We have our main couple in a super happy state, but will it stay that way? Do I sense a parallel with Clannad with the couple-living-under-the-same-roof situation? And yet more secrets of everyone’s past is revealed.

Status of soul: Yawning

Impressions

The episode goes from good to bad in terms of mood. I suppose this means the plot enjoyment goes in reverse from boring to intriguing, and that’s -partly- true. I was actually happy with the Takuma-Hayami lovelove, because ep9 left us on a really good note, and we’ve been yearning for some romance for a while in all the confusion and plot twists.

But OH NOES. A dirty old man peeks on a young couple in love. And later he tells his horrible story about how the Kohinata family killed Takuma’s mom. Turns out he wasn’t lying. Takuma is the love child of his mother and a man from the Hirose family. She was originally supposed to marry into the Kohinata family, who never stopped pressuring her after finding out she eloped. And thus, suicide.

Epic gasp

Well… that’s shocking, yes. But it really doesn’t have anything to do with Hayami, who goes from the happy “married” life into a state of guilt and depression. Takuma at first tries to stay optimistic and tell her it’s not her fault, but then he starts having hallucinations: dreams about Hayami taking his mother away … and other instances where it looks like he’s losing his vision.

Did Otoha foresee all this? Perhaps not. And she’s probably on the spirit plane going “Aw, crap,” right now.

Do you know yet that I’m Hotaru again?

When the elder spoke of the past, the sound of higurashi echoed around him. I know that cicadas are part of the natural surroundings in Japan, but Higurashi no Naku Kori ni has just instilled a sense of ominous doom in me every time I hear them in other series. ^^; A lot of times it’s nothing more than background noise, but here the mood seems appropriate.

Uncle is so strange. If this reaction wasn’t odd enough, the later one where he finds out Hayami fried frogs for breakfast is priceless. Come on; it still tastes good. Rice paddies are full of nutrients for healthy amphibians. Plus it makes Hayami look all the more adorable going hunting for food early in the morning as she probably has done for while when living in the forest.

The cuteness continues when she can’t understand technology either with vacuums and washing machines. ^^; At least she seems to learn quickly. And all that apparent clumsiness can definitely be made up by great cooking. Makes me a bit jealous almost, especially when your guardian will happily leave a budding couple home alone for the day. But instead of doing suspicious things, they go clean. orz

Let’s play scrabble!

Poor Yui, who is utterly defeated. It’s hilarious how she remains that way, too, for the half the episode, acting unresponsive and dead to the world. But she manages to find inspiration … which is short-lived when we next see her laboring with sandbags in the storm. Sadness.

Oh you poor thing

And finally we see the assault scene from episode 1. Now I guess it’s a little bit more justified … a little bit. The boys surely didn’t have to double-team her like that, even if she did scream (out of frustration) that she wants to destroy the village. At least just apprehend her, jeez. But Hayami doesn’t fight back, and we know why now.

Although the situation doesn’t really hit home with me; Takuma and Hayami are kind of blowing it out of proportion. He’s taking his dreams and vision blurring a little too harshly; not explaining it to your new girlfriend isn’t helping either, when all she’s doing is worrying about you. Alternatively, what happened to that talk with Hotaru about wanting to be with him? You were plenty happy before finding out about a past that has little to do with you today; why act so awkward afterwards?

Tomoya?

I guess I’m a little bitter the happiness ended so quickly. And here Hayami is getting beaten up on the outskirts of town where nobody knows about it or can help her. Takuma is going blind again in the house and getting more and more aggravated. And all the Kagura elder can do is look on? I wonder if Hotaru will step up again to be heroic. Hamaji and Yui seem to just remain as side characters so far.

Classmates are supportive … and nosy

~Crisu

I want this back…

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