Oh this is getting exciting, and Ayako releases 24 and 25 at the same time, too, so they’re catching up, and watching more than one episode at a time is always fun. Everyone on the Kouyruu have some talks with each other as they prepare for this final mission, and then it’s finally time for it to start.

Oh, this is too good

Summary

Otoha remains bothered after seeing Yuuki, and it’s making Ryohei rather upset that she’s acting so unlike herself this way. Admiral Ichijo meets with the Kouryuu commanders to talk about the final assault on the WORM nest, which appears to be a huge island made entirely of WORM cells. Togo then takes this briefing information ot the Sky Girls, but Otoha and Aisha aren’t present. Aisha is busy synchronizing to the new Sonic Diver, Shunia, for flight (and achieves over 100% efficiency), and Togo wishes to keep the details of the operation a secret from Otoha, whom he feels is bearing too much burden right now to be effective in combat.

I love the bottom of the image; looks just like the line of powerups in Gradius.

With a few hours left until the operation, Elise expresses her frustration at keeping things a secret from Otoha, refusing to fly if Otoha isn’t present. But she convinces Eika and Karen to go cheer up Otoha — and they manage to rebuild her confidence. She goes to apologize to Ryohei for their little argument, and they get a little moment in the hallway. Eika reports the update to Togo, who doesn’t care about the original secrecy as long as Otoha had decided to fight on her own. And he is able to add Otoha back into the battle plan after talking to the admirals.

Gen-san’s granddaughter

Elise gets to talk to Gen-san during the next meal; he has specially prepared riceballs for her as always, and she asks him again why he always takes such good care of her. Gen finally tells her about his granddaughter, who died along with his other children in the last war. He says his wife wanted to adopt Elise, since she doesn’t have a home anymore and won’t have a place to go after this campaign is over. Elise says she’d like to meet Gen’s wife after the mission.

A blushing Karen is fine, too

Karen starts to write another letter to her brother but gets interrupted by Takumi, who asks if he could take pictures of her brother’s designs (I forget of what). She promises him that he can, because the mission will be a success and everyone will be okay. Karen looks him in the eye when she says this, and Takumi takes notice; she isn’t so shy of boys anymore.

Even Nanae, still holding the charm that Hiro-kun gave her, wishes for everyone’s safety and success. And Eika and her father are able to meet after Togo faked a meeting request, and they’re able to exchange some words and unsaid feelings.

Otoha grows more confident about the mission as she thinks about it and Aisha even pep-talks her. She is able to synchronize with Reijin again, and everything looks just about ready. The mission begins with the Vic Viper units engaging the frontline defenses and opening up holes for the Sonic Diver team, who launches last. The Sky Girls, now a team of five, fly confidently toward the mission area.

Impressions

Awesome, awesome! Perhaps the first half was slow in terms of action, but it was full of a lot of character development, and I really love that part of this series. Everyone’s getting what sounds like their final goodbyes in. Makes it sound like nobody’s going to come back, but I do hope everyone survives the battle. And the soundtrack remains superb, as all of the piano/strings softer songs were used during these character talks. And then we break out with the OP (second verse, whoo!) as everyone launches. Otoha’s all confident again, and it seems an epic battle is ahead.

Hooray for Aisha in a flight suit (motionslit?) as well! Five Sky Girls now take to the skies in hopes of ending this new war for good. And afterwards I do hope that Eika gets an honest chance to talk to her father .. before eloping with Togo. <3 (Kidding.) Otoha and Ryohei seem just about together, and maybe even Karen and Takumi. And awww on Nanae; she just rocks (and not just because of Horie Yui). Elise is a little darling, too; I’m glad that she is essentially guaranteed a new family now. I wonder what Oto-san will have to say about it, haha.

~Crisu