some, except I don’t have reliable enough internet at the moment and my best quality stream was a 40mb raw.)