天下制覇

 

And the budget gremlins too.

Impressions:

Wow, did the art ever take a nose dive for this episode. So much of it was just plain hideous. At least Hyaweh and Priecia remain pretty consistently drawn, but you’d think that Fel, Bridget and Filia were some kind of strange monsters with how often their blob faces contorted and became other-dimensional monstrosities. That said, it wasn’t that bad an episode. The pacing still bugs the hell out of me and we’re now a third of the way through the run with them barely even touching on any of the girls aside from Priecia, but I think I’m resigned to this being more or less a hackjob of the game’s story. The Priecia vs Kagura fight was very well done at least. As long as they keep supplying entertaining fights, I’m happy to stick around. See: Majin, Tokyo… only with more fanservice and comedy and worse art.

Priecia vs Kagura

Filia opens the window into the wind and gets ready to start cleaning her brother’s disgusting mess. She opens up the closet and gets covered in crap falling out and then brained by a sword that he forgot to bring with him.

An alarm rings, Priecia reaches over and turns it off. Then springs out of bed fully clothed. She throws open the window and sees Kagura in the tower across the way, staring at her through a telescope. She angrily yells at her and slams the curtains shut.

In class, Kagura keeps a close eye on her on one side, Hyaweh on the other, with Bridget in front of her watching them all suspicously.

At lunch, Priecia sits down alone. Kagura sits down across from her. As Priecia gets annoyed, Hyaweh sits down next to her. Before she can bitch them both out, Acty, Ein and Jung also sit down alongside Kagura and introduce themselves.

Fel takes up the spot on the other side of Priecia and starts rambling as usual. Priecia gets annoyed and leaves. Kagura quickly follows and Bridget leaves to stalk them as well.

As Priecia walks through the halls with Kagura in tow, her fanclub is annoyed at the attention Kagura is giving her. Kagura blocks Priecia from going into the bathroom until she checks it out and investigates all the stalls. Priecia yells at her and says that she doesn’t need her, but Kagura takes a knee and says that she’s here to serve her.

Later, Priecia makes a complaint to Kisarov, who is in his usual overblown mode.

Priecia tries to convince him that she doesn’t need Kagura, but Kisarov says that Kagura is here to protect Priecia’s life. Priecia relents while Kisarov continues his speeches in strange poses.

As she leaves his office, Kagura takes up her station right behind Priecia. The fan club keeps whining about Kagura’s arrogance. Priecia suddenly stops and tells Kagura to stop following her. Hyaweh butts in and says that he doesn’t understand, but that Kagura means well and did save them from the ninja.

Priecia tells him to piss off and he moves forward to stop her, but Kagura steps in front of him. Priecia says that she’s done playing with them and walks off. Hyaweh grabs her arm until she pulls it away.

Filia’s voice cries out for Hyaweh in I’m sure what will only be an endless torrent of “onii-chans!” She tries to present his ‘forgotten thing,’ but Hyaweh grabs her and rushes off. Priecia massages her arm as they leave.

Outside, Hyaweh holds up his sword. Filia’s wrath is never ending though. She demands to know who that woman was that he was with. He tells her that it’s Priecia, but she won’t accept that. He tries to tell her “be safe on your journey,” but she says that she can’t let him be on his own and she’s now going to be working at the school, taking baths with him, etc etc. Hyaweh relents and tells her to do what she pleases.

At night, Kagura is still staring through Priecia’s window from her tower. She suddenly throws a dagger backwards and nearly spears Hyaweh at the doorway.

He tells her that his sister has usurped his space and he’s looking for somewhere to hide/crash. He asks her why she’s here, and Kagura says she can watch Priecia. Hyaweh says that he understands and then lays out his bedroll and goes to sleep.

The next day, Hyaweh wakes up to Priecia laying down the law to Kagura. She basically says that she will only accept Kagura as her protector and bodyguard if she can win a duel with her without using any magic. Kagura accepts the conditions and Priecia leaves.

Later, Hyaweh, Kagura, and the man-trio are sitting down discussing the match. Hyaweh mentions Priecia and suddenly Fel and Filia appear on either side of him.

He introduces Filia as his sister. Everybody immediately hops on how interesting it is. Fel takes the time to poke at Filia. Filia has her own thoughts and plans for it and suggests that they turn it into a big party for all the students.

Outside, Priecia is shadow sparring. Her fanclub runs up, having heard the rumors of the match and the plan to make it into a party. Priecia is a bit incredulous.

Inside, Filia presents everybody with her horrific cooking creation. She tells them to eat up to be strong. Kagura starts into a pink riceball with tentacles.

She says that it tastes fine though and keeps eating. Bridget nuzzles her own light blue fish ball and thinks that this match will be a perfect chance.

In the church, Priecia and Kagura face off. Both ready their weapons. Kagura’s got the advantage with her range, but Priecia’s speed may offset that. They start fighting. Prieica is able to block or dodge Kagura’s arrows easily. She then catches one of them and throws it back. Kagura is taken by surprise and knocked enough off guard to let Priecia attack and force her back, continuously tearing up her clothes as she does.

Priecia hops back for the finishing blow, but slips on one of Kagura’s discarded arrows and lands hard. 

Bridget lurks… outside. She discusses her plan aloud to wait until the princess is in a pinch, then make her move. She starts to cast a spell, but the rabbits that were hopping around smack her and the spell goes out of control and sets fire to the whole area.

Priecia has stood up, but she flinches in pain. Kagura lowers her bow, but Priecia says that the battle isn’t over. Kagura shoots. Priecia blocks it and Bridget’s fire erupts through the church. Everybody runs out but Priecia and Kagura. Hyaweh runs back in to see the two still fighting.

Priecia charges at Kagura, but Hyaweh grabs her. She pushes him off, then slashes at him, injuring his shoulder.

She realizes what she did and asks if he’s okay, but starts to collapse. Kagura moves closer to Priecia. They think that escape is now hopeless, but Kagura says not to give up, she will protect them.

Outside, all the mages are casting spells to try to dispel the flames, but the level of magic is too high. Bridget thinks that if Priecia can’t escape from that, then maybe she’s not the princess. Filia uselessly yells for her brother.

Karin runs up and tries to blast away the flames. It actually manages to work, to everybody’s shock. Ein explains that she exhausted the oxygen. Hyaweh and Kagura walk out, supporting Priecia between them. Karin yells at them for doing something dangerous. Acty tries to defend him, but Karin walks up and slaps him.

She yells at him again for needlessly risking his life instead of behaving rationally. Hyaweh says that he did what he thought was right. Karin yells at them all that they’re going to be punished for this nonsense with the duel and what resulted.

Later, everybody is in the courtyard, scrubbing Kisarov’s statute. Filia yells at Hyaweh for worrying her. She says something about her and Fel prompting the man-trio to announce the formation of the Guy Club.

Priecia turns to Kagura. Kagura says that she lost the match. Priecia says the match was never decidedr. Kagura says she’ll back off and give Priecia her space. Priecia is a bit surprised, but thanks Hyaweh for trying to save them too.